LAST POST FROM THE CCM GUATEMALA!

COMO ESTAN?! 

So this is my last P-day in the CCM. Omg! Where did the time go? I love it here so much I don't want to leave... Entonces, this time next week I'll be in EL SALVADOR... (or maybe still on the bus... no se?) So you won't get an email from me next week. Lo siento! Pero, despues... SI!

This morning we went to the temple. I LOVE IT! Last time in the Guatemala templo... I'm going to miss it. This week was awesome, as every week is. I love my intake. We are tight as. The majority of us are going to my mission but then there 7 that are either staying in Guatemala or going to Honduras. I hate that we have to split up because we are all so tight and that bus ride without the other 7 is going to be sad. You won't hear from me for 2 weeks entonces I should write something exciting. I don't really have anything I can remember because I left my journal in my room but...

... yesterday the Elderes in our District were late and so Hermano Escobar shared a story about why we need to have punctualidad. He said on his mission he and his companion were 2 minutes late. When they knocked on the door, the guy came to the door and opened, looked at his watch then looked up and said to Hermano Escobar and his companion "thanks for your time" then closed the door. The Elder's were shocked and knocked again. The guy opened the door and said "You are representatives of Jesus Christ yes?" The Elder's nodded and then he said "Do you think Jesus would be late to a lesson?" and then closed the door. I felt bad for my Elder's but then again didn't really LOL! Jokes, I love those guys.

Omg!  Another thing... it came to a point where I needed to open one of my emotion letters  hahaha. And to my surprise it was Adele and Rachel's letters. I miss them, tell them I said that lol. I was cracking up reading them. Too funny!!

Oh this morning as we were coming out of the templo we bumped into an Elder Puletu'a who is from Hebersham stake. He's Tongan serving here in Guatemala Este (East). It was crazy talking to him and knowing everyone that he knew. He reminded me heaps of Victor. Crazy!

Anyways, I love it here, I love the spirit that I am able to feel here every second. I know that I am where I need to be right now. I have been getting CRAZY deja vu since being here and one of the Elder's told me that you only get deja vu when you are in the right place. Crazy cos all of us have been getting it like crazy. And I swear I've dreamt about this place before and everyone I've met. 

No turning back, ever.

Omg and Leata I know why you love Elder Holland... Yo tambien! He is the man! I love love love love love him! Also the other night we were watching a devotional and in the choir I saw Tiffany Davison... CRAY CRAY! And then in another devotional we watched I saw Elder Zelezniak. SO pretty crazy that Leata would've been in the MTC at that time.

Anyways I have 5 minutes left. I love you guys siempre. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEZ!!!! I won't be able to write again before it. Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!... Guys buy me a camera... seriously.

Con amor...

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

Hermana Loli. xo

Sister Training Leader for CCM Guatemala

Hola!

So first off, its P-day* and we went to the temple as we do every P-day and then after that we went to the market... Okay!

So, we got a BOM* each and a pass along card. We all had to pair up with elders, so a sister companionship to Elder's. It felt so good to get out of here finally and see the real world. It was THE BOMB!

Hermana Scott & I placed our copies of the BOM at the market and it was all gravy. Then we had time to go out to the plaza to talk to people about the gospel and if people still had BOMs left then we could give them out.

Okay... so we got rejected a few times, especially by this one lady that we walked up to and said "Hola, como esta?" nekk minnit, "NO CATOLICO!!" haaaaawrightyyyy thennnnn HAHAHAHA! I died, pero whatevers your salvation lol kidding kidding. But it was cool.

On our way back to the bus, a guy stops us. Me, Hermana Scott (Virginia), Elder Verdine (Utah) and Elder Addi (Melbourne)... starts saying to my companion "I have a love for you" and stuff like when I asked him "Creer en Dios?" (Do you believe in God?) he goes "God sent you to me" and we were all like "whaaaaa" cos he was trying to chat her up earlier... then we started trying to preach to him and we could see we were getting nowhere with that so then we started finishing up our "lesson thing" and he grabs her hand to shake it, then grabs her and fully kisses her on the cheek... I was in shock like bigtime and Elder Verdine had the guys shoulder like "okay okay what are you doing?" it was awkward me and Addi were shocked as. But good experience, I felt sorry for my poor companion but I think it’s because here they like "chunky white girls" her own words LOL! But yeah today was hektik, I loved it. To finally get out of the CCM and go into the real world. I cannot wait to get out there.

