Week 35 - Gripe y Cambios! (A Cold and Transfers)

Hola mi querida familia!

Que tal? Como estan? Les quiero mucho!

Well, This week was great! I forgot my journal with all of my notes though.. but, I will do my best to remember what happened this week!

So, I have had a cold this whole entire week! I couldnt sleep every day! It is so terrible! But, the Elders gave me a blessing because I had a really bad fever on Thursday. I slept a lot better that night! There are some things that I am gaining a conviction of thanks to my mission, one of those things is the Priesthood. I know that the Priesthood authority was restored to Joseph Smith and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only church that holds this authority. I have seen so many miracles happen in my mission and almost all of them have to do with the priesthood.

On Thurday morning the assistants called us. They called to tell my companion that she will be training! I am going to have a granddaughter! I am so excited for Hermana Garcia! She will be such a great trainer! She is a really good teacher. Then Last night at 1030 the zone leaders called me to tell me that I will be getting transferred this change! I am so nervous! I have no idea what to think! I have been here my whole entire mission so far! I love these people so much! On Friday morning the companion of Hermana Marcheschi and my companion had a meeting for trainers, so hermana Marcheschi and I were on divisions in San Mateo. It was so much fun! But, we went to Carens house, she was my first baptism. When we got there I said Hermana... and before I could say anything else.. she said dont leave.. and we both just started balling! I am going to miss her so much. I seriously dont want to leave San Mateo. But, I do know that Heavenly Father needs me some where else!

Hermana Marcheschi got called to be an Hermana Leader. I am so proud of her! She is going to be so good at that! They are only so many hermana leaders! So, it must mean that President Smith trusts her a whole lot.

So, I have 8 months in my mission! I think that is so crazy! Time is going by way to fast! There is still so much to learn and so much to do!

We had an activity this week in the rama here in San Mateo. It was the best assited activity that we have had since I got here! There were almost 40 people! A lot of Menos activos came too! I remember we played human fusball once in an mutual once.. so we did that here! They all loved it SO much! They didnt want to quit!

Oh! On Thursday one of our menos activas asked us to help her with a baby shower.. So, we helped her plan some games.. but, in one of the games we had all of the women tie balloons to their feet and their goal was to get to the pregnant woman to give her a hug before their balloon got popped! One woman thought it would be a good idea to play while her baby was strapped to her back and she was wearing high heels too! Well, she tripped and fell on her face! and ran into me on her way down! Luckly her baby was okay! Her arm was scraped up pretty bad.. and my knee is bruised.. I felt bad because I feel like it was my fault! I started to cry. I felt like such a big baby! haha

We had a lesson with Eddie yesterday.. He is a menos activo and has problems drinking. it was so spiritual yesterday! He is animated to do better! We committed him to reading in the Book of Mormon everyday and we are going to pick him up to take him to interviews with Presidente Velasquez on Wednesday. He will be going in the right direction!

Man, Well, this is all I have to say for now! Next week I will be writing you guys from a new place!

I wish I knew all that I know now before my mission. Remember that Heavenly Father loves us! I know that He loves us.

Love,
Hermana Natalie Paige Bullough






2 Attachments

Week 34 - Siempre hay bendicione​s!

Hola mi familia tan chula!


This week was hard. But, I am learning so much! I am learning patience and love!


I will start off with two funny stories that happened this week. The first one happened Monday night. We needed to call the zone leaders for something, so my companion was calling them and when they picked up she decided she wanted to play a joke on them. So, she said Hey! I am a little worried because I can't find Hermana Bullough and I am with an Hermana of our Rama right now... but, then suddenly the cell phone turned off! It wasnt charged! jaja So, then we started to freak out! We needed to go find a charger so that we could tell them we were just kidding! Luckly we found one like 10 minutes later and called them. My companion was almost in tears! and the San Mateo Elders showed up and said hey, the Zone leaders are looking for you! I guess the Zone leaders were freaking out and were calling other leaders to try to find us! haha The Zone leaders were really mad at my companion LOL


The second story happened a few days ago. I was in bed... and Hermana Garcia was getting ready for bed. She walked into our study room and turned off the light and then walked back into our room and then into the bathroom. So, while she was in the bathroom I quickly got out of my bed and ran to the other room and turned on the light and then went back to my bed and pretended to be asleep. I just remember listening to Hermana Garcia leave the bathroom, she took a few steps and then did a huge sigh of shock! haha Then it was silent for like 10 seconds.. Then she said Hermana Bullough? Hermana Bullough? HERMANA BULLOUGH! haha and I said Huh? What? acting all sleepy and tired and she was like did you turn on the light? and I said what are you talking about? haha then I started to laugh.. but, my poor companion was almost in tears.. I guess that stuff really scares her a lot. But, I thought it was hilarious! LOL


I keep getting the impression Let it Change You. I know that this experience can change my life.. but, only if I let it. I think that means that I just need to work so hard.


