Hermana Hipol vs. The Mariachi Band

So many amazing miracles and here we are at the end of my time here at the CCM…. I leave in six days! I am so nervous and so excited… I cannot wait to see what El Salvador Has in store for me.

 

This week was filled with so many awesome adventures. The CCM President, President Cox finally made it back to us after a surgery. What a homecoming! It was his birthday the next day and we had a band come play music and we celebrated with some delicious cake! I do love some good cake.

 

Our fake investigator, Oscar, was baptized this past weekend! My companions and I were so excited and I think that it was just the motivation that we needed to finish off our CCM experience with a bang! Our other investigator, Miguel, also wants to be baptized! So cool! My greatest teaching tool has definitely been the spirit. He is the real teacher. There is a new rule here at the CCM…. NO MAS INGLES! It is a little hard to communicate but I have mastered talking with my hands and absurd noises. I think that the Latina Hermanas think I am crazy.

 

This week I also met my goal to finish the Book of Mormon before I enter the field. It was as if I had read it for the first time. I know that it is the word of God and I encourage you all to read it.

 

This week was a week of “lasts.” I cannot believe that I am leaving next week to enter the field and be a “real missionary.” This morning was my last opportunity to go to the Guatemala temple and I am having my Last Leadership training this weekend as Hermana Cacipadador. It has been amazing to serve the sisters here. They have such strong spirits and desires to serve the Lord.

 

In this crazy missionary limbo it has been really easy to feel overwhelmed and to focus on all the things I cannot control. But, I was watching a devotional by Jeffrey R. Holland and he said. “When the days are hard and when you cannot go any further, when you feel that it is too hard, just realize that you are standing shoulder to shoulder with the greatest missionary the world has ever known. I am so grateful for the example of my savior and for the peace that comes from the knowledge that I never have to be alone or struggle because he is with me every step. I love my savior. I love this work. I am so excited to be a missionary.

 

Stay strong. I know that with our trust in the Lord, we can overcome all things with glory and valor. May God Bless and Keep you. I am so grateful for your example and your love!

 

Hurrah for Israel!

Love,

Hermana Hipol

Hermana Hipol vs. Miracle in 307

Hola mis amigos! Wow, another week already and I am starting the final stretch of my CCM experience. Time has literally sprouted wings and flown by. I cannot believe that I have already been here four weeks. It is strange to be considered the “oldies” when in reality, we are finally starting to figure things out. I still don’t really know what I am doing but when I look back on these past few weeks I hardly recognize the sister that stepped onto the plane. The CCM has been such an amazing experience.

 

This week was a week of miracles. I cannot even begin to describe the things I have seen, the spirit that I have felt and the powerful lessons that I have learned. This past week there was a lot of contention amongst the Latina sisters in my zone. As the Hermana Cacipadador, I sat in on a lot of meetings, a lot of counsel and did lots of begging for peace and charity (in very poor Spanglish). It was very hard for me, and humbling, since I am still working on Spanish. One night, after lights out, a hermana knocked on my door. One of the tiny Latina hermanas, who was under a lot of stress, was having an anxiety attack. It had quickly escalated to the point where her joints had locked up from lack of oxygen and panic because of her poor breathing. I quickly called the CCM President and asked him to give her a blessing. She would not respond to us, she wouldn’t even open her eyes. I kneeled at the foot of her bed, and was wiping her face with a cool rag, but nothing was working and her breathing was getting worse. Presidente Pitcher walked around to me and kneeled down beside me. He placed his hands on her head and gave her a short but powerful priesthood blessing.  As soon as he ended, she opened her eyes. I was in their room until almost one to make sure she was okay and that the other sisters were helping her… I know that the priesthood is the power of god. That sister was in a bad spot, and it was such a blessing to be there and witness that miracle.

 

Another miracle, we have our first “baptism!” We had been really struggling with our fake investigator Oscar and didn’t know where to go. We prepared a deep lesson on “repent lest ye perish” and “if ye have a desire why not be baptized” but he totally blindsided us. We sat down ready to call to repentance when he said “I prayed and I know this is true. I want to be baptized.” We were so shocked. We set a date and he said “Do I have to wait? I am ready now.” Holy Cow! His baptism is this Saturday. How amazing! We have also been teaching all of our lessons in total Spanish too. The gift of tongues is real!

 

Finally, last night was our goodbye with almost all the sisters. At orracion we sang a Spanish hymn and God Be with you til We Meet Again. Some hermanas shared their testimonies and we all kneeled together in prayer. The spirit was so powerful we could not stand. There were tears shed but the miracle was watching those companionships who I had seen struggle so hard for two weeks share a tearful embrace and express love and forgiveness. The Saviors love changes us and I witnessed that change in myself and the hermanas this week.

 

I know that my Redeemer lives. This is his church. I am his missionary. We are all enlisted. I know that the Atonement changes us.

 

I love you all!

Hurrah for Israel!

 

Halfway through the MTC

Today marks my halfway through the MTC and wow how time has flown! So many things have happened, it is often hard to keep track of everything!

