Hermana Hipol vs Singing in the Rain

I am so excited for this change… I am really nervous and we are a little lost on how to efficiently work in both areas, considering that both are asking us to focus only on them. But, thanks to an amazing companion, I am doing well.

My new comp is Hermana Steel.. She is amazing, she is wonderful, and I feel she is my twin… she is from New Mexico.

I love Hermana Steel. I feel that she is my long lost twin and will become one of my closest friends. She loves working and in most of our studies we have focused on working with members and looked at examples in the Book of Mormon, like when Alma visits the Zoramites. I love it so much!

Well we are still working in two areas, Progreso and Orquideas. We went to church in Progreso, our first Sunday…. we had 10 investigators there and 4 families! It was such a tender mercy! I just love seeing how the lord blesses us…

We are also still stressing family seen, family contacted, so in order to meet with our daily goal, Hermana Steel and I left the house again at 8:50 at night in pouring rain, in flip flops, to find a family… we found them. They probably think we are crazy… it wasn’t their time yet. But, obedience brings blessings!

I also was able to participate in a “cultural activity” in the stake on Saturday. E. Roeller and I sang “Somewhere over the Rainbow” and I played it on the ukulele. It turned out alright I think. It was so amazing to be able to play ukulele again! But we were the follow up for a brother who is a professional musician… It was kinda sad, but everyone enjoys seeing crazy gringos singing…

What is the coolest thing that happened to you this week? Hope you have an epic week! Be happy!

I love the work, I have no idea what to do, but I am happy! Thank you!

Hoorah for Israel!

Hermana Hipol vs. Death of the Spaniard

Well, transfers has come around again. Hermana Rodriguez will be in her house and I will keep on keeping on here in Juayua. I am really sad that she will be leaving me, I love her so much. She truly taught me how to enjoy my mission. Not a day went by where we did not laugh. She has been an amazing companion, and will be an amazing friend forever… (how else am I going to be able to go to Spain?

Anyways, to this week….. Wow. Where do I begin? So many crazy things happened. I was a little mal de salud the first couple days, but I had a great chance to do some personal study and to reflect on the little blessings in life. There really are so many.

On Wednesday we had another Baptism! Meet Daniela. She turned 8 on Tuesday and is such a sweetheart. We have been teaching her and her parents. They have received the missionaries for years and finally their daughter was able to be baptized. The spirit we felt was so strong, I love her so much. A lot of people came to support too… SO awesome! I honestly just don’t even have words. She is such a great example for her family. In the baptism her mother shared her testimony and there was not a dry eye in the whole room.

On Saturday there was another tender mercy from the Lord. Remember a couple weeks ago, when we went to the funeral and the young widow talked with me? SHE GOT BAPTIZED! On Thursday I got a phone call. I instantly recognized her voice and bawled like a baby when she invited me to come to her baptism. The Elders asked if I would sing for her baptism. I sand “come unto Jesus” and I think it turned out okay. I was just so happy! She was not even “my baptism” but I feel like she is a sister.

Other than that, this week was super tranquil. Yesterday our Zone Leader asked us to contact as many families as we could…my comp and I contacted 52 families and 140 people in 45 minutes! wooohooo!!! It was awesome to congratulate all of the mothers, even funnier when the Zone leaders did not believe our totals for the day.

Ni modo.

Anyways, I sure love you guys. Thank you so much for your love, support, and all that goodness. Please keep me in your prayers. We will see what the Lord has in store!

Hoorah for Israel!

Love, Hermana Hipol

Hermana Hipol vs. Eight hours of Buses

What a week. I feel as though it was two or three weeks packed into one, and I do not think that I have ever been so exhausted, but I saw so many beautiful things…… it was all our madness to be completely honest, but hey, we do madness here.

Monday night we had a slumber party with the sister missionaries working in Los Naranjos, Hermana Wright and Hermana Guzman. Why? Well on Tuesday we had to wake up super super early to take a super long and hot bus ride to San Salvador. TEMPLE TRIP! Me encanta ver al tempo! But really, it was such an amazing experience. I did not have any profound revelations, or visions, but it was such a beautiful experience. I took my patriarchal blessing with me and read it in the temple for the first time. I felt so much love and learned a little more about who I am. It made me feel a little more important. The next time you go to the temple, take your Patriarchal Blessing! It was a crazy bus ride and extremely hot, but totally worth it. I love the temple.

This week we also had to do a ton of exchanges with the sisters and I had the chance to go and work with Hermana Wright in Los Naranjos (she is with me in the photo). My companion cheerfully volunteered to stay with the poor Hermana Guzman who is a little sick, and I took advantage of the opportunity to work with Hermana Wright. I love her so much! She is finishing the mission in this change, and I am so sad that she is leaving, but she is going to do wonderful things! I learned so many things in exchanges and I had such a great day. She is so consecrated and embodies a truly successful missionary.

On Friday we had Sister Missionary Conference! We got all the sisters in the mission together and helped motivate them all to start baptizing. It was so cool! But we had to get up super early to take the bus at six to Santa Ana… only, we forgot it was Labor Day…. so there was not a bus that was going to Santa Ana. But, thanks to some amazing members, we got a ride! The Conference was great! We got a lot of positive feedback. The coolest part was when all the sisters that are leaving got on a discussion panel, and answered the questions of the other sisters. The spirit was so strong and many a tear was shed. I am so emotional…

On Friday we went straight from the office in Santa Ana to Ataco again (it was almost three hours in a bus that was has hot as infierno, not cool) and I was able to work with Hermana Izcano and Hermana Gutierrez. I love them so much! Hermana Gutierrez came with me in the mission, and Hermana Izcano is my sister! Well, she was also trained by Hermana Judd. They are so amazing and they taught me a lot! They are both such great examples of consecration and love. We had some amazing lessons as well that showed me they take advantage of receiving revelation in their companionship study.

At one point in a lesson, a rather disgruntled mother walked in as we were singing “I am a child of God” and told us to leave. It was the first time in my mission that I had been truly “kicked out” of a house, and it was a little rough, but the sisters just brushed it off and kept visiting with smiles as if nothing had happened. It taught me a lot.  I love them so much. It is sweet to be able to work with the other sisters…. but it is really exhausting at the same time.

Well, that is the sum of this week. A lot of traveling in overheated busses but a lot of happiness and a lot of miracles. I love the mission!

Be happy, be awesome, and be epic!

Oh, and May the 4th be with you!

Hurrah for Israel!

Love, Hermana Hipol