Cars

*we found another "happy" on the wall this week! It made us...well, happy. We also saw a black iguana run past before we took the picture...so that was cool!

MULTIZONA

We had a GIANT meeting with a ton of missionaries this last week. It was so much fun because after so much time on the mission I know just about everyone so it was great to see so many good friends. One of the great friends I saw was hermana Crystal! It was such a happy reunion. We only chatted for a bit because our bus was leaving right as the meeting ended, but she has come so far and is such a dedicated and powerful missionary! She is my hero. Easily the best red head I know. 

At the big meeting our mission president talked a lot about FAITH. It was mentioned at least a million times that fear is the opposite of faith, and if we really want to see miracles we've got to fear no man. It was great stuff. I took a TON of notes and ate it all up. 

I had been asked to prepare part of the training and share something on how to find new investigators. I talked on the topic of talking to EVERYONE. I love talking to everyone. In the bus, in the taxi, walking in the street, in the store, wherever and whenever! 

When I first got to the mission I would over think and doubt myself, "does God really want me to talk to that person? Or is this just me?" I was waiting for some sort of signal from heaven on who to talk to. Little by little I learned that in order to find prepared people it's a matter of trial and error and you've just got to talk to every living creature in your path, and God will help you out. Max once said, "think about it, there are very few people that God doesn't want you to talk to." Good point. 

We are all children of God and we are all eternally important to him. It was energizing being in front of so many missionaries and connecting with all of them. It was fun to watch them light up and participate and laugh along with me. It was a great multi zone conference.

SUNDAY

Hermana Hancock and I gave talks in Sacrament Meeting. Hermana Hancock shocked everyone with her Spanish! She is progressing and learning so much! We practice SO much and we are saying a lot of prayers. She is awesome. 

Being a missionary is really hard, especially in Oaxaca. It's kind of like camping or backpacking in a skirt. She is taking it on like a champ though. I love her, and I am so thankful she is my companion. We laugh a lot together. 

In the evening a family came with us to visit people and brought their CAR with AIR CONDITIONING. I think the last time I was in a car that had seat belts and air conditioning I was in the United States. It was amazing!

It was so easy and FAST to get from place to place. When people rejected us or when plans fell through, we just hopped in the car and sped off to the next option. We were able to have the most lessons we have ever had in one day in this area. It was great. Cars are so awesome! 

*I saw Hermana Crystal. SUCH a joyous reunion! Love that woman. SO very much.

*Sunday

Strength

WRONG BUS

On Tuesday we had a district meeting and we accidentally got on the wrong bus. I didn't realize until we had completely passed our destination. We got off as quickly as possible and started wandering around and asking strangers where the Mormon church was. They all directed us little by little until we made it safely. Opening up an area means getting lost a lot.

5 DE MAYO

A member took us out to pizza with ketchup on it (its a Oaxaca thing).  The members here are amazing.  So much love and support.

FOOD

The other day we started contacting a lady sitting outside of her house, the next thing you know she had us sitting down in chairs and fed us fresh cooked fish, tostadas, bean soup, fancy cheese, and a dessert.  She didn't even know our names and there she was feeding us a feast on her front porch, all the while we are trying to relate food to The Restoration and trying to move the conversation back to Christ.  It was very hilarious, it was very Oaxaca.

STRENGTH BEYOND MY OWN

It was a Wednesday. It was very, very HOT and humid.  I hadn't slept well because of the intense heat, and I was feeling less than motivated and little sorry for myself.  But we headed out on time and got to work because the best medication for disanimo is hard work. We contacted one of the first people we saw and started talking about who we are and what we do and all that jazz.

I'm not sure how it came up or when but she somehow ended up telling us that she had just lost her 4th baby a few months ago.  She had 3 miscarriages and the fourth baby was born and only lived for 9 days and then passed away as well.  As she told us this there was such a calm and strength in what she said.  I asked her how she did it, how she does it.  Her answer was her faith in God. "He is with me." she told me.  I agreed.  She also told me how there is always someone who has it worse. Someone who is going through something harder or more painful.  But that if we believe in God and have faith in him we can be strong.  

