Incachaka

Incachaka

Today we went to DA jungle! A place called Incachaka. I am really not sure if that`s how you spell it. And it was raining the whole dang time! But it was really beautiful! I am glad we went!

This week a real like miracle happened. We met a guy in the street named Jimmy, and we talked to him a little bit, and made an appointment to visit him Saturday. And Saturday in the morning he called us to say he wasn`t going to be there, but that we could come by Wednesday. Buuuuut, HE CALLED US! That like never happens! People usually just aren`t home, or tell us they`re busy when we come buy. They never called to say they won`t be there, or that they`ll be busy, AND HE CALLED!  Also, Danny, who was baptized about a month ago, is the world`s best member missionary. Here, in school they have religion classes, and they pretty much just teach the catholic religion. But, Danny asked his teacher if he could talk about the church, because he knows a TON and he loves to share. His teacher was really interested, and she said this week he can teach a class about the church and share a video about the Book of Mormon. We gave him some pamphlets to hand out, too. He is the best. haha.

I hope everyone is doing well!

Carnival Part 2

This week and a half has gone really well! My companion and I are getting along well! She is still getting used to the mission life, but she is doing pretty well! And this Saturday A. was baptized! His girlfriend is a member, and they have plans of getting married and one day going to the temple together. It was a really special baptism, and he is very happy!

Also, this week was Carnival in Bolivia. People have cook outs and get each other wet with waterballons and stuff. Yesterday when we were walking home from lunch someone splashed us with a bucket of water. All in good fun. They also do some kind of incense burning or something. And get drunk. So, we had to be in the house before dark. Haha.

Also, we went to the temple last Thursday. it was really beautiful. then, we did exchanges with the sister training leaders, and I went with hermana Santeco, my companion from the MTC. It was SO fun!  And I really learned a lot. She is a great missionary.

I hope everyone has a good week!

Hna. Hullinger.

Hna Santego.

Baptism of A. and the Family HNA Wingate Lives with.

CARNIVAL

So, next week is a Carnival in Bolivia. It`s some festival that they celebrate in Bolivia, for some Virgin or something. It`s really big in another department of Bolivia called Oruro, but they do it all over. They celebrate it mostly by getting everybody wet, with buckets and water balloons and squirt guns and hoses and stuff like that. Buuuuuuut, some people are mean, and freeze water balloons to throw at people, or fill them with paint, or gross stuff, and basically just get out of control. So, for the biggest days of carnival, next Monday and Tuesday, we are not allowed to leave the house! Yaaaaaaaaaaay! I don`t know what we´re going to do with ourselves all day! Haha.

P-day fun.

Young man was baptized last month.

Family!

Church family!

This week, a guy we have been teaching named A.had his baptismal interview! He is really great. We have been teaching him for a while, and he finally feels ready to be baptized. His girlfriend is a member, and they have a baby together, and he has serious goals of going to the temple with them and being sealed as a family.

Also, a lot of people have been asking, and my health is a lot better! I haven`t really been sick at all in this area! It was rough there for a little bit, but now I have all the bugs out, and I am feeling fine! Haha.

I hope everyone has a good week!

Rio Negro

Rio Negro

My new companion, Hermana Lopardo, is from Rio Negro, Argentina. She is pretty serious, is not afraid to talk to people, and pours her milk before her cereal. I like her. She is really excited to be here and to be working! Her energy to work is just what I needed.

V., who is the older sister of D. who just got baptized, went to church for the first time yesterday, and she really liked it! I am very excited for her. She has been a lot more interested in the church since D.

Hermana Morales and Hermana Callata

This is a sideways picture of Mom's Birthday presents!

was baptized. And their mom is super active in the church. I love their family, they are seriously the best!

We have a few other people who are progressing really well right now, too. Going to church and praying and strengthening their testimonies. The work is going well here in Bolivia! And we are working hard. I pretty much come home dead tired everyday. But it is totally worth it!

I hope everyone is doing well!

D's Baptism                                                                                                                   Jan. 19, 2015

I am going to just dedicate this week to talking about D. He is literally my favorite person. He is 11 years old, really likes to draw, loves going to church, and really wants to follow the commandments so he and his family can live together forever with God and Jesus Christ. And he is getting baptized this Saturday!

