The birthday wishes have been sublime. I truly appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness. It’s been more a birthday week though....since I’ve been here for so long everyone knows my birthday and the recognition has been unending. No complaints. hahaha. Birthdays are a HUGE deal in Belize. They love them. Additionally...

 

I was BORN to be a missionary. 

Have I mentioned that I love this work, and that I love the people who live in this town, and that I am going to move back to Belize and live here forever. I never knew I could love a town of people so much. 

 

So this week. You can bet your bottom dollar with a 10% risk level that some nutty stuff went down. 

 

For an introduction, my new name is this town is "snake slayer". 

A very fitting tittle given some of my recent antics. 

Last week, I was kneeling beside my bed--praying at exactly 10:30 pm, when I heard our house-mate Sister D open our front door and shout, 'AHH! HAY UN SERPIENTE!!'. She is Guatemalan so it is natural for her to revert to her native language when frightened or upset. 

 

Well I kept praying. right? It’s a baby snake. Or so I thought. Sis D continued to shout. Finally, I finished and made my way to the front door with my companion. There, sitting very complacently on our porch was a snake. I was inclined to leave him be, seeing as he was not entering our house. Sis D  however, told us she would not sleep knowing the creature was by our house. 

 

So I determined to kill it. But how? We have no knives...or shovels....or machetes or blow torches. Nothing. At first I thought to ride over it with my bike, but I was soon discouraged from such a course of action—because I imagined the snake snapping up and biting me as I rode over him on shadowfax. 

 

So then. I remember reading the bible, and decided to go with the classic David/Goliath routine. I sought a rock, and upon finding one, threw it with all my might at the target. I hit the snake in the head and it went CRAAAAzy squirming everywhere. All four of us began screaming and ran into the house and kept screaming. 

 

But another thing that happened....MOTHERS DAY. Do you guys know mother’s day is like the equivalent of Christmas in Central America? Holy hannah what a spectacle. They love it!! 

 

Of course there was a church activity and us six missionaries were required to perform something. I didn’t want to sing. So I thought we could all share 'things my mother taught me'. Here were some of mine:

 

1. Diet caffeine free coke is as vital as water to the human body.

2. Camping is fun for about 12 hours. 

3. Putting a wooden spoon in a full, moving blender is akin to setting off a small bomb in your kitchen. (remember this mom? and how the ceiling is still stained?)

4. Using brothers as punching bags results in serious, negative repercussions. 

5. ALWAYS give people the benefit of the doubt. 

 

We were a hit. 

 

Well. J** is the best. He is really converted to this gospel. He is willing to live the commandments and as doing so, has gained a personal testimony. He is getting baptized on Saturday! 

 

R** FINALLY came to church. I was about to give up on him....but for real. And then....HE STROLLS IN. Ah. So rewarding. And he loved it! Of course he did. 

 

KS** will be baptized on May 24th. Yeah! He loves the plan of salvation. He wants to teach it to his sons. "It just all comes back to the plan of salvation". That's right KS**! His daughter is coming to church with him. 

 

God is good. God is love. Also I am super impressed with the original 12 Apostles of the Lamb. They up and left everything behind...never to return...to follow the Savior. I have had a tiny baby taste of what that feels like by serving a mission. I am so grateful for those who are willing to testify of Christ and to give their lives in order to teach others the good news. 

 

Also. I enjoyed seeing my family! You guys--just hang tight for 10 months ok. cool. Maybe longer because I am probably going to try and extend. I LOVE YOU. 

 

Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. 

We are Gods children. 

Choose the right. 

 

Love Sista Hirschi

 

. 

I don't know about you, but I am feeling 22. Minus about 10 days.

Thanks T-Swift for making my birthday that much more fun this year, by penning and singing a number 8 hit about being 22 years old. 

 

But is it sad that I am feeling a little old out here? It’s b/c I spend all my time with 18 year old boys. and 19 year olds. But still. 

 

So among this week’s frivolities we made it to the zoo and met a dog who eats her puppies. Creepy. 

 

I don’t know what is wrong with that mother...all I know is that the owner offered that information to us as we admired the pregnant female dog. 

 

"She is going to have puppies, but she gulps them right up when they are born. "

 

*cue my horror-stricken face*

In most unusual situations, you can hide your disgust, but this...this was too far. We tried to understand from the owner why the mother dog would do such a thing. The reason remains to be seen. 