On Thursday we were walking to a Cita in the morning and all of the sudden we heard something EXPLODE and then a bunch of people just started running at us! It turns out that the police were throwing bombs at the people because they have been protesting and blocking the streets a lot! We just saw policemen holding big shields walking in a line throwing bombs! I looked at my comp when the people started to run towards us.. I said Hermana Run!!!!! so we started running and then went a different way to our cita. haha We probably should have gone home after that.. but, I was really excited for this lesson! And it was SO good! We got two new investigators! Abigail and her husband, Mario! They are great! We taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ and they had SO many questions! They said they were going to come to church on Sunday, but, then we called them the night before and the morning of and they said they couldnt.. aw man! Then we were locked in our house all afternoon.. but, had a noche de hermanamiento at 7 so we left for that! It was good! I played a game where I taught them 3 words in english... Then I would call out the word and they would touch that part of their body and we had judges that would see if any one was wrong and then they would be out of the game! It was fun!


On friday we had our Zone meeting and played Mafia to start out again! It was so much fun! Then Hermana McGill gave a talk and she said We belong to Eternity! I loved that so much! We DO! We belong to eternity! We just need to pass this small exam!


Saturday we had divisions with our leaders! I was with Hermana McGill in La Esperana! It was so much fun! I love her! she goes home in just one week! I am going to miss her so much! She has been such a great example to me!


On Sunday I gave a talk on the importance of a temple recommend. I was told 5 minutes before it started.. I vageuly remember mom telling me a story about one of our ancestors.. so, I dont know if this is true or not.. but, I said it in my talk haha I talked about how one of my great grandpas was in Utah and his brother was still in Missouri and a lot of bad things were happening to the Saints.. and The guy in Utah was sitting at his table one night when his brother appeared to him and he said Brother! I thought you were in Missouri?? and his brother said No! I already died.. but, I am only here to tell you that you need to do my temple work.. So, I dont know if that is true.. but, I used it in my talk haha We had an investigator named Irma in church! That was great!


Anyways!
I love you guys so much!


Love,
Hermana Natalie Paige Bullough

Week 32.5

Hola mi familia!

This week has been so humbling for me. I dont even completely know how to write out everything that I am feeling.

I am so imperfect. I have so many weaknesses. I am sitting here at this computer thinking about what I can say to you guys. This transfer has been so hard. But, I am learning so much. I want to share a story with you guys that a sister missionary told me. It is about her dad. She said that her dad grew up on Virginia Beach and was this really cool surfer dude that had curly blonde hair and blue eyes. He had all of the girls and all of the friends in the world! Everyone knew who he was and everyone wanted to be his friend. Then he went on his mission and was serving in Nevada. He said that one day he was riding his bike trying to be all cool and a corvet pulled up next to him with the top off and a bunch of really cute girls were inside and they were all shouting to him and he felt so cool! But, then before he knew it, his bike hit a puddle and he went flying off of his bike and landed in a puddle of muddy water. He said that all of the girls started to laugh and made fun of the mormons and drove off. He said that he stood up and remembers thinking in his head, You guys have NO idea how cool I am! You guys have NO idea how many friends I have or how many people like me!! But, then a thought popped into his head that said You really arent that cool. But, I can make you all that you want and more if you will just follow me.

