Mommy!!!

I got your package this week!! It had everything in it all the goodies and snacks and all the socks. Thanks so much they were much needed.

Sounds like a full summer week full of summer activities from all ends. NO not the dirt pile!!!!!!!!! POR QUE??? Haha that will be a change of pace, that thing has been there my whole life it is truly apart of me.....but I believe I can overcome this change. ;)

I am so happy you got to go to the temple this week. I love the temple soooo and miss it a lot. We talk about the blessings of the temple in Soceidad de Socorro(Relief Society) yesterday and I wanted to just get up and go buy a ticket to Guayaquil and go but nope. I can wait but the temple is so blessed and sacred in my heart. I love it.

Well this week was better that is for sure, but definitely not perfect. I have been quite sick with a cold. I believe it started last Monday but got worse on Tuesday because it rained all day long. That was a fun day but a bad day for the sickness side of things. It was bad enough that we got permission to go to Otavalo to get some cough medicine. But I think I am on the upside now. Still have a cough and headache but each day it gets better.

This week was better on the comp side of things. I have learned a lot about myself and how I need to be in certain situations. I learned that praying for my comp is really important. This change has been really tough. The sector and ward are totally different. But the people are just as wonderful. We don't have any really good investigators right now but in time and with faith. Also we are working a lot with the menos activos(less actives). There are tons of them in this ward. We have a family that I really pray that we can help get back to church. Also an 18 year old with her baby named Pacarina. She was actually a convert of Hermana Szerdi when she was there. She went through some tough times and is now inactive but I really love her and know that we can help her. The family of Laura Ramos also. They come every once in a while to church but we go and visit often because they need strength. I love them too. I really feel the power in teaching when we teach about the Atonement and Jesus Christ as our Savior and we talked to them about it and they really opened up with us.
It is cool because I am talking a lot more in Spanish and a lot of people ask me for help in English and it is cool because I can now help them. I also am a lot more outgoing with the Spanish now. I felt I kind of pulled into a shell a little bit at the beginning of my mission. But I am now back to my normal outgoing self. Hermana Quiros says that I am the reason that we are able to teach some of these people. She says they would never talk to her before and wanted nothing to do with the Gospel. But now that I am here and having fun with them and talking and teaching them they are a lot more open. Maybe this is why I need to be in Carabuela. That really made me feel good. Also there is a member family named the Familia Moreta Tituana. They are soooo wonderful I love them. They have 3 little boys and we are good friends. To see there smiling faces helps a lot and to always here them yell 'Hermanita' makes a heart feel good.

So all in all to answer your question. I am doing better. Not perfect and I know that this a challenge for me to grow so all will be well. Not going to lie this week was better but still hard. I feel alone sometimes in a house of me and 3 Latinas. They are great but I cant quite express everything in Spanish and they don't understand English. I really wanted to give you a hug, mom this week. Being sick made it harder. I think I stress myself out when I am sick normally because I hate being sick and it kind of scares me. But I think this week I put more stress on myself to get better to work and that didn't help. The other night I really prayed about it and then thought about what Hermana Richardson taught me about praising the lord. It is how we can really put our trust in him. I did that again. I am doing it more often and it is helping change me. I am not as stressed about getting better and so I am getting better. I am feeling the desire to work harder and harder. When I was stressed and worried that desire to share was not as strong and almost vacant but it is coming back and I am getting better and better every single day.

One thing that I have learned is that The Lord is who I can fully put my trust in.  He is the only one that can carry me always. Like the poem footprints in the sand says that is is carrying me through the hard times. He is the one that does that for me every single day and especially in these past couple weeks. I want to be closer to him everyday because of this. My testimony is growing stronger everyday of his power and love and I am eternally grateful for this!!

Funny story....so the little Moreta boys ride there bikes a lot. They are puny. But the other day I was like "I can ride that" and they didn't believe me. You bet I rode that bike and the whole ward saw it and laughed and laughed but hey I rode that bike. Haha
Also I took a really great fall in the chapel the other day and the floor was really slippery. Oh it was a good biff you all would have been proud!! :D

Still playing the piano for the choir can you believe it? ya me neither!!

I made no bake cookies and pancakes this week!! Please send more recipes!! I love to cook. It find it destresses me!!!

