Crazy hot peppers!

 

These evil peppers are crazy hot! It was bad...really hot. I may or may not have started to sweat and the silly Latinos were making fun of me. I'm a Gonzales! I should be able to handle it! Sad...lol. Pretty funny though.

Poor Hermana is pooped. I know how she feels. Mission work is hard.

YA UTAH! I mean, I'm not a Utah fan...but in this case I am :)

So Many Milagros!

Dearest Loved ones,

what a beautiful week! Seriously LOTS has happened! we got 9 new investigators this last week! so this next week we will get them progressing to the Aguas de Bautismo! (baptism!)

 

we found three beautiful families. We made two of the moms cry, and the third, the teenage daughters came to Young Womens! it was a beautiful sight!

 

also, i recieved a strong impression to use my talents to find! (because finding is hard). So after an interveiw with President, i decided to put together a FREE Piano lessons class. every tuesday morning.

 

so far i have 5 kids show up. but here's the trick, you HAVE to bing a parent (wink wink, nod nod) i cant wait to see what happens! to see who comes! and to see who we find to teach! Now i need to learn all the piano terms in spanish.... uh oh. get studying! after my interveiw, the president came out and gave us a talking to he said "you're making finding harder than it needs to be. God gave you talents for a reason! use your talents to find!" so now we have an elder giving math tutoring, and another elder doing Soccer lessons. but the kids HAVE to bring a parent. so while one misisonary is teaching,k the other is teachign the PARENT! brilliant! the church is TRUE!

 

this week, we met with our "eternigators" ( investigators who have been investigators for a while) and we watched the Restoration video with them. that is a powerful video. Joseph smith is one powerful man. and this church is truly the Lord's Church today! after ward, with the spirit alerady strong, Hermana Connely bore a powerful testimony. normally i would try to avoid butchering a sacred moment with my broken spanish, but for some reason, i felt the need to open my mouth.

what came out, im not sure. but it was fluent. it was clear. and there were tears streeming down my face. and the spirit was strong. you KNOW that when the missionary feels it strong, it is STRONG. and you KNOW the investigator feels it. that was the first time i bore testimony in spanish, and felt confident about it. and it was the first most powerful one i've bore since being out. (not over the pulpit. that one was evotional too)

 

This week, we took two men on a tour of the church. we have been praying for more priesthood holders, cause lets be honest, our ward is a totaly ladies' ward. a lot of women! so we found these two guys. we went to a menos activo's house. (lessactive) and found two 20 ish year olds standing out side. one came up, (earnie) and said "your'e missionaries? i dont even know what you ahve to say, but i want you to teach me! lets here waht you got!"

 

we then talked to him about the church, gave him a folleto (pamflet) and invited him to a tour. a few days later (teh day of the tour) we ran into him on the street and invited him again, and good news HE ACTUALLY CAME! and he brought a friend and his son! 3 NEW INVESTIGATORS! boom. what a milagro! (miracle) what an answer to prayer. unfortunately he did not come to church, but we are not giving up on him.

Juan Rayes, the one who thinks he is psychic, the one who called me Minni Mouse, the one in jail, is back. and he is IN LOVE with Hermana Vellinga. We went to his house to visit his daughter, to see how she was doing, and there was Juan! what a pleasant surprise! we went in and talked with him. (he is a talker. we were there for a while) and in that time, we tried to bring it all back to the gospal. Hna Vellinga asked juan, "what are some things you like? like what is yoru favorite food? what do you like to do?" he responded, while looking her int eh eye "i like you..."

 

WOW JUAN! slow down! we're just friends!  it was awkward.... really awkward. but we have a return appointment. we are'nt giving up that easily. or like aunt Karen told me me before the mish "flirt to convert baby!". well as we all know, mike forbids that, so i leave it to the hermanas. and welp. it looks like they got it covered :) all is well

 

this week we heard a funny story from the elders. they were street contacting, and asking this guy some, what they thought were normal, friendly questions.

they said "hey sir whats your name? hows it going? oh cool where are you from? oh thats nice. do you live near by?..." etc etc. the poor man finally, timidly, pulled out his wallet and pulled out his papers. yes his Citizenship papers! the poor guy thought the elders, in their white shirts and ties were immigration officials! lol how sad is that! it made me laugh

 

also, the elders had a baptism yesterday, and, they asked me to do a musical number..... three minutes before it started. so guess who arranged a hymn on the piano on the spot in front of members at a baptism yestersday..... THIS GIRL. chaz you should be proud, cause you know i CANT arrange with NOTHING! i guess the spirit was really with me. cause the spirit was there. and members came up after asking for piano lessons. idk how it happened. it was truly a milagro.

i love being a missionary. so many milagros!

