Hi Mom, Dad, Family, and Friends,
So this week was much better. It feels like forever ago that all
that crazy stuff happened. But yeah! My comp finally got to talk with her
family! We were at one house (taking care of dogs... yep... still do that here
too:)) and the family left a computer for my comp to use. But it turns out that
it was an old computer and it wasn’t charged and it couldn’t plug it in and so she
didn’t get to talk to them and she started to say stuff like, “It doesn’t
matter, no big deal, blah, blah, blah.” But I frankly told her to get on her
bike and we’re going to go looking. I just said a huge prayer in my heart and
followed what I think was the spirit and went to a member’s home. They had
internet and had planned to leave that night, but instead felt like they should
stay in - lo and behold, here we came! We quickly got up the Skype, and YAY, we
saw her family! She was so happy and I just started crying, because I was so
incredibly relieved. I couldn’t imagine another December 25th. I am just so
happy for her and it was such a happy moment!
I don’t know if you all have heard, but there’s a chickenpox
outbreak here. Hermana Guererro from my district has it pretty bad and will be
in quarantine in her room for 40 days! Wow! I never had chickenpox, right? I never got a booster shot in the MTC... :/
uh oh. I hope it doesn’t matter! :) I’ll wash my hands more often! ;) Bahahaha.
But, I have a lot of faith in my blessing that I will have a safe and healthy
mission, so I’m not too worried. :) But it’s sure going around... there are 6
families in our ward that have it too. Crazy stuff...
So remember how we asked each other many times, “What are you most
grateful for of all the modern conveniences? Toilets, electricity, etc?”
Remember how we always would say warm water? Well, I now know the full reality
of how grateful I am for hot water. It’s now been 3 weeks for us with no hot
water. So every morning (it’s FREEZING in the mornings) I shower with freezing
cold water. Oh my goodness, I can’t wait to have warm water again! I’m never
going to complain about stuff like that again. We have to pay monthly for gas
in order to have running water and we ran out. We tried calling like normal to
have the gas guys come to our house, but they NEVER ANSWER! Oh my goodness, it’s
a struggle. So, when you all count your blessings, count hot showers twice.
;)
We had 2 baptisms this week! They are two ladies, Blanca and
Pamela. (Mother and daughter) and they are great. Blanca is the mom and she’s
pretty old and was a Christiana, but began to dislike her church. So she and
her daughter came to the church all on their own and were in our area and are definitely
two of the chosen. Pamela has... well... I don’t know how to explain it. She’s
like half special needs. Due to an accident that happened in her past, she isn’t
all quite there. So we had the question of - if she even needs to be baptized, because if
she doesn’t know right from wrong she’s innocent and doesn’t need baptism, but
we taught her and prepared her well anyway. During the interview, it turns out
Elder Caamal felt inspired that yes, she could tell the differences and we can
see bits of light at times in her, so she got baptized too! It’s been an
incredible three months!
THREE MONTHS!!! Wow... crazy. Turns out NO ONE in our district
has cambios!!! Wahoo!!!! So my same comp and I are in the same area for another
6 weeks... whew. I’m glad, excited, and nervous at the same time. But I’m so
glad to continue getting to know these incredible people. My comp today told me
that Elder Caamal and I are her only friends in the mission. It made me so
happy to hear that I made the cut... haha
New Years Eve night my comp and I got up out of bed at 11:50 pm
to celebrate New Years. There’s a tradition here of eating 12 grapes at exactly
midnight, so we bought grapes and ate them! They were delicious! Every grape
symbolizes a month in the new year and you get one wish for each month. It was
really cool. My comp had been telling me, and others, about the traditions in Ecuador
and it turns out they make a huge mannequin that looks like someone and at
midnight they light it up. Yeah, gasoline, the whole deal. So I secretly made a
mini mannequin for her, and at 11:59 pm, brought it out with a lighter and we
lit it on fire and we laughed at how pathetic it all was. But we had a grand
old time. :)
It’s
nuts how great it is to teach and go all out with all the people, but not many
actually follow through, but every so often we find bits of gold. We had two
baptisms yesterday, two more in two weeks and the family of 5 in February! It’s
amazing! I know it’s not me that’s doing anything, which makes it all the more
fun to watch the hands of the Lord in everyone’s lives. There’s a story that I
love that talks about a man that God came to in the night and told him that his
duty was to push this huge rock. So the man, being obedient, went out day after
day and pushed this rock. But after a long time, the rock never moved and he felt
super discouraged, right? Satan entered into his mind with negative thoughts
and right before letting go and giving up the man decided to say a prayer. God
heard the prayer and came to him and told the man that he would never move the
rock, it’s true, but that his job wasn’t to move the rock, it was to push. The
only one who can move the rock is the Lord. I love this story. At times I feel
very useless and like I don’t know anything. But hey, I’m here trying, and that’s
what’s important.
 |
| From the Mission Mom |
The most important thing I am learning here is... how to love
others, that there’s a balance in all things, that I need to confide more in my
leaders, to always think about others and never about myself, diligence,
obedience, Spanish, and that the scriptures are the bomb. Oh I’m learning so
much.
 |
| Notice anything about this photo? |
Frankly, Mom and Dad, I have never been happier in my life. I
have never felt more fulfilled and full of purpose in my life. There are so
many things that I don’t need to think about, or worry about, and it makes my
life happier. I miss you two loads. The only way to be happier would be to see
you three more often. But I truly can’t explain my joy that I feel here. I love
these people. The Lord knew right where to put me.
 |
| Love the rain! |
So… that’s all folks! Thanks for all of the pictures and
updates. I love absolutely everything! I hope your New Years Eve was great and
that you all know I love you so much! You are my heroes and I am so incredibly
grateful for you three. I’m so happy you got to see the video that I made you
(finally:)) and I hope you liked it. Thanks for all you do and I love you so
much!
MWAH!!!
Hermana Anstee :)
P.S.
DAD! So do you know how much I love you! What a blessing it was
to talk to you and Mom and Buddy on Christmas? Oh I can’t wait until Mother’s
Day! :)
To answer your question... I am truly happy. I have some of the
highest highs and lowest lows, but thanks to the blessing of happiness, I am
almost always incredibly happy. I can’t truly explain how happy I am. Yeah, I
miss you my dear family, but I am learning that I have a really big second
family here. This is quite an adventure and it’s so amazing to be a part of
this big work. I will definitely let you know if I’m not happy, but I don’t
think that’s ever going to happen!
Oh! I ate pig ears this week, yesterday. They are
DISGUSTING.
It’s an honor to be your daughter. Every day I sing Delaney Talks
to Statues and think of you. It made me so happy to see you skiing with mom and
buddy and that you fixed the chair with Grandpa. You’re my hero dad. Thanks for
being the greatest example ever. You and Mom are the most amazing people on the
planet... and I get to call you Mom and Dad... how lucky am I?
Well, I can’t really explain how much I love you. Just know it’s
a lot, more that infinity and beyond. :)
Mwah!!!!
Your Little Mexican
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