A line from one of my favorite hymns came to mind as she spoke to us.  "Finding strength beyond my own..."  I immediately stopped feeling sorry for myself.  I found strength in the testimony of a stranger.  She didn't accept an appointment because of her work schedule, but we left her a pamphlet. Later that day, when we passed by, we saw her outside reading it.  Faith in God gives us strength beyond our own.  So believe this week and be strong.

*happy 5 de mayo! and happy birthday Emma Rose!

*awkward family photo before going out to work. love my companion. So much.

*sweaty. all the time. sweaty.

*seeing an occasional English word is always a HAPPY thing.

*hahaha the funniest pictures I've taken in WEEKS. I woke up the other morning and my lip was HUGE. Some sort of insect bit me in the night. Thats nice. We had a good laugh about it. The swelling went down and by the time we went out to work it was practically all gone. Oh Oaxaca, I 

still love you.

*i love you and i am soo thankful for you everyday. Thanks to YOU and your faith in Christ I am here and I am happy. Thank you for being my best girl.

*be sure to tell Emma I love her. Tell her who I am. Tell her she is strong and brave and that I love her and we pray for her a lot.

[photos of Emma and Ruby's Mother's Day call, from us to Ru]

New

*writing in my journal by the light of my headlamp...

 THE AREA

My new area is like 15 minutes from the ocean and it is HOT and HUMID and WINDY.  Haha.  we walk around sweating buckets and then a big gust of wind picks up all the dirt/dust/garbage from the street and blows it right in our face!  We just laugh.  It really is super awesome though. 

EVERYONE (including us) has a mango tree in their yard so we get to walk around eating freshly picked mangos all the time.  We can't see the ocean from our area, but there is a lot of sandy streets so that's fun.

THE COMP

My companion is the best human being ever.  Turns out we actually kind of knew each other before! She had found my blog a while back and had started reading it and had actually written me a few e mails asking me questions and making comments about my experiences! 

Her name is Hermana Hancock and she is from northern California.  She is super darling and positive and her Spanish isn't even that bad!  It's been great to work with her this last week.  Adjusting to missionary life is always rough, but she is handeling it like a champ.

THE HOUSE

When they dropped us off at our house I couldn't believe my eyes.  It was so dusty, dirty, moldy, and full of trash it looked like no one had lived there in years.  There were cobwebs and spiders on EVERYTHING and the hermanas who lived there before us had left their dirty dished mountained up in the sink and all the dishes were growing mold.

Also, the sink was growing something too...there was mouse poop all over the tables.  A half eaten cup of noodles was left on the floor, completely molded over as well.  The bathroom.  Oh man, I can't even tell you about the bathroom.  And all the light bulbs are burned out, except the bathroom and one light bulb in the kitchen...Good thing I brought my head lamp because it's helped us out a lot this last week. 

Just imagine the dirtiest and scariest house on the planet and that's our house.  Plus there is a mango tree out back and all the mangos have fallen on the ground and are rotting so that smells pretty bad too, and it attracts a lot of bugs and other animals. 

Our neighbor warned us about tarantulas and bats that bite.  I thought she was kidding.  She wasn't. But on the bright side, we haven't seen any yet and we're working on cleaning them up little by little. 

And there was no water so we had to carry big buckets of water from a reserve tank in our yard to bucket shower.  My poor brave little companion was very strong about the whole thing.  We've been working on cleaning the house and getting rid of all the trash the other hermanas left behind for us, but we both decided that we're going to be trying to find a new place to live.  I'm not sure how...but we'll keep asking around.  It's a great contact starter actually. 

NEW AREA

We've gotten lost a lot...but the members are so very supportive and loving!  We've found some of the investigators that the other hermanas were teaching before and they are so golden.  We loved getting to know them!  We also met a kid who speaks sign language and he's been teaching us a little.  I feel so lucky and blessed to be in this area and to be with the companion that I'm with!  It is not easy but I know that God has a plan for us here!

Hurrah for Israel. Hurrah.

*selfie with my darling companion. I love her. A lot.

*us, when we got to the house. Sweaty, and freaked out.