 

a few of my favorite things i wish i mentioned in my first letter home:

 

-i LOVE that we greet with kisses! (well just the women of course) but its just so sweet! a nice "hola! como esta? (kiss on the cheek) oh bien bien!"

its like instant friends! BESTfriends!

 

-Every sunday. it gets me every time. i cant get through a single hymn with out laughing! latinos CANT SING! they are AWEFUL! absolutely wreched! it is just terribly funny! and me, loving to sing, can hardly stand it! i just laugh.... its so irreverent i know. im trying to get better i really am. but they . are. bad. and its amazing. i love it. but i hate.

 

-another thing. idk if i mentioned, but i sleep on a pad on the floor. and well, im trying to set up an apointment with a chiropracter this week.

 

well. thats the latest.

another good week to work my tail off.

THE CHURCH IS SO TRUE I LOVE IT!

Hurrah for Israel!

 

Spanish Mistakes of the Week

so here is the latest

Spanish mistakes from this week"

- i accidentally offered to give a tour of our temple in stead of the church...

- on 4th of july i was trying to express that my clothes were Festive for the holiday but it came out "tengo un fiesta en mi ropa!" which means i have a party in my clothes..... every one laughed at me and said DONT SAY THAT!

- there is a knock i like to do on doors cause it is friendly and not like "we're going to deport you". its the chicken in teh hay stack rythm if you know it ( da da dada da     da da). but one day when iw as on exchanges with a native she stopped me and said DONT DO THAT! ITS OFFENSIVE! i wont tell you what it means.... but it was equivellant to the f word.... never doing that knock again...

-i was tryin to say i was in 8th grade. indstead i said "soy gratis" which means "im free'..... dont say that either

 

so remember Juan who read my soul and said i was like mini mouse? well we went to his house to teach im... turns out he is in jail. but we had a special moment with his daughter where we comforted her and prayed with her. the spirit was strong and i felt like the savior as we held her as she cried. and we cried with her. cause juan is our friend.

 

there is another nic name for ;us utahns int he latino culture: "utateca"'s and "utakan" and its funny to them cause they call us that and we think its a spanish word so we look iot up in our handy dandy dictionary and its NOT THERE! and we look very silly../..

yesterday for church,t he secret got out that i play piano, so i ran back and forth between primary and relief society doing the opening songs, sharing time, closing songs, and the other primary.... crazy. fun. but crazy.

 

 

dad: when is the oregon trip?

 

thats about it. we did ALOT of finding this week. people coming out of the wood work. hope we get some baptisms out of it. lots of teachign though too. cant wait.

the church is true

hurrah for Israel.

 

con amor

Hermana Gonzales

Catching Up With Photos

Friends in the MTC

Two missions in one? Don't mind if I do!

 

 

 

Even gamblers need the gospel



Stuck in the Vegas airport with my fellow Visa waiters

 

 



Meet the Comps. Hna Connelly (Tennessee) and Hna Vellinga (Kaysville, UT)

 

Day 1: Mapping. Comes with pink washing.





Made a new friend. He was once a pro bull rider and he has the sweetest tree house!



 

Climbing the sweetest tree house



Sometimes you just have a rough week and all you need is a nose strip, cookie dough, queso dip, and juice...



...and then you'll feel all better.

Happy Fourth!

Week 2 in Chino and "Dirty Pamona". Gotta love Cali, right?

Sometimes you find cute girls painting nails for fun and you make friends/investigators by joining in and letting them paint your nails. I love being a missionary.

My first helote! And yes, it's the same treat Nacho Libre eats and it is GOOOOD! A really good (said in Nacho voice)

(week 4) This cute little boy came up to me and asked for a kiss (sorry Mike) and I said, "Only if you come to church!" He hasn't come to church yet so I haven't kissed him yet but every time I see him, I call, "Mi novio!" which means my boyfriend.

This goes along with my "Negocio de Tortugas" (business of turtles)

What's wrong with this picture? We are opposites! lol

We found a family who LOVES animals. Perfect for the turtles! This is a lizard named Blue.

