First Baptism!

HOLA YAAAAAAALLL!

So before I start, did Rachel get my birthday email? 

Anyways, Hermana Kava knows Sefa Palu. They were both at BYU-I together. CRAZY HOW SMALL THIS WORLD IS!!  It’s also CRAZY how much I miss you guys!!!!!

Monday: For P-day our Zone had a water fight lol it was teams at first and then it turned into every man for themselves LOL. And Hermana Ojeda made deep-fried Oreos. They weren't too bad, but I wouldn't make them on my own if you get my drift. So Monday was good.

Tuesday: Kava got SIIIICKKK! She was puai'ing all over the shop. CRAZZZY! But I felt so bad cos I know if that was me, I would be feeling so BAAAGGGYYYY! And that’s all she was saying too. That she just wanted her Mum. Maaaan, when that day comes I might just buy a calling card and call home... HAHAHAHA JOKES! #Exact Obedience Auuuuu! But yeah she just rested and I read every Liahona ever published LOL... Nah, but I did study alot so it was good. My poor comp!

Wednesday: FATHERS DAY!!! Dia de la Padres!!! It was Father’s Day here so there was no work or school. And it was a baggy moment for sure. I MISS MY DADDY!!!!!!! The sad thing though, was all the pubs were PACKED like no other day. It made me sick in my stomach to think that it’s FATHERS DAY right? And all these daddies have a day off work to spend with their CHILDREN... but they’re in pubs. But ni modo, that’s why us missionaries are here. TO HELP FAMILIES!!!

Thursday: My 3 month mark!!!! ... CRAYCRAY! Where did the time go? They say that missions are the fastest things you will ever do. And I'm feeling it for sure! Arrrgggh!  When people ask me, "How much time have you got left in the mish?" I say "18 months" hahaha. I don't want it to seem real. 15 MONTHS ALREADY? Rewind time please!?!?! It is the best decision I have EVER made in my life. Although, I miss my family and friends more than anything, I LOVE IT HERE. #NoRegrets!!!

Also, Thursdays are Zone meetings so we had that and it was our Hermana Lider - Hermana Ojeda's 20th birthday the next day so we had a little celebration. Me and Kava got her a lei and a flower for her hair, we bought $1 confetti rockets which were SUPER FUN and ONLY $1 !!!! But it was super fun... I hate that I say "super"so much LOL. It’s so American but then El Salvadorians say it too. #StupidWord But yeah Thursday was fun and then we ate together as a Zone.

Friday: OMG I GOT 6 LETTERS! CONGRATULATIONS ADELE! I cannot believe noone told me earlier. ENGAGED HUH? WOOO WOOO! Dela picaaaaa... Happy for you, and miss you lots. I will send a letter soon! #DemLipsTho LOL! Also, TIFFANNNYYYY AND NIIIIICKKKKKKKK OMGGGGGGGG!!!!! Why did she not tell me in her letter? You wait Tiffany! hahahahaha! WOOOOPPPP! When I read it I nearly fell off my chair LOL.

Saturday: B A P T I S M  D A Y!!!!!

The day of my first baptism! I was so happy I wanted to cry! Javier was the first person I met here in Ayutuxtepeque so I was SUPER EXCITED! I loved the baptism and it was so packed. Our ward is super supportive. Also, we taught our family for the first time. They were so receptive to our message and I could see the spirit working through them. The wife’s name is Sonya and the husband... I can't spell it nor say it hahahaha but they are such a beautiful young couple. Their house is so modern and the husband speaks English. Both their mothers live in California but they're content with living here. I would be too though; it’s such a beautiful country. I love it here! 

Sunday: CHURCH! Always a good day, I had to say the opening prayer in sacrament. I've never had to do anything in sacrament so I was a little nervous but I didn't die so... HAHAHA! We had singing practice with the youth for ward conference this Sunday. They’re singing - Come Thou Fount... 

And then today is P-DAY AGAIN... The days go fast, I feel like I was just here writing. In the Liahona I read some articles that I wanted to share with yous to read:

Feb 2015: "We Miss Sofia" (I bawled my eyes out)

Jan 2015: "The Road To A Forever Family" (nice to share)

June 2015: "I Love You" (This is me hahaha)

Okay one more story before I hit the road, we did a Zone attack in Vista Hermosa (Elders Mio and Herrera's area) and there was this drunk guy. Lol he speaks 5 different languages. He was asking Kava if she would give me to him. Ummmmm! Then Kava said that he has to ask my Dad and he started saying "Oh no Samoa are big and strong." we were just like... okay... baaaaiiii LMAO!