I have many, many weaknesses. I have always been aware of them. In Ether 12:27 it says:

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Satan and Heavenly Father have a pretty similar plan. The only difference is that Satan only likes to point out our weaknesses and makes us feel stupid. There are so many missionaries and members here and they are all so great! I feel so lame sometimes! But, this time, this mission, has the ability to change me if I will let it. I take one step forward 3 steps back.. but, Heavenly Father is so proud of that one step forward! He is so grateful when we make even the smallest step towards Him. There are people here that have baptisms every single month, investigators in church every single sunday, they know the scriptures like the back of their hand, or they really have it figured out how to follow the spirit. Sometimes I feel so worthless to be serving here. There are better people to be doing this work.. but, then I remember that Heavenly Father called me here because he knows that I can do it.

On Tuesday we went to teach Shirly. She is a Menos Activo. Her baby just miscarried and she is really depressed. But, she wants to come back to church. We have started to teach her the missionary lessons again.

On Wednesday we had Zone meeting. I gave a spiritual thought about Saving the Starfish and gave everyone a braclet that says Salvar Las Estrellas Del Mar.

On Thursday we went to San Juan in the morning to contactar. Our zone is trying something new. We are contacting in every area of our zone and giving the missionaries of that area the referencias. It is working out pretty well. Then we had lunch with Jacky. There were ants in the food and I did not feel really well after eating it. Then we had a Noche de Hermanamiento in the house of Reina Sanchez. After we played a game where a person is blind folded and they walk around trying to touch a persons head and when they touch the head, they say Talk Pig! and the person has to make pig noises and the blind folded person has to guess who it is. It was fun!

Friday HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN! I was thinking about you all day long! I was throwing up and not feeling well all night long. oh well! The zone came to San Mateo this day to contact and I went on divisions with Hermana Mcgill. This was my last division with her! She goes home in 2 weeks. That is so crazy! When I came she had 10 months! Life is so quick. But, I love her. She always gives me the best advice! She is an example of the fourth missionary. You should read that talk. It is called The Fourth Missionary.

Then Saturday in the afternoon we had a night of games in the church! Only youth came. It was suppose to be for the whole ward and there friends. But, it ended up being good. They had fun. Then after we went and met with Gissela. She said that every single time with out fail when she is angry or wondering if God really exists we knock on her door. She said that she talked to her pastor about the authority. haha She said she told him he needs to pray to know if he really has the permission to baptize and if he feels good about it, he can keep going. I thought that was funny. The spirit is always so strong when we visit her. She told us that if she goes to church with us, she will stay with us.

Then Sunday we didnt have any investigadores in church, but two complete less active families that we have been working with came! I was so happy for them! Then we went to Shirlys house and played UNO with her and all of her siblings and then shared a spiritual thought it was so good! Then we went to Kimberlys house to pray with her and her family. Her brother Andres went into surgery this morning because has a cyst in his spinal chord and it is really dangerous. I love them! They always laugh and say Este Hermana Bullough! haha

Today we played kick ball with water balloons. It was so much fun.

I want this experience to change my life. I am so grateful to be here. I love being in Guatemala and I love being a missionary. I am nothing, but, with Jesus Christ I can become someone.

I love you guys so much! Everyday is a new day to start out more strong than yesterday!

I love how in The Book of Mormon when the prophets are about to die they always say Now I am going to return to my Father in Heaven and He will recieve me with open arms. I want that. I want Him to recieve me with open arms.

I love you guys.
Love,


Hermana Natalie Paige Bullough

Letter 33- Buscando El Mejor (looking for the best)

Hola mi familia fabulosa! Les quiero mucho! Espero que ustedes tenian una buena descansa de trabajo y escuela!

This week was so good! Time is passing by so fast now. I feel like my mission is slipping through my fingers! This month I have 8 months. That is so weird! I remember when I got here and I met Hermana Call for the first time. She had the time I have now and she is going home in Febuary. I wish I could be a missionary forever.



El Lunes in the night we were walking and we saw one of our investigators, Osman. He was drunk. He was pointing at us with his hand.. but, like a gun! He grabbed my companions arm and I was screaming ¨Hermana! No! Corre!¨I ran to the nearest house, which happened to be the house of a member and I started pounding on the door. And I said Can we please come in! This drunk man is grabbing my companion! It was so scary! I was practically crying! jaja


