Hello Hello!! ( I miss answering the phone that way)

Well this week was definitely a wonderful week!! alot has been happening and not just in our area so it has been wonderful! I'd love to tell you all about some of the ppl that we've been working with but will change the names for confidentiality. 

First of all I just want to mention how challenging this area has been in so many ways, nevertheless I love it! before I got here and the first 2 wks for me being here the area was notorious for having Zero's as their numbers all the way across. I learned very early on that this was not a problem that my comp and I could solve on our own. I HAD become so frustrated b/c I felt like we were working/biking our butts off in 100+ degree weather and seeing no results! Finally i had to make a change, I started praying nightly to become the type of missionary that would be worthy of receiving spiritual experiences and to see miracles happen in our area. I became more diligent with my nightly studies and set goals for the books I want to finish, I worked harder on my communication with my companion and on just being worthy of good things happening. We In one week we went from 0, 0, 1 to three progressing, one investigator at church, and 1 person on date to get baptized. I just thank the Lord everyday for the miracles we are seeing. Investigators have literally been coming out of the sky for us lately! o_O not to mention alot of other missionaries have been giving us referrals!

some of my favorite ppl in our area....(Names changed)

Maria.....She is a sweet hispanic woman with 3 young kids. All of her family are members but are all back in her home country. It's only her and her husband here. She has been so open and so receptive to our messages. She has a huge dificulty with  trust though and it was sad to see. Apparently she's experienced alot of kidnapping attempts and blackmailing in her life. Everytime we do something new with her we have to thouroughly explain it and then do it very slowy. Even fast movements scare her. we taught her the Word of Wisdom and she dropped her 20+ year of coffee just like that! and even bought Pero WHICH is a coffee sub. We've slowly been gaining her trust more and more. It's really helped to share with her things of our personal life which is normally taboo as a missionary....but ey, whatever it takes for her to feel safe, loved, and comfortable. We totally feel like the missionaries from the district with her. the ones that had that perfect investigator that loved the church and gospel but and would say she would go to church but wouldn't go when it came down to it.....Yep, that's the boat we're in. But we know it'll just take time. She has already agreed to be baptized and has been doing everything else.

Next,

Fernando. He lives in a drug dealer infested complex. It reaks of weed and dog poop. And yet we can't stop going over there b/c we really want to help him. His mother died a couple of years back which is when he first noticed the light of Christ in his life. We would go constantly, about once a day to his apartment. We would only find his roommates who we're pretty sure are super annoyed  with us. You can get high from just standing at the doorway! lol!...anyways, after not finding him for a week straight we bumped into him walking home. He was SO SAD! but i went into furious mom/missionary mode. I asked him where he's been, what's been going on. To which he started to mention something about a fight with his roomate/girl he llikes and a fight at work, the loss of a job, etc. Then i asked him, "Fernando, what is it that you want?!...Do you even want to change?!, b/c we really care about you and we want to help you but you need to do your part as well." it was one of those "I'm done playing games with you" moments. I realized that though I shouldn't, I really cared for this man b/c I realized how much Heavenly father cared for this man. We had a short lesson with him right there on the street b/c we could tell he needed it. We set up an appointment with him to which he agreed,( I think b/c he was scared of me lol) but I'll take whatever I can get lol. He was really scared to face his roomate though. We went back in the afternoon and he wasnt there. Then heard from one of the other missionaries this morning that he had gotten kicked out for using meth. -_____- Now we have to find him. Only missionaries would willfully search for a meth addict. LOL but hey, I love the opportunity we have to atleast make a little bit of a difference.

Several other ppl impacted me this week. It was just a wonderful week to see the work progress. Including the addition of a new Investigator from Ecuador who is dating a white guy who's a member. THey are so cute and in love its too adorable! hahaha! She even came to church and made friends with everyone there! it was awesome! the Bishops wife is celebrating her bday today! So we're excited.

Other Highlights.....

1) i GOT TO FINALLY BIKE IN THE RAIN!! funnest thing ever!!

2) I got hit by a car! and survived and my bike is ok...I've always wanted to say that lol... The guy felt really bad but i was too exhausted, hot, and hungry to really acknowledge the situation so I just kept pedaling after my comp. since she didn't realize it happened lol. Some guy from down the street shouted..."Are you ok!?"..i shouted bakc "Yep!" and kept going.

