Coming home tired!

Shoutouts! Grandma and Grandpa.. I got a letter that was supposed to go to Provo! It made my week all the same. My family, I got my Christmas Package!! Tis the freakin' season, I love Christmas. And Brendan Smith.. Happy Birthday!

 Before we got on the plane to Tarija Sister Blanco was telling me about our home and where we lived and she told me we lived next to a Soccer Field.... Above is the soccer field....

 My Bishop's two boys... I love them!

 Some great advice from President Chandler...  Since there is more dogs here than air... I have come to appreciate this advice.  Sister Blanco has been bit, I have yet to be initiated.

 My Thanksgiving Letter from my Family!  Can't wait to open it!

 I found and purchased Chips Ahoy in honor of my Mom!

 I'm not sure what to say....  but I love it here!

 Thank you Sister Flint for my apron!  I wear it every single day!

 One Sunday... we were out of toilet paper and we had to go buy some.  On Sunday!!  We are so Disobedient but we weren't going without it!

 My Bishop's Family!  We have lunch with them every day!

 Yes Mom, these are my good shoes...  #bruises

OOOkay.

First off. Ive about had it with my bathroom. And the sink that I use to clean the bathroom, wash my dishes and do my laundry. I recently named our toilet Sheldon because he has a personality and he´s out to get me. Ive come to the conclusion that I wont be sincerely clean until I get home. In 2015. We dont talk about that.

I have an experience that I know will be a story I tell.. for the rest of my life:

Hna. Blanco and I are knocking doors. We show up to a house with a sweet 23 year old lady that has two sons and a sweet husband. She seemed so interested in our message and invited us in. She started talking about the church she is a part of and how she came to be a part of it. She told us how she wanted her children and husband to become closer to Christ. We told her a short sweet message and she was sooo happy to have us.

AND THIS IS WHERE IT STARTS...

We ask her if we can end with a prayer. Hna. Blanco says a prayer and we start to plan our next appointment. Suddenly, she says that she wants to pray! PERFECT. So she prays.. and interesting prayer. And after she starts saying that we are WRONG. That there is only ONE word of God - the Bible. That We pray wrong and asks if we will repeat after her.. and HNA BLANCO SAYS YES. So next thing I know, Hna Blanco is repeating this prayer asking Christ to forgive her of her sins.

I WAS DYING.

And when I opened my eyes to peek at Hna Blanco´s face, I saw that our ´´investigator´´ had her HANDS ON HNA BLANCOS FOREHEAD. I started laughing uncontrollably. I couldn't stop. I couldn't breathe.

When the prayer ended, our investigator asks me if I need a blessing next. Ive never stood up so fast in my life.

I say: ´´HNA BLANCO, AY, EL TIEMPO, ESTAMOS TARDE PARA UN OTRA CITA, LO SIENTO HERMANA´´ (Hermana Blanco, I think it's time to go, we are late for our next appointment, I'm sorry Sister.)

We just had to get out of there. I was laughing the rest of the day. AHH.

Situations like that are what I live for haha It was rough. But the worst parts of the day is at night having to walk down the main road where all the little restaurants and allll of the drunk men are coming out to greet us, or follow us for a block or two longer than necessary. Or when they ask if they can buy my hair..
I'm like..´´No, but would you like to come unto Christ?´´

Ive grown to love my investigators so much. These people are so important to me.  I can't even explain the love I feel for them. Friday morning, while Hna. Blanco and I were doing weekly planning I was about in tears. She was like.. ´´Hna, what is the problem??´´
I JUST FEEL LIKE THESE PEOPLES PROBLEMS AND TRIALS ARE SO ABOVE ANYTHING I CAN DO FOR THEM.

We had ourselves a talk and there is NO trial or duda (i dont know that in English...) that is above and beyond what this Gospel is capable of fixing. Sometimes I feel like all I have is a message. Like I'm only human, how can I, ME, NICOLE CEDENO, help someone who is addicted to drugs, someone who is so alone they don't believe in God, families with abusive husbands, people without jobs. WHAT CAN I DO?

Literally, I can only do my job. And literally, that´s all these people need. I spend so much time and energy into praying and talking to these people because, seriously, This Gospel can fix anything. Because its perfect, it applies to everyone. God loves ALL of his children. Wants us all to be happy.

Its only been a week in the mission, I've never worked so hard in my life. I'm mentally, physically and emotionally drained. And That's exactly how I want it.

I know this church is true with all of my heart, Ive never been so sure of anything in my life. Honestly, thank you all for your support. I'm so happy here!

Con todo mi amor,

Hermana Cedeño