I love you sooooooooo much!! I hope you have a wonderful week!! I pray for you often and love you even more every single day.
I love you mom!!
Love
Hermana Jenika Hull

PS I got to play ultimate with my zone today and almost lost my disc but I found it. It was going to be a birthday request if I didn't find it. It felt good to throw and I really loved it!!

LOVE YOU!!

Carabuela

Just serving the Lord

Rainy Tuesday

Chicken Feet

Mom,

Wow what a week it sounds like you had, a fun weekend. I remembered it was the 4th of July and sang all the most patriotic songs I could think of and wore red and blue. (didn't quite get the white in there but tis bien) Frog racing sounds like a party and I don't know if I would touch them but you know with what I have touched here I wouldn't be as scared as I would have before.

What?!?! You know Mallory's mom. Haha I know we are related but that is just weird to think that we are. Has there been any Studio C lately?

The tribute to Grandpa sounds really nice. And I want to see the DVD after my mission that jasmine put together.

I just have to say I am very grateful to be American. I know that our country definitely is not perfect but because of those that founded it, with there faith in a greater being, they were able to create a wonderful country. A country where our Father in Heaven could restore the true and everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ that would and will never be taken from the earth again. We do need to be strong in our beliefs always and always need to be willing to stand up for them but The United States of America is a wonderful place to live and to grow but more especially Utah and even more Hyde Park and Tremonton. hydeparkpride

Well my new area is soooooo campo. There is nothing but houses, a tienda(store) here and there are dirt roads and a few people. It is beautiful and I really love it. The people are even more humble and wiling to give. They are really great. Carabuela is about 15 minutes north west of Otavalo so we get to come to Otavalo on pdays!! Also we don't live in our sector. We live with the Hermanas of Cotama which is right next to Otavalo because someone broke into the other house in Carabuela in the last cambio so we are in the search process of finding a new house.

There are soo many differences. People take there cows on walks like dogs. They just live even more simply and have even less. The only thing on the wall of the obispo(bishops) is his marriage picture and certificate of sealing in the temple. That is it. A lot of the time we are sitting on cinder blocks or whatever is around. The capilla(chapel) and ward is a whole lot smaller and everything is in Quichua. The younger folks understand Spanish but they still talk Quichua more unless we are there. The older folks only know very little Spanish and so it is difficult with that. All the church meetings are in Quichua including ward council and so that is really fun haha. No, it is kind of frustrating because I am just starting to really understand Spanish and speak a bit better but it is all up to the Lord.
Hermana Quiros and me are very different and like different things and lived very different lives but she is great. I am really going to learn a lot more patience with myself because what bothers me is a part of her culture and so I can't change that and it is probably the same with me but we will work hard and both have desires to strengthen this ward in any way we can. So we will do some good work!!! My Spanish has improved a lot because I can only speak Spanish to communicate. I also have had to become a lot more confident in speaking. I am the English tutor in our district now so that will be fun.

CRAZY THING OF THE WEEK!!! I ate chicken feet!! What?! I know it sounds gross and it looks even more gross but the taste isn't half bad it is just soo weird!! haha yeah Jasmine you would have died here ;)

I know this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that I am a just an instrument in the hands of the Lord and am so grateful for this opportunity. I know change is for growth and that love is the most powerful thing in missionary work. If there isn't love and the spirit than no one will change. I am learning to love more everyday and just as it said in my setting apart blessing my heart will grow big enough to love all the people and that is already coming true!! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!! It is the hardest thing I have ever done but also sooo rewarding!!

I love you so much!! have a fantastic week!!
Love with all my whole heart
Hermana Hull

I am super excited to get your package still and don't care if they opened it. Please send if you feel it will make it sweet and salty almond granola bars. Just whatever you think will make it and you know me so well so I will be glad with the surprise. I really doubt they open every package especially the envelopes. I don't know whatever you think. Love you.

Chicken Feet Soup

I am now in Carabuela. No idea where that is yet.

Wow sounds like you had a full week full of fun and wonderfulness. I really love summer. And those are signs of the times. It means we need to be more prepared in our testimonies and it is through those simple commandments we strengthen our testimonies.