3) I've been praying for cooler weather and it's been working so far!...except yesterday but that's only b/c I forgot to pray for it...duh!

4) I survived my first fast sunday on bike. My comp and I feel like it should be mission illegal. It was soooo hot yesterday, I had trouble breathing, I was out of energy b/c of the 2 meals we had to skip and no one was opening their doors. But we experienced to mini miracles. An investigator that never opens his door actually did! and boy we must've looked pretty pitiful b/c he did that. We realized he probably felt sorry for us as he kept begging us to come inside and he would keep the door open b/c he knows it's a rule to not be inside a home without another female. It was so tempting but if there's anything I 've learned so far it's the importance of obedience. No matter how hard it can seem. After that we bumped to a lady on the street who begged us to stop for her and asked us if we could pray for her. Her kids got taken away and she is struggling with becoming clean from drug usage. She was part APACHE and part mexican and PIMA and so for the first time in a month I got to speak some Apache!! it was sooooo awesome! We sang for her right then and there and shared a scripture. She cried and thanked us. Nothing brings the spirit quicker than a song we've learned. We took down her info and she took down us. We know that there will be a day when she will overcome everything. Anything is possible once we comprehend and harness the amazing power of our Heavenly Father.

Well that's all for my week! hope everyones week was amazing!! love yall!! 

PS my sis goes on her mission to Puerto Rico this wednesday!! WHOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!

Love,

Sister Colina

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!

Bittersweet News!

Daut-eh! (Hola!)

So this week was also very busy and fun! I got to take part in a very
humbling service project. The other eight missionaries and I helped
two of our members who are 70yrs old clear the weeds from their
cornfield which was the size of two football fields!! The weeds were
the size of trees!! Most were over ten feet tall and we had to do it
all by hand. With a fare share of snakes and insects in the field. It
was such a humbling experience and I now have a huge amount of respect
for those that have to do is on the regular!! I mean seriously! Wow!
We only had to do it for 2 hours and I'm still trying to let my
blisters heal!

Next we were an hour away from fort Apache eating at Panda Express on
our grocery shopping day when a lovely couple approached us and
offered to pay for our meal. We were ecstatic of course as most ppl
know how low budget missionaries are.

 As we talked with this young
adorable couple and their beautiful child I learned that he husband
actually served with one of my close friends Johnny Mendoza in
Montreal Canada and that they both
Lived bizarrely parallel lives!!!! For more info on the details of the
parallels you'll have you ask Johnny yourself as I would hate to share
his private info. :).... But I promise....it's crazy!

Next shanias baptism happened and I was able to gift her a necklace
that I had since I was fifteen that held a very special significance
to me. I could not have thought of a more perfect person to gift it
to. :)

we'll get to go with her to the temple for the first time
tomorrow! The entire road leading to her baptism seemed long only b/c
we wanted her to be as comfortable with everything as possible. Which
she was when it came down to it. I can honestly say she has one of the
best and sweetest hearts that I have ever met! She will never realize
how much I learned from her.

Lastly, the shocker news for me. The ppl here (the natives) have
amazing dreams that are just so accurate that it gives you chills! I
heard somewhere that it's one of the gifts of the tribe of Manasseh
which most of me are but I'm not 100% sure if that's true. All I know
is that I have been sooooo blown away by their dreams that almost seem
psychic.

The week of her baptism Shania told me at she kept dreaming
about me. That she was standing in a long hall with a lot of doors and
that I went up to her, gave her a big hug, and left into one of the
rooms with a bright light.she said she tried to follow me but when she
opened the door it was just a Room with other doors. I cried when she
told me this as I got emotional at the thought of leaving her or Fort
Apache in general! After all the relationships and memories I had
built here! 

The next day my mission president informed me that I would
be leaving in two weeks and would be transferred to Poenix,AZ and
would be assigned to a Spanish Ward. I could not think of more
bittersweet news! I'm so sad two leave and knowing two weeks in
advance only makes it harder. However, I'm so excited to feel right at
home with my Hispanics and enjoy those wonderful home cooked meals! I
know it'll have its fare share of challenges like Fort Apache did but
I know all of those will make me more like the person that I want t
be.