The parrot's name is Como Tu.

I let this little girl do my hair. She emptied a whole can of hairspray on it. Don't you think I look pretty? She said, "K now you're ready for your boyfriend!"

Closest thing to a pedicure I'll be getting in a while. Dollar Store lotion sucks. Yes.

Happy Fourth!!!

BBQ with my mamasita (ward mom). Her name is Hermana Sazo. We have an abuelita too. She feeds us lunch every week. (Don't have a pic of her yet)

"Mi Primo" Elder Gonzalez. He calls me Prima (which means cousin) and I call him Primo.

Celebrating with the district

Considered a steel ping pong table for the pad. Seriously considered it...

I mean, it was free soooo what's the big deal, right?

(from week 1 in the field) Only real Mexicans have mustaches and eat squeezes.

(from week 1 in the field) A squeez is my new favorite Mexican sweet. It's like Jello but it's better frozen.
 

(week 3) Noche de Hogar - Restoration

Successful Noche de Hogar. Va equipo.

You gotta check this out!

Gave me goosebumps.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-stake-peru-100

La Vida es Buena

Dearest Family and friends

lets see...... where to start.

I got my soul read this week by a guy named Juan. He said that my soul resembles Mini Mouse, and the girl bunny from Lunni Tunes..... mmmmm ok? strange. but then he said something along the lines of "my ancestors have been working on me, i want God in my life, Baptise me!" so we are working with him. after i said the closing prayer after our visit/ lesson i noticed something different. i said Juan, how do you feel right now? after a moment he said, i feell ike the clouds just parted on a cloudy day and sun came through. i said Juan my firend, that is the Holy Ghost. That feeling is God's love for you. Your Father in Heaven loves you very much. can you feel it? he said "yes". and he became emotional. it was powerful. i hope he commits to baptism.

 

 I was asked to give the opening prayer in Sacrament meeting. that was kind of intimidatin. We put on a big Noche De Hogar about the Restoration, (it was pretty much a play) and we wrote it! it was AWESOME and super spiritual. My main role was at the piano. lol im the only on in who plays piano. Which is kind of fun. this week we were asked to teach primary and do singing time in nursery. that was fun too! i need to learn the primary songs in spanish though. i only know Head shoulders knees and toes.

 

this week, i got a lot more Cheffa (crap) about my last name. my favorite "your nam is gonzales?" i replied "si" and they said "how?" HOW? HOW AM I A GONZALES! if i could, i would go off on them in spanish.... lol ok i guess he had a good question. i dont know how im a gonzales. lol. but im learning! its coming. We played telephone for Noche De Hogar, and of course, the ward teased me that i messed it up the worst.... it was pretty funny. Ok the spanish isnt THAT bad. its coming. i learn more and more everyday. i can understand more too! thats what im the most excited about. when people ask me where im from i reply i say Utah and they say "la Fabrica" which means "the factory". i learned this week that our area is called "dirty pamona". why? well i figured out why when we went down one street and there were a few stip clubs and bars and dirty bilboards..... welcome to Dirty Pamona. awesome.

 

this week in my personal study i learned patience. i have had to learn patience, because i feel like we are not being successful. my tears have watered my pillow by night in behalf of these people. no one seems to get it! we cant seem to find the ones that have been prepared, as soon as i think we get somewhere, we get dropped! grrrr..... its ok. ill just keep working dilligently. i learned thats waht patience is. its in Gods time, not mine,a dn i just need to keep sanctifying myself to be worthy of this work.

 

maybe my journal entry can give a little more insight of my feeligns from this week.

 

7/12/13

"Dear Journal,

I need to learn spanish! it hits me again and again and it hurts every time. this is kicking my butt. i feel like im not fulfilling my purpose. iand hard. i was so blessed witht he best, most patient and sweet companions. i needed these girls tonight. i needed them in my life. i know that a big reason i was brought to arcadia was to know these girls. i ahve learned, and have  A LOT to learn from tehm. ia m blessed. i am weak, but i am blessed.

