Behind Dianey Face's Face

Finally!

2011-03-08T09:55:00.001-08:00

Even newerly revised...

2011-01-21T10:55:00.001-08:00

Don't forget your towel...
“Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.”-Benjamin Franklin. Time is a very important aspect of our culture. We worry about being late. We take time-management courses. We’re always running out of it. Despite the need for more time or for time to stop, we’ve never been able to control time. Until now.

Many are unsatisfied with their current life situation. They wish they could go back and fix mistakes in the past or repair broken relationships. They wish they could go forward and reach their destinations, whether it is a coveted job, mansion or the family of which they dream. But they don’t understand how easy it really could be.

In short, it can be said that many wish they could interrupt the fabric of time. The Tuck family is known for the famous “fountain of youth”, or the spring that keeps people eternally the same youthful age, giving them an advantage above all others. As technology becomes savvier, time-saving devices become more prevalent. With the World Wide Web, people can enjoy instant gratification as their questions can be answered within a matter of seconds. But how can we jump ahead to the future or relive the past? It is well-known that the only way to do that is with a time machine.

Where can this device be found? Scientists have been searching for the mechanisms to make such a machine for centuries. From lightning bolts to other forms of electricity, they’ve tried everything imaginable. In the “back to the future” movies, a magical car helps them jump around to different time dimensions. Mr. Winkle learned the hard way that falling asleep for a hundred years transported him to a future that he didn’t recognize. Dr. Who uses a police booth to get to whichever year he wants. But although these ideas are great, they are fictional. What about a real time machine?

But how they couldn’t have tried what I’m about to reveal is what astounds me. For it is so simple, so obvious, it’s amazing that no one, even the most brilliant scientists and scholars still know nothing about it.

It needs to be understood that I'm about to share my most treasured and significant secret.

The shower is a time machine.

Think about it! You enter, and when you get exit again, about ten, fifteen or twenty minutes have gone by. I figure that the special dials that you would expect to see in a time machine are labeled "H" and "C", which are most definitely abbreviations in a foreign extra-terrestrial scientific language. The common man is not meant to know its meaning. The farther you turn the "H" dial, the farther in the future you'll go. With the average person, this dial would be turned some, but not all the way. This is why when the bathroom is again vacant, only ten-or-so minutes have gone by, and not months or years. It can be assumed that the "C" dial takes you into the past, but I wouldn't know... I've never tried it.

Once the machine is on and warmed up, hot or cold water can be expected to shoot out (or trickle, depending on the positioning of the dials) and blast your body into smithereens. Although the showerer may be in small particles temporarily, when they emerge from the machine, their body is back in one piece (about 86.5% of the time) and nothing is noticeably altered except for the fabric of time. This change is so subtle, that the showerer notices nothing different except perhaps a slight adjustment in the positioning of the sun, or some higher numbers garnishing the clocks around the house. In every bathroom, a memory eraser can be found in case the showerer actually in conscious of their journey. This only is necessary about .0001% of the time. Most don’t even notice that the fabric of time has at all been altered. They notice very little difference in time or circumstance but little do they know. An entire ten minutes has leapt out of their daily life. Imagine the experience of a germaphobe, whom showers perhaps twenty to thirty times a day to escape dangerous bacteria. They may experience hours of time travel and not even know it.

If skeptical, think of how long the last shower you took seemed to you. Mine usually seem to be over as soon as the water is at the right temperature. As I get out and check the clock, I’m often late to work. Especially if I keep the bathroom door shut tight, I may be in another time dimension until an hour has passed. Can’t society see how dangerous this could be? Our entire lives seeping through shower heads, and all we see and feel is warm, clean (depending on what country you live in) H2O. But while we cleanse our bodies, we’re getting older and losing our lives.

You may be skeptical, but it can’t be denied, as more research shows. In our culture, the richer you are, the more bathrooms you have in your house . The time machines typically get fancier, with all kinds of extra features, and even seats for comfort if the journey is long. And with more time machines, more people can hypothetically experience this phenomenon at the same time. And yet, not a single soul on our planet has realized the power of this miraculous device. Think of the potential! We gripe about how things were in the good ol' days, or how we wish we could be graduated, married, and happy with a family and a boat already, but we never think that it could be as simple as taking a shower. Something we do each and every day.

Despite his brilliance, there is one thing that the inventor of this extraordinary machine didn't quite think through. If I ever succeeded in getting into another time dimension, I'd be naked and too embarrassed to get out.

And a newly revised essay:

2011-01-19T17:26:00.001-08:00

It's not quite right. What does it need? Comment please.
Don't forget your towel...
Don't forget your towel...
Many are unsatisfied with their current life situation. They wish they could go back and fix mistakes in the past or repair broken relationships. They wish they could go forward and reach their destinations, whether it is a coveted job, mansion or the family they dream of. But they don’t understand how easy it really could be.
In short, it can be said that many wish they could interrupt the fabric of time. It is well-known that the only way to do that is with a time machine.
Where can this device be found? Scientists (“rocket” and otherwise) have been searching for the mechanisms to make such a machine for centuries. From lightning bolts to other forms of electricity, they’ve tried everything imaginable.
But how they couldn’t have tried what I’m about to reveal is what astounds me. For it is so simple, so obvious, it’s amazing that no one, even the most brilliant scientists and scholars still know nothing about it.
It needs to be understood that I'm about to share my most treasured and significant secret.

The shower is a time machine.