 

In conjunction, but not really at all, this week I mustered enough courage to speak in Kriol to someone I met on the street. The conversation went a little like this, according to what I remember:

 

"good aftanoon! wha di go en?"--me

 

"'aight"--paul. 

 

"what?"--me. 

 

"aight"--paul. 

 

"oh! how you niame?"--me. 

 

"Paul."--Paul. 

 

"great! me name da Sista Hirschi!"--me. 

 

"oh. I am from Chicago."

 

"in that case I will immediately stop slaughtering the Kriol language."

 

Seriously. It took me 4 months to feel confident enough to speak to someone in Kriol. Wasted. 

 

Aside from that, this week was fun. We went to the zoo yesterday, and I had some potentially unrealistic expectations about the caliber of zoo we were attending, but it was fun. The spider monkeys put on a show.  In America, there are zoo guards at every corner armed and ready to shoot you dead in your tracks if you even drop your crackers near the animal cages. In Belize, we fed them EVERY snack we'd brought, so them came riiight up to us. As noted, the monkeys were especially entertaining. I took some pics.

 

This week was fast Sunday and I got pretty hungry, but I also learned that fasting has a real power. Because…we are teaching a beautiful new......................FAMILY!!! Ding! hola!! The dad is really sick and could die in the next few months--or he could live. As such, he is certainly very apprehensive about the next life. What will be there, if he will see his family again, how he can prepare them, etc etc. What a JOY to teach him the great plan of our God! I 4real seriously LUV the plan of salvation. Nothing gives me more pure, ecstasy-filled joy. 

 

But jokes aside, God is perfect. And so is his plan. And it is absolutely beautiful. Christ was chosen and prepared at the outset of the world, in the very beginning to save our souls. I know each of us are of infinite worth. Why? Because of a basic economic principle. The value of a good is measured by the price at which it is sold or traded. We were bought with an infinite price--the blood of the Only Begotten Son. That is part of the reason Christ's sacrifice is called the infinite atonement. 

 

I've also been chewing a lot on humility as of late. Oh how I wish I could relay to all of all the truths I find in the scriptures! They are so rich. As a literary accomplishment they are something to be marveled at--as the word of God I know they are something which produce faith unto miracles and salvation. But back to humility--I have been thinking about the idea of "this is the way I am and I cannot change". A common excuse we hear in our day. I find this extremely ironic. Not only because we can change, but because it’s not just the way we are. God gave us the weaknesses we have! It’s not us. It’s from a loving Father who desires to instruct and form us into something we cannot comprehend in this life. 

 

9 Believe in ^aGod; believe that he is, and that he ^bcreated all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all^cwisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not ^dcomprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

 

 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their^aweakness. I ^bgive unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ^cgrace is sufficient for all men that ^dhumble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ^eweak things become strong unto them.

 

In fact, to assert that there is no God is to claim that we, by our 5 senses, comprehend and understand everything. And that what we cannot know cannot be. 

 

But ultimately, it is a matter of faith. Every man, woman, and child will be backed up to the wall of faith, because I cannot physically prove what I teach or testify to be true. We have to choose what we are going to have faith in…man’s ability to understand everything or God.  Then, after we choose faith in God, we can have a witness of the truth, and our faith becomes a sure knowledge. 

 

Some weeks are hard. Some are easy. But I know that Christ is the Holy Messiah--the redeemer of our souls and the author of our salvation-- that God is His and our Father and that the gospel and church of Jesus Christ is on the Earth in its absolute fullness. I declare these things to be true--but I do not know these things by or of myself. These are truths of a spiritual nature and I have learned them by the power of the Holy Ghost--a witness which cannot be denied. 

 

Oh how the gospel blesses lives! 

Oh how I love it. 

And how I wish everyone would drink from the wells of living water. 

Read the Book of Mormon. 

I wish I could write a fuller, comprehensive essay on the above topics and include some ethos, pathos, and logos. But for now, I am outta time.

 

Everyone. I love this work. It is hard. But it is true. 

Hang in there. Chin up. I love you all, even though the sun is setting on my youth. 

 

Have a superb week. 

Sister Hirschi!!!

 

 

 

 

Welcome to my town , Mr. Cumberbatch.

That is right. 

 

Benedict, Cumberbatch. 

You see the thing is that I met him yesterday in Belize. 

 

Well, I’m pretty sure. Somebody check his twitter account. I’m starting to doubt myself. Here's the story anyways. 

