May 23rd, 2016

Hola familia! 

 

This week has been pretty interesting! It turns out that I have a sinus infection and my companion has parasites that are making her really sick. So we haven't worked in two days going on three. The humidity here is just killing me!! It is so cold that I sleep with four pairs of pants and shirts and it is still a little cold! But hey everything happens for  reason no? 

 

We were really worried that our investigator wasn't going to come to church this week because we weren't there and as a result his baptismal date was going to fall through. But he totally came! So we should have a baptism next week! 

 

Marcelo is seriously so great! We have these folletos, pamphlets, that we give to people when they have a baptismal date so that they can see what all they have to do before their baptism. Well earlier this week we taught him about the restoration and invited him to pray to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that the Book of Mormon was true. He told me already did it and he knew it was true! He saw that there was something he needed to do in his folleto and wants to be as prepared as he can be! Then he told us he grabbed a tithing slip to pay tithing this week and we haven't even taught that yet! He is progressing soo well! We are super excited! 

 

This week I was reading in Jacob and a scripture stood out to me. Like always in the Book of Mormon the Nephites are in war with the Lamanites. But in Jacob 7:25 it says, Wherefore the people of Nephi did fortify against them with their arms, and with all their might, trusting in the God and rock of their salvation, wherefore they became as yet, conquerors against their enemies. I really liked this scripture because it talks about how they fortified themselves. Are we doing what we can to fortify ourselves against our enemies? Are we saying our prayers? Reading the scriptures? Following the promptings of the holy ghost to guide us? All of these things are tools that Heavenly Father has given us to help fortify us in this life. I hope you can take some time this week to think about how you can better fortify yourself! I hope you all have a great week! I love you all! 

Love, 

Hermana Rich

 

Hermanas Rich and Davila

Hermanas Rich and Davila

Hermanas Harpole, Bagle and Rich

Hermans Rich and Harpole - reunited!  YAY!

President and Sister Cook and Hermana Rich

 

May 16th, 2016

Hello my dear family!! 

 

This week has been very interesting! With changes and trying to learn my new area it has been a little crazy. But I have to say I have learned 3 big things this week:

 

1. I am in one of the biggest areas in the entire mission. My area used to be two areas but with Hermanas going home for health issues early Presidente Cook made it one. So with my knee we are planning on taking lots of busses! But with a bunch of area we have a lot of opportunity! 

 

2. I am white. Yes, I was already fully aware of that but let me tell you why. My area is alot more humble than my other area and because I am white no one wants to listen to me. I can say something that I know is gramatically correct and the people will act like they don't understand me. I can say something and ask a question related to the gospel and they respond with ç, where are you from? As soon as I say the United States they don't want anything to do with me. My companion and I are working on how to find ways to keep people interested haha. On the other hand my bishop asked me to start teaching english classes twice a week! I am a little nervous because it will be just me but I am a little excited too! This area hasn't had a gringo in a very, very long time!! 

 

3. This is also something else I already knew but Peñarol and Nacional is HUGE here. They played a game against each other yesterday and we could keep score because every time someone scored people would run outside and shoot off guns and be screaming and yelling. It was pretty interesting hahaha. Luckily, they tied so everyone didn't go completely crazy! Peñarol and Nacional are two major soccer teams here just an fyi haha. 

 

Also, 2 funny stories. So I have this cold right? It is pretty awful so after lunch in the house one day I laid down. Well after a little bit my companion woke me up to ask me where something was. So I told her it was in one of my suitcases in the front room. Well afterwards she just sat there looking at me so I told her again. Then she explained that I was talking in english and she couldn't understand me hahaha! Yeah, I have not reached that point in my mission yet where my first reaction is to speak in spanish, although I do dream in spanish sometimes! The other funny story is we had a Noche de hogar the other night with a less active family and at the end they asked me to say the prayer in english. I could barely do it!! It seriously took forever and they were all laughing by the end of it and tol me I could do it in spanish next time!

 

As far as investigators go we have one named Marcelo witha baptismal date! We had our second charla with him on Friday and he came to church on Sunday! He is really amazing and we are super excited! 