Danny lives with his mom Mary, his step dad Luis, his older sister V, and his baby brother Paulo. Luis is a member, and he was less active for a long time. Mary is not a member yet, but she loves going to church, and goes to pretty much every activity that there is. They are not married yet, and they are working on that, so that Mary can be baptized soon, too! But, she wanted Danny to go ahead and be baptized, because he has nothing holding him back, and he has their full support.

So, we have been teaching D. lot these weeks to prepare him for baptism. Usually we teach him with his parents there. D. is a little bit hyper active, so his parents usually try to keep him focused. But, this week, we taught him once while his parents were getting things ready for something they had to do later, and he was SO EXCITED to talk with us. We taught his the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which to have faith in Jesus Christ, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end. When we talked about the repentance and he said "I feel like I need to repent." and we were like, that`s is really good, and then he just folded his arms and started to pray. And he repented right there! He is seriously such a kind soul.

D´s family is really great. They were super prepared to hear the gospel, and are already really converted. They know the church is true, and are excited to do and learn everything they can. I feel so blessed to know them, and help them a little in their process of conversion. I genuinely love them.

I hope everyone has a great week!

                                                                                                

 January 26, 2015

The Circle of Life

So, my companion is going home this week, because she finished her mission. And, in the mission, when someone goes home, it´s called dying. Buuuuut, when someone new comes, it´s called being born, and your trainer, or your first companion, is your mom (or dad if you´re an elder) And, I´m going to be a mom! My next companion will be brand new, and I will be her first companion in the mission. I am excited, but also very nervous! I will have to be on my best behavior, because she will be watching everything I do! Not that I ever do anything I shouldn't. Haha. But still!

Also, D. was baptized this Saturday! It went really well and was really special! He was so happy. And his mom invited like half the ward to her house after for dinner. It was really fun! And President Hansen and Sister Hansen came to the baptism. it was really great!

This week was a really good one. I have been receiving a lot of blessings here in the mission, and I know my family has been very blessed, as well.

Ingavi

Hermana Worthy, Hermana Wingate, Hermana Torrico

So, my area now is a lot different than my last area. A lot  of people are a little more...well to do. My last area was very humble, and this area, the people are pretty well off. The ward is also a lot bigger. Well, before I was only in a branch, but now the ward I am in is pretty big. It is really different, and the people are different, and the way we teach is different.

Also, there is a park we walk by everyday on our way home, and there are always people break dancing there. Its kind of random. Just, you know, people break dancing in a park in the middle of Bolivia.

We have been teaching a lot of people who have really been starting to progress, and doing a lot of work with less active members.

I'm going to be honest, I kind of forgot about writing a letter this week, and was just talking back and forth with my mom for a while, so now I don't have a lot of time to write a good summary of my week. Sorry! Next week will be better, and more adventure filled! 

I hope everyone has a good week!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

An older picture that I love!

I hope everyone had a happy new year and got a big, wet kiss when the ball dropped! They don´t do a ball drop in Bolivia, if you did not know, and I am not allowed to kiss anyone as a missionary... But, I´ll get ´em next year!

This week was really good. We were able to find a lot more of the people we have been teaching, and a lot of people came to church on Sunday!We have been teaching one lady named D. She is an older lady, and has 2 daughters who live in Utah, and one is a member of the church. She told us she would not be able to come to church Sunday, because she had another commitment in the morning. But she came!!! I asked her about the other thing she had to do, and she said she didn´t go to it, she just came to the church!

Also, we taught a recent convert this week named J. He was having some problems with his family, because his wife wants him to be more active in the Catholic church. I thought of a scripture I wanted to share with him (D&C 22) that talks about baptism and by what authority it is performed. Then, the topic kind of changed, and I didn´t really think it was the right time to share it, but I really felt like I needed to! So I made a moment, and I shared the scripture. And after, he said it really helped him a lot, and he felt more at peace.

I really feel the presence of the Holy Ghost so strongly in my life. And I am learning how to better recognize and follow it´s promptings. I have learned so much already from being in the mission. I feel like the same person, but at the same time so completely different. I have a new love for others, for myself, and for my heavenly Father, and my Savior, Jesus Christ.

I hope everyone has a good week, and starts off this new year well!

P.S.  Sydney did not send me any pictures, so I picked some that had her in the background on the Cochabamba Facebook page.

Can you find her?

And another one, can you find her now?