Change

They called us late last night to let us know the changes. They are sending me to Salina Cruz, on the coast. Its one of the hottest areas in the whole mission and May is the hottest month of the whole year down here...haha oh man. I am going to be opening an area which means that me and my companion are going to be showing up without anyone to teach us the area and I will be training a newbie! My first "child"! Im so thrilled and excited for this new adventure. Its going to be hard but Im ready for the challenge! 

I've been in this last area of Guelaguetza for 6 months now and its going to be hard leave. When I first showed up my companion sat me down and told me that there were basically ZERO investigators or anything going on the area. We went MONTHS without one person coming to church despite of intense efforts to get them there. We walked and walked and worked and worked and CONTACTED every person we came across of and I am so very grateful to say that my last day and Sunday in that area we had 11 investigators show up to church on Sunday. 

In all my 15 months on the mission I have never even come close to that kind of success.  I won't be there to see the many baptisms that are coming up in the next few months but I'm ok with that. They are not my baptisms anyway, they are His.  I just got to come along for the ride.  

I also got a text from Nubia and Ursula from Etla.  Nubia is going through the temple tomorrow. SO happy. So thrilled for her.

For all those going through rough times or who might just feel like things are not going the way you would like, even after a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, just keep walking, keep working, and keep believing.

In the words of Elder Holland 

Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come.

so believe it. Live it. And JUST KEEP SWIMMING.

Love you all and I promise a much longer and more interesting e mail next week. Gotta run and pick up my daughter. Love love love. 

-Hermana Matesen

*my district at the temple

*This is Gillermina, the one who sells us candy and sings us christian hymns. We love her.

*some of my favorite hermanitas!

Positive Perspective

HERMANA MADSEN

Hermana Madsen is our mission president's wife.  Last week she sent us a text and told us she would love to come out and work with us one of these days when we have time!  We were more than thrilled.  We invited her to come with us on Tuesday.  We set up a time and a place to meet and she was stuck in traffic so we had a few minutes to spare.  Instead of wasting time just sitting around and starring off into the distance we decided to contact whoever was nearby. 

We found a guy sitting by a lamp post and holding a pineapple.  We struck up conversation and explained to him who we are and what we do.  He didn't seem too interested, but he was nice about it. I felt like we shouldn't give up so easy though, and I began explaining to him the Book of Mormon and other things that make our church unique.  He started to show more interest and we left him with just the right amount of pamphlets and books and headed off to find someone else to contact. 

When we turned around we found President Madsen and Hermana Madsen sitting in the car right behind us. They had been watching the whole time and Hermana Madsen was even taking paparazzi pictures from the car window.  

We hopped into the car and President took us to where we needed to go (SO nice to ride in an air conditioned, clean car, that has seat belts.) We ended up having a super busy and wonderful afternoon and evening.  We used up every last minute and we contacted EVERYONE in our path.  

It was a great feeling. We testified of CHRIST out the wazoo and were really able to help animate and connect with a lot of struggling people who really are trying to change their lives.  At the end of the night we got a big hug and a little praise from Hermana Madsen.  We all learned a lot from one another. 

ZONE CONFERENCES

So as Sister Training Leaders here in Oaxaca we are in charge of 2 zones worth of sister missionaries. Both of these zones decided to have their big zone conferences this week and they planned them back to back.  We were in charge of giving half of the training and presentations and coming up with what we were going to focus on and talk about.  It was a little stressful...but we pulled it off in the end. 

As part of both conferences, the focus was ATTITUDE.  We wanted to make it fun and interesting so we decided to do a skit to kick things off.  We were talking about attitude and how we can choose how we see the world and how we see our situations.  We decided that it was kind of like glasses.  So we made two pairs of cardboard glasses.  One pair was neon yellow and the other pair was dark blue. One represented a positive outlook on life and the other represented the negative. 

We set up signs saying which was which and then went through an average missionary day.  The skit went as follows, we were sleeping and the alarm went off.  I woke up and put on the negative glasses, my companion woke up and put the positive ones on.  We then did exercise, studied, contacted, and a bunch of other missionary stuff.  My companion reacted SUPER enthusiastically and positively to everything and I was extremely negative and dark cloudish about it all.  We made it relatable to a Oaxacan missionary and it brought a lot of laughs. 