I don't have an oven. I just really want a few simple recipes of just fast lunch or dinners and maybe something to mix up my routine of desayuno(breakfast). Also a few sweets like rice crispies and such. I can find most everything here I mean there are a few things that are difficult but I can find more. I really want to learn to cook more. Then I will work on the hair ;)

Well first we had changes.....I am with Hermana Quiros. She is from Argentina and is 23. She has 4 and a half months left in the mission and says hi. I am now in Carabuela. No idea where that is yet. We are living with the Hermanas of Cotama right now because apparently there were some problems with our house. I miss Otavalo already. But the great thing is I am only 30 minutes away and get to come here every pday. YAY! Bummer is that I am not with Hermana Szerdi anymore and we became really great friends and she dies(goes home) this cambio(transfer). She is staying in Otavalo 2 and is training a newbie. That will be good for her and she is great and deserves this. Another bummer I don't get to see Marisol and her girls more. Also we found a family that has fecha now. So I wont get to teach them anymore. But I know that the Lord is putting me where I am needed and that I can learn and grow here than I would have staying in Otavalo. Hermana Szerdi was born in the misson in Carabuela and loves it. She says the people are wonderful and that it is soo pretty and she says it is deep campo(country). I am super excited to still be in the campo. I love it here so much because  I get to teach the indiginous. They are wonderful and humble and I love them soo much. IT is amazing how in such a short amount of time I have come to love these people so much that it literally hurts to leave them. I cried and then some more. These people have become my friends and people that I love with my whole heart. They are part of me and I can't imagine my life without them. The mission changes you and you learn to love so much. I love it here and am grateful for the chance I have to be here!!!!

I love this gospel and love that I am a missionary. I love the Libro de Mormon and it teachings. It is the iron rod we need to hang onto in this crazy world. Also the words of the living day prophets. They are great and I love to study each talk. They bring peace and comfort in this world of confusion. The Holy Ghost is real and testifies of truth and righteousness and we are so lucky to have him with us as a constant companero(companion). I love it!!

I love you sooo much! I hope you have a great week and that all is well in my home of Utah. I love Utah. Hyde Park pride!!

I love you with all my heart and soul!!
LOVE
Hermana Hull

PS birthday...Wow I don't know. I would like a long sleeve t shirt and maybe a few more motab cds. hmmmmmm that is hard. I will think on it more!!! Love you

District

San Juan and Inty Raymi fiesta outside our window. It is an insane time with a lot of drunk people in the streets. Never seen a drunk before but now I have. This was a fun night got to see the indigionous dance and there culture. We were the only missionaries that got to see because of our house too. blessed. haha

Me

Elder Leal with me. He is my dad of the mission and just went home

Old Companion Hermana Szerdi

New Companion Hermana Quiros

Marisol got baptized!

Mom,

Well first of all it sounds like summer is going good and that all is going well in your part of the world right now. I love hearing about everything. It makes me really happy and especially the Ultimate.

Well I am so glad you got your surprise!! So here is the story. Hermana Conder was an Hna in the mission. She went home last change. She lives in Utah. So one day we were talking and she was like you live in Utah do you want me to take anything to your family I mean it can't be huge but, you know. I was like heck yes!! She is also going to Utah State this fall. So I wrote you all and sealed the envelope.She took and said that she would get it to you before I got home...haha. So I guess she fulfilled her promise. After she left i don't know anything about that but it looks like you got that side of the story. Haha. I am so glad they came!!!!!! I hope you like the pictures too. If I remember dad got the one of me in the hospital....haha

I had your anniversary in my planner with the number 27.  I am so blessed to be your daughter and to have parents that love each other and work together to make things good. I love you so much and am so glad for the Temple. I miss it. But it is not as hard as I thought it would be. The temple is Amazing!!!!!

Sister Peterson....that is sad to hear but once again the Power of the Sealing cannot be taken away. She is one of the people I look up to and want to be like. I love her and know Dad will do a wonderful job.

I love Grandma!!

Well this week was one for the journal. It was a really good week with a really great things happening.

MARISOL got baptised. She is so solid. But it is a crazy story.

So we had a ward activity that night. Best one ever. Like Hyde Park 10th ward should do this. They had a night of international foods. So the different organizations were all in charge of bring enough food from a different country to share with the ward. It was awesome. I got to eat Indian food but that is beside the point.