 

I know this gospel is true and that we have a Heavenly Father who knows and loves each one of us! I hope you all have a great week! 

Love, 

 

Hermana Rich

Hermanas Paul and Rich

Hermanas Paul and Rich enjoying a little dessert!

 

 

District Photos

 

 

May 10, 2016

Hello everyone!  Kim here.  You've probably noticed that I've been a little behind in updating the blog...sorry!  But it's up to date now and just to keep you all in the loop, our Mother's Day Skype Call was fantastic!  Mackenzie looked great and her Spanish was like WOW!  It looked like her and the voice sounded like her, but the words coming out were like a native Spanish speaker.  It was crazy!  She is still absolutely loving her mission and is growing and changing by leaps and bounds!  I am grateful for all she has learned so far in this last 5 months. And in case any of you are counting like I am, we are almost 1/3 of the way there!  We love you all and are so grateful for your love and support of Mackenzie!

Love,
Kim

Hey guys!! 

This week was pretty great! Let's be honest, every week in Uruguay is fantastic haha! But we had our Mother's day call, changes, miracles, and everything else in between! 

Let's start with the miracles. We found a new investigator this week! She is really awesome. We were walking home from the bus terminal and decided to go contact a reference before we went home! Well this reference gave us another reference and that is how we found Sara. Sara is an older woman and when we clapped at her door she immediately let us in! She said she had been going to an evangelical church and now she was going to listen to us!! It was really cool. Then we went back for our second lesson and she had a full blown tea party ready for us!! We weren't complaining..it is really cold here and who is going to deny a precious old lady with warm cake who wants to learn about the gospel? Haha anyways that was one of my favorite miracles of the week! 

Then our skype call was so great! It was amazing to sit and talk with everyone, even if it was 20 minutes later than expected. We had some technical difficulties but that is okay! It was really fun to see all of Laynie Bug's fun tricks! Plus seeing everyone just gave me more motivation to work harder!!  

Now as for changes!! Me voy! I am going to Maroñas, Toledo! I am going to be with a Valiente ( that means this is their last change in the mission!), Hermana Davila. Yes, the time has come for me to have a latina companion. Let's face it, it was long overdue. I actually had ALOT of mixed emotions. I love Florida and all of the amazing people here. I love my companion, my district, my zone, everything! I really didn't want to leave my oro area para nada. I was really nervous at first! I didn't think my Spanish was good enough to have a latina companion yet. I had just learned all of my area and didn't feel like I was ready to learn another one! But then Proverbs 2:5 and 6 came into my mind. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. This scripture brought me so much peace of mind.  I can't rely on my own knowledge. Heavenly Father knows so much better than I what I need and what the people of Uruguay need. I know that Heavenly Father is aware of me and that I am meant to go to Maroñas with Hermana Davila now! I am excited to see what the Lord has prepared for me in my new area! I guess you could say I am a real missionary now!  

I know that we don't always get what we want in life but we just have to trust in Heavenly Father and HIS plan. I know that he hears and answers our prayers. I was actually thinking alot about prayer this week and how my prayers have changed and developed just in my mission and it made me think of Grandpa. When Grandma and Grandpa lived up the street from us we would have our Friday night sleepovers. Every night without fail Grandpa was there on his knees praying and I remember thinking..what is taking him so long!! I always had some random thought to tell him but I would always have to wait until he was done praying. Now I understand what took him so long! We can literally talk to our Heavenly Father about whatever we want! We can talk to him about what happened in our day, what we are going to do tomorrow, what we are feeling, literally anything. And the amazing part is he WANTS to hear about it. I know that we can always find answers in the Book of Mormon. I know that we have prophets on the Earth today to lead us and guide us! I love this gospel with all my heart and I am so grateful for the peace and comfort it brings to my life. I love you all and I hope you have a fantastic week! Maroñas here I come! 

