Week 74 - La Ultima!

Hola mi querida familia!

Yo les amo!

Wow! I will be home next week! I had my last baptism on Friday night. Bittersweet... more bitter
than sweet.



Today lots of the members from Chiantla and Cerrito came to my area to say goodbye to me! I am really going to miss them. We ate cake and took pictures! I shared my testimony and sang.



Dad, your letter made me cry. I love Guatemala so much! I am so sad that my mission is coming to an end! Really the feelings are weird. I am sitting here at this computer chillando (crying like a little baby). Every one is looking at me really weird. jaja

Next Monday I don't think I will be able to write. So, I want to tell you guys all what I am feeling in this letter.

I remember when I came out to the mission. I was so excited! I was so excited to be a missionary and serve the Lord full time! Then I started to teach and I was a little frustrated. I couldnt speak spanish and people laughed at me. I walked all day long in the heat, in the rain, even in the cold! But then, poco a poco I started trusting more and more in the Lord and all of the miracles that He can perform! He truly does perform miracles. I am a different person than I was when I got here and it is all thanks to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I love Him so much. I will spend all eternity trying to repay Him.


I remember Dallin saying in his last email that Heavenly Father had given him so many blessing. I testify of that! I also learned a ton on my mission! I learned Spainsh! I learned how to paint nails! I learned to cook! I learned how to serve and how to love! I learned that we are all children of our Heavenly Father and that He loves us.



The most sacred thing that I have learned, and the closest thing to my heart is that Jesus Christ really does live! I know He does! I saw Him working with me! I saw Him change lives! He changed my life!

Do not get me wrong. I have missed you guys. I have missed you guys a whole ton! But, I love my mission. Being a missionary is my life. I never knew I could love something so much! The time really just flew by. I asked President a few months ago if I could extend.. but, he told me no. He said that God has other plans for me. I am excited to find out what those plans are.. but, I am going to miss Guatemala so much. I love the people. I love the food. I love the culture. I love my companion. I love spanish. I love the gospel. and I love feeling the spirit so close. This will be a really hard change. But, I am really excited to hang out, play UNO with you guys, and talk like the old days! I am also excited to go to a doctor to find out what is wrong with me!



I am excited, nervous, sad, happy, and a whole lot of other things! It is going to be really hard to get used to normal life. I have so many  ideas to help the ward and stake prosper in the obra misional! I want a calling like super fast so I can start to serve! I dont want to waste time!



I just want to finish my letter with my testimony.

Se que esta iglesia es la iglesia de Jesucristo! Se que Jose Smith fue un profeta y que el restauro la iglesia. Se que somos la unica iglesia que tiene el permiso de Dios para realizar ordenanzas sagradas como el bautismo y el sellamiento en el Templo. se que El Libro de Mormon es verdadero! Y sobre todo, se que Jesucristo es mi Salvador y Redentor. Se que El vive y que El puede rescatarnos del infierno si confiamos en El y todo lo que pueda realizar.

I love you guys so much!

Hasta la proxima semana!

Hermana Bullough

Week 73 - Nervious

Hola familia :)

I love you guys so much!
This week was really good!

On Wednesday we knocked on the door of a woman named Alejandra. We showed her the video Gracias a que El vive and she totally cried! We put a baptismal date with her and she is really excited. It is weird because I am starting to put the baptismal dates for after I finish my mission. weird.

On Thursday we had a party with the relief society. Mayrena came! She is so cool! Her kids will be baptized this friday. She wont be baptized until the 26th of December because she is taking classes of beauty on weekends! But, she goes to all of the activities during the week.

On Viernes we went on divisions! I got to go to la viña with Hermana Aguirre! She is the best! She is a nurse... I told her that I am going to study phlebotomy after the mission and she taught me how to draw blood. I am sure that wasnt really super appropriate for the mission... but, It was cool. In two weeks I will show you guys the video. She told me that I will be really good at drawing blood from people because I found the vein right away and didnt leave a mark. That was cool.

On Sunday we met a crazy woman that kept talking about the ark from the temple of saloman. She says that the united states thinks that she has it. But, she really is just crazy haha but, it got me thinking.. I know that Gods plan is to bring to pass the inmortality and eternal life of man... but, why this? Like how did this all come to be and why is that the plan? We had dinner with the bishop of my ward here on sunday night and he told me that sometimes it is better just not to ask certain questions. We are here by faith and we just need to go forward with faith.

I am really sad that my mission is coming to an end. I had my last zone activity today. It was so much fun. I got teary eyed during lunch because I am really going to miss the mission.

I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know He lives. The knowledge of my Savior, that He lives, is the most sacred and valuable thing I have learned on my mission. I only desire to do what He asks of me. I might fail... but, at least I can live with the assurance that I am doing my best. Doing our best is all He asks of us, so let us be our best person!