Leata, I still hate practices. How’s Mission Prep? How’s Stacey? Is she on the mish yet? Also, Avengers is the IT here... I see them heroes everywhere lol.

Well, as always I want to end with my testimony that I know that this church is true and I would be absolutely NOTHING without it. I am blessed far beyond measure that our Heavenly Father trusts me with His work. This is it, and I'll never have the opportunity to do this again. I love it, I love it all! The scriptures are the words of God; they are there to help us in every way. We have to read them! "Don't yield to Satan's lie that you don't have time to study the scriptures. Choose to take time to study them. Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, TV shows, video games, or social media. You may need to reorganise your priorities to provide time for the study of the WORD OF GOD. If so, DO IT!" - Elder Richard G. Scott

"Make scripture reading part of your regular routine and blessings will follow. If you learn from the scriptures early in life, you will come to know the path you should walk." - Boyd. K Packer

And I want to testify of their words, that I know that if you take time, even if just a little, to read your scriptures you will see such a great change in your life. Put it this way, if you have time to stalk on Facebook, double tap on Instagram or snap on Snapchat... then you HAVE TIME to read the word of God. Well, as you already know, I LOVE YOU MORE THAN LIFE. FAMILIES ARE FOREVER. MAKE GOOD CHOICES. AND PRAY ALWAYS. PRAYER IS A GIFT. DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED. 

I love you. Te quiero mucho. 

Don't miss me too much, I've got work to do.

Hermana Loli, XO 

"Heaven without your Family just wouldn't be Heaven." 

- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

SHOUTOUTS:

Happy Birthday Phil!!!! 

Papa Johns

Hola mi amores!

This week has been CRAYCRAY!

So after we wrote on Monday we went to Papa Johns ALL YOU CAN EAT for $6.99... It was crazy and so not worth the money cos I only ate 6 pieces but you know. It was cool!

Wednesday was CHANGE MEETING. Kava and I are still the same so YAYYYY! She will finish my training which is good. Our house is nearly done. We just need a sink now... I'm really starting to get used to the cold water and showering with buckets now. It reminds me of Samoa so all good.

Wednesday was kinda sad like 23 missionaries died and we only got like 7 new missionaries. So the mission lost alot. But we're the good few that are left HAHAHA kidding. My mission Dad died with that bunch. I miss that kid!

Thursday was Zone Meetings like every zone meeting. Our new District Leader is Elder Monsen, He is 18 years old from Utah and he is LEGIT!! He plays the guitar and is super chill. I like him already. Osiek is still here with us so that’s cool too. 

I LOVE THE MISSION, MISSION IS LIFEEEEE!!!

We started teaching a family, Rosanna is the mum, Alan is the 17 year old son and Nicolle the 10 year old daughter. The husband has another lady on the side and it makes Alan mad b'cos then his dad has no time for him. He fully opened up to us, the mum as well and they are super nice. The one problem with them is Alan always hugs us and kisses us on the cheek. So we need to put a stop to that! Hahaha!

JAVIER GETS BAPTISED THIS SATURDAAAAYYY!!!!! So excited that I could cry... He’s super awesome too! Love that guy.

Also we had a multi-zona on Friday cos the Hintze's son just finished his mission from Guatemala and came to speak with us. So, he will be here for a week before he heads home to Utah. It was super cool and Hermana Hintze asked us to do an item for him. So Fiu lead the HAKA and Lino, Kava and I did the girl maori part in the back GHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHA! Osiek and Mikkelson did the haka with Fiu cos Fonoimoana had left somewhere and Mapusua was in the toilet hahahaha. But it was super fun!!!

In the photo attached is Elder Kapisi (half Samoan from Hawaii), who mission died this last change, Elder Mapusua (Samoan from Cali), me kava fonoimoana and Elder Sitani (Tongan from Utah)...

I miss you guys so much! But I LOVE IT HERE....IT IS LIFE, MISSION LIFE IS REAL LIFE FOR REAL... And I love it!!! 

Okay love you guys forever. SORRY it’s so short!!!

SHOUTOUTS!!! 
Happy Birthday Elaine!!! 

I LOVE YOU ALL FOREVER... DONT MISS ME TOO MUCH, IVE GOT WORK TO DO!!!

HERMANA LOLI!!!

Estoy feliz!!!!

The Polynesian Night!

Buenas dias!

So this week has been CRAZY! Although, every day is crazy here in the mission. PERO, I LOVE IT ALLLLL!!! 

A little sad because my mission Dad (Elder Schappell) dies (mission dies) this Wednesday and heads for Colorado on Thursday - HOMEEEEEEEE. As well as my Hermana Lider, shes from Guatemala (Hermana Escobar). Last Monday after we emailed my District helped paint our house. It was nice District bonding time! The Cuscatlan sisters are singing again this change meeting, so thats Wednesday. Not sure what we are going to sing... but we need practice bro... LOL! For realzzaayyy!

