Week 41

Hellloooooo!!

Okay so this week pretty much rocked... i am just going to start right off.

Thanksgiving.  I ate dinner with 13 other missionaries in our zone.  we ate at a members house.  she lived in the united states for 25 years so she knew exactly what to cook.  it was soooo good. the homemade pumpkin pie just about knocked me off my feet.  the latinos thought it was pretty strange, but they have never celebrated thanksgiving.  it is an american thing.  but ya.  the members father was there too.  he is 100 years old and completely healthy.  it was super cool to listen to all of his experiences.  he will turn 101 in a couple months.  

We did some service and helped a lady move... we had to carry all of her stuff down one floor and then up three floors to her new apartment... ugh.... Hermano Saul kept asking what we wanted and i just yelled... Justice... Freedom... and Saltenas!!! saltenas are the most delicious food in cochabamba... yum!!!  it was hard work, but we had a really good time.  

This last wednesday was the bolivian census... so we had to stay in the house all day long. if they find us in the street, they charge 1000 bolivianos and then you get arrested... so we stayed in the house all day long.. we studied, cleaned, washed clothes, planned, washed the dog, and took a celestial nap.  ahhhh awesome.  so productive and now our house is squeaky clean.

I was brushing my teeth the other day and worms started jumping out of the drain in the sink... gross 

My companion is from argentina and so she drinks a lot of matte. dad can explain what it is.  you have a special straw and cup and it is really hot drink... i didnt like it at first, but i think i am slowly getting addicted to it.  so dont blame me when i get back and crave matte every second.  haha!! yummmm you should try it!  And ya, my companion is just super cool we are really working well together and she is learning so fast!

There is going to be a huge christmas choir concert in the temple in two weeks and since the temple is in our area... we are responsible for passing out 4000 invitations.  holy cow.. but we are asking for help and that is pretty much what we are going to focus on this next week.  it is going to really great and it is super easy to approach and talk to people when you have a special invitation for them.  they are more willing to talk to you.  so we are going to have a ton of success in the next few weeks and then we are going to receive hundreds of references at the activity... or at least that is our plan.  haha.  

We have run into to Jehovahs witnesses almost every single day this week.... o hackin.  we almost invited them to the christmas choir concert and then i remembered that they dont celebrate christmas... phew. maybe we will invite them anyways.

Okay and so today was the best Pday of all time.  We got to go to chapari!!!! We had one of the highest baptismal rates as a zone last month so we got to go on a FIELD TRIP.  President took us in a big tourist bus to the tropical part of cochabamba.  the city is a normal climate, but you drive two hours and you are suddenly in the jungle... awesome.  we went and saw a bunch of waterfalls and got to visit a big lagoon... it was humid, tropical, muddy, and super fantastic.  we went hiking through the jungle, my companion had never been hiking before in her life... i dont think she liked it very much. but i was on top of the world.  Afterwards we went to a trout farm... and we ate fresh trout.... it was sooooo delicious.  such a good lunch. yum!!  we were with 30 missionaries and the president with his wife.  it was just so much fun.  missionaries are never allowed to visit there alone... so we are the most lucky missionaries in the mission.  yesssss.  i will hopefully be able to send some pictures soon.  

Well, that is what happened to me this week.  thank you for all of the emails and letters.  you are the best. i hope you have a super good week.  i love ya!  godspeed.

Hermana Milne

Week 40

Whatsup?!