I love you guys! I will send pictures next week!

Love,

Hermana Bullough

Week 72 - La Misión es Calidad!

Hola familia!

I love you guys so much! Time is flying by. I will only be a full time missionary for 3 more weeks. I am proud of what I have done and what I am doing and what I will continue to do in these next three weeks!

On Saturday we had a broadcast with President Nelson. He was suppose to be coming here tomorrow, but they cancelled it last minute :( So we got to watch him on tv while he was in Honduras. He is really cool! I like him a lot. He talked a lot about marriage.. which I thought was weird because we are all missionaries jaja

He said pay attention to how your mission president and his wife respect eachother, love eachother, and love the Lord. He said that if the man we want to be our future husband isnt a full tithe payer then you cannot marry him. He said if he is not going to be faithful and honest with the Lord, then he will not be faithful and honest with you! He said the Plan of Salvation is the plan of Happiness and happiness comes from marriage and family! He also said that we need to make sure our future spouses love the Lord more than they love us, because if they love the Lord more, their capacity to love us will be even bigger. My favorite is when he said "Make sure you marry someone worthy of you!

In the conference a story was told by President Duncan about when he was on his mission. He said that he was with his trainer for 8 months! They taught a family of 4 and baptized the mom and the two kids, but the dad didnt want to because he smoked and drank a lot. But, 22 years later, Pres. Duncan got a cll from one of the kids he had baptized and he said that his dad had gotten baptized a year earlier and that they were about to enter into the temple to be sealed for the eternities. I thought that was cool. President Smith told us that we wont be able to see the fruits of the people we baptized until 10 or 20 years have past. Because we will see that their children are active and serving missions and their grandchildren... That is going to be so cool.

President Nelson said that our mission president and his wife will be our best friends forever. He said we need to let them know when we get married, when our converts go through the temple, and when grandchildren of converts enter the temple.

But, my favorite part of the whole conference was at the end when he left a blessing with our missions. He blessed us to:

To be true disciples of the Lord
To be an attraction to the people
He blessed our families that they will be drawn closer to the Lord by my devotion
He envoked a blessing of health and strength in my mind and body
He blessed us with safety on our missions so that we can return home and continue to be missionaries.

I love the Lord and my only desire is to serve Him. I am not perfect, but I am sure trying to be. One thing President Duncan said was Yes or Yes. I love that. You can always ask yourself a question.. Are you going to be a disciple of Christ? Yes or Yes. The answer should ALWAYS be yes. I love my Savior. I want to be like Him and I want to do what He asks of me.

I hope all is well back home!

Love,
Hermana Bullough

Week 71 - Donde Hallo El Solaz?

Hola mi querida familia!

I love you guys so much! I feel so blessed here in the mission!

This week was CRAZY!

Tuesday we had consejo de lideres. We were in Xela all day long! It was so tiring! But, I love listening to President Smith. He is such an inspired man. He told us that on the 25th of this month we are going to have a multi mission conference with the mission Rehu! I am so excited! I think President Nelson will be here. It has to be someone big because they are combining the missions. I think I will see Cameron Smith!

My companion says I talk in my sleep.. in spanish.. that is cool!

On Wednesday I was sick all morning in bed. In the afternoon we left to work. I got a call from one of my converts in Chiantla. She said that she will be having her baby on monday (today) and that they are naming her after me! They are going to name here Natalie Pamela! I thought that was pretty cool. I want to try and come out in June of next year because so many of my converts will be getting sealed. I definitely want to be here for that!

In the evening we went to visit the familia Figueroa. I was feeling kind of down and Harick (The youngest) Said "Hermana Bullough, sabe que?" I said "que?" Y el dijo "La quiero." It was really cute. I got teary eyed.

On Thursday we went to the temple with our zone! I love the temple so much! This time I went with a specific question and I could just feel so much peace while I was sitting in the celestial room! I love the temple! I cant wait to go every single week in one month! We were a little embarrased this day because we had to be in the terminal at 530 to meet up with our zone. We set the alarm for 4 in the morning.. but, when it went off, I accidently turned it off instead of putting it on snooze! We woke up at 545 to a call from our zone leaders... They said "Where are you guys?" We told them we were on are way.. but we werent! I didnt even shower! I look so bad in the pictures! BVut, the temple was still so good!

I love the mission so much! There are so many people waiting to here the gospel and I just think it is so cool that I get to be working this job full time! I know that God lives! I know that this is His gospel!

Love,
Hermana Bullough

Week 70 - Estoy Felicisima!!

Hola mi querida familia!!!!