We were overdramatic to make it fun and the missionaries really seemed to appreciate the humor. At the end of the skit we go to the "zone conference" and I decide to change my negative glasses out for some positive ones.  In the end it was a really fun activity and the missionaries got a kick out of something new for a change.  Being a leader is a great opportunity to touch lives and change perspectives.  It also helps you think outside the box and be more creative.  It was a good 2 conferences.

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

An appointment fell through the other day and we decided to get some contacting in.  We saw a random fish store (not the kind you eat, but the kind you put in a tank of water and keep as a pet) and struck up conversation with the owner's son.  The store was tiny and nothing special.  A few guppies and a beta fish or two.  It was the size of a small bedroom in all. 

He seemed to know an awful lot about fish and we had some interesting convo.  He then asked us if we would like to see even more fish.  We said why not.  He then opened up the backdoor and revealed a whole other WORLD.  His backyard was HUGE.  Tons of plants and vines growing and climbing up walls and the ceiling.  There were tons and tons of big buckets of water filled with all kinds of water plants and fish. 

There were also a million and one guinea pigs of different hair lengths and colors.  There were doves of different shapes and sizes and a giant PEACOCK.  Yes. I am being serious.  In the middle of nowhere dusty road Mexico.  It was crazy.  And super cool.  We ended up setting an appointment to come back another day and share our message with him, but it was really cool to get to see all that.  I wish a took picture, but I only took a video.  Oh well.  Next time.

P DAY PARTY

Lately, we've decided that we want to be better leaders and so in an effort to get to know our hermanitas a little better and establish a little more trust we had an activity!  We decided to have a P day party.  We watched a Pelicula (a movie), ate Pizza, Pepino (cucumber), Papaya, Piña (´pinapple), Popcorn, Pastel (cake), and broke a Piñata.  It was a good time.  Not very many hermanas showed up, but we ended up having a really wonderful time. Lots of laughs and good food.  I really love my hermanitas.

*All of our P foods. Popcorn, Papaya, Pinapple, Pepino (cucumber), Pastel (cake), Pizza....

*a little peek into my world. We were teaching them outside but it randomly started to pour rain so we ran inside for cover! The make shift metal house you see in the background is their kitchen/their dogs house.

Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me.

*we went and played soccer as a zone today!  we all left very sweaty and very sunburnt, but we sure did have a good time.  I got to chat with the hermanas who are in El Tule now (my favorite old area) and they say that just about everyone they talk to or contact remembers the skinny white girl who used to walk around talking to everyone.  So fun to walk down memory lane with them and talk about our favorite places and people of El Tule.  I love the mission.  It's a love that just keeps giving.

BLOQUEOS

This last week I got a very happy surprise phone call from my convert Nubia from Etla.  She had very happy news.  Her first happy news is that she will be going through the temple for the very first time this month and the second happy news was that her little daughter was going to be baptized the next day and I HAD to be there. 

We reorganized our schedule a bit and were ready to go.  When the time came to take a taxi to the baptism we received the news that all of the city of Oaxaca was blocked up.  Oaxaca is famous for its marches, demonstrations, and blocking the main roads with the buses to make a point, or to try and get a pay raise. 

So basically the whole city was craziness because all the main roads to get anyone anywhere were blocked off by giant groups of parked buses.  I was so bummed.  We called Nubia to tell her that we wouldn't be able to make it but she was not taking no for an answer.  She explained how to WALK there.  So we did.  We walked for an hour down a giant Mexican highway among masses and masses of other tired and sunburnt Mexicans who were forced to walk their way home.  It felt like the end of the world a little bit.  Random people walking down a random highway like a giant parade. 

We finally got to the end of the highway and found some taxis that could get us to Etla.  We showed up VERY tired, VERY sweaty, and VERY happy.  It was a beautiful baptismal service.  The opening hymn was "I Stand All Amazed".  As we sang, I realized the last time I was in that room of that church it was for Nubia's baptism which happened almost exactly a year ago. It hit me in that moment how much has changed in this last year. It hit me how much I have changed, or really, how much CHRIST has changed me. 