Love, 

Hermana Rich




Hermana Rich sporting the Hawaii shirt Kellie sent her



Hermana Rich & Familia Torena

Hermanas Rich & Paul and Familia Torena



Hermana Rich & Angelina



Hermana Rich & Juan



Hermana Rich & Familia Rodrigues

Hermana Rich & Familia Leal

Hermanas Rich & Paul and President & Sister Tabo

Hermana Rich eating her favorite milenesa!

May 2, 2016

Hola family and friends! 

This week was really good! We had our baptism on Saturday!! 

The baptism was seriously so smooth! Our bishop Presidente Tabo planned all of it! All we had to do was show up and do a musical number with the elders! The following day Franco was confirmed and received the sacerdocio (priesthood)! The really exciting part was that his parents were there for all of it!! It was really amazing. We had youth do all of the program! We also had our investigator Raquel there! She said she loved seeing all the youth there and she is going to try and bring her son! The Lord really is just preparing people for us every where we go! 

On that note we also found a new investigator this week! It was a reference that we contacted! Her name is Sara and she is an old woman. We clapped at her door and when we explained who we were she said invited us in and told us she wanted to hear about the message that we had! What? It was so fantastic and she is the sweetest old lady!  

We also had our entrevistas(interviews) with President cook this past week! He told me that pretty much all of the Hermanas this change are going to be switched up and to be prepared because I am most likely not staying in my area! I was sooo sad. I mean I know it is coming but I just love my area and the people so much. We are finally starting to see so much progress here and we work so well with the members. At church yesterday we had three menos activo families in the church and three investigators! And every single one of them were sitting with a member! Then to add on top of that every person who bore their testimony welcomed Franco into the ward and said something to his parents! But I know that where ever I get sent to next is where the Lord needs me!  

So this week I wanted to share a scripture in Mosiah 7:33! I really just love this scripture. But something that really stood out to me this morning as I was reading it is that the Lord will help us according to HIS will. The scriptures don't say that we will get what we want when we want it. In the Lord's time and in the Lord's way will get what we need. I have been thinking alot about how to align my will with the Lord´s because that is an obvious part of consegration ( I think that is what it is in English). But the law of consegration..or maybe it is consecration...? Anyways, that law doesn't just apply to missionaries we can be consecrated in any moment in our lives if we choose too! But like the scripture also says we have to serve him with all diligence of mind! I know that as we strive to align our will with the Lord's we will become better instruments in the Lord's hands. I have seen that so many times in my mission and I know I will be blessed to see more as I do my part! I love this gospel, I love my mission, and I love my savior! I hope you all have a fantastic week and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! 

Love, 

Hermana Rich

Franco, his parents, Hermana Rich & Hermana Paul

Franco, the Young Men from the ward, Hermana Rich & Hermana Paul

Hermana Rich, Franco, Juaquin, Hermana Paul

 

April 25, 2016

Hello Dear family!

 

Another week has flown by and I am still loving the mission and all that it entails! Every week when I reflect on what has happened and what all to tell you guys I realize sooo much has happened. Good, bad, and in between, we get it all out here on the mission! But that is what makes it so fun and one part of why I love it so much!  

So to start off our week last Monday... TORNADO PREPARATION. So we were supposed to have a tornado in our area last Monday and as a result the city was going to turn the water off for 4 days. Our area is right on the edge of a big river and they were worried about water contamination. So we went on a water hunt around 7 at night. It was literally a hunt because everyone was buying water. Luckily we were able to buy some drinking water because we definitely cannot drink the water here! Then we filled up every Tupperware container we could find and old bottles for showering and that stuff. The next day, thank goodness it didn't happen we just couldn't leave the house! But we still have been getting a lot of rain so we still have a lot of water sitting around the house just in case! Better to be prepared than sorry right? But it was such an eye opener for me because let's be honest, that does NOT happen back at home hahaha!  