Oh man! I love you guys so darn much! I am always excited to hear about what you guys have to say and to know what is going on back home, even though I feel like here is more home tan Colorado.

I wanted to start my email off by saying that I am so happy to bea member of The Church of Jesús Christ. I know that it is the only true church here on earth. I love being a missionary. I love it so much. Just writing this my eyes are feeling with tears. It is weird because I feel like I have been here forever, but, really it has just gone by so fast. Too fast. I love you guys un monton, but I my feelings are so against eachother. I am happy to see you guys and give you all a big hug, but, I am not ready to leave this all behind me. This is my life. This is who I am. I am not Natalie. I am Hermana Bullough.

This week hubo cambios. I will finish my misión here in Cerrito del Maiz. I am happy. I am grateful that I have only had 3 áreas with mucho tiempo en cada uno de ellos because I got to meet a lot of really neat people. Elder Wright from the CCM is my zone leader right now. It is super fun! We just talk about the CCM and how fun it was and how it feels like it all just happened yesterday.

I have been really sick lately. The nurses from the misión dont really know what is wrong. I dont want to freak you guys out, because I know that everything will be ok. I had to go take some parasite tests again and they found a parasite that they dont usually treat. So, I am taking a ton of medications again. But, I really just think the doctors in the states will figure out what is wrong. I have been sick for 3 months now!

Today we played futbol with the zone! Those are the memories that will be in my heart forever!

We have been working so hard this week! I feel like this is the hardest I have worked in my misión and I feel bad because I feel like hasta ahorita estoy empezando a saber how to be a missionary!

Marycielo, Youri, y Keitlin were baptized on Saturday night. There was a problema sunday morning because out of nowhere the dad that lives for away and never talks to his kids came and got mad that Marycielo had signed the papers for them to be baptized. They werent confirmed Domingo. He will leave this week and they will be confirmed next sunday.

Elder Cevallos is my new District Leader. He is so cool. Really spiritual. We had one of the best district meetings ever on Tuesday. After I left from Chiantla, they put another set of missionaries there and Elder Cevallos was one of the missionaries that opened the área. He was only there one change, but now he is in my zone. He said that everyone in Chiantla treats me like the virgen mary jajaaj That my picture is in every house and they have candles underneath to worship me jaja It was a joke.. but, I thought it was hilarious. I love Chiantla.

Well, I love you guys so much! Brandon, you have to start to prepare yourself right now for the best two years of your life.. because they truly are the best.

I know that Jesús Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. This is the most valuable and sacred thing that I have learned in the best 17 months.

Love you guys!
Hermana Bullough

Week 69 - Correremos hasta el fin!

Hola Familia!

Happy 1st Birthday to Carter! The little guy is growing up!

This week went pretty well. We had quite a few challenges, but nothing is holding us back!

On Tuesday we had our district meeting! Hermana Peña gave her last testimony! It felt weird! I am going to miss that girl so much. Who would have thought that all of my best friends would live in Central America? After the meeting I went on divisions to Las Flors. I was with Hermana Martin, she is HILARIOUS. I am so grateful that she will be here with me for this last change.

On Wednesday when I got back to my area, I was really achy in my body. I just thought it was because my body was tired. We were walking to a cita with Marycielo and her kids. When we got there and were sitting down... I started to feel really cold! But, everone else was hot. Then I started shaking and tears were falling from my eyes. I couldnt walk. A member came and got us and brought us back to our house. Then another member and his wife came over and the hermano started to freak out! They took my temperature and I had a temperature of 103! They told my companion to call the nurse, but, I told her no because I am a little bit embarrased about all of the health problems that I have been having recently. So the member called her and was freaking out! So, I ended up talking to her and they just tld me to take tylonel and try to sleep. The nurse was a little bit irritated that I didnt call from the beginning because the hermano made it sound like I was dying! jaja

I seriously thought I was going to die. I was in bed sick all day Thursday. It was really boring. I kept trying to sleep but I was just too sick.

Viernes we worked. I still did not feel good. but, we did our best. When we went to see Marycielo and her kids, all of her kids had made me get well soon cards and Harick, the youngest kid said that he saw a shooting star so he wished that I would get better. He was excited to see that it worked!

On Saturday we had stake conference at night. We were going to bring Marycielo. She had to bring her four kids because there was no one to watch them! So, we walked quite a ways to the church only to find that all of the lights were turned off and that no one was there! It is because we thought the stake center was in this building, but, it was actually in a different building ;( So, we took them to Dominos because there werent any more buses to go to the conference.

Domingo we had stake conference. President Smith talked. That was fun! I love him.

Today I went to the doctor to get checked for parasites again. whoo hoo.

I know that this work is real and that Gods angels are working with us!

Love you guys!
Hermana Bullough

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