 

I was able to go to the Central Market and Map this past week. What an amazing cultural experience! There were so many things and so many people, it was so fun! The entire market is underground in two levels. The first is all textiles, jewelry, shoes and such, and the lower level is all foods. It was amazing!  As we were leaving the market I even got hit by a car! Well, they popped the clutch and so it bumped me… no worries I am totally fine. Not a bruise or a scratch…except on my pride but I am working on my humility….  Nothing hurts a missionary! It was my first intense experience. It was great to be out of the CCM, though it was a shock to hear the language…. I think they might be teaching me the wrong one…. People talk so fast! I am a little nervous and I have made more of an effort to listen to the native speakers here.  The map was equally amazing. How crazy to think that the BOM took place in this part of the world! My favorite part of our outing was definitely Wendys. Nothing beats a good hamburger.

 

I was called to be the new Hermana Cacipadador, or Zone Leader for all the Hermanas in my Rama. It is a lot of responsibility and has been such a humbling experience. Two thirds of the sisters are native Spanish speakers and speak absolutely no English so communication has been hard. I have really relied on the spirit and I know that the gift of tongues is real. Our last three lessons with investigators have been completely in Spanish!!

 

This past Sunday I was really struck by a devotional that we had. We watched that super old movie called Zion Camp. At one point a group of mobsters came up to two of the brethren and asked who was in charge of their camp. One replied, “God of Israel leads the Camp.” Wow… how powerful is that. I bear testimony in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, and as a missionary called of God to preach his work, that God of Israel leads the Camp. God of Israel leads this Church. God of Israel leads the missionary work all over the world. Nothing can stop the hand of the Almighty. I pray every day that I can make him proud and I know that if we give him everything that nothing shall keep us from seeing and helping bring to pass miracles comparable to those we read about in the Holy Scriptures.

 

There is so much more I want to say and yet so little time… Suffice it to say, I know that my Redeemer Lives. I know that I am not perfect, or fluent, but the Lord and his message are perfect and the Holy Ghost has no language.

 

I love you all and I am so grateful for your examples.

God of Israel leads the Camp.

Hurrah for Israel!

 

Love,

Hermana Hipol

Another amazing week here at the CCM…

Another amazing week here at the CCM in Guatemala. I love being here and I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve my Heavenly Father. First off, this week is going to be a little crazy scheduling wise so, thankfully, I get to start off the week with emails! It is “transfers” this week, meaning that we are saying goodbye to all but one companionship of sisters, and (hopefully) getting some new ones. It is a very bittersweet feeling all around. I am so excited for my fellow Hermanas and somewhat jealous that they get to leave now, but I will definitely miss them. They have taught me so much and I am forever grateful for their patience and charity towards me. They will all leave on Tuesday, and the new Missionaries will be here Wednesday. So, in honor of their passing into the real world, tonight we are having a chocolate fountain, Guatemala Style. I am not sure what that means but I am sure that It will be great! Also, our PDay will be on Tuesday, instead of Wednesday this week. We are going on a field trip! My district is going to the 7.30 a.m. temple session here at the Guatemala Temple and then later in the Day, since there will not be very many missionaries, we are going out into the city!!! We are going to a historical part of the city with a huge 3D map of the country, then going to Central Market, and then, having lunch at WENDYS!!!!! That is right, semi-american food!. I am so excited! And the best part of it is that we get to take our cameras with us to record this momentous occasion! How positively awesome-sauce! I am not sure how I can send them, since we will have to turn our cameras back in when we return, but I am still so psyched!

On a more spiritual note, I have learned and grown so much this last week. I have definitely been tested in a lot of ways, but I have gained such a stronger appreciation for my savior and my Heavenly Father. This past Friday-Saturday my entire district had an ayuna de ingles, or an English Fast. That is, we gave up English for an entire 24 hours. It was extremely difficult, especially in communicating in our companionship (lets just say that we have now mastered sign language). But as a result, we definitely saw miracles. My companions and I have taken on another investigator, Oscar, and for the first time ever, we taught an entire lesson in Spanish. It was miraculous. I know that the Lord was in control of everything, and though we are not perfect teachers, it was a great accomplishment for us. Yesterday, being fast Sunday, we were also able to share our testimonies in Spanish too. Though it was very simple and rough, I felt the spirit so strong, and could feel the words enter my mind as I spoke. I am still not fluent (yet) but I know that the gift of tongues is a very real thing, and I know that if we are in tune with the spirit, then the lord uses his language to touch the hearts of those we teach. How amazing that we get a chance to be the vessels through which he teaches.

I have also learned so much about the enabling power of the Atonement. There were many times this week when I felt discouraged and incredibly inadequate but I have begun to recognize my Savior in every aspect of my life. Hermana Pitcher, our Presidents wife, taught a beautiful lesson on faith and the enabling power of the atonement. She told a story of  a man who was rock climbing. He slipped and fell, plumeting towards the ground head first. Just before he hit the ground, he stopped because his belayer (dunno if that spelling is right, sorry) had grabbed the rope and saved his life. He said, “How do you thank someone who saves your life? Do you give him a strand of worn out rope for Christmas? No. You remember him… You always remember him.” The spirit was tangible as she said that last sentence. I cried, of course, but even now, I am still filled to overflowing with gratitude for the one who gave all that I may live with hope and happiness. Think about that the next time you prepare to take the Sacrament. I love my Savior. I was indebted to him when I left on my mission but now, even though I have given all to him, I am in even more debt. I know that my Redeemer Lives and I know that he is your Redeemer too. I know that he is the source of truth and joy in this life and the next. I love this work. I love you all too! I am so grateful for your love and support.

Hurrah for Israel!

Hermana Hipol