Adventures on the Bus

This is when I first found out Hermana Lopez was my new companion.

Hermana Lopez and me

I love this girl.  I'm going to miss her.

Elder Burgos's Birthday - Covered in eggs.

All of my district at Hermana Scarlet's house (she is our lunch cita) for Elder Burgos Birthday

Hermana Lopez and me in front of the church.

I am doing pretty good. This week was so stressful and I am pretty sure I have lost about 20 years of my life over the past 4 months of my mission from stress. BUT things are good. I do feel a lot more comfortable here. I have adjusted to life here a lot faster than in Matagalpa. I am pretty sure knowing Spanish better has something to do with it. The people here are pretty incredible and they have welcomed me with open arms. So grateful for their generosity and patience. 

This week started off with a trip to Managua. All the trainers and their "children" had a meeting with Presidente this Tuesday. It was really great and I learned a lot of things that I am anxious to apply in my teaching, training and just work over all. I also loved seeing Hermana  Justavino, her new comp "my sis in the mission", the other Hermanas from Matagalpa and meeting all the newbies. I must say it feels so good not to be the newbie anymore. However, I am the youngest trainer (I have the least amount of time in the mission) and I still have so much to learn! Everyone and their dog wanted to hear my Spanish though because they were all shocked I was training. It was good to feel like I have improved but it still sucks to know I am not even close to where I need to be. I will keep working though! Afterwards the Elders dropped us off at some bus stop and told us it would take us home. Well, we trusted them and jumped on the first bus back......Sadly we still don't know the area very well and had no idea where to get off. We started to panic after about 40 mins on the bus. I started calling all our Elders for help. My district leader was trying to gets points of reference from us but it was wasted effort on me.   All of a sudden we saw two of our Elders walking down the street; we yelled to the bus driver to stop and we jumped off as soon as possible. Somehow we ended up literally one block from our house.... IT WAS A MIRACLE! We were pretty grateful we didn't end up in some foreign part of Nicaragua...that could have been bad.

The next day President came to Tipitapa for interviews. I got a call from him early in the morning saying that my comp. - Hermana Lopez- was leaving for Argentina TOMORROW and I needed to find a member to be a "mini missionary".  They would live with me until the end of the change, have to follow all the mission rules and he wanted to interview them that day in 3 HOURS!!! Ahh I was a nut case and so was Hna. Lopez. We were both so sad to part and I was stressed out of my mind trying to find a mini missionary. The Elders were running crazy trying to find someone as well. We didn't end up finding anyone by the time President got there. He told me not to worry though and maybe I would just go to Managua for the rest of the change and then come back for the next change. He was going to work it out. Well we had our interviews and then one of the APs wanted to do a exercise with my comp and me. We left the church and he said we were going to the park to contact someone and make a baptismal date during the contact. I haven't ever done that before and I was a little nervous but ready.  On the way to the park, a bus passed by and the AP RAN to catch it and we all jumped on. He then informed us we were going to contact on the BUS!! WHAT THE!? I have NEVER done that and I was freaking.  He stood up in front and started. He said that we were missionaries and we were here to bring people to Christ through baptism. He bore his testimony and it was so POWERFUL! Afterwards, he said we would be coming around to each person to talk to them and give them more information.  I started talking with an old man about Christ and his healing atonement. I invited him to be baptized and he said ESTA BIEN! WHAT THE!? I am pretty sure he just didn't understand my Spanish but still he said yes. Sadly, right as he was saying yes we had to jump off the bus. I said okay GREAT! And then jumped off the bus haha.

After we got off the bus the AP, Elder Clawson, told us now it was OUR turn to contact in front of the BUS and invite everyone to be baptized! Are you kidding me!? I thought I was going to throw up. He then asked who is going to do it.  I knew right then and there that I was going to have to do it. I am Senior comp and have to be the example....so I agreed. Then my comp said "Well, can't we do it together!" Ahhh bless her heart. We decided we would get up there together and face our fears. Elder Clawson told us to find our pastor voices and we jumped on the next bus. I am sure you can only imagine what happened next. I got up there, a young gringa girl and started talking. Of course, I have the highest voice ever and it is only worse when I try to talk loud. So there I was squeaking in SPANISH- "We are missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ. We testify that he lives and through his blood we can be cleansed. We are here to help everyone come unto Christ through baptism!" Honestly, I have no idea if anyone understood me and Elder Clawson was in the back of the bus smiling the whole time BUT I DID IT!!! And now I have NO FEAR to do anything! Seriously, that was probably the best thing he could have made me do.

Honestly, I learned how important it is to place baptismal dates in the FIRST LESSON or even contact. We are here to find the prepared and chosen children of God during this time. We can't waste our time if the people  aren't ready to accept the Gospel right now. We can only know if they are ready if we INVITE them and then if they say no, address their doubts so they can make the best decision. We put that into practice a ton this week! And a lot of people rejected us but we have found a few of the chosen children here in Tipitapa!

So back to Hna. Lopez leaving. All the commotion was a little premature. Nobody knows when she is leaving. Probably sometime this week but no one is for sure. I am SO SAD she is going to leave me. We have already become so close over the past three weeks. We are very similar and she has been such a help to me here. We learn a lot from each other and teach in a great harmony. I really don't want to see her leave. Nobody knows when she is leaving so they sent me a mini missionary Thursday. Her name is Hna. Morales. She is 24, from here in Nicaragua and is preparing to leave for her mission in November to Honduras. So right now we are in a trio. I am terrified for Hna. Lopez to leave because now I am working with and training someone that hasn't even been to the MTC!!! WHAT MORE CAN YOU THROW AT ME PRES!!

So this week we found the most INCREDIBLE family, Corina and Enrique. Enrique is a CHATTER box! He is so awesome. And Corina is one of the best listeners. She listens and understands EVERYTHING. We found them at the beginning of the week and I knew they were special. They keep ALL their commitments. It is unlike any other Investigator I have ever had. After the first lesson they committed to pray to know if Joseph Smith was a prophet and if the Church is true. They also committed to read the first pamphlet and fill out the questions. Corina can't read but Enrique reads to her and she listens. We went back the next day to find out that they had read EVERYTHING, they practically taught us the first lesson. They had also prayed together and received the answer that the church is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. WHAT THE!? Ahh it was such a miracle. They are so prepared. We taught them about the Book of Mormon, gave them a copy and committed them to reading together one chapter. Once again we returned the next day to see that they had read the chapter and they remembered EVERYTHING -Enrique thinks Nephi is such a stud haha- They had also prayed together to know if the Book of Mormon was true. They were so excited to tell us that they know it is the word of God. Wow this family is so solid. God has really blessed us with a Miracle family. He is a God of MERCY. This Sunday was one of the happiest Sundays of all my life because ENRIQUE And CORINA came to church with us! AHH it was so awesome. As he walked in he said "So this is the house of the Lord Wow I can feel it in my heart." AHHH I am telling you this family is incredible. He was going around talking to everyone and she was more than happy to follow by his side. They loved everything about church and invited us over after church. I know they will be baptized! I know it! They just don't want to except a date yet. However, I have been praying a lot and so has my District Leader and we are confident that they will be baptized and married this Sunday. We are going to see a miracle I tell you. They have been together for 32 years and have 3 kids. One of their daughters passed away 15 years ago. We had a beautiful experience teaching them the Plan of Salvation. I can't wait to see them married and baptized and start their journey towards becoming an eternal family. They will be FIRM in the church I know it. He reads a chapter to his wife from the Book of Mormon EVERY DAY. How much better does it get!?  I have to go now.  I love you all. 
Loves,
Savannah