It was crazy because the people ACTUALLY understood my broken as, stupid as Spanish hahahaha! I love Guatemala and wish I could serve here but I'm sure I will love El Salvador just as much. I cannot believe I only have 2 weeks left here, it sucks because I love it so much... I love Presidente and Hermana Cox, I love my teachers and I don't wanna leave but I'm also very excited to get out there. I don't think I'm ready with the language but I will never be until they chuck me in deep water right?

So next Tuesday will be the last time I write to you guys from here because the Tuesday after that I'll be on a bus (with the 10 other Nortes plus some Latinas) that are coming with me to mi mision finally.

Oh also, I'm the new Hermana Training Leader here in the CCM, mi companera es the music lidere now. Its good though because it will help me with my Espanol being the leader because all our meetings are in Spanish.

Man, District Job and the Latinas left today for the mission field and I miss them heaps... (Elder Putnum's brother was in that District) and then we get new Latinas today and they will be the ones that come with us to our mission cos Latinas are only in the CCM for a week.

I love it here, I really do. In our District Meeting the other night we were discussing something and one of the Elder's said, "you guys only have 17 months left" and we all nearly bawled hahaha so gay cos we haven't even hit the field yet but it made me think, like THIS IS IT... You don't get another chance to do this again, it goes fast... FAST AS!!! Like this short 4 weeks I've been here... it feels like I walked in those gates last night. Like its crazy fast... And I'm going to give it my all because I want to do it right. Yeah they say the CCM is easy, but wherever I am, I'm going to make it worth it.

THE CHURCH IS TRUE! I knew that before I got here, but everyday I am reminded and my testimony is strengthened. I know that when my Saviour atoned, He atoned for me... He atoned for you, He atoned for all of us! He saw all of our faces, every single one of us. He loves us... I know He loves me! I know that the gift of tongues is REAL, SO REAL! I mean, hello its only been 4 weeks and I was conversing hard today in the market... just with randoms. The Holy Ghost is the real teacher... I am so grateful to be an instrument in His hands. Ah, I don't want this to end, I am going to make the most of it.

I miss you guys heaps, but not that I want to come home but more like it would be cool if you guys could be here with me. It is so true that saying "He doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called" and everyday I learn more and more. I LOVE IT HERE. I HAVE SO MUCH PURPOSE... IT FEELS SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!! This is the best thing I could ever do... EVER!!!!! I am so grateful to be here. I love you guys! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!

Quick shoutouts to:

MY NEW BABY LUCKY NUMBER 7, MY BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL EVOTIA FAITH SAMALAULU PINONO... I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!  Sene Lilomaiava - HAPPY BIRTHDAY PONY!   Also, hows Eddie???? Hope you're better Eddie xo

Keep it real y'all... Don't miss me too much, I got work to do! Okay? Okay! Sonrisa Siempre :)

Hermana Loli. XOXOXO

* Preparation Day or P-Day as it is often referred to, is the one day a week in which missionaries get a break from their usual labors. It's the day that missionaries are allowed to do their laundry, shop for supplies, write letters home, and otherwise relax. The day lasts only until dinner, after which missionaries resume their normal labors. Missionaries tend to love their P-Days, as it's a nice break from the normal challenges of missionary work.
*BOM is the unofficial abbreviation for The Book of Mormon

~Also included are online images from Guatemala city markets. 

General Conference

Umm, helloooo why is no one writing me actual letters? Haaaa! Just kidding. I don’t really mind. L

  

Studying is hard work here in the CCM and omg* its crazy … everything is. Some days are so hard and I just want to DIEEEEEEEEE and then other days are fine. And i just have to remember that everyone in here is going through the same thing and I’m not alone and that our Saviour Jesus Christ will always be there for us. So I just pray pray pray and don’t think much about it.

GENERAL CONFERENCE WAS THE BESTTTT!!!!! Watch Saturday and Sunday!!!! It was all about families and I was major homesick but then I changed the perspective and thought about the families that I will be teaching and how I should teach them about the opportunity of eternal  families and if I love my family so much that I should want everyone to be with theirs just as I want to be with mine.

WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE EVERYONE!!!!

Um I love it here and it’s hard but it’s SOOOOOOOOOO worth it... I HAVE A NEW BABY NIECE!!!!!!!!! OMG* MY LUCKY BABY NUMBER 7!!!!

