Mangoes and Miracles

This week was truly a week of miracles!  This week my testimony was renewed of how much the Lord Loves and is looking out for his missionaries.  My testimony was also strengthened how according to our faithfulness and obedience we are able to see miracles in the mission field.

One of the many miracles the Lord gave us this week was a tree full of mangos.  As it is near the end of the month we don't have much money to buy food, but the Lord always provides a way!
One day as we were walking across the street we looked over to the other side of the road to see an orchard with the ground covered in mangos.  There were probably 6 or 7 giant mango trees with fallen mangos underneath them.  We went and talked to the people in the home nearby the mango trees and they said nobody owned the property and that we could take as many mangos as we wanted because if we didn't they would go to waste.  So we filled up a big bag and took it back to the house. Another miracle we saw happened last night.  We have been working extremely hard this week and doing everything possible to be exactly obedient.  However as hard as we are working we aren't always able to see the fruits of our labors.  There are days where we walk the entire day and every appointment we have falls through.  But we continue walking knowing that this work requires faith and that the Lord has people prepared for us.  So to make a long story short we had a good week of hard work, but as we tallied up our numbers this week they did not show our efforts.  Though we worked harder than ever this week our numbers looked as if we didn't.  When our district leader called we talked with him and he told us he knew how hard we were working, though our numbers didn't show it he knew we were working as hard as we could.  He told us that he didn't know why we weren't able to see the fruits of our labors but promised us that if we continue to work with faith we will be able to see the fruits soon.  Later that night after we got done talking to him we received a call from some elders from a different area informing us of a family that lives in a little town that is part of our area. The town is about1-2 hours away and there is a family of 9 who would like to be baptized.  We were very excited to hear that news!  It is true that the miracle comes after the trial of your faith.  All we have to do is give our best and trust in the Lord.

There are several other miracles that happened this week but there is neither time or room sufficient to write them all.  But the Lord is looking out for us.  This is his work and he is the master of his vineyard.  I am so grateful to be a part of this marvelous work!  I love you all.  Have a great week!

Love, Hermana Peine

This is where I ate lunch today.

Me with the Mexican Band

The Walking Popsicle Has Finally Melted!

Hola!

This week was so great, but holy cow is it HOT!  here in my new area!  There is no shade here.  We both got fried by the sun this past week (I'll send pictures)  But I sure love it here!

My companion is a cute little thing, she's about 5 feet tall and just as nice as can be.  Her name is Hermana Robelo and she is from Mexico.  She's a newbie so I am training her.  However, I feel like it's the other way around.  Training someone is the best training I think I have gotten.  I love it and I am learning so much!

This week's funny experience happened when I shut the bathroom door and felt a clammy 4 legged creature fall on my hand.  I looked down to see a big clear/transparent lizard looking up at me.  I yelled and shook it off.  My companion came running and asked me if everything was o.k.  I explained what had happened and we both laughed about it for awhile.

We live in a little apartment with 2 stories.  The tap water comes directly from a river.  We shower with a little hose in the bathroom every morning.

The members here are great.  Though the ward is very small there are several less actives we will be working with to reactivate.  The ward welcomed me in my first Sunday here by asking me to speak when the speaker that was assigned didn't show up.  So I gave a talk about prayer.  I think it was the first talk I have given in my mission that everyone understood me.  So that's good.

I think that's all the news I have for this week.  Oh and I weighed myself the other day.  Apparently I have lost 14 lbs since I started my mission, so that's good I guess.  Progression is progression :)

I love you guys and I hope you have a great week!

Transfers

Unfortunately I don't have much time at all to write this week but I will send something quick with the short time that I have.  Today was transfers.  My companion and I are both being transfered.  I will be opening an area called Chiapa de Corso and will also be training.  I haven't met my companion yet but I'm sure she is wonderful.  I know nothing about the area either but I'm sure I will love it there as well!

