Week 68 - Hola!

Solo quiero empezar mi correo con FELICITACIONES JAMES!!!!!!! Que bueno que se graduó de la universidad! Mama! Papa! Ya llevan dos! 3 mas!


Les amo tanto!


This week was a great week! I absolutely love being a missionary! I really cant remember what life was like before the mission. Being a missionary IS my life. I dont know what it will feel like to sleep in one day or even talk to a boy! That is a scary thought.


Martes we had our zone meeting. The assistents came! It was fun to see Elder Bryan again. He was my favorite zone leader that I have had.He really cared about us. After the zone meeting we went on divisions! I got to go on divisions with Hermana Peña. These were her last divisions! She will be finishing her mission next week! Along with my mom, Hermana Madrid. Wow. She is my first companion to go home! All of my other companions still have a long way to go! Hermana Peña is muy buena. Her and I will be friends forever.


Recently I have been learning a lot about Jehovahs witnesses. There are so many here in Cerrito. I have learned quite a bit of scriptures that help me combat against them.. but with love! jaja


Marycielo, Keitlyn, and Youri will be baptized the 8th of August! Harkin cant be baptized yet because he is only 6. They are so great! Marycielo invited us over to her house for lunch on Saturday and while we were eating she looked at me and said "We cant drink Coffee, right?" I loved how she asked me like she was already a member! Her brother also will be getting baptized, but not until the 21st of August. They come to church every sunday and they all bring their books of mormon. It is so cute! jaja


I got to see Meet the Mormons yesterday because I had an idea... There is no movie theater here in Huehue..SO.... We are going to have a movie night in the church! There is a radio in our area, and the lady who owns it is a member. They are going to announce our activity every day like 4 times a day. We are going to put huge banners outside of the church. and We are going to give invitations to everyone! I guess they did something like this in Xela in one ward and more than 70 investigators came! I want EVERYONE in Cerrito del Maiz to know about this activity! I want them to be excited about it. I think this will help us a lot! But, we saw it yesterday because we showed it to the ward missionaries so they can help us announce the activity.


I love being a mormon! I am so proud! I know that this is the church of Jesus Christ. I know it with all of my heart! I want everyone to have and know what we have and know! So many blessings are in store for those who truly have desires to serve Gpd and those around them. If I have learned anything on my mission, it is that my only true and real desire is to serve God. I love Him and I love all that He has done for me.


I love you guys!


Hermana Bullough

Week 67 - Satanás y la obra del Señor

Hola Hola!


I titled my email "Satan and the work of the Lord" because this week Satan has been working so hard! But, dont worry! We are working even harder! Yesterday I got REALLY sick. Seriously. I have never felt pain like the pain that I felt. I started feeling sick yesterday at church, but, it kind of felt like hunger pains. So, after church we ate lunch with Jessi. It was really good, but, then I started to feel even sicker! We had a lot of really important appointments planned for the night time, So, I told my comp that I thought it would be a good idea if we went home and took a nap so that I could work effectively in the night time. Well, we went home and I took that nap. But, I still didnt feel well. But, I know this is Gods work, so I just told my companion that we would leave to work even if I didnt feel that well. But, we went to our next appointment and they werent there! So, when we went to our backup plans house.. I couldnt take it anymore! I layed down on this womans couch jaja. We decided it would be better if we went home. I called the nurses, but they just told me to rest and to take some tylonal. Well, I have been here so long that I didnt even have tylonel! jaja One of the counselors in our ward gave me a blessing. I threw up ALL NIGHT LONG. I called the nurse at 230 in the morning, because I seriouslt thought that I was going to die. But, she told me they couldnt do anything until the morning. I finally was able to sleep at like 8 in the morning. I slept until like 1 in the afternoon. I was sad because we had a district activity today and I didnt feel well enough to go. But, I am grateful because our zone leader brought me gatorade and crackers and medicine. I was really grateful for that.


Yesterday we had 5 investigators at church! That was fun! Marycielo and her daughter Kaitlyn are the girls that will be baptized the 1st of August. She shared an interesting story in gospel principles, she said that she was planning on telling us that she didnt want to hear from us anymore. But, that morning when she woke up she felt like she needed to go to church! The lessons were REALLY good yesterday. In Relief Society the bishops wife gave the lesson about eternal marriage and family. It was really good! Hermana Marycielo had also told us that she wasnt going to be able to stay the whole time.. well, guess what? The lesson was so good that she stayed the whole time and asked us if we could do a family home eveing with her today.