 

How is everyone doing in Utah?  Good?  Everything is going well here in Bolivia.  This week has been full of training and conferences.  So i had to wait for my companion to come from the mtc, so i got to have a sleepover with the other hermanas in my zone.. awesome!  It was a ton a fun and the next day i headed to the temple for the trainer´s training meeting.  We talked all morning and then had lunch in the mission home with our new companions and then another training in the afternoon.  My companion totally rocks.  she is from Buenos Aires Argentina... city central.  She has been a member her entire life.  This is my first companion that is not a recent convert.  it is really interesting and different.  She was a tour guide before her mission... so she totally knows english perfectly.  wow.  my first comp to know english... also very different and new.  She has one little sister who is preparing her mission papers right now also.  She is super chill and spiritual.  we are going to have an awesome time.  We are for sure going to be together for 3 months, her birthday is in the first week of december too. we are pretty much going to party it up, in a missionary appropriate manner of course... ahah!  Training is a lot of fun.  We get to study together more and she is really motivated and ready to preach. 

 

So our second day we had a few appointments, but all of them fell through so we decided to walk the area and visit everyone that i knew.  We ended up walking all day long to the limit of our area and back.... nobody was home.  But we found two investigators at the last moment of the day. it turned out really well, but i made the mistake of making my new companion walk all day long on her second day... woops sorry!  We really didnt break into it slowly.  but i am learning.  it is a ton of fun to train. 

 

We had our conference with all of the missionaries in Cochabamba this last week.  We had a special guest come to visit.  Elder Allen: he is a seventy and the creator of Preach my Gospel.  he pretty much is in charge of the missionary work for the entire world.  He reports directly to the twelve apostles.  wow... no pressure.  we have been preparing for his visit for 2 months.  and wow it was worth it.  He taught us a lot of useful stuff that i am going to put into practice.  what a privledge to hear from him and learn so much.  so i was studying in Alma 36 37 38 and it was totally awesome.  i love this part of the book of mormon.  Alma is pretty much giving a bunch of really good advice to his kids.  I learned so much and i want to apply it in my life.  well i gotta go.  i hope that everything is going really well.  o ya.... and this last week i hit my nine months in the mission... half way..... can you believe it?  blows my mind.  well good luck. i love ya lots!

 

Hermana Milne

Week 39

HEy Hey.

 

So how is everything going?  how was Halloween?   I just found out that there was a hurricane... wow that is too bad.  I think it is so funny that i dont find out about anything until like a week or two later.  o man o man.   Well.... we had transfers yesterday.... My companion is leaving and I am staying in my area...... and i am training.  wow.  surprise!! My companion is going to still be in Cochabamba, but a different stake.  so this means that i am 80% sure that i am going to stay in the temple area for three more months. which means i am going to be in cochabamba for christmas. yesssss! christmas is the best in the city.  This also means that i will complete one year inside cochabamba without leaving the city.. wow!  It ought to be pretty interesting.  I do not know who my companion is yet.  they make it a big surprise. i will let you know how it goes next week. 

 

So something pretty crazy happened this week.  It lets me know that we really are instruments in God´s hands.  We were walking down the street and ran into a inactive member that we can NEVER find and talk to.  We talked to him in the street.  his name is Nefi and he is like 26 years old.  We finished talking and he told us that we should go visit this other family that is inactive... it wasnt part of our plans at all, but we said.. why not? and then we asked if he could come with us.  He really didnt want to, but he gave in and said that he would come with us to the door.  We arrived at the door and knocked for like 10 minutes.  they werent coming out, but we knew they were home.  Finally, the 18 yr old girl came out and she was shaking... we asked her what was wrong.  She said that her brother came home really drunk, and he was threatening her other younger brother, and the younger brother was trapped in the bathroom.  Then Nefi immediately called for help.  We stayed outside with the girl, while Nefi was helping the brothers out.  Then we saw the drunk brother and he had a knife in his pocket and he was totally out of it.  The backup arrived and helped the little brother and the sister leave the house without any trouble.  we left after that and Nefi and his friend were going to stay and take care of the brother. Surely, God led us to go help this family at the exact moment that they needed it and we just happen to have a member with us that could help.  That was a miracle.