I was reading in Mormon 1:15-17. It's about how Mormon having a
perfect knowledge of the Gospel and how it was true. As well as having
a perfect love for it....was forbidden to preach it to his brothers
and sisters. No matter how badly he wanted them to be saved. I could
not imagine how horrible that must be and I realized how lucky I am to
have a voice and a knowledge hat I can share with others. We all do.
It's something so small yet you can have the biggest impact in
somebody's life and their entire posterity.

Love you guys and hope everyone is doing well!!! Make this week count!!

-Hna. Colina J

UPDATE!!

Well this past week was such an eventful week!!

Highlights:

- I bore my testimony this week in sacrament as I have the past 5 fast Sunday's...slowly getting better. I'm determined to get rid of my public speaking phobia.

- Josephine got her patriarchal blessing of which we got to witness.

- Josephine got to go to the temple for the first time! It was such a beautiful experience. I got the chance to see my absolute favorite portrait in the entire world located inside the temple. Of two native children resembling a nephrite and a lamanite huddled against Jesus Christ. The love just radiates off of the portrait! It makes everybody cry when they first see it.

- our absolutely amazing investigator and her daughter will be baptized this week. She has swept us off our feet with her dedication and diligence to making a better life for herself. Picture coming soon.

- We started teaching Josephine's youngest daughter who is 19. I often feel like she is too cool for me as I get overly excited to see her. Haha! She is awesome! 

- TRANSFERS HAPPENED!! - I'm still at Fort Apache but am now the Senior companion to a trio. Sis Lopez will be with us for about a week and a half. Then it'll just be me and Sister LAndry!! She is from Seattle Washington and can sing like an angel! Not to mention she's super easygoing and funny!

- we also got another new roommate so it's been fun fitting 5 sisters in a 2 person apartment 😳

- our new roommate is sister Martinez and she is my trainers first trainee(daughter as they say in the mission) and she's Hispanic! It's been so nice to be able to hear Spanish from someone else other than myself for the past 3 months! *tear*

- I'm getting a traditional Apache camp dress this week

- in transfer meeting (100+) people I was asked to give a spiritual thought in front f all the missionaries. Scariest moment ever!

- we had the opportunity to go contacting in Downtown Scottsdale. Met some amazing people including a economics and international development guru from Africa named Luther. He was so kind and gracious and open to our message. He spoke 4 languages!! Including Spanish.... Perfectly!! He loved receiving the Book of Mormon and started reading it right away and was even reading it when we passed him 30 min later! Such a great experience!

I've really been enjoying my time in Fort Apache as I grow more and more attached to the people here. Definitely grown a lot and been more open to all the experiences that have come with the location. As I try to explain to my roommates more and more what to expect here I realize how unique and special this location is. You often feel like you're in a completely different country, but I love every bit of it. Also since I realized how entertaining it is to serve here. Anything you try to explain to new people turns into s laughing attack. Like the bars on our trailer windows and metal bar door.

Things that have changed:

- I understand e gospel a whole lot more than I used to. Everyone should serve a mission! I've been so mindblown!

- I've learned you can be a missionary and not be so uptight but instead let your goofy side show and have fun with it.

- Dairy Queen is my favorite fast food...b/c missionaries eat free

- I don't like to eat as much as I used to

- sleep has become a priority which I fail at miserably every week!

- I've realized everyone is funnier than me ;(

- I enjoy being the quiet one more and more

- I'm kinda shy

- I do not invest nearly as much on my makeup and hair unless it's a special event

- I realized all the things I took for granted like Hispanic people and everything about them, sports, dancing, the movies, friends, and having the gospel so accessible and being in an environment that makes it easier to live by it.

- I don't mind dressing dorky now lol

- I consider myself so uncool now bahahaha! 

- I don't have a favorite food anymore nor do I like to eat a lot anymore. I just can't. Ugh!

- I actually love Herbalife shakes now.

- what are holidays?? 

- I love doing public prayers b/c I get to practice praying

- I actually miss driving!

-Letter to my Sister-

This week was definitely challenging!