I got to go to Prado this week on divisions with Hermana Crystal. It is super fun to be with a gringa. We think the same things are funny. We were also able to put a few baptisimal dates with a few of their investigators. It was so fun!


On Friday we had interviews with president! I seriously love that guy so much. He is really inspired. He told me that "We dont have success, the Lord does." That was nice to hear. He told me that if we want to be succesful in this life, we need to do 3 things. Daily scripture study (in family and personal), Daily prayers (In family and personal), and we need to keep the sabbath day holy. He really talked a lot about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. He also told me that God is proud of me. That was good to hear, sometimes I worry about that.


Elder Perry, my zone leader, is really smart. He has been analyzing this whole gay marriage thing. He said that rainbows are the symbol for the new and everlasting covenant, or in other words, temple marriage. But, it is ironic that gay people also use rainbows as their symbol. In the scriptures it says that before the saviors coming, we wont see a rainbow for one year. He thinks that what will happen is that gay people will start to say "We want to get married where we want to get married!" They are going to start to fight to try to get married in temples. Well, the Lord will close the temples before that happens. Elder Perry thinks that is why in general conference they talked so much about family and stressed temple marriage. Because we might not have the temples for much longer. My companion was also telling me that gay marriage is not just something that has been happening in the states, but, all over the world. The United States is a power nation, and now that we have legalized gay marriage, everyone else will start to do it.


in 3 Nephi 16:10 it says
10 And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.





Well, the world is starting to sin against the gospel. And the fullness of the gospel can be found in temples. I thought this was interesting. So, go to the temple a lot! and listen to the Prophets voice!


I want you guys to know that I know that Jesus Christ lives. It doesnt matter what we have done in life. We can always start a new chapter and we can always try a little harder to be a little better. I know that This is the only true church here on earth and that if we listen to the spirit and the Prophets voice, we will be able to conquer the world. I love this gospel and I love my Savior. The two things together have changed my life. I am excited to finish my mission strong and then continue this amazing work at home.


I love you guys more than you can imagine.


Con amor,
Hermana Bullough


The photo with the planner is because I will be starting my last agenda soon and Hermana Peña made me one that says "Welcome home, Hermana Bullough!" jaja

Week 65 - Los Milagros Existen.

Mi querida familia!

I know that Heavenly Father loves me. I know He listens to our humble prayers. I know miracles are real.

This week something really sad happened.

On Tuesday my camera was stolen from me. I will tell you how it all happened. But I know God lives.

On Tuesday morning we had a zone meeting and I was taking a ton of pictures because we were doing some role plays and they were hilarious! So, I know that I had my camera in this moment. After our meeting we went back to the house to do a companionship study before lunch. There we also took a ton of pictures. I was sure that I put it in my backpack before we left. We then went to the Bishops house to eat lunch. They had another commitment, so they left us alone in their house to eat.

After lunch we went to our investigators house. She was going to be baptized the 18th of this month. We were washing her dishes and she put our backpacks inside of her kitchen. I am positive that that was the moment when she stole it. It is funny, because at one point her daughter that is one years old had a strainer on her head and I thought to myself "I want a picture" but, I decided not to... I think it is because the spirit was trying to tell me to go get my camera. But, I didnt listen.

After teaching them, we left and went to another appointment. In this appoinment we were taking water out of a well, and I wanted pictures! But, when I went to get my camera, it wasnt there. I didn't want to freak out in this moment. I said to myself "Don't worry Hermana! Your camera is in the house!"

But, that night when we got home, we destroyed our house looking for my camera! It was NO WHERE to be found! I just started to cry and went to bed. I had 500 pictures on my camera. I started praying that day that God could make a miracle happen. I promised Him that I would work harder than ever before if He would just help me find my camera. Also, Hermana Lopez told me that one time she had a wallet go missing from an investigator's house...

On Wednesday we called the hermana and she said that she didnt have it. We also went to her house in the afternoon and she said she didnt have it and acted really worried.