Love sis. gonzales"

 

Sis connely said "dont be too hard on yourself. about week 3 and 4 it hits every missionary." and she told me her "week4"story about her "idioma breakdown" is what they call it. and sis vallinga confessed that she has been out 8 months and my spanish was better than hers. (which is kind of true) we study to gether a lot. i love her.  A LOT!

they are good to me. they are kind and patient and they help me a ton. i am very blessed.

well.

we had our mission conference this week too! biggest water fight of my LIFE! it was a total blast! and i contintue to make friends. there was a basketball 3 pt shot contest. adn all these elders were going and doing pretty good. after about 12 elders, i walked up all stuck up like iwas about to show them who's boss. Presidetn Becerra said "wait arent you the visa waiter?" i said "ya. whats it to ya?" he said "you cant shoot!' i said, "presidetn, let me show you how us Visa waiters roll.... just watch!" (mind you, this was infront of the whole mission. about 200 missionaries). the court fell silent, i took the position, the pressure was on...i tried not to think abuot all the times i fouled out of ward ball.... then, quickly i turned around, bent over and shot the ball through my legs! ya FROM UPSIDE DOWN! and guess what ..... I MADE IT!

ok just kidding.... but it was DANG CLOSE! like it hit the rim at a great angle! it should have gone in! and all teh missionaries started cheering for the visa waiter! TAKE THAT PRESIDENT! it was a goodfun day and my nose got a little burnt.

 

well thats the latest and greatest

opposition in all things.

the church is still true, my faith is a little stronger this week adn my conversion a little deeper. isnt that what missions are for?

 

love Hna Gonzales

Miss Moe vs the Spiders

Dearest family and friends

THIS IS SO HARD!!!!! i know know why RMs say the hardset 2 years, but the best 2 years.

 

Ill keep this short

We commited 3 people to baptism this week!

two of them; they are a couple. but satan is a funny demon and makes life VERY difficult some times..... the following is a common thing, that makes missionary work very difficult.

Gabrialla is married to another man, but he left her. sh has been living with Fransisco for the last 20 years. they were catholic before, and in their church divorce isnt aloud, and its expensive. but she knows this is  the true church. But in order for her to be baptised, she must pay for the divorce, which they cannot afford, especially when Fransisco cant find a job, and then get married. How long this will take, we dont know. but after much prayer, we felt like  aug 28 would be appropriate. We invited them. They accepted. We invited them to fast about this decision and a way they can make it possible. it will definutely be a trial of their faith. but i know, that faith precedes miracles! and it is possible.

The second, is Bruno. We had a very hard time getting ahold of him, and he was nothing that i expected. i was thinking like, a tatted, pierced, guy who was always out causing trouble.... instead, after trying to contact him like 5 times (and almost gave up), he was HOME!

We got to know him. he has BEEN PREPARED! he has such love for God and his family. And we invited him to be baptised. I was so nervous with him, i didnt know why, but hte spirit was so strong! SO STRONG! and he accepted! with out a second thought! im excited to see where this one goes.

 

Its been a good week. nothing too exciting. There are times i really Loath my last name.... Gonzales.... spanish speaking.... you'd think right.... i jsut cant wait to be fluent. CANT WAIT! i feel like i have been understanding better. but i have to pay super close attention.

no word on the visa

 

my heart was broken again this week when the crippled woman offered us a glass of water, and not wanting to be rude, i accepted. she directed me to the cuppord in the kitchen. i found three dusty cups (the rest were in the sink or on the counter. the three cups were strangely shaped plasitc bottles. i pulled one down and found dead spiders in it. when i looked over at her to see if she was watching me, she was, so i proceeded to fill up the cup and gratefully drink water.

This woman was living in filth. bugs on her dishes, rotting fruit, but she couldnt do anything about it. I wanted so bad to help her!

 

 

 

But, beling latina, she rejected any service we could offer. i watned to INSIST! but i know, i cant offend her.

this is hard. ill be studying outside in the morning and hear little kids crying "mama dont go!" but parents gotta work and cant offord a baby sitter.

half of our ward is in active. so we spend a lot of time doing visits, and trying to bring them back!

This is hard. but i know faith and dillligence will bring something. Thank you for your prayers. they are felt.

The church is still true, no matter how hot and hard it is here.

And i know there is no growing in a comfort zone, and no comfort in a growing zone. so i must be doing something right.

 

Hurah for Israil!

Love Hna. Gonzales

Leaving on a Jet Plane...Eventually

This has to be the fastest letter of my life. First P day in the field is a little cra cra so ill do my best to get as much detail in there as i can.