So updates from this week:

v  We got a new Aussie elder from Australia, Elder Addi (Tuvaluan background). They told us that 3 Aussies is the most they’ve ever had. It’s cool though ‘cos I miss our accent being around.

v  We do the haka all the time HAHAHAHAHA it’s so random but the Americans and Latinas love it! 

v  I’m the Sister Music Leader for all the sisters here in the CCM (told you I sound like “B” hahahaha!) 

v  Spanish is coming... slowly YET surely 

v  We went to the temple this morning... Spanish SESSION! Hahahaha the bomb... ( I have 12 minutes left)... 

v  Me, Elder Fiu and Elder Maliga are attempting to write a Spanish song (stay tuned) 

v  Today marks my half way mark in the CCM... 3 more weeks to go... it feels like 10 years in here though 

v  Life is crazy 

v  I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!

Anyways, I gotta go... don’t miss me too much, I got work to do! SONRISA SIEMPRE!!!!

LOVE ALWAYS HERMANA LOLI

*oh my goodness

Sonrisa Siempre!!!

Hola amigoes! I don't have much time on the email today because I think we may be leaving the CCM today for a little bit. We were able to go the temple again this morning and it was just so beautiful. I have been able to get really close with my intake (DISTRICTO LUCAS & ISAIAS) and its a good thing because it cures me from my homesickness. I love it here, I do.

I mean, being able to dedicate my everything to Lord is so wonderful. I am making every moment count. Some days are hard but they are all worth it and I grow from them.

So this week has been a crack up! (they don't say crack up here but everyone’s starting to adopt it)... I taught the sisters from my intake the HAKA and I was in fits of laughter watching them do it. They are the cutest. Me and Hermana Lino were teaching them and they just crack me right up. Hahahah! Hahahahaha! Still laughing just typing it.

So the Latinos and the older Norte's left today which is sad but it means we get new ones and I guess it also means that we're getting older. I cannot believe it has already been two weeks. I feel like I just walked in here yesterday. Cray cray!

Also, I had a fit at one of the Elder's this week hahaha we're all good now but he was frustrating. It was just funny cos now everyone’s kinda like "man Hermana loli is nice but when shes mean... shes mean" hahahahahaha dont mess with the OG lmao. man i miss you guys mucho... and mi espanol es muy mal pero con mucho orar it will get better... ahhhhhh i love you guys. I think we've all come to the realisation that in the CCM everybody's emotions are magnified and people are going to clash so we've decided that we need to be extra careful of each other lol.

Anyways, one of my teachers Hermana Garcia taught us the EFY medley in Spanish and yesterday we sung it for the missionaries that left for the field today. It was so spiritual. I loved it.

Umm, what else happened... SO MUCH HAPPENS! Everyday feels like a week that when I get to my journal at night I need to re-think if that thing happened today or last week lol. It’s full on. But I loved it. I have never felt so close to the Lord in my whole life.

Es muy bonita! Yo se que Dios es nuestra Padre Celestial y nos ama, Yo se que Jesucristo es El Salvador, Retentor, maestro y nuestra hermano. Yo se que El Evangelio de Jesucristo es verdadero y El Libro de Mormon es las palabras de Dios. Las Escrituras son inspirado. Yo se que el Evangelio bendices son las familias. Yo se que las familias son eternos!!! En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen!

I feel so blessed and privileged to be a servant of God... and an instrument in His hands. I love you guys so much and I pray for you cara dia, siempre! Oh hold up... I know the first vision (Primera Vision) lol I can't believe it hahaha. The gift of tongues is real. I LOVE YOU ALL. Keep smiling...

SONRISA SIEMPRE!!! Don't miss me too much, I got work to do. Hermana Loli, xoxoxoxo

Here is a Translation of Sister Loli’s Spanish spiel above:

“It is very nice here, I know God is our Heavenly Father and He loves us, I know that Jesus Christ is our Saviour, is our Redeemer, teacher and our brother. I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The scriptures are inspiring; I know the Gospel blesses families. I know that families are eternal, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen! 

And “Sonrisa Siempre” means “Always Smile”… or keep smiling. 

FIRST WEEK DOWN!

Hola mi Familia! Hola Amigos! Como estan?

Man you guys don't understand how much I miss you all.