I really do stand all amazed.  Amazed at the change. This last year has been full of tears, laughter, disappointment, success, doubts, and faith.  It has been amazing.  Truly and wonderfully amazing.  A tear ran down my face as I sang at the top of my lungs, "OH IT IS WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL TO ME."  Isn't it though?  Wonderful.  Amazing.

Oh and there were tostadas and cake at the end.  It was all very Mexican and very darling.  Nubia bore her testimony.  It was powerful.  I feel so blessed to have gotten to meet her.  She is NOT my convert.  She is God's.  One hundred and ten percent HIS.  I just got to be there to make sure all the lessons were taught & understood, the paperwork signed, and the white clothes ready to go.  She is amazing.  She is my hero.

Oh and if you want to read more about how WONDERFUL the gospel is, you should definitely read this talk: Is It Still Wonderful to You?

 Just ask yourself, Is it still wonderful to you?

Keep Trying

A DREAM

So here in Oaxaca A LOT of people seem to get answers to their prayers through dreams.  We had a cool experience with it the other day.  So like we always do we taught the first lesson with a new investigator and invited her to baptism.  She told us no.  She was already baptized in the Catholic church and she would never be baptized again because it would be showing doubt and disrespect to God. 

Instead of throwing a lot of scripture evidence and "your wrong and I'm right" comments, we just nodded and then asked her if she would be willing to ask God what He thought.  She stopped to think for a moment and replied, "yes." 

So we set up another appointment and came back a few days later.  We asked her how her prayer went, and she told us that she had had a dream that she was by a river and saw two men enter into the water and one baptized the other by immersion, she then said that she heard a voice of someone telling her that she needs to be baptized the way Christ got baptized and do it by immersion. 

We basically just listened and nodded and smiled.  Another evidence that we are simply instruments in the hands of God.  He's really the one who's doing all the hard work here, I'm just along for the ride.

STONING THE PROPHETS

Hermana Mitchell stoned someone this week, but it wasn't a prophet.  It was just a random guy who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  So there are a lot of random and fierce dogs here in Oaxaca, and as we walked down the road one day a dog came out of no where and started running towards my companion to bite her. 

So we did as any good Mexican would do and picked up the nearest rock and threw it at the dog.  My rock missed (haha, baseball never was my thing) and my companion's rock got close but barely missed the dog. 

BUT just as Hermana Mitchell threw her rock, the owner of the dog came out of his house and the rock richoted ((ri co shayed) how do you spell that word anyways?) off the ground and nailed him right in the knee cap.  She threw that rock pretty hard too.  He doubled over in pain grabbing his knee and moaning.  We tried to apologize, but he told us it was fine, but that he would like us to leave....haha woops.

COMPARE

This last week we had a leadership council with a lot of the leaders in the mission.  We talked about mission issues and how we would resolve them and what we could do to better help the missionaries we are in charge of to be obedient and have success.  As we sat there sharing ideas and making goals a wave of inadequacy washed over me.  In that moment everyone else just seemed so much more scripture smart, spiritual, successful, and effective than I was. 

I began to compare.  Thoughts of "you're not good enough" and "everyone is better than you" sneaked into my head.  I left the meeting feeling inspired but at the same time wondering where to begin.  So many great topics were thrown around, and I hardly knew where to start.

The whole way home I was wrapped up in deep thought and prayer.  The mission has a way of magnifying your weaknesses.  But I chose to do as Prophet Gordon B Hinckley's dad once told him to do, "forget yourself and go to work." 

I began contacting the people I was sitting by on the bus and it helped me get my mind off of what I'm not good at and back to what I am good at, chatting peoples ears off about the gospel in the bus.

But then when conference rolled around God sent me answers and comfort.

SAINTS ARE SINNERS WHO KEEP TRYING

So I decided to get over myself and keep trying.  I'm not perfect.  But I sure am going to keep trying. And you know what?  That's enough.  Just keep trying ok?  Don't give up and don't focus on the weaknesses.  Just try.

eggs - watching conference in ENGLISH with my fellow gringitas. So fun to be with so many white ladies! 

happy easter!!