 Full of a lot of emotional ups and downs. On the reservation, the beginning of the month is when everyone has money which makes everyone "not need Jesus at the moment" hahahaha, unfortunately for us. However it was really good at the same time b/c it forced us to expand our visiting pool. We had some really good promptings that we turned into action and were able to see little miracles here and there.

Mother's day was interesting, as a new missionary you never realize just how awkward holidays and special days will be from now on. You feel like you have to intrude into other's homes and you feel so bad. However, luckily our church is full of good, loving, down to earth, people that don't view it as a burden at all. Shout out to those people! They're the real MVP's! HAHAHA!

It was so great to skype with my family, and though no family is perfect, I’m so very grateful for the times we are able to make things work. Special shout out to the best little sister money could buy! (Since she was adopted) lol jk jk

This week I had a wonderful experience with one of the young women in our branch.

 Now I’m the first to fear teenage girls as I have horrible flashbacks of the middle school and freshman year bullying days ahahhaha! Fortunately, the young girls here actually like me apparently, who'd figure?!

As I sat there with this teenager that actually holds a very important pageant title I hesitated at opening up..... but eventually figured eh, I'm here for a reason. Turns out she was not having the easiest time. Turns out the mistakes and stupidities of my past have actually turned into great forms of advice. And it also turns out that I realized how much of a role my family… More specifically my sister has had in my conversion and the growth of my testimony. As I told this Miss "insert pageant title here" and her sister of the lessons I’ve learned I felt my heart swell up for my sister.

We weren't always the best of friends, for most of my teenage and young adult years. One thing I’ve learned however is that change starts with you. It's not until you become completely committed and dedicated to Heavenly Father being your number one that you will see miracles happen. Thanks to this Gospel I saw myself do a 180 and my heart changed...more specifically in reference to my sister. In return I got to witness the process of my sister becoming receptive to the Spirit and evolve in her conversion I saw her change and more importantly her heart change towards me. My sister has turned into one of my best friends, the person that knows how to make me laugh the quickest, the one that gave me so much courage and confidence when others didn't and yes, she's even turned into my mom at times. hahaha! I just love the amount of love and trust that I feel for her. She has been developing Christ like attributes each and every day! Patience! Kindness! Meekness! Love! FAITH! I'm her witness! Though she's not perfect my sister is one of the biggest reasons why I know this Gospel is real!

As I finished saying this to the girls I became embarrassed as I realized that I had streams of tears going down my face, only to look up and see that their eyes were full of tears as well. They told me that it was something they really needed to hear and that I had no idea how glad they were that they came to church that day since they're family is all practically inactive. I shared with them the scripture that really pushed me to go out on my mission. 2 Nephi 33:3. It's not always easy but I know what it feels like to long for you to be able to share the Joy of the Gospel. Lucky for me, Heavenly father answered my prayers.

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MESA TEMPLE!! :) 

1 Month Out!!

Alright so this week has been fun and full of a lot of adventures. Starting off with the elders placing a dead snake at our doorstep. We almost died. Payback is coming though hahaha!

I've definitely learned to appreciate community service....we do ALOT on the mission, but it's the funnest time b/c you get to bond with all the missionaries in your zone. So far we've weeded yards, cleaned countless houses, chopped wood, mucked horse stalls (clean the poop out), moved furniture, set up endless birthday parties, made fry bread, and sang endless thankyou for dinner hymns using the same tune on the ukelele for everone….. Elder Lakatani is working on learning another.

Our branch isn't strong enough yet so we have to pretty much do everything lol. Opening and closing prayer, teach Young women, relief society, give the talks, but it's been so much fun. The apache is different depending on what part of town you’re from so learning it is tough!

but I got huge compliments this week so I’m feeling like a million bucks. They get a kick out of me giving them the head nod and saying "Shickneh!" (whats up) lol. My favorite line to give them however is Shee bequeodawn hedanh be-gon-seh! ( I know that Jesus lives).

We've had endless roadtrips b/c everything is atleast 1 hr away but this week I’ll get to go to the Mesa temple for the endowment and sealing of one of my comp's converts, so I’m practically beaming from ear to ear! I’m so excited!

