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Shout Outs!

MY LADIES. My Grandmas, my Aunts, my Cousins that are now mommies or are about to be, all my coaches and leaders that I've ever had, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY. I love you all so much, I have so many "mommies" back at home, thank you all for everything.

But I have to say.. my Mom takes the cake. She is the most amazing example to me and so many others. I have no idea in what position my family would be in without her. She has pulled us through the roughest patches. Not even to mention the blessings she has been to me during my time in the mission. It's so nice to get to the computer every Monday with a nice, long, encouraging letter from my mommy. 

 

I love her so much and I can´t wait to sit around in sweats on a Saturday eating nachos while watching Pride and Prejudice…

… sometimes I accidentally make myself so trunky. Anyway.

To my Brother, Jonathan! Pew Pew! My little man, I love you so much. This kid has seriously been the "solid" of our family through thick and thin. I don’t know what any of us would do without him. He's captain "the glass is half full", Mr. Positive, and "when´s basketball practice?" I miss him and his obnoxious little laugh so much. Happy Birthday, Bud! I love you!

First off.. Sean is home. He served in Oregon. And apparently spoke Spanish.. So that´ll rock when I get home. Only 11 more months, Sean, don’t forget your Spanish till after you´ve talked to me. :-)

And Flynt. For having the guts to say he would write me hahaha I love that guy. See ya in 11 ;)

And on to the Mission Work.

So, all last week I was stuck inside because poor Hermana Ruiz got Dengue, an illness you get from nasty mosquito's. It's super common here in Yaquiba and it's absolutely terrible. You shouldn’t get it if you put on repellent, so I've been good since I use about a whole bottle every morning. But Hermana Ruiz is from Bolivia and the poor thing thought she was immune..

Think again.

Wednesday night was the night.. CAMBIOS.

We sat until 10:00 pm waiting for that dang call because The Elders couldn’t find a computer that night. But when we finally got the call.. we found out Hermana Ruiz would be flying to Santa Cruz that next morning and that Hermana Villanueva would be my new companion.

Who da heck is dat?

I was so nervous for Hermana Villanueva to get here! I had never heard of her and neither had any of the sisters that I was living with. But when She arrived… ugh. I absolutely love her. Some of our first words..

Me: "How old are you?"

Her: "I'm 29"

Me: "…"

Her: "….."

Me: "…. Oh."´

Her: " I'M JUST KIDDING I'M 20"

She is so much like me! Never before have I met a sarcastic Latina that actually made me laugh, but Hermana Villanueva totally broke the trend and we are having a great time. We've only been together days and we've already worked so hard and made so many goals.

When she first got here, I tried really hard to prepare her for the area. That the members weren't much help, that there aren't many investigators, aren't many people willing to listen, and that ward counsel, or "branch counsel", was terrible. That meetings never went well and that we nobody even came to the meetings.

And I prepared her and prepared her and prepared her…

And then Saturday night rolled around, we headed up to ward counsel…

 AND EVERY SINGLE PRESIDENCY OF THE BRANCH WAS THERE.

WHAT??

I was about to go touch all their foreheads like "are you feeling okay? Why are you here?"

But the thing is… that last week we got a new Branch President, Presidente Telles. And he is 29 years old. 29 YEARS OLD.

And he was ready to clean things up and get the Branch back in business.

It was so amazing. The Elders stood up first and began to talk about a couple they were teaching that wanted to get baptized, but didn’t have the money to get married. It was quiet for a little bit and then all of a sudden the Branch Mission Leader speaks up and says..

"Well… I'll pay 50 bolivianos."

That´s 7 dollars in American money.

Seven. Dollars.

And that, my friends, is a sacrifice. Because some people here just don't have much to give. But they're so willing and it just touches me. 

After that first comment, every human being there started shouting out like we were at an auction.

"I'll pay 100 bolivianos"

"I'll pay 20!"

And then the President starts asking about wedding plans and the Sociadad de Socorro (Relief Society)starts planning on who will bring salad and breads and soda and just all of these things and the whole time I'm just like.. in shock.

And Hermana Cedeño's heart grew three sizes that day.

And Hermana Villanueva called her a liar the whole way home. And I was okay with that. Because It´s not like that´s how I wanted Ward Counsel.. it´s just how it used to be. And I'm so glad things are finally turning around. I cant wait to see what this Transfer has in store for us.

Yesterday I talked to my family!!! GUYS. That was the best!!!

Hermano Vargas made a bet with Hermana Villanueva.. if I cried.. we had to buy him a hamburger. If not.. he´d buy us hamburgers.

The funny part? I didn’t cry!!! Until he left, so he has no idea.

I thought I would cry tears of joy when I saw them. But It wasn’t until the end when my mom held up a plate of cookies to the camera and says

"Do you want a cookie? Haha"

Like.. she was just being funny, ya know? But.. I started crying like so hard. Because we made cookies every Sunday and that"s tradition and I'm not there for it. And they were the cookies I like… oatmeal. Out of a bag.. Betty Crocker.

And then my dad´s like..

"Crying over a freaking cookie.."

And my Mom..

".. Well. I guess I wont tell you that we had grilled steaks and homemade rolls for dinner."

Rude.

I just love them so much and the hour over skype goes by so fast and it simply kills me, but It´s so good to see them. My next time will be Christmas.. and the next.. in the SLC Airport.

Can you all believe how fast time is running?? In 7 weeks, I´ll be halfway done with my mission. And I feel like I just barely started! I still need to learn Spanish!! Ah!

I LOVE YOU. MUAH.

Love,

Hermana Cedeño