Today we went to a place called Chiflon which is a huge waterfall about 30 minutes away from my current area, Comitan.  We went with my ward mission leader, his wife and a recently returned missionary named Alejandra.  It was a lot of fun!  I will make sure and send pictures next week :)

I sure love you guys and hope all is well. Keep up the good work and I'll talk to you next week.

Love, Hermana Peine

Super Bowl Weekend in the Mission

Hey everyone,

I loved general conference!  Wasn't it just so great? I think the mission may have changed me just a bit.  I used to have the tendency to fall asleep during conference and think it was a long time.  I now feel like it's the super bowl with my eyes glued to the T.V and taking as many notes as I can.  I can't understand how I ever took it so for granted!  We have living prophets on the earth today with the same power and authority as Moses, Noah and Abraham and all of the prophets of old.  Men literally called of God and given the power to act in his name that receive revelation directly from our Father in Heaven to guide us, his children, in these latter days.

I learned so much from conference.  Though Salt Lake City may be a little ways away from me here in Mexico and those who spoke I have never even met, I felt as if each talk was so personal and specifically written for me.  Though there are several million people upon the earth I can testify that our Father in Heaven knows and loves each of us personally.  He hears every prayer and is always looking out for us.  I am so grateful for his "Profound, perfect and eternal love.

Well, I think that's all about I have for this week.  Today we had to go to Tuxtla so there wasn't much time to write but I sure do love you all.  Have a great week!

Love, Hermana Peine

I made pancakes for my companion

The Zone

Clay in the Master's Hand

Hola!

This week was awesome!  On Tuesday we had inter-cambios. (I'm not sure what that would be in English) with the sister training leaders.  This time I got to go work in the sister training area leaders area called San Cristobal.  It is one of the most beautiful places here in Chiapas and is where all of the tourists usually go.  I got to see gringos (white people) for the first time in my mission...or so it seemed like.  It was very strange.  I also got to see several European's and talk with an Italian.  It was a neat experience.

In the inter-cambios I got to be companions with hermana Van.  She is American so we spoke in English!  It was weird to hear my voice in English again...I didn't even recognize myself.  I think my mind has converted to Spanish now and I will want to use it even when I am home from my mission. You should probably start studying now mom so we can communicate when I get home :)  I just love being a missionary, I really do, it is the best :)

This week has really opened my eyes and furthered my understanding on how perfect the Lord's work truly is and how imperfect we are as human beings.  The Lord is so patient with us and our weaknesses and imperfections.  As missionaries he has called imperfect people to share his perfect gospel with the world.  Though we may be imperfect we were each created by our Heavenly Father and he does not make mistakes.  We were each given weaknesses to humble us and teach us and as we learn in Ether 12:27 if we bring our weaknesses before the Lord they may become our strengths.

Something that we learn as missionaries is that we should not look at the investigators as they are now, but we should look at there potential as to what they can become.  Each and everyone of us has potential that is infinitive if we can just put our trust in Heavenly Father and do what he asks of us we will be able to reach it.  We are like clay that can be molded in the master's hand and become a beautiful master piece.





As missionaries we have the opportunity to see first-hand as investigators make changes in their lives and begin to be molded in the Lord's hands.  This Saturday we had the amazing opportunity to witness as one of the Lord's children entered into the waters of baptism and took a major step of working towards her potential.  This investigator's name is Larissa.  She has overcome many obstacles and made so much progression in her life. I am so proud of her!  Her potential is so great and I know the Lord has a plan for her just as he does for each one of us.