Now...FUNNY STORY. I don't know how many of you watch the show Friends but I definitely pulled a Rachel. There is an episode where Rachel is in a wedding and walks down the isle with her dress tucked into her underwear...yes, I pulled a Rachel. We left the house to go get our lunch (we had been in the house because I had gotten a slight flu cold thingy) Anyways I had thrown a slip under my skirt cause you know, modest is hottest. Well in my attempt to be modest I ended up doing the EXACT opposite! Nothing like a 15 minute walk to get lunch with your skirt tucked in to show the world my garments! Hahaha it was actually really funny. My companion walked behind me for a second and just said stoppppppp and fixed it hahaha. Just wanted to tell you so you all can no I am the same old me!  

Now...SERVICE PROJECT TIME! So at the bottom of our area we have an entire neighborhood who lives right by the river and also the irrigation for our city, which as you can imagine is not the greatest. Well we had crazy floods and had entire houses get swept away. Of course this didn't happen to the people who are well off, but to those who already had just about nothing to begin with. We hadn't heard anything about the flooding and we hadn't been down in that area for a while because we are trying to find new investigators in parts of our area that we don't work as much. Well one night my companion and I felt strongly impressed during our planning that we needed to go down there. We found out on of our old investigators lost everything besides her house. Her house is built up high for the floods and despite that the water almost filled up to the ceiling in her house. So we got the elders together and we went and spent an entire morning cleaning and organizing stuff. She had so much stuff to do. She ended up coming to church on Sunday for the first time this week and said she wants to be baptized! We are also working with Red Cross because we have another family with two little kids whose house got ruined from the rain, and another family whose entire house is just gone. But something Raquel said really inspired me. She said God is still my friend and at least I have my house. This woman has lost everything and she is still able to see the silver lining in this situation! She is so amazing.  

Then we have...Baptism!! Everything is going extremely well with Franco and we are having his baptism this Saturday! The cool part is his parents said they will come too! We are super super excited for him and he is too. This kid was just sooo prepared., I mean he literally found us..in the church haha. Our zone of missionaries are going to sing a musical number at the baptism so that should be fun! We are still working with Alejandro but we don't see him as much because he is getting ready to have knee surgery! So that is my week in a nutshell for ya! I hope you all have a fantastic week and know that I love you all! 

Love, 

Hermana Rich

Soccer wall

Hermana Rich & Paul at a single adult activity

Peace...in the rain!

The District

Easter package put to good use!

Hermana Rich & Del Compare

Torta Fritas!

Just lovin the mission!


 

 

April 18, 2016

Hola Familia! 

Once again this week was crazy!!! The weather here has been absolutely insane. We had a tornado in the mission next to ours, bordering our mission. We have been walking in at least seven inches of rain everyday, and my zone leaders and district leader were almost hit by lighting. Sooo as a result we couldn't go out and work yesterday! It really has been the craziest thing. We have water seeping in through the roof and everything in my proselyting bag is in zip lock bags. My bag is water proof but there is just so much rain that it seeps through! It is so crazy! So that has been our week but we have had a ton of success, igual..how do you say that in english? Uhhh.. despite the rain haha. 

This week we had intercambios and it was the first time I could work a full day in a very long time! As a result we gave out 17 folletos and found 17 future investigators, the majority of which were really awesome! The Lord definitely prepares people to receive the gospel! Speaking of which, Franco! We talked to his parents and they gave him permission to be baptized so we have a baptsim on the 30!! Yay! He is seriously so amazing and akward..which I think is why we get along so well hahaha. 

 So I wanted to share some thoughts with you guys! In Mosiah 2 verses 5 and 6 it talks about how all the people have come to listen to the profeta with their doors facing the temple. How can we have our doors facing the temple? Of course I don't mean literally,..it would be pretty cool if we could though! But the temple is our eternal goal. We can recieve the fulness of the gospel and all that the gospel has to offer in the temple. So how do we have our doors facing the temple always? By living the gospel right? But we are not perfect.  I have been thinking alot about what I want to improve on to be a better missionary, represenative of Christ, and daughter of God. The list started to get very long and I started to stress out a little bit, not going to lie. Then the scripture from 1 Nephi 3:7 came into my mind...I will go and do the things that the Lord has commanded for I know that the Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men save he shall prepare a way for them. Heavenly Father knows we aren't perfect and we never will be in this life. But he does  expect to us to perfectly try..it makes sense in my head..and in spanish lol. But yeah! We just need to be trying our best everyday to live the gospel and slowly but surely our doors will not only be facing the temple, but they will stay there as we continue to strive to be the best we can be! I want to invite you all to think in what you can do this week to live the gospel of Jesus Christ in your lives a little better this week. It might be changing the music you listen to, or finding more time to read your scriptures. It doesn't matter how big or small it is, every little bit helps and the Lord will bless you for it!  I love this gospel and I know it is true without a doubt in my mind! I know that Heavenly Father is aware of every sinlge one of us and that we are his children. I hope you have a great week and recognize the hand of the Lord in your life a little more this week as you turn your doors towards the temple!