The most valuable thing I learned was from the children. Their parents are alcoholics, drug addicts, in and out of rehab, some are orphans, etc. And still they are the happiest children you will ever meet! so full of life, laughter, loving sport!. So it made me wonder if they even knew what was going on. Then my question was answered. The children's faces would completely change when the topic would be brought up by their grandparents. They would look down all sad and stare at the ground and say things like " she went to jail again". Yet they would talk about their parents with the outmost love and respect. As if they actually believed they could turn their lives around. It was then that i realized the children view their parents the way Heavenly Father sees them. With the most loving and supportive eyes, knowing that they could at any moment turn their life around. It was then that i realized that's how i should view their parents. I love these kids.

Mosiah 3:19

19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has beenfrom the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever,unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, andputteth off the natural man and becometh a saint throughthe atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child,submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing tosubmit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict uponhim, even as a child doth submit to his father.

*** I had a really great email planned but i'm out of time...I'll finish it next week. sending pics took too long. :( ***

JILLIANA'S QUESTIONNAIRE FOR JESSICA

Where's your companion from?
South Jordan- aka salt lake. Lol

How many months does she have left?

She leaves July 18TH

 Are you staying in Apache land forever?

No, I’ll more then likely spend a long time here but then they'll either send me to the PIMA reservation which has a lot of Othem Indians and Navajos and Cherokees or I’ll go to a Spanish ward

what do you do on Pdays?
Today we're in "Show low" (It's so beautiful here, look it up! it snowed yesterday) 1 1/2 hrs from "White River" aka the RES. we take turns on who does the grocery shopping out here (Walmart). It was my companionships turn today so i took full advantage! Haircut, shopping for clothes at members resale shops (Got 2 free skirts today!), Ross, Payless, lds bookstore, Panda Express!! ...now we're emailing then Walmart. Then road trip back home.

ps. 1 ½ hour is nowhere enough time for emailing ;((((((((

 Any adventures?
LOL YES, I’ll send pics and stories in a diff email.

If you don't shop at the only store bc it's expensive where do yall shop??

We wait till pday for someone to drive to Showlow for the grocery shopping

Do yall really have to combine money to afford food?
Yes -_-...we have to pay for some of the elder’s food today b/c their cards only have $15 left with all of them combined. So we felt bad lol...b/c we take a lot of food from them.

What do the members feed you??

Fry bread, ash bread, tortillas 24/7 ugh! Delicious but heavy!

And interesting fact, they don't season there food.....at all... I’ve learned to love salt and siracha. I never thought mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and chicken would all taste the same. I was like "I mean I know there’s cheese in there I see it!" lol

What's the weather like?

Snow once a week, cool weather 40's and 50's and lately a lot of rain. I need rain boots ASAP! ;( 

How many missionaries are on the reservation?

It’s 9 of us, 5 elders and 4 sisters.

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I've fallen in LOVE (Sorry Pompo) lol jk... This little girl is "Winter". she has been adopted from the Supai tribe in the grand canyon. I'm told lit looks like paradise there. Blue waterfalls and all so it's becaome one of my must see roadtrip locations. Only way down is by hiking or by helicopter. She came up by helicopter. She's been here 2 wks and has been the best example of how to have joy in life. She's adjusted so well, speaks her native language and english perfectly. Her mom is the "Baddest cop in town" aviaters and all.She also used to be "Miss Apache". She's a single mom  so props to her! Anyways, everytime i see winter (Which is often b/c we're close to her fam) she lights up my world. She is happy 24/7 and even sneaks in some hugs to me b/c she knows we're not allowed to "Hug children" lol. I Love her so much, but they don't know if she'll have to go back to the Supai tribe yet. Crossing our fingers.

accidently stepped on comps earing and it stabbed through my shoe!

with the companion Sister Lopez

pics from the roadtrip to Cibicue for our zone conference on saturday

 josefine...aka rockstar grandma. I'lll talk about her later. I love her so much! she is doing so much

her grandson trevor. One big character! w'ere teaching him and the rest of the fam.

 Our favorite investigators ever!

all fo josefines grandkids. she cares for all of them, she's amazing! they're amazing. from left to right trevor, chief, koda, and darnisha.

all the elders in our zone

my roomates. the sister training leaders.

more pics from zone conf.

The elders thought it was funny to put a dead snake at our doorstep as if it was alive....panic attac jessica was in full effect -_-