 

So i got to help nurse some orphan puppies this week. that was pretty hackin cute.  i am going to have to get a picture with them next time that we visit.  O ya and speaking of animals... I had to kill a scorpion in our shower this week.  my companion just about died when she saw it in the trash can.  apparently when there are big rainstorms... all of the wildlife comes down from the mountains.. scorpions, spiders, rats... etc... needless to say, my comp was praying for a transfer.  her phobia is super serious. ahahah!  o man i gotta go buy some more bug spray. 

 

What did i do for halloween? Well we helped decorate for the primary activity for a day and a half.  it was a lot of fun.  It was in the brazilian´s house.  The couple both served their mission in the United States.  In fact the husband knows the McBride family really well.  it was pretty crazy. and interesting to talk with them. Their kids are super cute/crazy, the kids know english, spanish and portuguese. awesome.  Then we picked up some kids and other investigators and took them trick or treating in the gated community above the temple.  It was a lot of fun.  I will have to send you some pictures.  Well i gotta go. we gotta go pick up a new sister in the airport today.  Good luck with everything and let me know how the elections go!  I love ya lots!

 

Hermana Milne

Week 38

Hey Hey Hey!

 

How is everything going?  This week was pretty great.  The sisters in our zone got to sing in a baptism this last saturday.  I dont know how good we sounded... i really dont have much musical talent... but whatevs.  So ya, a family of 6 got baptized and it totally completely rocked.  A lot of the missionaries in our zone had baptisms this saturday so we were in baptisms all day long.  The girl that got baptized in our ward is soooo cool.  her name is angelica.. she has been coming to church for months. She has even been doing her personal progress in young womens even though she wasnt a member.  She has so many goals, and pretty much is the coolest teenager in Bolivia.  yes!  We also got a new mission leader this week.  It is the husband of our pensionista.  so we are in his house two times a day ...everyday.  Saul is from argentina and is a little crazy,  he is pretty much the funniest guy in Bolivia.  We are going to have a lot of fun.  O ya and transfers are next week... ahhhhhh!  i dont know if i am going to leave the ward or stay... we will just have to see.  i will let you guys know.

 

so the Assistants gave us a reference this last week.  We found the house finally, which was a complete miracle because it was hidden behind a catholic church.  So we rang the intercom doorbell, expecting to be completely rejected. but the woman was so excited that we came to visit her.  then we entered her home..... wow... it is the nicest house i have been in so far in bolivia.  It was a hackin mansion with a pool and everything... But the lady was super cool.  She has two sons and her husband and she said that she is missing something in her life and she wants us to help her and her family... awesome!!! it was so cool.  God is really guiding us to the people who are ready to listen. 

 

This sunday was the primary program in our ward... hahahha. it is just as good here as it is in utah.  the little kids are soooo cute!! and it was just so hilarous.  It was also my companions birthday this last week.  yum yum... we started the day with homemade pie and then had apple cake and ice cream and then more ice cream and then cake and then we had a special birthday lunch for her and then more cake... wow it was soooo delicious!!! yum. but so much food.  We also got special permission to eat pork.. sweet. first time i have eaten pork in a super long time.  Well, i hope that everything is going well. and have a Hackin Happy HAlloween!!  Godspeed.

 

Hermana Milne

Week 37

Hello Utah!

How is everything going at home?  So my instincts are telling me that it should be getting cold... but i am in bolivia.... and we are entering summer right now... huh.  so it is getting hot. and it is really windy. haha!  so we have the hot windy season for a while and then we hit the rainy season in january and feburary.  sweet.  It was pretty hackin hot this week.  but it really motivated us to find people to teach so they would let us into their house.  but! nobody has airconditioning here because the climate is usually so mild.  ugh.  the church was a little steamy yesterday, but we finally had normal church.  we had general conference, stake conference, and dividing the stake so we havent had a normal sunday for almost a month... wow!  it was pretty awesome.  

