Week 76: The Penultimate P-Day

Pleasantries!

I would be everyone’s favorite aardvark if I had a yellow sweater :(

Sadly I couldn’t come up with any other greeting that started with P. If someone happens to think one up, clue me in!

Hermana Jacky’s cat is literally named Garfield, and it’s so funny.

El Prado is still a beautiful, gorgeous, fantastic area. I’m so lucky to serve here, and to have my companion, and to be a missionary. Time is going by too fast, and it is not fair at all.

It’s my final Four Week!

This week (as you'll be able to tell from the photos) was so fun! We were busy, which is the best thing a missionary can be. We started off with the ground running, because Tuesday was Four Week (where you test the news missionaries #skillz four weeks into the transfer), and Hermana Nelson did amazingly! It was weird to hear the nurses give the presentation without me being up there, but I seriously love being around other missionaries so much, and Hermana Nelson is such a good missionary. I’m so proud of her and everything she’s accomplishing. It’s also such a beautiful thing to spend all your time with someone you love. I am super grateful for her patience with me!

The sister part of the Sistrito vibing during the service project

We had some great lessons and family home evenings, met new people, got a new ward mission leader, and we even got to do a service project on Saturday! I say “we” very generously because the farmer lady saw me with the hoe for five seconds and kept on taking it from me to try and show me the proper technique. I eventually just sat down and supervised, but at least I put forth an effort!

Showing off the dress I altered with an artistically placed sash

For those of you who aren’t aware, the last half of 2 Nephi 26 is absolutely fire. I’ll just share a few of these verses as an example:

23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness.

24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him.

…

28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.

Something I’ve learned a lot on my mission is how often people blame injustice on God and how inherently unfair that judgment is. God is the source of good. His entire purpose is to bring about our happiness (Moses 1:39). Like any good parent, everything he does has the aim of achieving that goal. All that he does is focused on helping us “partake of his goodness.” The scripture is exactly right. None are forbidden. Alma 42 describes it perfectly:

27 … whosoever will come may come and partake of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be restored unto him according to his deeds.

The truth of the matter is that we keep God out, not the other way around. But the truth that’s probably more important is that he will always be there to meet us. We just have to open the door.

—Peace out (girl scout),

Hermana Newton

Week 75: Bewared

Good morning, New York!

At the Colina/Las Rosas baptismal service

Or anywhere else you might be. Is anyone actually reading this from New York? The chances are pretty low, but still.

Keep your voice down low! (Only true “High School Musical” fans will understand this reference)

Since March 15th happened this week*, I wanted to order a Little Caesar’s pizza to keep up with the family tradition. I guess I should have given more serious thought into the occasion we were celebrating, because that day, our Uber Eats app stopped working. We asked a member if they knew if Little Caesar’s could do delivery in Guatemala, which it can’t. But! Members can! And so la familia Merida brought the pizza, and and was an Ides of March miracle.

We took some pix with a missionary hopeful!

On Friday, we had a ton of stuff scheduled, but, in typical missionary fashion, it all kept falling through. Even lunch! And lunch never falls through, so that was devastating. One of these appointments was a photo shoot of us teaching members (it’s part of a mission project), but when the office elders finally got there,  we had a silly time, because the members ended up inviting all their extended family to be in the photo, so it was around 20 people on a couch and four chairs. I don’t know how we made it work, but we did. I think Guatemalans are just masters at human Tetris.

Yes, I did order hot chocolate with marshmallows at the ward council/fancy dinner.

I was reading in the beginning of the Book of Mormon, and I thought that the comparison in 2 Nephi 2 and 4 was so interesting! In 2 Nephi 4, Nephi says:

17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

I think we’ve all felt this, one way or another. Our imperfections and mistakes are a heavy load to carry. But when we have the perspective offered to us by Lehi in 2 Nephi 2:

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so … righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. …

...

22 … if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. …

23 … wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

It is so easy for us to get down on ourselves for not getting right every time. Even when you’re a prophet! But all of the knowledge and experience we get to have in this life is for our gain! As we learn, we get to choose to be better! It’s a part of the opportunity we have to become. And as we do, we’ll be shocked by where we end up.

—XOXO,

Hermana Newton

* Hermana Newton’s mother is very tardy in updating the blog this week.

Week 74: ¡Chale! A Chucho Tried to Chomp Mi Atrás!

Happy Pi Day!