We had been told by Marisol that she would be there at 5:30 or close too it. When it got to be around 7 we got worried. We went and both were super scared. Like "what is going on" worried sick. We went and knelt in prayer and prayed to our Father in Heaven and then went to work. We took a taxi to her house and she was just leaving in tears with her girls. The opposition worked hard on her through another person. So the girl that was taking care of her girls, we know her. Was stealing fabric. Marisol shared the house with others that are renting from her Dad and they have a blanket business. She was stealing pieces of the fabric to go sell on the side. They have cameras and caught her. They came to the house of Marisol and locked her and her girls in with this girl for hours right as she was about to leave to come to her baptism. As we got there they were letting her go. It was good to be there with her. She was comforted and I was glad she was okay. She said one thing that, I was like wow...she was like ´´Why did this have to happen on the most important day of my life´´ She is solid. We got back to the building and said a prayer of gratitude. She went to the activity and was happy. Then another problem, the pila(font) wasn't filling up. It usually takes 3 hours but it had been on for 4 and was only half way full. So you have never seen 2 elders and 2 hermanas running with garbage cans and buckets so much to fill up the font. But we got it full!!! haha. Then the baptism happened. What joy and peace and wonderful things happen at a baptism. The spirit was so strong and my joy was full. I got to share a scripture and truly felt the love of my Savior and the importance of this covenant. It was a wonderful, crazy experience but Marisol is now a member of this church. She got confirmed yesterday and it was very spiritual too.

It was amazing and I learned so much about the power of prayer this week. Really when you get down on your knees and you pray with true sincerity your prayer will be answered. Sometimes you have to get up and work a while before the blessing comes and sometimes it comes in that moment. But if it is what you need and you ask with real intent He will answer. I love prayer. There is so much power in it and through it many miracles have come already in my mission.

We also did service in compania this week for a member in our district leaders sector. Did I ever tell you how much I love hard work outside in the sun? Well if I didn't, I love hard work out in the sun even if sometimes I murmured a little during the summer.

I love you all and know this is the gospel of our Savior. He is always there and is always willing to help if we just reach to him a little more.

I love you and hope you have a fantastic week!!!
Love
Hermana Hull

WOWZERS!!! What a Fantastic Week!

Well once again I am here writing. This week went really fast, like really fast. I felt like I was just here writing but nope it has been a week and a lot has happened.

Sam is going to the Colombia CCM!! OH MY GOODNESS!! She will meet Hermana DuVall and President. She will get to have Hermano Gomez, Hermano Herrera and Hermana Gomez!!!! Oh my goodness!!!! That is so legit. It is wonderful. It is tiny but it is wonderful and you get to know people really well. Oh my I am excited for her.

And I FORGOT Abby is going too!!! Could you get me her email I want to write her. That is just so exciting for both of them and I actually was wondering when Julia and Tanner was coming home. That went so fast. Time flies or so it seems. That is great!!!!!

Wow Darin Jr is a dad. His girls are cute.

Jaden has a job.

Lots of Ultimate!!

Sounds like a fantastic week!!! One question on movies.... Have you seen Avengers 2? I love Iron Man you know me and want to know if you liked it?

Well first off for the week here in good old Ecuador. MARISOL PASSED HER ENTREVISTA!!! Her baptism is this Friday at 7 after a big actividad de Barrio. So like all the members will be there and it will be so great. She also for the last two weeks has just come to church by herself. She is so great and I know that she wants this. She is so great with her girls too. It is so special. She wants her girls to go on missions. That means so much because she isn't even a member first but then she sees us as the missionaries and wants her girls to be like us. She sees the good that the mission does and that is super special because she wants her girls to be like me. Me. Hermana Hull. The white girl from Utah that doesn't speak very good Spanish. But she wants them to be like me. Wow what an honor.
Also her girls are oh my goodness the most adorable little snippets you ever did see. I have pictures of them with us while Marisol was having her entrevista. I will send them.

Also this week we were able to rescue Maria Estela Otavalo. She is so great and the last lesson was principles of lesson 5. The promise where he will bring what you need to say in the very hour you need. Well that totally happened, that was the coolest lesson I have had so far in my mission. The spirit was talking I wasn't. It flowed and all the words I needed, I had, and I just keep going with it and testifying. It is soooooooo coool!!! I love being a missionary. It is hard but it is so good!!!

Man funny story. So I was walking last Monday after writing and all the sudden a chicken about landed on my head. It had hopped off a two story building and almost got me. But to no avail this evil pollo could not withstand the power of the Hermana.... haha ;P But really I almost got hit in the head by a chicken.