But anyways this week has honestly been HEKTIK! Probably because of our Poly night prep... Like practices, decorations and MADNESSS!  But we got through... The Poly night was AWESOME! (Well I think so anyway hahaha) More about that later...

We discussed in District Meeting this week that if you want EXITO (success) in your mission you must Ser obediente y trabajar duro (BE OBEDIENT and WORK HAAARD!) and it is THE TRUTHHHH! And don't get homesick... (guilty hahaha) but just gotta remember D&C 31 (read it)...

We have an investigator, William, he lived in Brooklyn and so his English is GREAT. He honestly treats me and Kava like his daughters. So on every street is a Vigilante, like the security guard, and they either have guns or machetes, William has a gun but anyway #offtopic hahaha. So William is the vigilante on one of the streets (pasaje) and he is a recent convert. He is like our dad here in Ayutuxtepeque. He tells us who is good to talk to and who isn't. And he tells us that we need to lose weight BWAHAHAHAHA! He honestly reminds me of my dad. When I told him that my dad told me not to talk to any strangers he looked at me in the eyes, dead straight and he says "yeah your dad is right" I just laughed. He cracks me up!

We also have Besi, who is 19 and has a 1 year old baby Denise who we have just started teaching. She is super positive except, she lives with her boyfriend (the baby daddy). And that's a common problem here because people just don't have money to get married. So most times if they are willing, the church helps them out so that can be married and then baptised. So we are just praying praying. She doesn't really understand my Spanish HAHAHAHA but its okay because the spirit is always there.

The other night at one of the members houses, they gave us this drink and it tasted like ECCO... OMG I MISS ECCO and so I was actually really grateful even though its not ideal to drink hot drinks in such a hot country like this LOL! The youth are having like little fundraisers for SOY (EFY) and they were selling this alaisa thing... which reminded me of sua alaisa... naaaaiiiice! Anyways, there's my food cravings lol!

Oh oh oh... Barcelona won... not like its a big thing but you know we cant watch tv but if youre having lunch or dinner at someones house you cant tell them to turn it off HAHAHA. And Neymar Jr... OMG!! #HeLooksSamoan, Before my mission I couldnt play any kind of sport... pero, ahora... I still can't HAHAHA but I actually LOVE LOVE futbol (soccer)... its the bomb!

So funny thing, our house is on a hill so when we walk home every night, we are like both so wasted.. like cant even walk and Kava always asks me to piggy back her... So one morning during study we decided to try it hahahahahahaa it was the funniest thing of my life... #FAAAAAILLLLLL!!!! But you know atleast we can say we tried it huh? We nearly like both stacked it... So we will never do that again, LOL!

Also one of the members showed me my blog... ahhhh! Can you not have a photo of my crying on skype... like ewwww... LOL! nah all good, good job Bez! Go hard or go hommmeeeee hahaha!

Oh oh oh, we got permission from our ZLs to watch Johnny Lingo... Ummm, #BAAAGGGYYYYY! "my band, Johnny is that you?" HAHAHAHA! Kava had never seen it before so it was crazk up for real! Now shes forever singing TAMAHANAAAAA! Oh goodness! Too funny... Okay-- POLY NIGHT!!! 

IT WAS THE BESSSTTT! So we have these neighbours in our pasaje. We always see the young son (probably Hansys age) playing, theres the mum, dad (young couple) and then a baby girl (rorys age).. and in prep for our poly night we just went HAM inviting everybody.So we invite them... and we didnt think they would actually come... BUT OMG WHEN THEY WALKED IN THE CHAPEL... I DIED!!!! I just felt so complete man, it was THE BESSSTTTT!!!! So excited I wanted to cry!!! 

We started with a young couple in our ward (La familia Martinez) talking about temples and families and the importance of temples. Then me and Kava started our presentation... it was a tour of the temples in the islands and we had to talk a little about our countries. So then we started with Primary and they did a Tahitian dance, Samoa, and that was the Relief Society and me dancing to "Tausagi Mai"  and then me and Elder Fonoimoana sung "Tali Maia" and I played the uke.        