El Martes we had our reunion de Zona. We played Mafia to start it off. It reminded me so much of the Flanders ward. jaja I miss them. We heard that the church came out with a new rule that sisters now have the option to serve 2 years if they want. This really hit me.. I am learning and growing so much here and never want this progression to stop. When we first heard this I thought to myself.. Yes! I am going to extend for two years! But, then I thought that I should probably pray about it. So, I was sitting at my desk, and I started to pray. I said ¨Heavenly Father, If you want me to serve 2 years. I will do it. But, I need to know that you are listening to my prayers!¨Then right after I just opened up my scriptures to a random page.. I opened up to Doctrina y Convenios 35:3 ¨Behold, verily, verily I say unto my servant Hermana Bullough, I have looked upon thee and thy works. I have heard thy prayer, and prepared thee for a greater work.¨ I took this as my answer. That God doesnt want me to serve 2 years and that He has something greater for me to do when I get home. I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and answers them. He is the best. Then in the night I had the oportunity to hold baby rats!


El Miercoles nothing really big happened.. but, in the night time we were walking and one guy turned to his friend and said Ëste canchita es tan hermosa. He said this white girl is so beautiful. Usually people say groserias.. So, that made me feel good haha I just kept walking!


El Viernes HAPPY HALLOWEEN! We had interviews with Presidente Smith in Xela. He told me that there are no hard areas in a mission and that EVERYTHING just depends on our faith. He said ¨Do you have the faith to baptize every month?¨ That really got me thinking! I think I have the faith. He told me a story about two families that wanted to move into a town. The first family went and talked to the mayor and said we are thinking about moving into your town. What are the people like? and the mayor said Well, what were the people like in your last house? and this family said oh we hated them! They were terrible people. and the mayor said I think you will find the same thing here. Then the second family came and said to the mayor We are thinking about moving into your town. What are the people like? and the mayor said Well, what were the people like where you lived before? and they said we absolutely loved them and we hate to leave them. I think it is the same with missionary work. There are good and bad people every where. But, they are ALL children of God and He loves them. It really is weird to be a missionary. I am a represenative of Jesus Christ and I love all of these people and I dont even really know them! That is a miracle. He told me to forget everything that I think I know about being a missionary and then really try to figure out what being a missionary is. Then in the afternoon we were walking and a bunch of teenagers were in this tienda and they were all whistling and saying Canchita! We were pretty far a way from them... so as a joke, I flipped my hair and they all went wild jaja like animals. Seriously. Hermana Garcia taught me a song that goes like this "Que bonita soy, que bonita soy, como me quiero ahhh, sin mi me muero ahhh y nunca me olvidare" haha I will let you use google translate for that. It is hilarious. I was singing it all day! Then at night we were with a member and we passed by the house of Otelia and Odaniel and he was drunk and told us that he doesnt ever want us to come back. It made me so sad. I thought for sure he was prepared by the Lord for baptism.


El Sabado we went to the house of a street contact and we have started doing this thing to contact.. we say that we just want to play UNO with them. When we asked her.. she seemed a little bit unsure.. but, let us into her house. So, we played UNO with her and by the end we were laughing and talking! She said that she has mormon friends. She told us to come back this next saturday.. So, we will see what happens! Then at night we went and met with Gissela. She is Bien calidad! She asked us why Jesus Christ had to die for our sins.. and we shared some scriptures and chatted about it for a bit and she said Whoa. I asked my pastor that question and he didnt know! She said that she has had a pretty rough past.. but, for about a year now has been going to the church evangelical. But she said that she has never felt the way she feels when she is with us in her church. Whoa! She said she is going to read in the Book of Mormon and come to church next week! I am so excited!


El Domingo after church we were walking in the street and I said hey to some teeneagers walking and one of them said to the other "Me saludo!" jaja I thought that was so funny! Then a recent convert of different missionaries told us that she and her husband hadnt been paying their tithing because she didnt want to. Her husband did though and she said they always argued about it. But, she said recently she decided to start paying her tithing.. and she said they are now making double what they were making before. I know that when we pay our tithing we are blessed. Sometimes we put our umbrella up and block blessing that Heavenly Father wants to give to us.

Being a missionary is definitely hard.. but, I just thinkn to myself "God helps me" and then I have peace. Mitzi Tolman told me that It is our job to try to be who God knows we are! I love that so much! We are ALL children of God. Our worth is great!


Dios nos ama a todos! Se que la iglesia de Jesucristo es en la tierra hoy. Tenemos la plenitud del evangelio aca!


Con amor,

Hermana Natalie Paige Bullough