Pero, I love it here mucho. Espanol es muy dificil pero with Jesucristo es muy facil (Spanish is really hard but with Jesus Christ its easy)... I can now pray and testify in Spanish and I know the purpose and baptism question in Spanish. ITS CRAZY! The gift of tongues is so real but I need you guys to pray that I can have the gift of tongues as well. OMG I do love it here, alot! The teachers are the best, so loving and because its such a small CCM (MTC) we have such a close relationship with the Presidente and his wife. We do T25 with him like everyday (kinda like INSANITY... I honestly die but I like to work out) he is SO FIT and he is 62! My companera is Hermana Scott from Virginia or how the Spanish people call it Virhinia... shes cool. Not fiapoko which I am so very grateful for... I wouldn’t be able to take it. It doesnt feel like Im in a 3rd world country because we're still in the CCM but its still wonderful.

This morning we went to the temple and it was AH-MAZING! Its cool because we get to walk out of the gates to walk to the temple and we get a little taste of Guatemala. Its kinda cool, all the security

guys hold AK47's lol. It's cool. But yeah, the temple was amazing and I love it. 

It sucks that we can't have our cameras in here cos that would be cool to show you all how amazing it is here and how cool my intake is. The CCM is kinda divided between Nortes (Americans or English speakers aka Me and Elder Fiu) and then Latinas, I have such a love for the Latinas you can tell they came from humble beginnings, they are just so respectful and loving. I wish we had more time with them though because then I guess we would learn faster. But thats cool. So, the CCM is in the city and every night I can hear music...

So if you haven't figured me and Elder Fiu are the only Australians and everyone is like obsessed with our accent. It’s weird lol. And then there is Elder Maliga who is afakasi from Utah and Hermana Lino who is half Tongan and half Mexican. Everyone else is palagi. 

On Sunday you need to prepare a talk in Spanish cause every Sunday they randomly call your name and you have to get up and deliver it. Sunday came and I was hoping they would call me up so if I spoke they would be more lenient on me because it was out first week but they didn’t.

So anyways... life is good here. Heavenly Father really does know our needs and He provides us with what we need now. It's crazy. Elder Maliga, Elder Fiu and me are forever jamming. I swear if I didn’t have these two I'd be lost in here cos I need my music. lol! Anyways, how are Mum and Dad? Mel wrote! Write me letters here in the CCM please... well up to you. lol...

 Yo se que Jesucristo es el Salvador, yo se que las familias es eternos, yo se que Padre Celestial nos ama, yo se que oracion es muy impotante, yo se que la Libro de Mormon es verdadera. El en nombre de Jesucristo, Amen!

 Anyways, gotta fly. 

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

6 KISSES FOR MY BABIES (who probably already forgot me) HMJSHA... Have I got my 7th baby yet?

Send my love to my TAL familia!!!

Okay!!!! TE AMO MUCHO FAMILIA & EVERYONE....

HERMANA LOLI xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoo 

TWENTY

HOLD ON

And with only 23 days left before I head off I am a little bit of a mess. I mean don't get me wrong, I am more excited than ever before. But I am also so very depressed (I ain't gonna lie) that I will be leaving my family... *cue tears*

I’m going to be a missionary for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints (Mormon).

“What does that mean?” you ask?

Well… It means that I’ll be leaving my Family, friends, work & everything I love (& not love) to move to a foreign place for 18 months.

I’m only allowed to call home TWICE a year: Mother’s Day & Christmas Day, email Family ONCE a week & write letters to friends.

I can’t check my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube. I can’t even Snapchat every second of my life like I do – no movies, no music, no Beyoncé, no Nicki!!!

It will be hard… I will have days where I’ll want to just break down & cry. Heck! I'll have days where I do just break down & cry. I’ll have days where I will want to give up & just go home. I will miss my Family more than ever!

BUT... 

I’ll also have the best 18 months FOR my life & maybe IN my life. I’ll make friendships that will last for eternity, I’ll meet people who will change my life & hopefully I'll change theirs as well, for the better.

I know that this is such a small sacrifice but I know that there is nothing else that I’d much rather do than this - the Lord’s work. “Because I have been given much, I too must give…”. Mosiah 2:17 reads: “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

I know that without the Gospel in my life I would be LOST & so I offer a small sacrifice of 18 months to my creator, Heavenly Father & Saviour Jesus Christ. “…The work of the Lord will go forth boldly, nobly & independent…” & I want to be a part of it! I want to be the Lord’s hands on this Earth. The time will come when we have to take that stand for what is right and true. The Lord knows when His children are ready & I have never been as ready as I am now - grateful to be made an instrument in His hands! I testify that the Lord knows everything & that we must put our trust in Him & know that everything will be alright.

My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ & His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost & enduring to the end.

I CHOOSE TO SERVE!