Thursday we went to her house and when she opened the door, she said "Do you feel better today?" and I said no then she said "Dont be like that!" Rude.

Friday she called us and told us that she needed to talk to us.. but, when we got to her house it was only because she wanted to talk about her baptism!

I was SO frustrated and sad this whole week. I am sure that my companion was so annoyed from my complaining! Everyone was.

On Sunday, when I took the sacrament, I prayed that Heavenly Father would help me feel peace through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. When I took the sacrament, I felt fine! I even bore my testimony about the experience!

Then today in the morning, I called hermana Lopez to see if we could meet up in the internet so that she could pass me the photos that we took while we were together so that I would have some of the memories. The timing was perfect for everything.. SERIOUSLY. Listen to this. We were going to go in the afternoon. But, Hermana Lopez called me in the morning and told me that they were only going to go in the morning because their zone was going to have a zone activity.. So, we had to go in the morning. When we got their, they said lets go upstairs to do it right now before the elders leave us... so when we got upstairs, our investigator was sitting on the couch in the internet. We went to go say hello to her. I honestly was a little bit annoyed with her. But, she said that she was just waiting for her sister. So, we sat down.. I looked at hermana Lopez and said "Do you think they sell cameras here?" and in that moment, she got up to go talk to the man in charge of the internet.. I thought that was weird. So, when she came back and sat down, I said Hermana Rodriguez will you come with me to see if they sell cameras here? When we got up, she followed behind us! She tried to distract us.. she said "Look at these cameras that they have over here!" But, then I looked at the guy and I said "Hermano, has someone tried to sell you a pink camera?" He got all nervous also. Then I SAW MY CAMERA. It was on the floor behind him charging! I said
"That is my camera!" I said, "Who tried to sell this to you?" and he told me that our investigator had tried to sell it to him! My companion said that it was like a soap opera. When I turned around, she was behind me.. and I said " Hermana, did you try to steal my camera?" then she started to make a bunch of excuses.. I asked her where my memory was and she said that she didn't have it. I said "Hermana, I will not be mad. I just need to know that you have my memory." Then she just started to cry. She said they she needed money desperately.. so she stole it. I forgave her and she said that she has my memory in her house.

I know God lives! I know that He planned everything perfectly! I know He loves me!

On another note, I just want to advise everyone that they should prepare themselves spiritually and physically. When Elder Perry said at the beginning of the year that this would be the year that would change everything, I think he was talking about the gay marriage being legalized. I think it will be like a domino affect. Brothers and sisters, The dominos have started to fall and there wont be much time until the last one falls.


I love Heavenly Father! I believe in Magic and Miracles!


Love,
Hermana Bullough

 

 



A little 4th of July luncheon

 

 

Just like home. :)

 

 

Week 64 - Estoy feliz.

Hola mis amados!


I would like to start my email off by telling James Feliz Cumpleanos! Also Feliz Dia del Padre to dad! I love you two so much and am so unbelievably grateful to call you guys part of my family. I really am truly blessed. I hope with all of my heart that you guys had wonderful days.

Well, this week was a little bit crazy. So pretty much this whole transfer I have felt pretty sick, but about two weeks ago I started feeling really sick. I didnt say anything, I just kept working and thought that it would go away with time like it always does. 2 weeks into the change I weighed myself and it said that I weighed ten pounds less. I was excited and just thought that it was because the members dont give us food in this area and we literally climb mountains every single day! But, then I looked in the mirror on week 3 and there were big white blisters on my tonsils! So, I called the nurses and they told me that I had a pretty serious infection in my throat. So, I had to start taking medicine for that 3 times a day for just one week. When I went to go get my medicine, I weighed myself again and it said that I weighed 25 pounds less! So, then I had to start going to this doctor to have some "tests" done. I will not give you details about these tests jaja. Then the doctor called me on wednesday and told me that I have a neighborhood of parasites inside of me! That explains all of the problems that I was having and the extreme weight loss. Honestly I wanted to keep the parasites in there for just a few more weeks to lose a little bit more jaja. But, I went and got the medicine and now I feel A LOT better. Seriously.. like a whole new person! I have more energy. The pills do make me feel a little weird, but, I feel better taking them.