 

I, Sister Gonzales, have successfully accomplished the number one thing they tell every missionary NOT to do in In field orientation: Miss your flight. Yes! i missed my flight to California! We had a lay over and two of us were talking to family and friends  (yes i was talking to mike) and the other two were sharing the gospal. There were on ly four of us in our travel group. three sisters and our travel leader Elder Endicott from Lindon Utah, also going to Trujillo Peru.

well, Long story short, we show up to our gate and they gave up our seats already so we were put on the next flight. The next flight, abuot three hours later had two extra spots! So Elder Endicott adn I Let the other two take the spots. We were in the Las Vegas air port for 21 hours!!!! ok first of all, that is a very strange place, especially when all the wierdos come out for some show that was going on..... (no wonder there werent any spots) and second, it was a long day. we were on 4 stand by lists, and every one we didnt fit on the plane. finally, at 9:50 at night, we got on!!!! but then the flight got delayed.... we landed in cali abou t 12:15 am. Elder was dropped off with his comp and i spent the night in the mission home. can you say WORST FIRST IMPRESSION EVER!!!!! die sister gonzales.... DIE! i was so embarrassed. i could barly get my eggs to my mouth as i ate breakaast with the pres and his wife..... so embarrassed.

well,

i had my interview and i showed president that i was excited to be there, dispite my irresponsible actions. and i hope to continue to show him through my hard work.

So far, the mission is great. I LOVE MY COMPS! there are three of us cause im a "visa waiter". thats what they call me. These girls are funny, out going, bubbly, fun loving, and my kind of girls. Sister Vellinga and sister Connelly. babes. this is fun!

First sunday, since it was the 5th sunday of the month, the missionaries were in charge.... so guess who was asked to speak.... THIS GIRL!! for some reason, i wasnt nervous. i know my spanish isnt the best, i know my last name is gonzales and im expected to be fluent, but ..... i still wasnt nervous. and d&c 84:85 will tell you why.

THe spirit was there, i was able to share my testimony and my love for the ward. i was able to show through emotionn and tears and broken spanish that i was there to share my joy and my love for the Lord. and i think they could feel it. us three sisters were also asked to sing!!! DId you know there is a song in the spanish hymnos that is not in the english one? its hymn 88 and it is my new favorite. adn its about missionary work! I LOVE IT! we also got our investigatiors to come! and we recieved a list of less active names and two more new names! SUCCESS!!

also, fun fact, these girls are new to the area as well. we are the only sisters in our area which covers 92 miles! we are whats called "pink washing". Presidetn calls us the SWAT team when elders anrent doing so hot. so we spent this first week mapping, getting to know the area, the ward members, and visitin less actives.

its amazing. it is DANG HARD! there is about one time a day i have to remind myself why im out there. and its after the third house that doesnt answer. its super hot here, its hard. the spanish is hard. but it is coming.

I have seen heart breaking thigs already. just this morning as i was studying outside, i watched a 70 year old man go through the dumpster outside our apt looking for plastic to recycle. i just sat there and stared. "what can i do??? help him dig?" it was then i said a prayer and asked "what do i need to learn from this" and it came to me. right to my heart. HTis is how God feels when his children sin. What can he do? this is how he felt as he watched his son suffer in the garden. i couldnt stand it, i was so overwelmed with saddness for him i had to go inside. i felt so ashamed! WHAT CAN I DO??? and then it hit me agian, God had to go to the corner of the heavens to not watch his son suffer. Christ had to be completely alone.

This week as we entered a less active womans home, as we greeted her with a kiss (custom and culture, kiss on the cheek) i felt tears. my cheek was wet with her tears, i asked "hermana, que paso?" whats wrong? she said she was in so much pain but when she heard that we were the missionaries at her porch she took the five painful minutes to answer the door.

then two more little kids, ran to us and asked "are you our social workers?'

turns out, this lady is watching these kids for a woman who is their foster mom because their real mom choked them.

i see something like this every day since ive been here.

this is hard. but these people need hope, love and peace and i will be the Lords hadns and bring it to them because i know how much he loves. them

 

well my time is up.

i have to go.

i love you all

 hurrah for israil! the church is TRUE!@

 

Love Hermana Gonzales

 

ps CHAZ!!!!!!!! MY HISPANIC BRO!!!! CONGRATS ON THE CALL! YOU'LL BE AMAZING!!!!!!!!! ESPANOL BABY WOOOOOOW!!!!