 

It was p-day.(Prep day when they shop, do laundry etc to prepare for the week)  I was with my comp, Sister H, just doing some souvenir browsing. No big deal. We start in one store and a couple walks in. The lady is real pretty, and also very nice. She smiles at me, I at her, and we exit the store. 

 

Next we move to a Rastafarian shop. I am quickly making friends with the Rasta-man who is also owner of the store. His dreads are down to his knees and he is extremely affable. The same previously mentioned couple follows us in, but I continue chatting up my buddy. Then. Something a little nuts happened. 

 

I looked up, to see the presumed-Benedict remove his glasses and say, 'thank you' while stepping out of the store. I stopped mid sentence. 

 

the curly brown hair. 

long thin frame. 

frosty blue eyes. 

deep British voice.......

 

THAT IS BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH. 

I start going nuts. I’m yelling at my newly acquired Rasta-friend. "DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT IS?!!?!?!?!? DO YOU KNOW!!"

 

"No who is it??!"

 

"WHAT!?!? THAT IS BENEDICT!! HAVE YOU SEEN SHERLOCK MAN?!?!?!?!"

 

"no! no what is that!"

 

"JUST COME WITH ME!! THAT IS A FAMOUS ACTOR!!"

 

Me, Sister H and Rasta-man run into the street to chase down Benedict. He goes into another store and I pulled out my well-developed stalking abilities (learned at BYU for a myriad of reasons--normally following Kylie's my cousins boyfriends to get some private details)

 

But then I panicked. I felt super awkward for legitimately following Benedict for a solid 20 yards. Then I got on my bike and caught up to him and his nice girlfriend. I’m starting to wonder if stalking is illegal. The conversation went like this, 

 

"Excuse me!"

 

Fear. Fear. Fear. So much adrenaline in my body.

 

".Silence....................."--me

 

"do you know where cahal pech is??"--me

 

I am star struck at this point. He says to me, 

 

'what is that?" British accent.

'a ruin.'

 

'Oh. No I don’t know where that is.'

'Ok. how long have you been in Belize?'

'a week.'

 

Then I stared at him. But he had glasses on.  I strained to see through them. They must have some serious UVB protection bc I couldn’t get through them. So I said, 

 

'Ok! Thank you!'

 

And that was it.

 

 So I actually don’t know if it was Benedict. If it was, I am very happy with my life. If not, I got a Rasta man worked up for nothing at all. Please check his twitter account. I imagine one of his recent posts would read something like this, 

 

"Wow I am having a great time here in Belize with my girlfriend who is American". 

 

Let me know what you find.

 

So apart from that, Sister H and I are tearing it up out here. It’s getting warm, but I prefer the heat to the cold. I’m getting a niiiice tan. What’s upppp.  Sun-kissed skin is the way to go. 

 

 

I can relate to Nephi and Moroni (prophets in the Book of Mormon) these days. My blood, sweat, and tears have all been laid down in Belize. Blood for falling off my bike, sweat for walking up these COLOSSAL hills every day and night, and tears for people who I love who know what we teach is true but won’t change.

 

My favorite sweet little old lady in the world died this week. Her name is M.  M is a Mayan fireball. She had more sass than I had ever before seen in all the world. She was so cute and every time we asked her to pray when visiting her she would tilt her head back and squint her eyes and smile slowly...and then come up with a ridiculously witty line to try and pawn off the prayer to someone else. Also she had one tooth. ALSO. One time. It was midday and about 95 degrees outside, and little 80 year old M walked to church at the pace of a snail. All alone. Love her.

 

She died because her grandson was drinking and his wife was throwing bottles at him in anger. This always upset M. She stepped in to stop the wife, and got her foot stuck, fell and hit her head. She was in a coma for 4 days before she died. 

 

I played piano at her funeral. How I loved that woman! She was a great example to me. I miss her a lot. But I am so grateful for the plan of salvation. I know God really does have a perfect plan for us. I know I will see M again. I can’t wait. 

 

You are all really wonderful people. I love hearing from you. Thanks for the many letters. I wish I could convey my feelings to all...the depth and breadth of my testimony. But I just can’t. But how beautiful it is to read the words of prophets every day! Both living and dead...we have countless testimonies of Christ and God the Father, and they fill me with faith! The testimonies of the living prophets are available on lds.org.  Google LDS.org general conference, you will hear prophets speak…you won’t regret it!  I love Heavenly Father's perfect plan for us. 

 

So. Go forth with faith! I know God always prepares a way. 