On Wednesday night the assistants called us to tell Hermana Lopez that she will be training for her last two changes! She is SO excited. This is her first time that she will train! She wont be an hermana leader anymore. We went to her training meeting in Xela on Friday and President told us that she will be going to CHIANTLA!!!!!! I am so jealous! I miss that place so much! If I ever come back to Guatemala I will spend like a whole week there! Hermana Arellano has changes! Hermana Lopez will be in a trio with her hija for two weeks in Chiantla because la hermana Korea goes home in two weeks.

Hermana Lopez is the only hermana training because only one hermana comes this change. So, I got to go into the meeting with her. I love President Smith. He is such an inspired man. He told us that we shouldn't tell non members that they can take the sacrament. I thought that was interesting. He said that they haven't made those sacred covenants with God so they should not take the sacrament. I felt bad, I always tell my investigators that they should take it. He also says that whenever he calls someone to be a trainer or a leader in the mission that it is not his decision. He says he prays and fasts to know who God wants. That made me feel grateful. Some times I feel so unconfident. But, it makes me feel so much better to know that God is confident in me.

Below is a picture of Macoxes... that is honestly probably why I have parasites. People eat those here like candy. They are giant ants that have been cooked with salt. Surprisingly they are really good.

Also.. there is your market mom! Is that what you wanted? jaja

Saturday we had a leaders meeting. It was really cool. We talked about ministering of Angels and how we are all able to have angels minister to us.

88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I willgo before your face. I will be on your right hand and onyour left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mineangels round about you, to bear you up.

I love this scripture so much. I know angels are working with me. Maybe even some of my ancestors. One time I was in Chiantla in the church with my companion and I felt like someone was with me while I was filling up the baptismal font.. but, usually I would have been scared.. but, in this moment I wasn't. I know that an angel of God was there with me.

I am so happy. I am a member of the only true church on earth! The church of Jesus Christ. I know He loves me. His love is pure and infinite. We love Him because He loved us first. He gave His life for us with that love He has for us. Let us all try to be more like Him. leading by example, sharing the gospel at all times and in all things and in all places, and trying to be perfect even as He is perfect.


I love you guys.


Con amor,
Hermana Bullough

Week 63 - La Vida es Dulce!

Carrying things the way the locals do.

 Hola Familia!

I hope you guys are well!

On Tuesday we had a multizone conference! It was so much fun! President Smith said that if we have watched the super bowl on a sunday that we need to repent... I guess I wont be watching the super bowl anymore jaja He talked about keeping the sabbath day holy and taking the sacrament. He said that every time he takes the sacrament he starts to think about the life of Jesus Christ starting with the birth of Jesus until His death. I thought that was a great idea. I was really excited to take the sacrament yesterday because I thought it would make the experience better! But then one of our investigators made us late and we didnt take the sacrament! That was only the second time in my mission that I have missed taking the sacrament and it is a terrible feeling.

Natalie's companion

On Wednesday I went on divisions with Hermana Soto. It was so much fun! We went to McDonalds at night! She just finished her training. So, it was fun to be with someone so new.



Volleyball

Then on Thursday I went to a doctors appointment thing in the morning. Then again on Saturday and today.



A family from Lakewood, CO was in town.

Today we played volleyball with our zone. It was so much fun! I have missed the zone so much! We dont get to do many zone activities anymore.. but, President Smith said that our zone is leading the mission in numbers that we are the only ones meeting the standard for the mission! He is really pleased with us!


Natalie loves the people of Guatemala

I love you guys! I will be sure to write a better letter next week!


Love,
Hermana Bullough

Week 62 - Afferate a la barra de hierro

Hola mi querida familia!

This week was super good!

On Tuesday I got to go on divisions with Hermana Nield in Prado. Ot was super fun! She came in my group with me! We will be going home together! It was fun to see how we have grown here.

