Iglesia Mormonica

Yesterday we contacted a man and he asked if we were from the 'Iglesia Mormonica' He combined Mormona and Catolica...you probably don't think that is funny, but I did. :)

The weeks are starting to fly by and I honestly don't know where the time is going. We are always so tired but so happy. Sometimes I just catch myself thinking...I am so happy to be here. Even though I get frustrated and I look and smell like I am at girls camp, I am so happy to be a missionary in this mission. 

We did divisions...or as Pop corrected me, SPLITS, twice this week...which is normal. I really love doing divisions because I get to know the sisters and I learn so much from them. We went with Hna Veylupek and Hna. Avila again and this time I was able to go with Hna. Veylupek. She is awesome! She asked me if I cried a lot in the beginning of the mission and I told her that she should read my journal! My poor trainer Hna. Garcia was a saint. She just laughed and I told her what every new missionary doesn't want to hear but it's the truth. It just comes with time. I didn't believe it in the beginning either. I thought I would never learn Spanish or get the hang of things, but it just came with time. I can't really explain why or how...but it did. I LOVE being with new missionaries. I miss mis hijas in Iguala but I will get to see them this week at conference!

We visited this lady named Gloria when I was with her and she is this TINY OLD lady who is pretty much deaf. She has a hearing aid so we asked if we could sing her a song. We helped her put in her hearing aid and sang to her and she loved it. Then, I asked if we could take a picture and she was so excited and kept posing with the hymn book. I was dying laughing! Oh the people you meet on the mission...

Hna. Corriveau and I really aren't in our area very much but I will tell you, we see lots of miracles. This week we found a ton of new people to teach...mostly families! And most of them were references from MEMBERS! That is the best. We were really blessed and we are excited to work with them!

I know I have mentioned them before, but we just love the Bocanegras. They are seriously the best and we took a picture with them this Sunday. We ate with them on Thursday and we just left feeling uplifted. You know those people who just 'get it'? They just get the gospel and just work hard. We taught the food lesson on the sacrament and the importance of it and Hno. Bocanegra ended up teaching us. He said that when we are clean, we don't want to get dirty. We avoid the stains and the mud. But once we have a little stain, and another and another, it gets easier to justify another and another and before we know it, we are all in the mud and it's a lot harder to get clean. That is why we need the sacrament. To cleanse us each week so that we AVOID sin. Nailed it. #teambocanegz (that's our favorite phrase these days). 

Let me tell you about Francisco and Amada. So, we thought that Francisco was a less active member and his wife isn't a member. Well, this week we found out that FRANCISCO WAS NEVER CONFIRMED which means he isn't actually a member! Oh goodness. Well, that is actually good because he literally knows nothing about the church, so he needs to actually have a testimony before he makes a sacred covenant with God. We invited him to be baptized and he said that he has been baptized in 4 different churches! He asked if that is bad and I said...nope, because none of them were valid. One was half valid, but that won't help you make it to the celestial kingdom! But I really love them. At first, to be honest, I thought Francisco was really weird (because he is...) and he seems a little like a TJ, but he is growing on us and really has a sincere desire to find the truth. Amada is my favorite. She is so hilarious and LOVES church and is reading the Book of Mormon. She always notes every scripture reference that is shared in the classes at church. They have been to church twice and I really feel like they are progressing so well. 

There is always so much I could write, but I guess one day you can just read my journal for all the good details. 

I will end with something I really liked from church yesterday. Our ward mission leader gave a talk. He is really awesome. He said that once we decide to be members of this church, we no longer have the option to not follow Jesus Christ. We made our decision when we decided to be baptized.

I loved that because, well, it's true. We already made our decision, so there is only one way...endure to the end doing all we can to build up the kingdom and follow the example of Jesus Christ. This doesn't mean we don't have our agency, it just means we are using our agency in the right way. The only smart way. Really, it is just an intelligent choice to follow Christ in His church. Don't you think? He set the perfect example and He is the only way to eternal life. We need HIS authority to make covenants that are valid and that will allow us to have our families forever. The gospel is so perfect. I love it so much. 

I love you all. Have a fantastic week!

Love, 

Hermana Durham

P.S. I was thinking about Beef Stroganoff the other night and I think that is what I would like to eat the night I get home. Not that I am trunky, but you got to think about the future a little bit, right?

Just chilling with the perros waiting for the combi.

Just harvesting mangos at our investigators house.

Also...look at this nasty pillow I sleep on. It has years of sweaty Elders. I swear, I will be lucky to come home alive. I think I am going to ask for a new one. haha. 

Divisions with Hna. Hernandez and Hna. Zelaya

Some cool rice fields. Our area is actually really pretty.