Letter 5 - The Plague

Hola Familia!!!!!

 

So, I want to start my letter off with something hilarious that Presidente Cox said "Bad news... your son is dead. Good news... He is coming home!" haha One of our Elders got sick and missed the meeting that we have at the Cox's house on Sunday night. We all thought that was hilarious... but, then gradually everyone started to get really sick. On Monday night I was the only one left in my District! It was me and my teacher!!! Everyone was getting this really bad flu! The flu was only effecting the north americans! It must have been something that the Latinos were immune to. I switched rooms with a girl from the other district- because we were the only two that weren't sick! When we were in the room- at about midnight- an earthquake hit!!!! It was so crazy! I've never felt anything like that before! It didn't last very long- but, our beds were shaking like crazy!!! At about 2:30- I woke up with the WORST stomach ache I've ever had in my entire life!!! I went to the bathroom and had the worst diareha EVER!!! I had the plague that was going around!!!!! Everyone here had this diareha that was like a fire hydrant!!! It was coming like a waterfall!!! It was making everyone super dehydrated!!!! Then I totally threwup! I was in bed ALL day Tuesday!!! Hermana Crouch and I were the only ones sick on Tuesday in bed- everyone else was over the worst of it! Hermana Burbidge- the nurse- nursed us back to health! I kept imagining she was you mom!!! I missed you so much!!!! The other district (The other missionaries that I flew here with) made me a sweet feel better card! Elder Orr- my zone leader- left the nicest comment with this scripture: Mosiah 24:14- it fit perfectly! I got a blessing Tuesday morning around 6am. Elder Turley gave me the blessing! I felt the Spirit so strong! He blessed me that I would be completely healed before I leave the CCM! I'm feeling a lot better today! My stomach is just moving around quite a bit! The Temple was beautiful this morning!!! ooh! 21 out of the 26 north americans here got the flu that was going around- SO CRAZY!!!!! haha Hermana Marcheschi (She is the one I'm in the photo with) compared that diareha to the song Don't go chasing waterfalls... she sung "Don't go pooping waterfalls!" haha it was so true! Even Presidente Cox was talking about how that was the most terrible thing! On Tuesday night- it was me, Elder Williamson, and Elder Borlace left- and then they decided they were sick and needed to leave- so, before they left- Elder Borlace said we should pray as a district even though it was just the three of us- so we all knelt down- and Elder Borlace offered the prayer. In the middle of his prayer he said "And Please Bless Hermana Bullough. Please help her to know that Heavenly Father has sent her hear for a reason and that she will be able to learn Spanish and that she will be a great missionary and bless the lives of many people." I started to cry really hard during that part and when the prayer was finished- Elder Borlace told me that the Spirit wanted him to say that. It was so sweet! I love my district a lot. We really are one big family! Our Elders treat the girls in our district like princesses.When I got that blessing on Tuesday morning- my Elders were mad because Elder Turley wasn;t in our District and they wanted to give us our blessings. It was so cute! I survived an earthquake and the plague all in one day!!! Whoa!!! On Easter- we got a special devotional from Elder Uchdorf! Broadcasted from the Provo MTC! He talked about Peter and how after he denied Christ- he repented and then worked the rest of his life preaching the Gospel and being fearless! You know- I would totally suggest reading the New Testament- all of the Apostles relate things to it all of the time! I have a strong testimony that The Book of Mormon and the Bible really do create the fullness of the gospel! I'm in John now and I'm loving it!! I want to be the fearless kind of missionary! I want to be bold- but, with love! This message that I have as a representative of Jesus Christ is literally the MOST important thing in the entire world!!!! We need to be valient and share the gospel with everyone! The spirit will direct our path! We don't want to be giving halfhearted attempts! We want to be 24 hour missionaries and work our hardest! President Uchdorf talked about how we celebrate Easter every single sunday. I thought that was an interesting thought and I had never thought about that before! But, it is so true! When President Uchdorf ended his talk with his testimony- he said "He lives. I know Him. and He lives." How cool is that! I want to know my Savior like that! Time at the CCM flies by!!! I leave in one week from today! I'll have to join the other district- because all of the sisters in my district are going to the East mission. I love my companion so much! I'm really going to miss her a lot! I was so nervous this past week- because she was the sickest north american! I walked into our room to check on her a few times- and I walked in and she was lying on the floor... you have to be pretty miserable to lay down on these floors! I felt so bad! Everyone here has such strong testimonies! I love everyone so much! I;m starting a list of all of the qualities I want to take from them! Between Jeremias and Malequias (Our Districts- mine is Jeremias) Hermana Mckee I want to be strong and learn to endure like she can- she has gone through so much in her life and on the mission and she still stands strong! Hermana Flewallen I want to be hilarious and spiritual all at the same time! She can be really funny one second- and then bring the spirit in so powerfully! She will be a fantastic missionary. Hermana Crouch I want to be as spiritual as she is! She can relate everything to the Gospel. She really gets it. Her love for her family and Heavenly Father is astounding! Elder Wright I want to be as humble as he is! It took him a lot to get out on his mission- and yet he did it! He humbled himself and got his life taken care of! He has a powerful testimony! Elder Orr- I want to be able to pray like Elder Orr can- in the Temple today- we sat in the Celestial room from probably 30 minutes! and he prayed the ENTIRE time. He has a really strong testimony and he knows the scriptures really well!! Elder Meyers I want to care as much as he does. When I was really sick- I tried to come down for the last bit of class- and he said Hermana Bullough! Are you okay? and when I responded with no- he said "You will be- I've been praying for you!" Elder Borlace- I want to care like he does too! He said he prayed for the sisters in our district for a half an hour last night! Whoa! Elder Williamson- he is great! He has a powerful testimony and really knows how to lead people! He does it in a loving way though! and that is really special! Elder Hansen He is awesome! He is like Flewallen- he can be really funny and then really spiritual. Hermana Marcheschi aka my best friend, really knows how to love people. Her and I are the Sister Leader Trainers- and I have felt so much love from her! and when I was throwing up- she came in and held my hair back!!! It was so nice! I'm grateful she is going to the same mission as I am! Hermana Howard is the sweetest thing! She is so nice to EVERYONE! I really love that about her! Hermana Nield is extremely Christlike! She has every single one of the Christlike attributes in PMG! I love her! and lastly- Hermana Tolman- she is so knowlegable! It's only been 5 weeks and she speaks practically fluent spanish! I want all of these qualities! I have learned something from every single one of these people! I have really learned how to love here! I love being a missionary than anything else in the entire world! I know I have 17 months left... but, that makes me sad! I can't imagine taking this name badge of honor off in less than 17 months! I am so excited to go to Quetzaltenango next week! I'm ready! I know that this will be the biggest challenge of my life- but, it will be so worth it! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true. I know it. It is true. Please remember to set the example whereever you go. I know that Jesus Christ lives. He paid the price of sin so we don't have to. It is SO easy to get to the Celetial Kingdom... with His help. He made it that way. I love you guys so much! I pray for you all of the time!