 

Love 

Sista Hirschi

 

ps the health fair was fun. I handed out a lot of fliers. Good things these days. I am a pro at talking to strangers on the streets:))

 

 

"Whatever is happening right now....the result will involve physical pain"

 

Here comes a quickie. 

I have little time. 

Sorry for always complaining about that. I will repent and do better. 

 

So what goes down in Belize, you may be asking yourself. The following:

 

1. Your investigator E*** who is AWESOME and from a tiny town in El Salvador and speaks purely Spanish, wears a BYU football shirt to a lesson you have with him one day. I think I fell down on the ground when I realized what he was wearing. All I could think, "where did you get that shirt.' Still don’t know where he got it. 

 

2 My bike, Shadowfax, has shown me the meaning of haste on multiple occasions. But this week, he became a living death trap. I was pumping hard--going all out--on this hill that drives me INSANE, when suddenly,  the chain quit. I heard this: 

 

"asdlfkhdfhadfhad"--that is metal grinding and going nuts.

 

 

then I thought this:

 

"Whatever is happening right now....the result will involve physical pain"

 

I proceeded to lurch forward, backward, and slam down to the ground. I walked away with only minor injuries, but a strained relationship with Shadowfax. He's trying to murder me. Not grounds for a happy relationship. 

 

Never a dull moment.

 

3. Baby cockroaches were living in my retainer case. good. I soaked my retainer in Listerine after that. How else do you disinfect a retainer that was a home to cockroaches?

 

Additionally, my best friend R*** accepted to be baptized May 11th. It is my birthday present even though he is unaware. Oh I'm so happy!! He has made so many changes in his life. He prays, he doesn’t drink, he comes to church, he feels the spirit, he still makes fun of my physical appearance--mostly my hair. Ah. He loves the Book of Mormon. Because...he reads the Book of Mormon. He always asks for more stories to read. 

 



Alaina with her last companion, Sis. Reyer (pink), new companion (right)

Apart from that, my comp and I have been engaging in some fun local service projects. We teach English classes 4 nights a week for free which is a huge crowd pleaser. And I love my students, they are so funny. This week we are also helping a local charity run an event!! They serve lunches to kids who don’t have enough to eat. I am excited to work with them. Additionally...we are starting an alcoholics anonymous group. Some senior missionaries in Belize used to host it back in the states...and this is a community in serious need of that kind of help. It’s hard to feel the spirit when you’re totally glazed. I am hoping our area will respond well. So  many people are so lost and so controlled by alcohol. I’ve seen a lot of lives destroyed by liquor. I hate it. Hopefully we can help out a little bit. 

 

I am doing well. I am not cold. and I love this scripture. 

 

And Jesus said to him, "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes."24Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, "I do believe; help my unbelief." 

 

Ii believe, help thou mine unbelief. Do you know what I like about this example of Christ’s compassion? He did not scold the man for his doubt. He helped him! It gives me hope for myself. I am doing my best to be faithful and to believe and to increase my belief, and I know it is acceptable to God. He will heal us, and He will help our unbelief. 

 

I love Jesus Christ. I love Easter. He is risen! I love the gospel of Jesus Christ...and I know through it and the atonement...even our smallest flaws can be mended. 

 

I love you all. I love to pray. I love America. Please....PLEASE. If you want direction, purpose, and peace....live the gospel. Read the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Go to church. Pray pray pray. Keep the commandments. WIth all the energy and feeling of my soul I implore you!!! Trust that these things will bring you joy. I know that they will. 

 

Be true.

 

Love, Sister Hirschi

 

 

I'm sorry… Did anyone else put together the fact that burrito means little donkey??!?!?!?!? I cannot stop laughing, especially because the Latina that lives with me calls people burros allllll the time. But sometimes it’s more fun in English. Give 'er a spin. Call someone a little donkey. And then repent. 

 

So another fast-paced week in Belize. But let us begin with some shout-outs. 

 

1. SCOTT J.  You dirty dog you. I got your letter this week. I LOVED reading your letter, it was such a privilege. Congrats on getting engaged! Please send me an announcement. You are the man. And please, other people- send me mail. (contact me at shirsc@yahoo.com for the address)

 

2. NATE AND JULIE !!!!!!Wow you guys are married. I love you guys. Congrats. I hear the wedding was a smashing success. You two. Tear it up in married land ok?? Love you both. 