 

Love,

Hermana Rich

 

Hermana Rich & Paul "Chorizo changed my life!"

 

 

 

Another care package!

 

 

April 11, 2016

Hi Everybody!

Kim here....same day posting!  Whoa! That hasn't happened in quite some time!  As you will read, Hermana Rich is doing well and completely loving what she is doing!  Love you all and we are all so grateful for your love and support!  Hope you all enjoy reading and have a wonderful week!
Kim

Hello Everyone!

So this week has been alot of rain, walking in rain, hard work, and miracles. 

It has rained here everyday just about for the past three weeks so my rain boots are getting good use! It is kind of a bummer because everyone is inside drinking their matte instead of outside, but that is okay! One of the up sides to having rain alot is torta fritas! Everyone here makes them and sells them whenever it rains! That with warm dulce de leche..YUM!  

Anyways, I think I mentioned in my last email that my new companion is the mission nurse! Her name is Hermana Paul and she is from Ogden, Utah. She has 11 months in the mission and she can do just about anything you can think of! But because she is the mission nurse we only work for a few hours a day. As a result, I am calling antiguos (old investigators) from the carpeta (area book) every day. My spanish is definitely growing everyday because of it and we have lots of new investigators! It has definitely been a trial of faith though because some days I feel sooo right about calling someone and then they don't answer. I just have to remember in the Lord's time and keep calling them! 

We have been working super hard in our area to find people and our area is known for not having baptisms. Our most recent convert has been a member for almost a full year! We have been praying so much and working so hard to try and find people and as a result we are starting to see miracles! We pretty much lost all of our investigators because we could only work two weeks out of the whole change last change(Kim here, so a change is a period of time, usually 5 weeks also known as a transfer.  When the 5 weeks is up the missionaries have the possibility of going to a new area and serving with a new companion), so we have been starting over. But we have one investigator who has stuck with us, Alejandro. Whenever we would bring up baptism he would always freak out and say no. Well, this past week we had a charla (lesson) with him and explained baptism and confirmation. We told him we wanted to set a baptismal date so that we could have a goal to work towards and low and behold he said okay! We set it for the 30 of this month but he said he needs a little bit more time. Especially because he is having knee surgery this week. But just the fact that he said okay was a huge miracle in and of itself. We also had an investigator fall into our laps. We were at church on Sunday and getting ready to head home and one of the members comes up to us and says, This is Franco he took the charlas(lessons) two years ago, is attending mutual(like youth group) and was here for all three hours of church and would like to be baptized...WHAT?! We have our first charla(lesson) with him and his parents on Monday! 

So that pretty much explains my week! I have developed such a strong testimony of miracles out here on the mission. We have miracles that happen around us every single day! Some bigger some smaller but either way We can see the Lord's hand at work in our lives if we will just open up our eyes for it! I know this gospel is true and that we all have a loving Heavenly Father who knows and loves each one of us personally. I know this gospel is true and brings not only us individually blessings, but our families too. Families are one of the greatest gifts God has given us besides our testimonies! I love this gospel with all my heart and wouldn't want to be anywhere else than where I am right now. Even if it means in the pouring down rain! Hahaha I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Love, 

Hermana Rich

 

The "Serious" Zone Picture, Hermana Paul is sitting to the right of Kenzie

The "Fun" Zone Picture