we had two birthday parties in the same day last week.  A lot of the birthday parties here occur in the early morning.  We headed to a members house and ate cake and a special hot chocolate for her birthday early in the morning.  yum the hot chocolate is sooooo good.  we need to have birthdays for often.  and then one of the elders that we eat with had his birthday dinner at night.  yuummmm PIZZA! yes... awesome.  good day. and!! my companions birthday is this wednesday, so we get more food.  and we got special permission from the president to eat pork.. we are usually not allowed to eat pork, lettuce, strawberry, or fish.  so naturally. all i crave is a good salad with ranch dressing and strawberry cheesecake.  hhaaha! 

but ya we had a really good week.  We finally know our area and we are working hard.  the investigators are doing really well. and the cell phone is just so fantastic.  we got to play some wallyball this morning.  it was sooo fun.  my companion played volleyball in high school too, so we are a pretty good team.  We also had our interviews with the president yesterday... president and sister Dyer are just so amazing.  They have so much love for the people of Bolivia and the all of the missionaries.  They really take care of us and know what we need to learn.  

So there is a house across the street from the temple that is almost an exact replica of the telytubby house.  It is pretty cool.  and members live there.  this family with 7 kids.  The mom is sooo cool.  Her husband is recovering from brain cancer and she has 7 kids to take care of. Hermana Saavedra is so caring and used to be a pensionista for the missionaries.  you can tell that she is a mom, because she gives the best hugs in Bolivia.  (she might even pass up Devin in her hugging skills.)  She is so humble and you can feel the love that is present in her home.  

The school that is in our area was supposed to have  5 parachuters drop down in to the street to celebrate their anniversary... but only 4 arrived.  one of the parachutes didnt open and the parachuter fell and died near the temple. in our area... and all the kids saw it.  luckily, we were in a training meeting in the stake center. but wow... i cant even believe it... Advice for the Week.... Do not go parachuting in Bolivia.  and i think i am going to leave it at that.  good luck this week.  i hope everything is going great!  i love ya and Godspeed


Hermana Milne

Week 36

Hey HEy HeY

 

How is everything going?? so this week was pretty cool.  It sounds like everything is pretty normal at home.  So ya i have big news.... All of the sisters in the cochabamba bolivia are receiving cell phones this week... whhhhaaaattttt.  awesome.  it is going to be so much easier.  We have had to use a pay phone to call everyone for the past eight months.. hackin pain in the neck.  but do not worry!  we have cell phones.  welcome to the future.  all of our investigators only have cell phones, so it is going to be ten times easier now.  yesssss

 

So we eat lunch and dinner with four other elders almost every day during the week.  It is pretty hilarious sometimes.  The assistants to the president are both american right now.  usually it is a latino and an american, but right now we are half and half.  half american and half latino.  people from utah, california, peru, chile,  and bolivia.   needless to say, the conversations usually get pretty hilarious.  but this week especially, the two assistents started quoting celebrity jeopardy.  o man o man. i forgot how funny SNL really is... o man the assistants...

 

I bought a new backpack.  this is a big stepping stone in the life of a missionary.  it has the temple and my name on the front of it. and it is more like a fanny pack ish so it doesnt kill my shoulders.  sweeeeet. ya im cool

 

This last sunday, our stake divided into two stakes.  we had a special conference in the stake center.  it was tough because our investigators had trouble getting all the way to the stake center for church... sigh.  but it was really good and really crowded.  we had two of the seventies come and speak to us.  it was totally awesome.  THis is just evidence that the church is growing a lot in Boivia.  sweeeet! success.

