SISTER CARIBBEAN: April 29, 2013 Healthy food, fat cats, hot chocolate and zone conference

Hermana Flores and Hermana Bean - assigned to work on the PR west coast

Mon. Apr 22 - Sis. Flores and I bought healthy food!! I’m so excited - ! – (it is way too easy here in PR to buy fast food). We also met with a wonderful elderly couple. They have super fat cats!!

Tues. Apr 23 - We did a lot of contacting! We soon met Giovanni- and we helped him wash his car haha! In skirts!!

Wed. Apr 24 - During companionship study, Sis. Flores sweetly corrected me, “ ‘Um’... no! No ‘um’.... No ‘um’...." :) Haha. I say a lot of UMS ’cause, well... uhhh...I don’t know Spanish very well (and ‘um’ is a way of kind of searching for the next word). But Hna Flores wants me to try and not say “um” to fill in the space, because it makes it harder for other people to understand what I’m saying...(you know... um... in between...um... words). Haha! So I’m working on that.
:)

Sister missionaries with Nellie

Well, anyway, we met with Nellie today (18, from the states, went to BYU). She's a member who came with us to visit Carmen, a woman who lives RIGHT by the ocean! I love being able to encourage people to follow their commitments :) After the lesson, we saw a bunch of creepy spidery crabs in dirt holes! AHHH! That evening, we had doughnuts and hot chocolate (in Puerto Rico???) with Nellie and her mom. We can PROBABLY SKYPE AT THEIR HOUSE for Mother's day!!! :)

Thurs. Apr 25 - We were busy visiting and teaching, but plans changed suddenly: ZONE CONFERENCE! We madly packed our carry-on cases for the night/next day, and met up with the Elders to drive ALL THE way to Guaynabo (about a 2 hour drive.) It was dark, raining, and kinda scary at times, but I listened to beautiful music on CD “A Tribute to Joseph Smith” about 3 - 4x through. That helped! We slept at Sis. Visker's house (I even got my old bunk bed from mid-April!)

Fri. Apr 26 - We got ready and dropped our car off at the Toyota Dealership (all our gas cards in the mission had to be exchanged). We got in the mission van to go to the office in Bayamon and had Zone Conf. ALL day in Spanish. Pres. Alvarado talked about many, many different things. I said the closing prayer (I’m always good for saying a prayer in Spanish). We had a great lunch (chili, nachos, rootbeer floats), and then drove for about 1.5 hrs to Aricibo where Pres. finished the conference. It was a long drive back to Mayaguez!

Sat. Apr 27 - more contacting!! We met with an elderly woman (investigator) who doesn't particularly want to read, or pray, or go to church.
I met fun-loving, spritely return-missionary Adriana N! She speaks English ’cause she went to Temple Square (in Salt Lake City) for her mission! :)

This tiny yellow dictionary is very handy!

I used my new, fun, yellow mini Spanish dictionary ALL day! Thanks, Mom!! It's perfect!!

And we ended with the Lopez family- who gave us toast and hot chocolate. (What is it with drinking hot chocolate in the tropics???)

Sun. Apr 28 - In Sacrament meeting, I was asked to introduce myself, and share my testimony IN SPANISH!! Well, it went okay, and the congregation laughed when I explained “Bean” is "alubia” or “frijole” in Espanol (although I’m not quite sure I said it right) - Haha :) The members are so-oo welcoming and nice! Oh, and it's weird- we start with Relief Society at 9, Sunday School at 10, and Sacrament meeting at 11. It’s backwards (from what I’m used to)!! We ended the day with dinner with Betsey & Daniel, two AWESOME members who have a great house and great faith!! :)

Mon. the 29 - We had District Meeting with goals and discussions. They always want me to say the prayer. Haha. We then went back to our house to clean and study some. And now, I’m e-mailing from the University! :) LOVE IT! :)

I love and miss you all so-oo much, and pray for your health and success each day! Thank you to Mr. A, Carol, Mom, Elder Pena, and twin brother Elder David for your emails! Thanks to Mom and Melissa B for letters! I'll be sending out some letters all the month of May! :) Love you all! Have a great week!

Love, Sister Bean