I love you guys.  Have a great week!   Love Hermana Peine

Taking care of my sick companion

Training for the Iron Man

Hola,

I refuse to believe I will complete half of my mission this Wednesday.  The time goes by so fast,  I can't even believe it.  So I've been thinking about extending lately.  I've decided I'm going to talk my mission president into letting me serve for 2 years like the elders do.  I'm not exactly sure how he will take that, but I'll let you know how it goes :)

This week was awesome!  On Martes (which in English I guess would be Tuesday) Hermana Guerrero and I went to Tuxtla to get her green card renewed.  We thought we would be staying the night in the mission home but as we arrived we were informed that we would be staying with the sister sister training leaders.  As we arrived at their house I was happily surprised to see a familiar face.  Hermana Juliana, my first companion and trainer, was one of the sisters we stayed with.  It was so great to see her!  We spent the whole time laughing remembering all of the experiences we had together and talking about our first area, Cacahoatan.  It was a great time!

This week my companion and I also began training for the iron man, or so it feels like!  We unintentionally planned a day this week where we climbed up every hill imaginable in Comitan to visit all the people we are teaching that live the farthest away from each other.  The good news is I think my muscles have become numb to the pain and hiking will be a piece of cake when I get home:)

Yesterday we had our ward mission activity.  The members met together and divided into different groups to go visit less actives.  As missionaries we were each paired up with a couple of members and went on splits.  It was such a good activity!   We were able to teach the members how to contact, ask for references and be involved in missionary work.

I echo the words of David A. Bednar that "The church of Jesus Christ always has been and always will be a missionary church."  As we come together as members to work in the Lord's vineyard we are able to witness miracles!  I invite you all to go to work in the Lord's vineyard.  Don't let not having a missionary plaque let you think you can't be a missionary.  The field is white and ready to harvest.  There are people all around you waiting for the gospel, so don't be afraid to share it with them.  I know you will witness blessings come into your life as you do so.

I love you all, Have a great week!

Hermana Peine

                                          

I may have a bit of a tan line situation!

Doing Laundry

                                                                                                          

My First Time Eating Sheep Stomach

Hola!

Public Restrooms

This week was awesome!  It really was such a great week:)  I came across a few pretty interesting things here in Mexico this week (don't worry I took pictures.)  With that being said, this week I had the opportunity to try something I had never dreamed of trying and that I would now never like to try again.  Ok, ok, I will tell you about the experience.  One day when we went to eat we were given something that looked a little interesting.  But of course as missionaries we eat (and like) everything, so it wasn't a problem.  When I first saw it I asked my companion what it was but she didn't want to tell me because she was afraid I wouldn't eat it if she did.  So we blessed the food and then began eating.  As I looked down at my bowl of soup with vegetables and mystery meat in it I decided I would start with the vegetables and work my way through.  After taking the first bite I was sure I was going to die.  The sister told us how she had put 4 chili's in it and hoped it wasn't too hot for us.  After hearing that it all made sense, no wonder my throat was on fire, I had accidentally inhaled a spoonful of 4 chili's worth of picante!  If you've ever had chili in your throat you probably understand this experience. For those of you who don't know, it feels a little bit like suffocating.  But luckily this only happened to me 4 times throughout the meal:)  After eating all the vegetables I decided to attempt the mystery meat.  I put a piece in my mouth and bit down on it.  It was very thick and nearly impossible to chew through.  I spent about 10 minutes chewing on it until I finally decided that was good enough and swallowed hard.  I quickly tried to wash it down by drinking a glass of water.  The sister who had prepared the food for us must have noticed I was having such a hard time.  She asked me if I would like her to take out the meat and replace it with more vegetables.  I happily agreed and was then able to finish the meal.  Afterwards I asked my companion what it was exactly.  She explained to me it is a meal called Mondango, which is sheep stomach.  Apparently it is fairly typical here and most people love it.  This week Hermana Guerrero and I also had the wonderful opportunity to go to the temple. It was such a beautiful experience.  I was able to do two sessions and felt the spirit so strongly.  It reminded me of the importance of attending the temple.  In a world full of chaos we can always find peace in the house of the Lord.  I feel as though the temples are a little piece of Heaven here on the earth and am so grateful for them!  Have a great week!

Love, Hermana Peine