All in the Tag: Week 43! "Out in the Boonies"

From 11/17/14

Well, thanks everyone for the wonderful letters!!! I don`t have much to say this week....or, at least, the details don`t want to come out of my head in a very interesting way this week.

Wednesday night we did go to a birthday party in the campo....way out in the boonies. The bishopric was going to come, but ended up getting there way later than originally planned. So pretty much, Hna Q and I were trapped in the family`s house and didn`t get home until past 10:30 at night!!!! ...the time we should be sleeping already! jaja. We didn`t have ANY signal to call our leaders and let them know we were still alive. But, our district leader didn`t seemed too worried, just glad we were still alive by the time we had enough signal to send him a message. The bishopric did end up taking us home in their car, but the zone leaders warned us to make a back-up plan in case something like that were to happen again....je je.

The A-T family is the family that lives waaaayyyy up there. They are the blessing family the Lord wanted us to find. The big challenge is that there are only two buses that we can take to get there and out again: one that passes around noon, and the last bus there and back that passes at 6ish. It`s super rough because it`s a lot of lost time trying to get to them and it`s a challenge to plan our citas around it. It`s a lot of walking time, and the last thing is that a couple of the people we need to teach are only home about 7:30pm and on....aaaaaaahhh. By 7:30p it`s SO dark there that we can`t even see the stone path beneath our own feet. So we try to avoid it at night....but there aren`t a ton of other options unless we want to spend 5 dollars on taxi every time we need to make our way in or out!!!!..... So, basically, we`re trying to receive revelation. Last week, the members were good enough to come with us to a couple citas. But, at the same time, there`s literally only a handful of members that can actually help us out with a car.....my lanza. How are we going to handle this??...Anyways, that`s pretty much where it`s at right now :P jeje

Side note: A lot more people are involved in witchcraft up in these areas. We haven`t come across it necessarily, but we`ve heard the rumor and at times it`s distantly apparent in the feel of the atmosphere around us....but only very rarely has that thought actually crossed my mind --- that something strange was going on in the country around us. No worries, though, the Lord has always guided and protected us. There was only one night that I felt like a couple people laid their arms on my back from behind as I knelt at home to say my nightly prayer. I quickly shrugged it off and prayed even more to make it go away. I felt a little impatient and upset that night for no reason at all. But quickly spoke with my compa about it, because our cita with a young gentleman was a little weird as far as the way we both felt uncomfortable and filled with a little fear....we know that wasn`t a good thing....and we don`t plan on going back. Now I`m good, but maaaaaann. Sometimes it takes a couple days to shake things like that off.

The Lord has blessed us with a lot of adventure and great/amazing/fun experiences this week. One night, it was going a little rough. No one was home, it was cold outside, and our citas were all falling through. I don`t think we stepped a foot inside a house all day after our district meeting, that just HAPPENED to talk about how to look for the hidden miracle that`s waiting when the citas fall through. So, we were looking all day for that miracle in wait. Towards 7pm at night, I finally just thought to myself, "It sure would be nice to have a cup of aguita aromatica"...a hot cup of herbal tea or something to warm us up. But, there was no place that sold that tea anywhere near us that we knew of....so we kept trudging onward, not exactly knowing what would come of the day. As we made our way up the inclining slope, we saw the elders making their way down in our direction. The father of one family we visit of recent converts passed away, and they mentioned to us that it would be nice for us to stop by their house to support them, as they had the viewing there that night. So, we did.

We stepped in and immediately warmed up as the smoke of a giant pot of boiling water filled the air over a pit of fire. In sat on some chairs in a nearby room where many sat and viewed the coffin, laden with warm candles and beautiful flowers. We sat for a bit and, just before deciding it was time to leave, three ladies walked in. Two passed out little pieces of bread and one passed out hot cups of....agua aromatica!!! It was hot canela (cinnamon) water. It not only filled my belly and warmed my hands and body, but also warmed my spirit. It was such a small thing, but a sure sign that the Lord was mindful of my little desire to have a cup of hot aguita.

We finished that night with one more visit before going home.

I know that the Lord is mindful of me. He is mindful of all of you. And, although sometimes in the smallest ways, He always shows His love for us. I am very grateful that He is a God of miracles and a God who looks after each minor, but important need. And, when we feel comforted and good again, He once again opens our minds to see the greater power of His word and promises, which will all be fulfilled in His own due time.

I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I am grateful that the Book of Mormon proves His power and mercy, which is extended out for all to be a part of.

I have so much left to learn and know. But, I have confidence that it will all come in due time :)

Love you all!!! Take care and have a great week!!! :)

Hna Fernelius

My poooor camera....:( It got so wet it gave up the ghost. I hope it`s just temporary, but this was the last "working" picture before the screen went white. Maybe when it dries a little more it`ll be okay again. I have a back-up camera just in case....

...the must-do of washing our feet in our hippie bathroom after a day in the mud and rain :P

Part of our bishopric.

Our shoes after a day in the raining campo (country).

Gotta reel in them ovejas [sheep]....ya know, just doing the work of the Lord...

The market every Saturday outside our house.

This man wasn`t even posing....can you believe it? It was great! :)

I have not been doing very good with the diet....THREE parties this week we were invited to...two of them we couldn`t decline....uhhhh we are trying to eat smaller portions but....it`s so hard to eat diet-y on the mission!! ,`:O

Also, we HAVE been exercising every day though...so that`s good. Our legs were SO SORE going up and down these mountainous paths....it's an adventure. We`re doing the best we can with this diet...but...AROUND THE HOLIDAYS??? Aaaahhhhhh :) We`ll stick to it though! :)