This week flew by so fast, I honestly don’t know where all of the time goes. No matter what I do we go from Tuesday to Friday to Sunday and then it is Monday again and we start all over. But this week was packed with so many crazy adventures, I really think that crazy is the new norm…

I honestly do not even know where to start. This week I had my first intercambios as a sister training leader. Hermana Rodriguez and I went to Ataco, about half an hour away to visit with both companionships of sisters there. I got to work with Hermana Caicedo from Columbia and Hermana Chee from New Mexico. It was so much fun, and even though I had no idea what I was doing, I learned so many things. Can I just say that sister missionaries are flippin’ awesome! Right now, we are working with Sister Spjut to plan a training for all of the sisters in the mission and I am so flippin’ excited!

This week, we also got a call from the Zone Leaders. The elders in a neighboring pueblo needed help animating one of their investigators for her baptism on Sunday, so we went for a short visit. Turns out we, did not know how to get back by ourselves and so we had to stay with the Elders for a little bit. They took us to visit another family they were teaching and a miracle happened.

This past week, one of their investigators was killed in a work accident and the elders were left in charge of all the funeral arrangements. Pobrecitos…. they were so stressed out. So, when we showed up, they were in the middle of the viewing. It was so awkward at first, I did not know anyone or how to console them. I honestly had no Idea why we were there, but I felt in my heart that is where we needed to be. We went to the cemetery and watched the burial. (Funerals here are SO different!) There were so many people there, and the Elders were able to dedicate the grave. The spirit was so strong, and it was a great missionary experience for the dozens of people who knew nothing about the church. The coolest part though, was after the burial. I was standing with the other missionaries and the young man’s girlfriend walked up to me. She asked me if I was the sister that had sung when we all went to the temple a couple weeks ago… I told her yes, that it had been me. She got tears in her eyes, and said, “Thank you so much. I felt the spirit so strong and he did too. He loved hearing you sing, and after going to the temple he told me he wanted to be an eternal family.”

The spirit hit me so strong. I did not even know her name, or who she was. The song I sang at the temple was a total train wreck too. But I felt the spirit so strong, and in that moment I felt so much love for her. In four months she lost her child and her boyfriend, literally had everything taken away from he, but she still continues with so much hope and trust in her Savior.

Sunday was all-out madness. Running through two areas trying to get people to attend two different wards is a little crazy, but hey, we only do craziness here. As we were finishing the meetings, a less active sister came up to me crying, and asking to talk to me. We went into an empty room and she told me some of her struggles and she asked me if I would say a prayer for her. I felt so much love for her. She took my hand and I started to pray. The spirit hit me like a brick wall and consumed me like a wildfire from within. My mouth quickly stopped being my own as the spirit gave me the words to say. I felt so much love for her and through me the Lord promised so many specific blessings to this wonderful woman. I think this was one of the first times that I had truly ever experienced the power of  my calling, being a missionary set apart and given power to teach and represent the Almighty. I am no one, a poor servant, and I have so many things to do better. It was a very humbling experience, and we both left blessed with a touch of our Heavenly Fathers love.

On Sunday, we also went back to visit the Elders in the baptism of the first young woman that we had gone to animate. They asked us to sing the special musical number and Hermana Rodriguez and I sang “Lord, I would Follow Thee.” The spirit was so strong, and it was a beautiful baptism. I did not really know her but we took a pic anyways…

And then the madness continues… this week we hit nine months…. I have been thinking about all of the things I have done these past nine months, and the things that I want to do these nine months that come… I was reminded of the ageless question of whether the cup was half-empty or half-full. Many missionaries are so quick to countdown the days ‘til they can go home… others dreading this day. Before y’all go accusing me of being “trunky”, this has been a time of great self-reflection… and it does not help that my dear comp only has three weeks left in the mission. But I am so grateful for the time the Lord has blessed me with to work and to serve my brothers and sisters. I have seen so many miracles and been touched buy the beautiful people here. I have had nine months of some of the greatest trials too. I have had to truly forget myself, and as I have done so, I have learned to better remember the things that count. I love my Heavenly Father and have had nine months to study the atonement and see it in action every day. I am so excited for the next nine, for all the adventures that still wait.

So for me, the cup is more than half full, it is filled to overflowing.

 

I love you all so much. Thank you for your support, your love, and your prayers.

 

Hoorah for Israel!!

Love,

Hermana Hipol

P.S. We hit rainy season!! Juayua is so beautifully foggy all the time! It is also horribly muggy but we try to stay positive