Sellado Con Besos,

Hermana Natalie Paige Bullough

Photos of Natalie from Guatemala.

Natalie's 4 th letter - Perseverar hasta el fin!

Hola mi familia! This week has been filled with a whirlwind of emotions! WE are the oldest now! We only have 2 more weeks left here at the CCM! I am so excited!!!! The CCM feels a lot like spiritual prison. We are stuck in a class room for 16 hours a day with the same people! We did the math... we are here at the CCM for a total of 42 days... that is 638 hours in the classroom. If we were to spend that consequtively we would be together 26 days and 12 hours total!!!! Whoa! Needless to say- we've grown really close and we love each other a lot! Sometimes we get a little discouraged- and then we read Alma 26:27 "Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy bretheren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success." That is perfect! Because we are teaching the Lamanite people! Yesterday I bore my testimony in Church... in SPANISH!!!! Whoop! Whoop! It was so much fun! I ended with La iglesia es tan verdadera! Everyone here makes fun of me because I say that ALL OF THE TIME! haha but, the Church is so true! Any body can figure that out by simply asking our Father in heaven and reading the Book of Mormon. Ooh! I'm almost done with the Book of Mormon! I also am about to start John in the New Testament! It is so true what they say- when you study the scriptures daily- it will be hard to put them down- and you will actually enjoy reading them! My testimony has grown so much stronger since being here! We listened to a devotional by Richard G. Scott yesterday. It was SO awesome! He told us that when we don't feel like we are receiving answers to our prayers- It is God showing us that He trusts us and knows that we will do our best to follow Him. If we choose wrongly- that is when he will help us no which way to go! Sometimes I feel like I can't communicate well with God- because I am with a Companion 24 hours a day 7 days a week! I love her to death! But, sometimes I feel like I don't really get personal time with my Heavenly Father- so, last night before I went to bed- I prayed that Heavenly Father would wake me up in the middle of the night so I could have a more personal prayer with Him! So, at midnight on the dot- Heavenly Father woke me up! I love HIm so much! At Presidente Coxs house on Sunday night- we watched a movie about John Tanner! He LITERALLY gave everything he had to the church! He was about to die from a cancer that was in his leg when he met the missionaries- but, they promised him that if he would be baptized and follow Jesus Christ- he would be healed. and he stood up and began to walk that very day!!! Whoa! He was also a pretty wealthy man and gave all of his money to the Church! He had 7 dollars left at the end and had to beg fro bread for his family! He had a prompting that they were needed in Ohio- and he left that night- and Joseph Smith needed his help to pay of the debt of the Temple! Oh my goodness! Go watch that movie! It was SO good! Want to know something really comforting? The Lord has called me to succeed- not to fail. That is awesome! When it's the Lords will- He will ALWAYS prepare the way! My favorite hymn in the Spanish hymnbook is Hymn number 88- "Placentero nos es trabajar" go listen to it! It is SO good! Sorry my letters are all over the place- but, I have SO much to say in just a little amount of time! When ever you get discouraged... don't. REFUSE to be discouraged. It is a waste of time! Ooh! At the end of Richard G. Scotts devotional- he said "This is Christ's Church. I know, because I know Jesus Christ" Whoa! How cool is that! In the morning yesterday- I had a meeting with all of the other sister leader trainers and district leaders. It is always completely in Spanish- but, I was proud of myself- because even though I didn't catch every word- I could atleast understand what they were talking about. It was reawlly cool. Heavenly Father loves me a lot. Want to be more charitable? Go read Luke Chapter 6. It is awesome! We should be thankful that God sometimes lets us struggle- because when we struggle- we grow and when we grow we are learning to put our trust in Him. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. I know it with all of my heart. I wish that I could just shout from the roof tops so that everyone could hear! IT IS SO TRUE!!!! Mom, will you please send me the lyrics to the song "How can I be"? I love that song a lot! It sounds like your trip to New York was a blast!
I love you so much!