We have some really good times here. Like today we went and just say the lago de san pablo as a district. Also Hermana Szerdi is super fun. She says trunkie stuff sometimes..... but it is funny most the time because it is her irrational fears. Also we have a quote wall in our house. One quote I find quite amusing is Hna Szerdi ¨¨Quito is more sketch.¨¨ Yo ¨¨You just feel safer because you are with me!¨¨ Ya good times and funny quotes. We also eat a lot of food. She taught me how to make empanadas and carrot cake on the stove top because we don't have an oven. Yeah we eat a lot. Like a lot. I am working on eating less. The food is just so good and the members give us so much food.

This week I really learned about the need to keep the commandments and really truly keep ourselves ready for everything by studying the scriptures and praying. We had a lesson with a menos activo. She said somethings that really bothered me. Like "I put the things of the world above the gospel but it is only for a day". And a few other things like that. She is really struggling with her testimony right now and it is because she does that. Wow. I really learned the power of the commandments. I have learned and seen through the people here and in my own life that keeping the commandments is the only way that brings happiness and joy to our lives and peace in living in this crazy world. I don't think that it is coincidence that in predicad mi evangelio(Preach my Gospel) that the first pricipio(principle) in leccion 4 is obedience. Truly we were sent here to be tested in our obedience. It says that in Abraham 5 I believe. I don't have time to look it up right now. But really our test in this life is to see if we will be obedient to the commandments and make those covenants with our heavenly father. And keeping those covenants is through obedience. Me and my comp have talked multiple times that if people in the world would just keep the word of wisdom, law of chastity, and Sabbath day than the world would be in a better place but that is where the greatest gift we have of agency comes in. It says in PME that in enduring to the end it is a personal responsibility. that is our agency to choose whether or not we keep the commandments of god. And I know and can promise that this by choosing to guardar the mandamientos de Dios(Keep the Commandments of God) is the only way to peace and happiness in this life. He wants to bless us. He wants us to return to live with him but it is only through our OBEDIENCE to his commandments that he can. He promises those blessing to us. There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven.....D&C something but it is all based on our obedience. I know this to be true. I know that Heavenly Father loves us so much that he wants us to be happy and I know and see it in my own life as I keep the commandments and obey the rules of the mission that is when our faith and testimonies grow more in Christ and we truly see miracles.

I love you soo much!! I hope you have a great week and I want you to know that my love for you grows stronger every single day!!
Con todo la amor de mi alma
Hermana Hull

PS could you send me some stories our my ancestors or just have Grandmas and Grandpas tell stories of my great grandparents. I want to know them better.

PPS Could you send me some easy recipes too?

PPPS You thought I forgot but no I didn't..... HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM AND DAD THIS WEEK ON THE 18TH!!!! 27 YEARS!! I am so thankful for you and all you have done for me and that you were especially sealed in the temple so we can be a family for time and all eternity. I teach people about that all the time and it gives me such comfort and peace to know that my family can be together forever and it is through the correct choices of my awesome parents. I LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!

I love you!!! and I love Ecuador

Hey Mom,

Wow what a week you had. That sounds like you had a fun birthday and I am so happy the message worked. I love you so much and am so glad that all those years ago my mom was brought into the world to then grow and bring me into the world. I love you so much and am so thankful for all the times you help me in my life which is everyday!!!

Yea we eat a lot of fried egg. Mostly white rice. Most the time I have no idea what the meat is. Tons of soup..... But I LOVE FRIED PLANTAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love love love it and the members make it so good. It sounds like your meal was probably a bit more posh but other than that it is pretty much what I eat here and it is good food!!!

Tell Mikayla I am so excited for her!!!! I didn't know that she had the intention of serving a mission. Or I just don't remember. But that is so legit and she will love it. I will pray for her and I hope can get her email just to send little notes now and again because receiving a little email from another missionary is great!!!