 

3. There were changes this week. And my heart is bleeding because I lost my dearly-beloved companion Sister R. She was moved to El Salvador. We had a lot of precious moments together. In fact, we were so synchronized near the end that we rode our bikes side by side, and dismounted the same side, at the same time, in the exact same fashion. Truly, we were one flesh. And truly, I cried to see her go. But God needs her somewhere else. And He needs me in Belize. Belize and me forever you guys. 

 

Apart from that, this week my north face back pack died. I am mourning the loss of this faithful friend who went through 3 years of BYU with me and 7 months of mission life. But actually I am hanging onto her. The bottom may be blown out, but I am placing my items inside her very precariously and she lives on. 

 

Additionally, I cut my hair. Bad idea? Sure. Luckily, one of our great investigators works at a salon and fixed it for me. Initially, I literally appeared to have a mane identical to a lions. Our investigator R*** spared no pains in letting me know it looked crazy. 

 

So my new companion is Sister H and she will be going home soon. But we are teaching a young man named J****. End of our first lesson he says, ‘‘So...what does one have to do in order to serve a mission like you guys?'' and we said, ''get baptized''. And he said, ''Ok. Sounds good''. In short, J**** is awesome. And he will bet getting baptized very soon. As will R***.

 

 

I learned a lot this week. True to mission form. And my zone split in half! We are now a baby zone. I don’t know what my bit is about this week. Maybe that God's ways are higher than ours. And His standards are perfection. His church will require the best of us--nothing less makes any sense. In fact He requires more than our best--which is possible--but only through Christ. So here is a classic missionary scripture that I love more every day. 

 

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak;therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast  of my God,for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mightymiracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise hisname forever.

 

Sending my love always from Belize. Change is rough, but new adventures are smooth. 

 

Go to church and say your prayers. And listen to bachata music. And Enrique Iglesias singing in Spanish. It will transform your life.

 

Sista Hirschi

 

 

All my dreams came true; through the power of General Conference.

Question.

 

Do you know God is the same yesterday today and forever?

Do you know He has called prophets since the beginning of man on earth?...beginning with Adam?

Do you know He continues to lead and guide his children on the earth through a prophet?

Do you know the prophet is the mouth piece of the Lord and that he spoke to all the world this last weekend in the bi-annual general conference??

Do you know you can ask God if this is true and He will respond with a personal answer?

 

Because that should knock your socks right off. 

They should be lying on the floor. Right now. 

No longer on your feet. 

 

It was a fantastic week in Belize. 

It began with a flood in our house, which actually hurt the level of optimism I felt about the week...but many events which I will soon unfold rebuilt this week's ratings. 

Some guys were power washing our roof and didn’t bother to say anything about the matter. They did it to find the holes in our roof…because they knew there were holes in our roof. Translation? The water ends up in our house destroying many precious materialistic things.  

I’m over it. 

 In other news, I want you guys to come with me for one sec to see how it is that I introduce myself to strangers on the street. 

 

''hi. how are you?"

"I’m good thanks."

"Great brother! My name is Sister Hirschi"

"Sister what?"

"Sister Hirschi--like the chocolate?"

"oh....ok...ha. haha. hahahaha."

 

Do you have any idea how many times I have rehearsed that joke. So many times that I hate myself for it. It disgusts me but I continue to use it. Do you know why? Because the Belizeans laugh at it every time. It never fails. So while it now makes me physically ill, I press on. 

 

In other news, our weekly excursions to ruins continue. This week presented a new adventure...GUATEMALA GENTE MALA. We went to Guatemala!! so I can add another country to my list. You all know you have the same list. 

 

I made the following observations about Guatemala and the ruin we visited, namely Yahxa. 

 

1. Guatemalan Spanish is infinitely more beautiful than Belizean Spanish. 

2. Guatemala is a beautiful country. 

3. it was hot. 

4. I like ruins but I liked the jungle more. 

5. I am getting bored of ruins. once you've seen 8 piles of organized rocks, you've seen them all. 

6. Yahxa was pretty cool though, because it was a complete city, totally excavated. It took us hours to walk around each temple. The views from the top were spectacular.

 

I have gotten smarter. I took an umbrella with me. The result?? I suffered dehydration and great humiliation, but I did not burn.  

I consider this a victory. 

 

Well apart from all the funnies, there was General conference this week, and I soaked in every word. Among my favorites were the talks given by President Uchtdorf. Also this week Sis R and I continued to teach our young friend RY about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is actually Andrews age! (Alaina’s 17 year old brother)

 

Last night we asked RY what he would do if he got an answer from God that what we were teaching him was true, that Christ's church is on the earth today--same as He organized when He was here. RY responded, 'I would go to church, and then I would tell my friends about it and I would do what you guys do and preach the gospel.'