 

So we were teaching this man that has his own yogurt shop... his name is Pablo.  We always drop by and buy frozen yogurt and teach him and his wife a lesson.  They are a really nice family... but... this last time we taught the word of wisdom.  We taught him the 5 things that we dont consume... and he just gazed at the list for a moment and said, well i drink alcohol, coffee, and tea, and i smoke a lot, Oh! but right now i dont do illegal drugs... phew... i have a long way to becoming a mormon.  and then his wife just rolled her eyes.  he is a kidder.  but a really nice guy, who wants the best for his family. haha but ya... he has a loooonnnnggg way to becoming a mormon. haha 

 

So we went back to teach ana momblack again.  She is still doing fine and is going to come to church next sunday... but just as we were about to leave... anas mother came walking out.  she is 85 years old, and as sharp as ever.  She has been a member since the beginning of the church in bolivia.  She is active, and absolutely hilarious.  She has this big round thick harry potter glasses.  and she works in the temple every thursday.  The mother and daughter started talking about all of their experiences.  Her moms name is Guillermina.  Guillermina used to go out with the missionaries years ago when the government was communist.  all of the people thought that the elders were spies, and Guillermina had to tell the people that she knew the gringos and they werent spies.  she said she fought with a lot of people back in those days, and i think she could still hold her own in a fight haha.  o man, i love visiting these ladies.  But ya, i gotta go. i hope everything is going well at home.  godspeed and i love you guys!!

 

Hermana Milne  

Week 35

HEy Hey.

Conference was so super fantastic.  wow!! i cant even believe it.  so they had an classroom in the stake center in english. so all of the american missionaries got to watch the conference in english, wow!! i cant believe that i had to wait til i was 21 to go on a mission.  and now it is 19.  woowww weee.  so there is this one member named Saul.  he is the pensionistas husband.  He is pretty much the most hilarious guy in Bolivia.  he is from argentina, so he is very up front and ... sincere.  so the chapel was cold and he gave his jacket to his wife.  but he was cold too.... so naturally, he used the curtains as his blankets.  my companion tapped his shoulder and asked if she could borrow his curtains... and he just turned around and said, o man it is so cold in here i cant even sleep! haha he is a child in a mans body.  he also demanded to have an arm wrestling contest with all of the elders last week.  he thinks he is the most beautiful and strongest man on earth.... but one of the assistants is a football player.... he beat Saul, but Saul says that he wasnt ready. haha!  o man.  Hermano Saul got pretty mad when he couldnt sniff m&ms either.  

We also got to go to the temple this week.  What a blessing!! it was really spiritual, and we got to talk to all of the other missionaries in cochabamba.  The temple is such a blessing in our lives.  we should never take it for granted.  We can ask for help in the temple and God will give it.  The cochabamba temple is really pretty and it is pretty much the coolest thing ever to have the temple in my area.  

we found an inactive member this last week. her name is ana momblack.  and she is a walking medical miracle.  God obviously has something planned for her, because she should be in a diabetic coma right now.  Her blood sugar is through the roof, but she is completely fine.... she doesnt have any medication to help her and she said her level is like 480.  she should be dead right now... wow. She is one of the first members in bolivia.  yet in the past three years she has gone inactive.  This is just proof that we always need to endure, even when we have years and years in the church.  We have to keep focusing on improving and never become complacent.  

We also did some serious service this week.  We had to paint an entire apartment.  o my hackin.  no one could help, except us... The family is recently reacitvated in the church and they have three little kids.  After we finally finished, the mother in law was shocked that we were willing to help so much.  She said she was really impressed with the brothership we had and was interested in joining the church.  wow.  These are the words that every missionary dreams to hear.  I just hope that she really meant it.  we are going to visit her this week.  Service really does bring blessings... yes... score

So you know how we were supposed to go to the Bolivian Black market last week?  we did go, but we ended up shopping for the member that came with us, instead of what we needed to buy... The funny part?  The lady is in our relief society, and they are just as obsessed with arts and crafts here... so we somehow ended up in the arts and crafts section of the bolivian black market.... i never imagined that i would end up in that location in my entire life.... hahahaha.  o man.  we were there for like 2 hours.  i dunno, it was just a really random funny experience.  well i hope that you all had an awesome week.  and remember to apply the teachings from conference in your lives.  good luck with everything this week.  i love you.  Godspeed.  

Hermana Milne