I got the postcard this week!!! I also got letters from Kallen, and You mom (it was from Easter that you sent to Colombia) and grandma and Sister Knight ( she is my visiting teacher in the ward and I love her letters)

Well this week was great!! A little rough now and again but that is part of life as a missionary. Marisol is progressing great. She has fecha(date) for the 20 of Junio and is going to be baptized then. She is awesome and yesterday came to church for the 4th time in 4 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my I am so excited for her. I love her and her two little girls so much. Her little girls are so cute. The other day we passed by there house to go to a different cita and they saw us and were like Hermanitas Hermanitas. They invited us to go play at the park with them, but well, we can't. But what made my day and made it worth being on the mission was this, as they were walking away Veronica the 5 year old turned around and yelled Ciao Hermana Hull and then turned and kept walking and then Zoey the 2 year old did the same thing. They just yelled my name and then remembered my comp. I truly felt so special and important in this moment. I felt that this was the right thing and that these people here in Ecuador truly care for me. I love them so much. I love being a missionary even if it is really hard but you know what it is worth it.

Man, Otavalo is beautiful!!! I love it here. Really the people are so great too. The members of this ward are so great!! We had a noche de hogar(nightly meeting) with the obispado(Bishopric) and that was jueves (Thursday). We got there and they got there super late. But it was because they were waiting. But we started running around finding more people to come but like all showed up and all were great. We had a member come with us for like four hours one day and another Noche de hogar with another family and Marisol. They are so great!!!

We had intercambios(exchanges) this week so my comp left for a day and an Hermana Lider came. We went to our mamita and got there super late. She was so concerned. She was like (in Spanish but I am horrible at writing Spanish) I thought my daughters weren't coming and I was worried. I have a mama in the ward that loves me and was worried I wasn't going to be fed. It is even more special because she only has one son and can't have anymore. So I feel honored.

We have a lot of fun times and good talks. Hermana Szerdi is such a great missionary and teaches me everyday. She is funny though because she only has una cambio(transfer) left and has trunkie thoughts a lot. It is weird but fun like when she was asking me about high school reunions and spouses going to them. When I answered I think spouses go she was like so ¨¨I can take that person with me¨¨ Like she couldn't say husband but she knew that it would be coming a lot sooner.

I know that this is the true gospel. I know that I am a daughter of my Father in Heaven who loves me so much. I know it is through him and only him that I am able to be here speaking a different language and sharing his gospel. I love you all so much. Tell the Peterson´s specifically that I say hi.
I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love Jenika

Sorry this email is kind of scattered a bit we had a lesson during our pday so i didn't get a chance to write the list of things to tell you like I usually do. Loves with all my heart!!

STATE CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!

Mom!!!!!!!!!!

Wow what a week it sounds like you have had!!!! It sounds like a lot of fun and that you did so much. It is always like that at the end of the school year. It is a fun time of the year. And now summer begins and you have so many adventures without school!!

STATE CHAMPIONS!!! WHAT!!!?!?!?!?!?!? I AM SO FLIPPIN HAPPY!!!! I read your and Becca's and Jaden´s emails and I got chills from imagining that game. Oh it sounds like it was SWEET!! Some really hot plays and some awesome teamwork!! And it sounds like Jaden got some awesome privileges!! OH WOW THIS IS AWESOME!!!!!!

Happy Birthday MarleeAnn and Kenden!! I love you and am so happy you are my cousins. You guys are 9. Wow you guys have grown up a lot. I love that you love Harry Potter almost as much as me. And it sounds like you got some sweet new books for your birthday. Enjoy them they are good books!! Love you!!

Wow it just sounds like you had a fantastic week. Spent a lot of time with my grandparents. I miss them. I love them so much. I am so blessed to have my grandmas and grandpas and the times I have had with them and plan on having with them in the future. They are great examples of what it is to have a testimony and to live the gospel with firm faith. They are my heroes and I love them so much!!!

You asked a few questions so imma answer those first.
Yes I have a microwave.
I might need a few more full nylons. On Guard and Lemon would be good too. I use them everyday. Other than that just a Twix!! I am just finishing the candy from my last package because it is just so much better than the candy here. I mean there is good candy here but it isn't like the good old american candy. #murica
I will answer the rest as I talk about my week.

Wow what a week. We had a lot of good happen and a lot of blessings come.  First oh my imma excited about this. Marisol Fuerez she had fecha (date)for the 6 of June. Well she was feeling a little pressured cause we only met her like 3 weeks ago. Well she decided she wanted to get baptized in July but we talked with her and had a member come with us and bear testimony and really helped her. She is going to get baptized on the 20 of June at 10 in the morning. She wants the bishop to baptize her. Oh man she is great and this I feel will be perfect time for her. Also she has come to church the last 3 weeks in a row and wants to be there so she has all her asistencias(attendance) she needs and now we just got to keep her coming and finish the lecciones.
We also found a lot more menos activos(less actives) this week, Which is super good. We are sure we can rescue probably 4 this month!!!!