Sellado Con Besos,

 Hermana Bullough!

P.S. Write me letters!

Natalie's 3rd letter.

Hola Familia! This week has changed my life!!!! La iglesia es tan
verdadera!!!! This letter is going to be ALL over the place- so bear
with me! First off- CONGRATULATIONS to Zack Rucker on his mission
call! All of the missions in Guatemala are celestial missions! We got
to leave the CCM on Tuesday for a field trip! The song from Frozen
"For the First Time in Forever" Kept playing in my head! haha We went
to this huge 3D map of Guatemala! It was awesome! I got to see
Quetzaltenango! It is SO mountainous!!! We also went to a market- it
was REALLY hard to comminicate with the people there! One woman kept
asking us for money- she looked pretty hungry and she was carrying a
baby- but, The Church rules are you can't give people money- because
then everyone will ask us for money! We're suppose to say "The word of
God is all we have to offer" but, we didn't no how to say that- so it
was pretty sad! I want to talk about how IMPORTANT the Temple is!
Gilbert Arizona is the 147th operating Temple- and many more are to
come! The work is SO important! The people we are helping are in
spiritprison right now... PRISON! We need to let them out! Please
commit yourselves to going to the Temple as often as possible! No
sacrifice is too great to get to the Temple. I poromise you will be
happier because of the blessings that come from the Temple! Um...
GENERAL CONFERENCE WAS CALIDAD!!!!! So Awesome!!!!! Mom, will you send
me the issue when it comes out? Also, a new watch? Mine broke.
President Hollands testimony was awesome! We should all strive to have
testimonies like his! If you didn't hear it- go watch it! We watched a
devotional on sunday wityh Elder Bednar- and it was around Christmas
time at the Provo MTC. I saw Spencer Berg in the film! It was awesome!
Someone asked Elder Bednar why they feel so inadequete to do the work
of a missionary- and he said that if you don't feel inadequete there
is a problem. You feel inadequete because you realize the importance
of your job! The Savior loves us so much! In 3 Nephi- the Savior is
visiting with the people. He greets the people "one by one". There
were 2500 people there! If he just took 30 seconds with each- which I
imagine he took longer- it would have taken him 16 hours to get
through all of them! The Savior loves us SO much! I know it. He also
suffered for us one by one... there is no doubt in my mind that as he
was performing the Atonement each one of our faces popped into His
head. He knows us! He loves us! Elder Bednar gave this anology of a
jar full of black beads- or "your sins" he said imagine there is a
hole on each side just big enough for one bead to come out at a time.
He said everytime you push a white bead in "or a good thought" a black
bead falls out! We DO have the ability to forget our sins! We just
need to focus on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and doing good to others!
One thing I love about the Apostles is how great they treat their
wives! It made me realize that I need to find someone who TRULY honors
their Priesthood! They are so good to their wives! Such a cute thing!
The very best missionaries know that their missions are not about
them! They eliminate self centerdness. I've had to TOTALLY and
COMPLETELY humble myself. I do not know Spanish at all. It is going to
take some time- but, I know the Lord will help me if I do my best! All
of the easy things in the Church have been done- we're onto the heavy
duty hard stuff now! So let us press on! "Let God and Heaven be our
goal!"  If you ever find yourself where you shouldn't be- GET OUT!
Haha so... a funny thing happened to me this week... Our District has
become very close! We're with them all day every day! So, I was
walking back to my chair- it was completely silent- and I tried to sit
in my chair- but, the chairs are rolly chairs- so instead- I fell to
the ground hard! EVERYONE burst out laughing!!!! It was so
embarrassing! So, in the midst of laughing- I accidently peed my
pants... or skirt. I turned to my companion and said "Sister, we need
to go now! I wet my pants!" and she BURST out laughing and told the
