New Gringas

Sharing a bunk at Hermana Scott's House.

My new companion Hermana Tellez

Hermana Morales and Me

Hermana Morales and I out back of President's house. 

 It was so PRETTY! And man I miss that girl!

The New Hermanas of Tipitapa! They are in a trio and are the cutest!

Hermana Tellez, Me and Hermana Morales

President, his wife, Hermana Tellez and me

Okay so this week was really...interesting. Monday Hna. Morales and I left for Managua at about three o clock. We were RUNNING to catch a bus with all her luggage and of course looked ridiculous. We thankfully caught a bus and some guy on the bus immediately called us over.   As I got a little closer, I realized he was a GRINGO as well. Turns out he served his mission here 5 years ago and was back to visit. He was SHOCKED to see Hermana’s in TIPITAPA, I was proud to tell him that we were indeed the first Hermanas! It was cool to chat with him for a while and hear his AWESOME Spanish. I hope I can get to that point. Anyways, we finally got to Managua and I had a meeting with all the other Trainers and President. It was great and I learned a lot of valuable things to help my companion out. Hermana Collado was so cute and said she values all the ZL, DL and APs but for her the TRAINERS are the most special missionaries because the Lord trusts them to take care of and teach the new servants here. She is the best. We finished the meeting at about 8pm and got to chill while we waited for some of the newbies to get there.  We were all waiting in the Chapel for them and greeted them with a hymn. Then we had QUIZNOS for dinner!! What the?! I didn’t even know that existed here. It was so AWESOME! Anyways we got 6 new gringas Monday night, one of them being the girl from Travis´s ward. She is so darling! I got to talk to her a little bit and help her out. Seriously such a cutie. A ton of the new gringas came up to me and said they had been reading my blog and were so excited to meet me. It was the cutest ever. I am glad someone enjoys reading my rants. Afterwards all the Trainers and the new Hermanas went to Hermana Scotts house to sleep.

So first off Hna. Scott, the Aps and President live in the South Mission and it is seriously a DIFFERENT WORLD OVER THERE!  We crossed the line over into the south mission and I swear it was instantly cooler and it almost looked like a civilized area! I was DYING. We got to Hna. Scotts house and I kind of felt like we were in a Texas neighborhood. It wasn’t chilly but a little cooler, the houses were nice and cute. Hna. Scott's house is HUGE! When I say huge I mean there were three rooms and 2 bathrooms. So bigger than anything I have seen for 6 months. It was hilarious because I was dying over how nice it was, when in reality it was like a girl's camp cabin, if that nice. There were three rooms with 3 bunk beds each and there still wasn’t enough room to fit us all. So.... we slept two to a bed. It is a miracle nobody fell off the top bunk and died! It was so bizarre and AWESOME! I didn’t really feel like a missionary. It felt like girls camp honestly. We were all running around talking, giggling and sharing stories in Spanglish Hehe. In the morning the Ap´s brought us all Mcgridles from McDonalds. Seriously who would have thought I would be so excited about McDonalds but it was SWEET!

Afterwards we all went to Presidents house to meet up with all the other newbies that were in the Guatemala MTC and meet our new COMPS!! We got to Presidents house and I about DIED! It is so BEAUTIFUL! It is like a house from the STATES seriously and the VIEW... INCREDIBLE. But that’s not the best part- there was air conditioning and a real TOLIET! I thought I had died and gone to heaven. HEHE I may be a wee bit dramatic but you know me. After getting there we were all introduced to our new comps! My HIJA is Hna. Tellez. She is the cutest little thing. She is 19, from Nicaragua and is waiting for her Visa to PERU! She is seriously so darling. I hope they don’t rip her away from me too soon. After meeting all our comps we had a little devotional and activity with President and his Wife. Afterwards we had another DELICIOUS meal and then the newbies had interviews. So all us trainers got to just chill at presidents house. AHHH it was so great and strange at the same time. It was weird to not be doing anything really but so fun to get to know the other missionaries, visit and enjoy the beautiful weather/view.  I also got to visit a little more with all the new gringas. I am so glad they had a better experience than me here in Nicaragua for their first day. I will never forget how CRAZY that day was. It was so fun to talk to them and I hope I helped calm their nerves a little. I remember how stressful those first weeks can be. Well really the whole mission. But definitely the first couple weeks. It was weird to see how much I really have learned and how much I have grown. Sometimes I feel exactly the same and like I have not progressed very much but I know every day I am learning something new and becoming a little bit better. That is my biggest desire- that every day I can be a little better. I also got to translate everything for the new Gringas. What the! I still feel like I need a translator but it was cool to see that I really was understanding and could help them out.

After our little get together at presidents we went back to our areas to WORK! This week has been hard! I don’t know why it has been so challenging for me lately but we just aren’t really finding ppl to teach. Well that’s not true we are always finding ppl to teach but I am having a hard time discerning which of these ppl really are prepared to hear the Gospel at this time. We are teaching a ton of ppl but not many of them are progressing. We will continue to give our all to the Lord and I know he will put the right ppl in our path. This week we have been working hard to involve the MEMBERS! Not many want to help us but the few that do are great. We are asking for referrals from EVERYBODY! For about every 10 ppl that don’t have a referral there is one that does and usually they aren’t in our area dang it. However, I know if we keep trying to work with the members, involve them and ask them for referrals the Lord will but ppl in their lives that are ready to hear the Gospel.

 We work like crazy everyday, all day. We walk everywhere, we sweat like crazy, and we talk to everyone and their dog! It is always one of the most incredible things I have ever done. I LOVE talking with and teaching the recent converts, less actives, members and investigators. I feel so blessed to see the change that the Gospel makes in ppls lives. I love helping ppl get to know their Savior. I am so grateful that the Lord has allowed me to teach his children here and have these experiences so I can learn and grow. I am grateful for all the tender mercies he grants us everyday. The mission is so hard but I know that this is the work of the Lord and he is here with us. Whenever things get really hard I just imagine the Lord walking the streets and teaching.   The words "What would Jesus do" have a whole new meaning to me now.  I am his representative here - wow how grand is this calling- and I must do everything in my power to represent him well. I love my Savior. I love this work and I love the sweet ppl of Nicaragua. I hope they can feel my love and more importantly the love of their Savior.

Loves,

Savannah