 Then then the youth did Hawaii with Kava and they did the Lilo & Stitch song, after was Tonga and me and Kava sung "Hey Girl" then we ended with the Haka... HAHAHAHA! I so wish I could send videos... OMG! It was the best though. Presidente y Hermana Hintze came, all the APs, our district, all the sisters in our zone and our ZLs too.  It was a great night and Im actually so glad we pulled it off. Con Dios, todos es posible! (With God, all is possible)... Funny cos we were kinda stressing about this beforehand and I say to Kava "seriously though who do we think we are trying to pull this off? The PCC or something?" hahahahaha then we both cracked up. But it was good, President said it reminded him of it. HAHAHA! I think he was just being nice LOL but nah, it was good. Hermana Hintze said "theres just this thing about the movement in your bodies that greengos and latinos cant do"... But yeah really glad everything worked out. No more poly nights now hahahaha!

But honestly, honestly, I am so grateful and so very blessed for the Gospel in my life! I would be such a lost little girl without it! 

President Henry B. Eyring said: "There seems to be no better answer to the question: Why trials come and what are we to do? If the foundation of faith is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble. Acting on even a twig of faith, allows God to grow it. And Everything takes time. We have the Gospel to help and shape our lives IF we choose it." It is sooooo truuueeee! 

God isn't telling us to have GREAT faith... faith the size of a mustard seed is ALL we need to move mountains. And if you've seen a mustard seed then you would know, its TINY AS! And if you haven't, google it hahaha but seriously, faith is all you need. 

I love this Gospel with all of my heart and I KNOW that I would be NOTHING without it. I love you guys so much, Time is going so fastttt, I feel like I just got to El Salvador and its already been 6 weeks... CRAZY CRAZY!!! I love you all more than liiiifeeeee!!! 

TE AMO!!!!!

Hermana Loli...

SALUUUU PUESSSS!!!!! 

SHOUTOUTS:

Happy Independence Day SAMOA!!!

Happy Birthday Rachel

Happy Blessing Day Evotia

Don't miss me too much I've got work to do!!! 

Getting ready for our Polynesian Night!

Hey hey!

How is Australia?

Man I miss you guys! How is everything?

So this week we are having our Polynesian night. So pretty excited about that. We had practice on Friday with the Primary and Relief Society. Primary is dancing Tahiti. Theyre doing Pate Pate, remember that dance Aso? Lol. So cuuuute! And then RS are doing Samoa... So mai but you know its nice, theyre trying. I could tell they were like getting ika bcos they could pick it up but it was cool. Priesthood are doing the haka, youth are doing Hawaii and me and Kava are singing Hey girl... Pretty keen for it I just hope it turns out good. It should be sweet though.

 

The Flyer for the Polynesian Night...

I can’t believe Laila is home... How is she? What are her plans now? Man send me photos. Like every time you go to upload a photo on facebook or instagram, SEND IT TO ME!!! It’s just as important for me to receive photos from you guys as it is for you to get them from me. Send me some of my Daddy.. My mumma! My babies, how much they’ve grown. Send me photos of Evotia’s blessing!

So this past week has been good, practice for the poly night this Saturday. Like no one turned up for our practices but you know, it’s all good baby baby!

Okay so there is now a Pub next to our house, well not next door but close. And it reminds me of The Kent and the other day they were playing Kingston Town - UB40... OMG BAAAAAAAGGGGGYYYYYYY! I miss UB40... Lol, but Ive got my whole life for that huh? But every time we walk passed that place there’s like nasty old men that miki at us. It’s funny cos its opposite here, they miki at girls and they ch-ch-ch at their kids. Samoa is opposite. Funny.

Anyways, another question, I am losing my Samoan. Can you send me for Christmas a Samoan dictionary? Like before it was okay with Fiu but now I have NO SAMOANS and so I don’t even remember what it sounds like sometimes unless I sing songs lol.

Oh also we have been painting our house, pimped it out. It reminds me of Calamity Jane hahahaha. Only one photo this week. Sorry these computers are so sketch. Sometimes they work and let me send heaps of photos and sometimes, nothing! But it’s cool. I love you guys and I miss you all LOTS!

Me & Hermana Kava

I just want you all to know that I love you all SO MUCH! More than life!!!!!!!!

I am so blessed to be a missionary, I am so grateful for our Fathers plan and for eternal families. I am grateful for the temples, I am so grateful for our leaders, for our living Prophet. We are so very blessed to be a part of this Gospel. I love the fact that we are forever bcos when I get all baggy I just think about ETERNITY and remind myself that 18 months is NOTHING compared to what we have together. YOU GUYS DONT EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU ALL! I am so grateful for the Atonement; I love our Saviour and am blessed to have His love in my life. We all are!

Thanks for all the letters guys... not hahahaha! Kidding. But yeah so far I’ve only received ONE letter my WHOLE 2 months out here in the field lol... Thanks Tiffany J ! Okay I love you all!

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO SMILE!!!

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER!!!

Don’t miss me too much I’ve got work to do.

Hermana Loli, X