Cahal Pech or Bust

Hey. 

 

SO. Last week. I tooootally forgot to give my dad a birthday shout out and for this--I think I am condemned to at least the telestial kingdom but I’m trying to recover. Everyone tell Scott Hirschi Happy birthday!! He is the best dad en la mundo!!! Maybe your efforts can redeem me. 

 

Another adventurous week right? What week in the mission isn't adventurous I’d like to know. I submit that the unadventurous mission week does not exist. Something is always happening. 

 

Actually something a little creepy happened. On my dad's actual birthday, I saw his truck driving around town. The red ford f-150. I have never seen this truck before in Belize and I have never seen it since, but all day on January second...it haunted me. So how you arranged that dad I do not know....but...well played. 

 

Another interesting note. I earned my missionary stripes this week, or so I like to think. My comp and I weren’t attacked my dogs, but something equally scarring took place. One evening, we were trying to contact a young man who we have been teaching. Some children were playing out in the yard of his home with fireworks. We began to converse with them, hoping to obtain the knowledge of our investigators whereabouts. Evidently these children did not like us, because they started throwing the fireworks near us. At first Sis S and I ignored their assault attempts and continued to press them for the information concerning our investigator. They grew fiercer in their determination to deter us. Instead of throwing fireworks near us, they threw them directly at us. We ran for our lives, and they pursued us. I laughed so hard bc Sis S was screaming because they hit her. I’m laughing now thinking of it. 

 

Luckily we escaped unscathed. It’s a true miracle. But as soon as we were out of reach of our enemies--the children--we heard a familiar sound…the pounding of metal rooftops. The rain in Belize is a strange beast bc when it rains, it truly pours. And you can hear it coming, ALWAYS. And if it you don’t run for cover, you will be destroyed bc it will come for you. So we heeded the warning and once again ran for our lives, but to no avail. We had no place to hide and went swimming in the air. hahaha once again, I died laughing. 

 

 

But my favorite part of this week might have been Cahal Pech. On P-day (Prep day, when missionaries do non-missionary things that need to be done i.e. laundry, grocery shopping, letter writing, and fit in a little sight-seeing occasionally) Sis S and I went to our backyard--more or less--and saw the ancient Mayan ruins of Cahal Pech. They are absolutely beautiful and equally fascinating. Cahal Pech is an ancient Mayan palace, and it is 1500 years old!! A random grandpa who was there and coincidentally knew everything about the ruins gave a personalized tour for which we were extremely grateful. I  included some siiiick pics of Cahal Pech for you all to enjoy. 

 

Also my Spanish is getting pretty good. Granted I have a long way to go, but I am understanding a lot. I’m just a freak for grammar so I’m still perfecting that part. 

 

You'll all be happy to know my pride continues to be obliterated. Before the mission I had this general approach to life, just like, 'yeah. I got this!' Since beginning the mission I feel something more along the lines of

 

 'I do not got this'. 

 

Ok? Just every day I have to be more than I am. It’s an amazing opportunity to learn to really trust in the Lord and to rely on Him. I’ve never prayed so fervently in my life. I've never had to pray like this. I've never felt so helpless!! But man the blessings come. They are real. God is real. Faith is a real power. This week I had an awesome spiritual experience. 

 

We are teaching a woman named S***,  She has a loooot of questions and is very skeptical about the church. S*** scares me. but. she also has a sincere desire to learn. Last night we were discussing the Book of Mormon and introducing it to her. She was extremely skeptical and I was getting disheartened a little. Sometimes people argue with what we believe and sometimes people get angry but the worst is when they laugh, and S*** was laughing. 

 

Well at the end, I just had this amazing feeling. I explained as plainly as I could that the Book of Mormon is the key to everything we taught her and that she could prove our words by reading the Book of Mormon. I bore my testimony and I just felt filled with light. It was unlike anything I’d every experienced!  I was so happy to just be there sharing the Book of Mormon with S***. When I finished she said something like this...

 

'ok you’ve convinced me. You’re glowing! Wow you are really glowing. I want to glow like that! Alright I am going to read this. I want to glow too'

 

Ah. What an indescribable feeling. And I was glowing! Because the gospel is the most beautiful message in the world! It is full of light and pure, unadulterated joy. So. I love S***. And I love testifying of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That was an amazing experience. Really just amazing.

 

I love you all. The gospel is so beautiful. Have a wonderful week ok? Endure to the end and share the gospel and read the Book of Mormon. And, maybe I will get the hang of being a missionary.

 

All my love

Sister Hirschi

 

ps: I AM OBSESSED WITH THE TORTILLAS HERE. I’m telling you all. The tortillas in the states are a type and a shadow of what they could be. DANG they are good in Belize.