I Dunno What to Call This One … Potato.

Hello!

My final week in Obregon:

-On night while knocking on the door of a recent convert his neighbor was outside playing the guitar and singing. I tried to ignore it, because really it was like a romantic movie scene, which I do not have time for, but then I realized that he was playing and singing "I Did it My Way." Then I wanted to go give him a high five. I didn't, but I considered it.

-I was a bit dehydrated that week (only the beginning symptoms, and I'm fine now, so no worries) so I called the mission president's wife and she told me what medicines to take, as well as foods that I should eat and ones that were prohibited until I got better, which was pretty much everything delicious. On that list was "anything with dairy" and I all of the sudden understood what Brain Regan meant when he said "and no more happiness." Then when we went shopping, I went to the juice aisle with the juice people (and my companion) and watched the people in the dairy aisle with their party hats. (If you don't understand what I am saying, go look up Brian Regan on YouTube and watch his clips until you do.)

-Things I like about being an adult:

  

 I can eat chicken nuggets with my yogurt and pears if I want to, and no one can tell me no >:)

-I bought myself a hand fan. It is the best 22 pesos I have ever spent.

Also, it was really hard to say goodbye to friends here in Obregon (the first time I actually cried about transfers). I had to say goodbye to one of my besties, Hna Brown. We're cholas together. That is a very special bond. Also, she's from Baytown, TX, which was part of Ben's mission, so extra cool points there.

There were more sad goodbyes, like with my former companion Hermana Hernández, but I don't wanna talk about that, because it's sad.

This week in Guasave:

-I can't escape it: I am once again the English teacher. Funny story – I don’t know how to teach English. So I just make it up.

-After writing last week we bought ice cream cones and then got to work. We went to set up an appointment with someone and it turns out that they work in a gym so that's where we had to go to set it up. Guess who felt like a fatty eating ice cream while others were working on the elliptical.

-This has been another week of big spiders – I found one one night on the back area/patio and another one last night in the house. I took pictures but they are yicky so I won't send them. You’re welcome.

-While flipping through an old conference issue of the Liahona, I found this:

Guess who now wants to do family history more than ever (for those of you that don't know, my mom's maiden name is Wickman).

Other random notes: It's hot again. It rained today. I like spicy food. I successfully have avoided eating cow stomach three times this week. I pretty much want to read everything I can get my hands on. 

That's all for now.

Love you all!!

Hna Anderson

Greetings From Gusave

Well, once again I have little time. 

I am now back in Sinaloa and in the most remote zone in the mission. And it’s a really small zone of only nine companionships. Really different than being in Obregon, where there were more than 15 in my last zone alone. So pretty much I only know what happens in my district and that's it. Guess I'll just have to be extra focused or something. :P

Here is less hot! It's still really hot when the sun is out, but when it rained on a few days this week it didn’t feel a sauna! Now the sun is back and it's ridiculously hot again, but I got a lovely welcome nonetheless.

Speaking of rain … rain on dirt streets makes mud. So after getting dolled up yesterday for church (gotta make a good first impression in the ward, of course) we went to stop by and visit some investigators, and while trying to find some wet earth instead of mud, I stepped wrong and right into wet mud … and almost lost my shoe. My companion, who was wearing rain boots, just laughed at me. I borrowed the investigator’s hose to clean my shoes off before we went to church.

My companion and a Young Single Adult girl in the ward have figured out what I really am: A hippie. Here, being a hippie means that you are chill and don't worry a lot. It has nothing to do with weed or tree hugging. Cultural differences are fun like that.

OK, next week I promise I will catch up on what happened the last week in Obregon.

Love you all!

Hna Anderson

Transfers!

Not a lot of time, so I'll be brief.

I got transferred, and most likely this is where I will finish. I'm in Guasave, Sinaloa. I know almost all of the missionaries in my district and so that will be fun. I'm just not excited to be the only companionship of sisters here :P

Also, my companion’s name is Hermana Patraca, I will properly introduce her next week. 

Other interesting news: I celebrated my Quincinera this past week!! Which just means that I reached 15 months and used it as an excuse to eat cake and a giant hot dog.

Out of time, but I shall write you properly next week. 

LOVE YOU!!

Like a Lightning Strike in a Summer Storm

Hello friends, family, and other loved ones,

Highlights:

-That awkward moment when you need a banana for an object lesson and you don't want it to get squished in your bag so you carry it and then you don't know if people are staring at you because you are white or because you are a weirdo carrying around a banana.

-These past two weeks I came across something I haven't seen in almost a year-and-a-half: a toaster. I've been buying toasted bread or making toast in a skillet my whole time here. I freaked out a little bit to see them. But the weird thing is that I saw two of them in the same week.

-We’ve been getting those lovely desert storms!! :D The other day, after we got a sudden and dramatic one, there was a ton of mud in some of the streets :D So at one point we had to take our shoes off and walk barefoot and it was so fun to have the mud squish between my toes! And mildly therapeutic, too – ha-ha. Between being out working and having to wear flip flops all the time in the house I pretty much have shoes on all the time. And, even though I love shoes, I adore being barefoot.

-OK, about the title of this entry. During interviews this week we were sitting in the mission offices and admiring one of the desert thunderstorms. All of a sudden there was an incredible burst of light and the loudest clap of thunder I have ever heard. We realized that lightening had struck really close by. It was powerful, and awe-inspiring. While I was thinking about it I remembered a conference talk from Elder Holland, which everyone reading this should read or listen to again or for the first time. https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/where-justice-love-and-mercy-meet?lang=eng.

I reflected on our experience, what Elder Holland has said, the atonement, and how very powerfully – and quickly – our Lord and Savior helps us. I have seen it time and again in my life and also in the lives of others. Many times the atonement works in our lives slowly – so gradually and perfectly that we don't even notice it. But there are times when our savior reaches out to us like a lightning strike in a summer storm and changes our lives forever.

I testify of my savior, that He loves us, that He is real, and that He is there at every turn.

With love, 

Hermana Anderson