On Wednesday we had a zone meeting. It was SO good. Elder Zelaya and Elder Perry gave talks. They are our zone leaders. Every friday we have a meeting with them and we have been trying to get our meetings more spiritual and more focused around the Atonement. Usually when we get to the chapel we stand around talking and laughing until everyone gets there. This time we walked in and a video by Elder Holland was already playing. Everyone was sitting down watching it reverently. Then Elder Zelaya gave his talk about how Christ is the reason for everything. He did an activity with us where we close our eyes and he reads us events from the life of Christ. At the end we all shared our testimonies about what we felt. It was beautiful. After Elder Perry talked about putting our trust in Christ and using His Atonement. It was beautiful. We all left from that meeting wanting to be better.


Right after the meeting we did another division because President wants us to do 2 divisions with every companionship 2 times a change. So, I stayed in Cerrito and Hermana Martin came with me. She seriously is HILARIOUS. We always just laugh the whole time.

On Thursday we had a big day planned! In the night we had an iron rod activity. It is something that I would LOVE to do as a stake activity when I get home. We went to the chapel at 2 to set up everything. It took us FOREVER. We put up obstacles and chairs all around the church! Then we tied a rope all around the church until it got to the sacrament room. The people had to pass through 4 rooms of temptations and they are blindfolded and can only listen to the spirit (The elders). In the first temptation room we had a pizza. The other sister missionaries would put the pizza up to their faces and a lot of people ate it and fell off of the rope. The second room was a halloween roon. It was just meant to be really scary. Then we had a dance party room and a video game room. It was fun! We had like 150 people there and only 10 made it to the sacrament room! When they entered they were in darkness and there was a white tree with white light and it was beautiful.

On Friday Jesse and Kelsy had their baptismal interviews! We were looking all day for baptisimal clothes for them and even went to my old zone in Calvario to get some from the zone leaders there... Well, when we got to the interview with the district leaders, we found out that she had already bought baptism clothes! It was funny! After the interview we ate crepes with them! It was so yummy! I know how to make them now, so we will have to eat some when I get home!


On Saturday, Jessy and Kelsy were baptized! It was wonderful! They were so prepared! I love them a lot. I know that this was the best decision that they could ever make in their lives.

On Sunday we almost put a fecha fija with Dani. She is so close. She should be getting baptized on the 20th of this month. We always have really spiritual lessons with her, I just think she is scared.

Today we havent done much! We are going to eat lunch with Claudia! I miss her so much! It will be good to see her again. She actually came to the iron rod activiy.. so that was cool.

I love you guys so much. A few nights ago after I had prayed and was already in my bed, I cried. I miss Chiantla so much and I know I am going to miss Cerrito just as much when it is my time to go home. I never thought I would understand this feeling. Where you leave your heart in two places. I will definitely be leaving a huge part of my heart here. I know God loves these people. I love these people. I love this gospel!

I love you guys so much!

Have a great week!

Con Amor,
Hermana Bullough

Week 61 - Odio Perros

Hola mi querida familia!

There are so many dogs here in Cerrito and they all hate us. I think I have almost been bitten like 10 times at least! We always have to put are backpacks in front of us so they can bite the back pack and not us. It is so scary when they are going crazy. I will never have a dog in my life. I promise.


I got to go on divisions with Hermana Gibson this week in Las Flores. It was so mch fun! She is a really good missionary. We got to put some baptisimal dates with some of their investigators. We also went to McDonalds. It was so good. I miss that place.


So, I really NEVER write in my journal. So, sometimes I have no idea what to write to you guys. So this is just from memory. We went to visit a Menos Activa named Carmen. When we walked in she just bore her testimony to us that she knows the church is true. She said that she even wen through the Temple, but, then after her husband died, she got married to a Catholic guy and that he doesnt let her go to church. She old us not to come back aain because she doesnt want him to offend us. Then we prayed with her. I could tell that everything she said was so sincere. I know God loves her and that he will be merciful.


I got to cut Glorias toe nails this week. sick. haha I will send a picture. She is the one that is blind and deaf.


Also, Amparo go baptized! She was my investigator in Chiantla. I asked President if I could go and he said no.. I was so sad. But, I am grateful that she made this covenant with God.


I love being a missionary so much! It is so much fun to be such good friends with the spirit. I love the gospel. I am grateful for the Savior and for the sacrifice that He made for all of us.


Sorry this is so short. I will try to write in my journal this week so I can have more to say.




Con Amor,
Hermana Bullough