sisters that sit behind us- and then Hermana Crouch said "Hermana
Simon( our teacher) Hermana Bullough wet her pants!" and then Hermana
Simon said.. OUT LOUD "You wet your pants?" and ALL of the Elders DIED
laughing!!!! That's right- I guess we're close enough that I can tell
them when things like that happen! Ooh! I got a calling! I'm Sister
Music Leader! I get to go to the Sister Leader Trainer meetings! They
are COMPLETELY in Spanish. I can't understand a thing! LOL Our
District is awesome! Elder Hansen and I are pretty musical- so one of
us will start singing something- and then the next thing we know- the
whole district has joined in! Just call us Mission Musical! Its a
dream come true!!! The other day at District meeting- we were talking
about how a lot of our Partiarchal blessings say we'll come forth at
the first Resurection- Elder Williamson then said "Mine says I'll rest
for a season" HAHA it was so funny! and his really does say that! LOL
Endings are not our destiny- in His plan- there are no endings- just
everlasting beginnings! Isn't that wonderful!!!! BUT, this life is the
time for men to prepare to meet God. It is never too late to start!
Start today!!! You know- the Atonement isn't just a relief from sins-
but, from physical pain, regrets, anguish, shortcomings, and fears! We
can use the Atonement to stregthen us every single day!!! Remember-
everything we've ever felt spiritually or physically- the Savior has
felt before us. Family- It is okay if the house is a mess and it is
okay if things are hectic and crazy... the only thing that truly
matters is if you have daily prayer and scripture study! Will you guys
do that? Just being here for 3 weeks and reading the scriptures
everyday has strengthened my testimony beyond belief! I started
reading the New Testament- it is SO good! I love it so much! The
Savior truly loves us!!! Do you ever wonder why people didn't just
leave Joseph Smith alone? Well, it's because TRUTH will ALWAYS be
opposed! Satan works extremely hard to feed us lies. He especially
puts an attack on our families- because he can't have a family. ever.
So, go hug your family! We have tons that satan willl never have!!!
Elder Borlace told us a cool story about following the Spirit- he
worked at Sonic before his mission- and he said that a homeless man
would always hang out around sonic- every day. One day- Elder Borlace
was watching the man staring at the street towards the traffic. Elder
Borlace had a break coming up and had the prompting to go buy a little
ceasers pizza and go talk to the man- so he followed the prompting-
ther man then told him "Thank you so much. I was just about to go jump
in front of those cars- but, you've given me hope to live." Isn't that
awesome! The Holy Ghost is awesome! He doesn't have a body- that is a
really selfless act! I can't wait for the day when he recieves a body!
Dad! They always have tres leches cake here for desert! It always
makes me think of you! My district is singing in sacrament meeting in
2 weeks- mom- do you think you could send me the music to the As
sisters in zion slash we'll bring the world his truth medley? It can
get here in a week if you do it quick! We fasted from english on
Thursday- it was really difficult! But, I learned a lot! Our mission
president promised us that if we truly stay faithful and obedient-
we'll be able to baptize hundrdes if not thousands! Isn't that
awesome!!!!!! Family- we should spend everyday smiling- because we
have the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in our lives. It was a
Restoration not a Reformation. It is the same Gospel that Jesus Christ
began- and He is the head of it! So, wake up every morning and grab
the hand of the Lord! Ask yourself- how can I be better today?
Obedience is never an easy task- but, it is worth it! There are no bad
prayers- so pray your hearts out! He is listening. I promise. Take
heart because Christlike love can change the world! Don't worry about
me family! I'm preparing myself to do the most important work on
earth- this work will not only bring earthly happiness... but, Eternal
happiness. I love you guys!

 Sellado Con Besos!

 Hermana Bullough