Some funny stories of the week:
So we were at the church on Wednesday for coordinacion misional and that is the night they have entrevistas(interviews). So there was this little girl that came up and was talking to us. Remember we are both white. She asked Hna Szerdi...´´are you mestizo or indiginous?´´ then went on to tell us a story of how someone once was mestizo but changed to become an indiginous.... we weren't sure how to respond because all we could do was laugh. #gringos
Yesterday we were making up studies and we were talking about our menos activo that lied to us about going to Columbia. We knew he was lying because his wife came to church and we asked how the trip went. She said they didn't go. Hna Szerdi was super, I don't really know how explain it but this is what she said ´´They think they can lie to us because we are two little white girls. Well they are wrong. We will show them a thing or two.´´ It was pretty funny because it is true some people just lie to us about things because they think we don't understand.
I saw a horse in the middle of the park eating the grass. It had no owner and no rope and people don't even care that it was there. Also they sell chickens. Like they are dead and plucked but the still have the head and feet on them and when you ask for a part of one they just take it right in front of you and cut it up and then just throw the rest of it back into the glass case that definitely isn't refrigerated. Also I saw a bunch of live chickens probably like 12 just sitting outside a store under a crate being prepared to get..... well you know. Also all the animals are just on ropes and no one cares. Horses, cows, pigs, sheep. No fences just ropes. I saw a parrot the other day. We were up arriba and I saw it it was legit.
Also we think there was an earthquake one night. We both woke up and the house was shaking... it was either and earthquake or whoever was in the Plaza de Ponchos at 1:30 am was having a heck of a party. We don't have any way to find out if there actually was so we are just assuming there was.
Oh more on Hna Szerdi. She is 21 and from S.California. She has 1 more cambio after this one and so she is almost done with her mission. That is weird for me because I am just starting and she is close to finishing so we have conversations a lot about home and things after the mission because she has that on her mind a lot. Kind of hard for me though. She has 6 other siblings and her brother just younger than her got his mission call to Hungary and leaves 5 days before she gets home. She goes to Stanford for school and had one year done before she came on the mission. It is super cool that she is here. She has been through a lot and had a lot of hard trials in her life. She was less active all through high school and didn't really want anything to do with the church. She then went to college and was in a dorm with another member who would play Hymns on the piano. She felt the spirit and wanted to and felt she need to go back to church. She had the missionaries come every Friday night during her year of college. She really felt she needed to serve a mission and so she did. Yeah it was super cool to hear that. She is fun and we have a good time and work hard together.

So something that just made me feel really good. We were waiting for Marisol at church and waiting and waiting. She finally came. When we saw her in the door her two girls Veronica (4) and Zoe (2) came running to us and Zoe pretty much jumped up into my arms to give me a hug yelling ´´hermanas hermanas´´ Then veronica too. That made my day and really reminded me of why I am here.

3 Nephi 12:14-16--This is the Savior speaking and teaching. I read this and it helped me. I have a light. I have talents that I need to share. In this time and in this place I am the only one with these talents and abilities. I am here for a reason even if I don't know for who or why yet. But I was called to this mission for a reason and I need to share my talents and my light in the best way that I can so others may see the Light of Christ and want to come to him. I love this Gospel. I love my Savior and Redeemer. I truly know that the Atonement when we use it everyday in our lives that it can change us. That we can receive healing for our broken hearts and that the Savior is ALWAYS there to pick us up dust us off and carry us for a while he heals us. He is the way and the light and I love him. He is the reason I can be here. He is the reason I can make it through the hard times of missing home. He is the reason I can share this gospel in another language. He is the reason I am here. I want to give as much of myself to him because of what he has done for me. I love him!!!!!

I love you so much!!! I hope you have a great week. I think of you often and always pray for you!!! I love you so much!!!
con mucho amor
Jenika

PS you thought I forgot didn't you......you're wrong....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK MOM!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND AM SO THANKFUL YOU ARE IN THIS WORLD!!!! I LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH LIKE THIS BIG BUT MOREOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Blue Gatorade

Ecuador Jersey

Hermana Hull and Szerdi enjoying Ice Cream

Hermana Hull made Popcorn

Sunday Dinner(I think they need a can opener)