 

Have I ever been more impressed with spiritual insight or maturity from one so young? no.  Have I ever seen such great faith in Belize? no. Is RY going to change his life and the lives of his family and friends? of course. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the power to change.

 

 “True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior. Preoccupation with unworthy behavior can lead to unworthy behavior. That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel.”

 

We have living prophets whose words are the words of the Lord. I testify that God lives and that he is gathering his elect and that we all need the words of the prophets in our lives to motivate and uplift us. We can all speak more boldly and with more understanding about the restored truths of the gospel. 

 

I have a lot of fav moments from general conference. Go here-- lds.org --to read and watch those talks. Study them. Pray about them. How I love them!

 

I love you all, but above all I love our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 

I am so grateful to be here.

 

Happy April, 

Sista Hirschi

 

 

Di harse gahn!! Escape of Chalupa

Hola!! 

 

Today is a great day in Belize. 

Do you know something I have struggled with on my mission??

Every day, until about 10am...give or take an hour, I think I am on vacation. 

(This would be an interesting vacation…missionaries are up at 6:30 every morning with 30 minutes for exercise, 2 hours of scripture reading and study and another 30 min-1 hour of language study.  Not how I envision vacation mornings!)

Add to that the fact that I am burnin, burnin, burnin…another common characteristic of every vacation I have ever taken.

I am extra crispy and red. EVERY Belizean loves to comment on that fact. I'm all, 'hey I’m tan!' and said Belizean is like, 'you are red. are you ok?'

 NO IM NOT OK IM DEVELOPING A SERIOUS FORM OF SKIN CANCER AT AGE 21. 

 Sunblock is good for nothing in this sun. 

 Enough rants on that topic. there is always chemo. [Just between you and me(Alaina’s mom) I contacted the Mission Presidents wife today to get some help on the sunburn issue.]

 

So something else marginally cool happened this week. At the end of a lesson I found a TARANTULA in my backpack. I remained relatively calm and ordered the investigator to please, kindly, remove the arachnid from my personal item.  He did so without delay, but also noted that if I had enough faith the spider wouldn't have been there. 

 Still working out on sorting the correlation between spiders and faith. It'll come. Give me another week. 

 

Additionally, Sister R** and I enjoyed dinner with some members last night. They were celebrating a birthday for Dad with the ENTIRE extended family. It also so happened that grandpa had bought the granddaughters a horse that day. 

 A 3000 dollar horse name Chalupa.

 First. Whose grandpa actually buys them a pony?

Second. The horse was tied up outside to the porch. We were all enjoying some birthday cake, when the conversation returned to the horse. Someone nonchalantly decided to check on the whereabouts of Chalupa the pony. Suddenly, all the family members of this large family reunion/birthday party started shouting: DI HARSE GAHN!! (kriol). 

 We sent out a search party for Chalupa. 

It took us about 10 minutes. But we located her in a greener pasture. 

 

Where is the mission reality TV show? But seriously. Still laughing about that slippery little pony.

 

Also. I am wondering if everyone else knows of the reality of the power of prayer?? And that God answers prayers? Sometimes REALLY SUPER fast. It will blow your mind. Like it did mine, this week. Because I was struggling with a personal trial this week...and it was not fun in any way, shape, or form. Notice that I have omitted further details.

 

One night, I got on my knees and poured it all out--but it still hurt. God often lets us to continue to hurt in order to grow a liiiittle bit more. 

But then, the next morning, He comforted me immediately. I opened up a Liahona (a church magazine with articles written by church leaders) right to an article which contained all the answers I needed to be soothed, to move me to repent, and to solve the issue I was confronting. I still hurt, and it wasn't easy to accept the message, but God showed me how to be whole. He knows us. The gospel has alllll the answers. What a gift!

 So. General conference anyone?? (A meeting held every 6 months when the leaders of the LDS church speak to the general membership of the church. There are 5 two hour sessions that are broadcast around the world).  I've never been so excited. Ever. Hahaha. Bring on the revelations!!! I am ready to feast on the word. And this feels like my only connection to the outside world.

I love you all. I love our Heavenly Father. 

 

As per usual, I implore you all-be righteous. Have a nice week. 

 

Love Sista Hirschi