Good Bye Fort Apache..

Hello Everyone!! Daut-eh!! (I'll never get to use that again in public ;()

but it's ok b/c life is sooooo goood!!! As of Monday I have officially left Fort Apache as most of you already know. I realized that truly the hardest thing about being a missionary is leaving the ppl that you worked soooo hard for.

Those that just accepted to be baptized, those that you saw do a full 180! those that loveed and cared for you as if you were family. and those you dedicated so much of your studies to. The ppl there really became my family, I received so many gifts (apache's have a huge gift giving culture) and in return I became a huge gift giver myself!

which I thought would never happen! Especially while being a poor missionary!. It's amazing how it's true that the people that have the least are always willing to give the most! Sunday was such a sad day. Took lots of pictures, I realized how many memories I had made and how many laughs I had.

Last Sunday matching with my companion

The people there are one of a kind and I had the chance to learn a lot from them. I was the first sister missionary to be "born" in Ft. Apache. Meaning it was my first area so I was trained there. That was a huge honor and it definitely had its pro's and con's. In the con's I would say that it is a completely different mission than the rest of the mission. It's a lot more LAX and you pick up a lot of bad habits that you can’t really have in the rest of the mission lol. It felt like a different country often.

In the pros I would say it was the most psychologically humbling experience I have ever had. I was glad i started there because it broke me down to the person I needed to be, which would not have happened had I been in the comforts of a large city like I am now. It really breaks you down because you see the absolute worst case scenarios that a human being can possibly go through. If you weren’t strong mentally it got to you, depression was always ready to creep up on you as you lost hope in things like marriage, fidelity, motherhood, fatherhood. The things that as Members of the church value the most. You start doubting b/c for four months there was maybe one or two good examples of a righteous father/husband/leader. But I always prayed and kept it close in my mind that things are not that way everywhere. You just want the women that you love so much to know that!

So Monday came I had the best road trip down to the valley (4hrs) with a sister I had just met.

We stopped at chick fila and I met the daughter of the ward mission leader in my trainer’s old ward. The Papago ward. "Lata" was an amazing, fun, and hilarious woman. She had even served her mission in Venezuela!! so you know we chatted like a bunch of parakeets there. Lol Monday night I got to stay the night with some of my favorite people in the mission.

We laughed, sang, danced and stayed up way past curfew...but it was a once in a lifetime type of night. I even was taught to play a tune on the ukulele which I’ve always wanted to do. So too music videos later and 4 hours of sleep later the day (Tuesday) came fast.

I am now in the Liahona 2nd ward in Mesa, Arizona on a bike. Let me tell you guys my mind is just utterly confused. I never thought it was possible to be so uncomfortable yet soooo happy at the same time!. I say that because as Fort apache was psychologically exhausting, this experience here. It's like a whole different mission!! Not the same at all but has the PHYSICALLY Torturous and EXHAUSTING quality. I'm on a bike in over 110 degree weather on a regular basis. Heat exhaustion and dehydration are always after us. It sucks! my butt is too bony for this and day 2 of my period is not so nice. (sorry for the TMI).

I HAD to cut my favorite workout leggings to use as shorter capris under my skirt. The air is only allowed to be put at 78 degrees!! normally I need to sleep in 60 degrees! WE still have to complete everything in the same amount of time as all other missionaries on car which is insane because we have to bike everywhere.

I said bye again to my nice make up...I’m out anyways and only have $50 in my missionary account until next month. so oh well. I have no food........and yet I am so utterly an completely happy/ecstatic. I feel like being a mission nary is the best thing is the world...THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD yet when i look at the physical hardships it doesn’t make sense. I WANT TO BE A MISSIONARY HERE FOREVER....crazy i know! But we get to see the best miracles occur in a persons life!! on a DAILY BASIS. We get to see God manifest himself in so many ways that most ppl never even experience!

Tuesday I got to meet one of our members at dinner yesterday. Magaly was your typical humble, lower income immigrant from Mexico. Yet had the biggest heart to serve and for this church. She ran up the stairs as she was late and we were waiting at her door. She said "AYI VOOOOY!!" RAN inside and prepared us the most delicious meal I have had in the past four months.

I didn't realized just how badly i missed Hispanic cooking.  i WANTED TO CRY as I talked to her and took the first bite. Carne asada, fresh salad with tomatoes, BLACK BEANS!! Fried asparagus, Fresh Cantaloupe juice and fried plantain!!! Heavenly Father literally gave me all the things that reminded me of home! I smiled and teared up as I told her that Cantaloupe juice was my sister’s favorite and when we would go to Venezuela the girl would live off of it!!! Lol. I FELT LIKE I HAD COME HOME AND WAS WITH FAMILY!!

I loved Fort apache and my experiences there will forever be irreplaceable but man!!! it is good to be back with family. We had an amazing lesson with her and her nonmember husband who for the first time ever had joined us! (According to her comp). We shared on how sometimes like a gardener cuts a bush for it to grow more beautifully, Heavenly father may cut some of our options and give us what we see as a hard experience. Only we don't see the beautiful bush that we are to become b/c of it.

VIDEO WE SHARED: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-014-the-will-of-god?lang=eng (ENGLISH)

El video que compartimos: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-014-the-will-of-god?lang=spa (Espanol)

My companion sister Knouse is amazing. It's funny b/c i think she's the companion that'll probably humble me the most though we don't seem like an obvious match.

I'm a ppl watched and everything I’ve observed from her ties back to a Christ like attribute. A non-native speaker who is from Maryland and has only served Spanish for 9 months yet speaks it more fluently than me sometimes...especially in Gospel terms. She has so much love, patience, longsuffering. I've learned that her life is definitely not the best, and that she deals with a lot of heart ships....yet she never seeks to please herself, be selfish, be spiteful. No instead she's peaceful, understanding, and loving. I kind off don't feel good enough to be her companion but I know it's only b/c I have so much to learn.

my new home!!

As I passed our mission president in the hall at one of our meetings he whispered to me "Enjoy your companion"..I was confused...and didn't make much of it as she just seem very quiet at first...but i quickly learned what he meant she is sooooo humble!.  I'm very excited for this companionship. Only thing is she will be the second companion I "Kill" or that goes home after our transfer together.(6 wks)

I'm so excited for this area, it'll be different to be in a WARD not to mention somewhere where the missionary’s don’t run absolutely everything. I'm so excited for Sunday and cannot wait for Sunday!!

I love you all and hope you’re doing well!!

Love Sister Colina!!

PS. SO SORRY FOR THE TYPOS...I HAD ZERO TIME FOR GRAMMAR CHECKS!