That’s right, Hermana Nelson and I are on the selfie train now (we normally just take pictures of food)

I can probably say this about every week I’ve ever been in Xela, but wow! This was such a good week! Being a missionary is so fun, especially when you’re being a missionary with Hermana Nelson. This woman is such an icon, and I love her so much. Are we sure I can’t finish her training? Just for kicks and giggles.

You’ve got to love a selfie with a cityscape

Honestly, the thing making me most excited to go home right now is hearing the alarm clock every morning and knowing that soon I’ll be able to put it on snooze. Other than that, I really feel like I could convert to an elder’s length of service. Which is something I never thought I’d say. But I think the universe is trying to see me out the door. Let me explain what happened yesterday.

The distrito having a night on the town …

So we stopped by the Boj Family Sunday Lunch, and when we entered their house, their villain of a dog bit me in the butt! Looks like someone misunderstood a common idiom. Anyway, he didn’t actually bite me hard enough so that he ruined my dress or shed blood. But it still hurt!

… to celebrate Elder Alvarado’s birthday …

Besides being harassed by a chihuahua, we taught some great lessons, and we had one of the coolest finding experiences of my life. Basically, before lunch on Saturday, we were talking to people on the street, and we got to this one older guy just sitting on the curb. Pretty prime street contacting material, if you ask me. So we started a conversation, explained that we were missionaries, and said that if he wasn’t able to talk, we could schedule another time to share something. And then he said, “Oh, my ride’s not coming for a while. I’ve got time.” So we shared the first part of the message of the restoration, expecting him to need to leave after that, but he told us to keep going, and we just taught lesson one on the side of the road and got someone reading from the Book of Mormon before walking down the street to lunch.

… complete with party hats

I’m pretty sure most of you know Doctrine and Covenants 18, where it says:

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

But the next verse is also an absolute treasure:

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

When I first read these verses on my mission, I thought that souls could only be brought unto God when they were baptized. But that is completely untrue! Baptism is just one of many ways a soul is brought unto God, and the truth is that I have barely scratched the surface of those millions of acts we can do to achieve that result. And it has brought me great joy! Nothing will ever come close to the feeling you get from sharing the gospel with someone else and seeing how happy it makes them. Even if it’s only for a moment. Because the joy I receive from that is so eternal. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’d even let a dog bite me in the butt (but only barely). Because it’s worth it.

—Beware the Ides of March!

Hermana Newton

Week 73: The Edge of Seventeen

Hello, hello, hello!

No matter how “city” an area, there will always be hills to climb.

Another dime, another P-Day, as some have been known to say. I can’t believe that we’ve made it to Monday again, and I also can’t believe that I’ve hit my *whispers* 17-month mark. I feel like I’m going to cry, because I seriously can’t believe it.

That’s right folks, a real missionary walking the streets of Xela

But anyway, on to the week as it occurred! It started off a little silly because on Wednesday, I had to go to the capital! That’s right, folks. I should be getting my ID any day. Probably the same day I get on the plane to go home. Seriously, I really hope that I can have that ID as a recuerdo, because I did three two-day trips for it.

Hermana Nelson’s burrito was on a plate that had this Mondrian design!

The week after the capital trip was filled with us meeting practically all of the members with the Relief Society president, Hermana Karina, as well as a fair share of investigators! There is so much work to do here in El Prado, and I’m seriously so excited about it every day.

Who’s this pro gamer?

Of course, all weeks have to include a wild card, and mine came on Saturday, when my mom messaged me saying that the family had permission to call me because they had “good news, not bad.” This left much room for interpretation. I was starting to wonder if I was getting married or something. But it turned out that my dad had gotten called as the bishop of the Jordan North 6th Ward! Unfortunately, this means I know someone will be checking up on My Plan with me now.

The moon is the best thing about Xela and I love it

At this point, it should come as no surprise that I absolutely love the Pearl of Great Price, especially the Book of Moses. Here’s a part of Chapter 1.

4 And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease.
…
6 And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son.

God’s works are infinite, and to a degree of glory beyond our imagination. But the beautiful part of that is that not only are we his children, but that he has made room for us in his plan! As I’ve been learning to envision what my life is going to be like a month from now, something that’s really touched my heart is 1) how badly Heavenly Father wants me to be happy, and 2) that he’s already figured it out. I don’t know all the streets and landmarks I’ll pass, but I do know the final destination. And what a beautiful place that is.

A lil Easter egg we found at Ta’ConVos

—As Always,

Hermana Newton