Think about it! You enter, and when you get exit again, about ten, fifteen or twenty minutes have gone by. I figure that the special dials that you would expect to see in a time machine are labeled "H" and "C", which are most definitely abbreviations in a foreign extra-terrestrial scientific language. The common man is not meant to know its meaning. The farther you turn the "H" dial, the farther in the future you'll go. With the average person, this dial would be turned some, but not all the way. This is why when the bathroom is again vacant, only ten-or-so minutes have gone by, and not months or years. It can be assumed that the "C" dial takes you into the past, but I wouldn't know... I've never tried it.

Once the machine is on and warmed up, hot or cold water can be expected to shoot out (or trickle, depending on the positioning of the dials) and blast your body into smitherings. Although the showerer may be in small particles temporarily, when they emerge from the machine, their body is back in one piece (about 86.5% of the time) and nothing is noticeably altered except for the fabric of time. This change is so subtle, that the showerer notices nothing different except perhaps a slight adjustment in the positioning of the sun, or some higher numbers garnishing the clocks around the house. But this can not be proven to be time travel. Most don’t even consider that an amazing journey through time has occurred. They notice very little difference in time or circumstance but little do they know. An entire ten minutes has leapt out of their daily life. Imagine the experience of a germaphobe, whom showers perhaps twenty to thirty times a day to escape dangerous bacteria. They may experience hours of time travel and not even know it.

If skeptical, think of how long the last shower you took seemed to you. Mine usually seem to be over as soon as the water is at the right temperature. As I get out and check the clock, I’m often late to work. Especially if I keep the bathroom door shut tight, I may be in another time dimension until an hour has passed. Can’t society see how dangerous this could be? Our entire lives seeping through shower heads, and all we see and feel is warm, clean (depending on what country you live in) H2O. But while we cleanse our bodies, we’re getting older and losing our lives.

You may be skeptical, but it can’t be denied, as more research shows. In our culture, the richer you are, the more bathrooms you have in your house . The time machines typically get fancier, with all kinds of extra features, and even seats for comfort if the journey is long. And with more time machines, more people can hypothetically experience this phenomenon at the same time. And yet, not a single soul on our planet has realized the power of this miraculous device. Think of the potential! We gripe about how things were in the good ol' days, or how we wish we could be graduated, married, and happy with a family and a boat already, but we never think that it could be as simple as taking a shower. Something we do each and every day.

Despite his brilliance, there is one thing that the inventor of this extraordinary machine didn't quite think through. If I ever succeeded in getting into another time dimension, I'd be naked and too embarrassed to get out.

Best Poem of 2011???

2011-01-19T17:08:00.000-08:00

Help me choose!

Comment on which poem(s) you like the best. I'm gonna enter them into a contest, but I only want to present my best work. Thanks!

-Dianey Face

Perspective

Gloomy, burdened, dark with pain
its cause I could not find
it slowed my step and thoughts of me
were flooding up my mind.

Then suddenly, through some small sort
of miracle I guess
the cold wind stilled and sunshine brightly
lit upon my face.

I felt such joy and gratitude
and that I will get by.
I am convinced it was a gift:
That comfort from the sky.

Friend

Bits of paper cling to a notebook's spine
Confessions to be pulled out of my soul
I need firm hands to tear them all away
and ears to listen as my words spill out
The job is messy, quite undignified
and yet rewarding when the task is done
Fragile, weak, small without my paper bits
you kindly help me take them to the trash

Princess Di: age 7

A galloping child
knows nothing of guile
head crowned with golden flowers

Holes in the knees
of hand-me-down jeans
escaping the evil king's powers

She's frightened and still
she sprints down the hill
Eyes wide and breath short with excitement

The horses draw near
but the prince she can hear
to save her, much to her delightment

She climbs up a tree
from there she can see
him slaying the guards all around

The king runs away
Her prince saved the day!
He helps her back down to the ground

But now it gets dark
The forest's a park
Her playtime and daydreams are done

Thanking her friend
for the fairy tale end
she goes home to sleep with the sun

Ball

If I had ears I first would hear
The wind's high pitch from moving fast
Then painless crash as I met house
crescendo-ed laughs with each return

If I had eyes I'd keep them shut
For being thrust into the air
would be enough to lose one's lunch
With blurs of color streaming past

My nose would smell the young boy's hands
His sweat from repetitious play
And then, too soon, the paneled wall
the ling'ring cedar still remains

If I had nerves I would feel pain
As bruises blue became rebruised
And wounds were not allowed to heal
Forever suffering-- endless game

Reasons for William

I sit on the dock and watch the boats sail
passengers laughing, enjoying the sun
though some look with longing back to the shore.
I know the feeling -- stuck, trapped, alone

Remember that time? Seems ages ago
we ran down the dock, impulsively jumped
right into a boat. We sailed for a day
sun shone so brightly; the water was fine.

Then after some time it lost its appeal
felt claustrophobic though out in the air
but you steered the boat still farther away.
I wanted to dock but you held the oars.

A storm began brewing, crescendoing wind
the boat began rocking, my hands clutched the sides
the sound of the waves crashing against wood
was just like my gut, and naucious I felt.

Then we tipped over. The rest is a blur.
Somehow I made it, safe, back to the shore.
That's why I sit here and watch others smile
enjoying the constance of my solid ground.

Sir Robert

Like steadfast knight
with foe to conquer, boldly he stands,
with not a sword but
rubber weapon in my father's hands.

He strikes! Impact
causes crumbs to dance on the table.
Mother glares: she
just wants a nice meal, if we're able.

Determined to
slay the small black wing-ed enemy,
he slaps and slaps
but buzzing means the fly still lives free.

Fly swatter hits
right in between celery and chives.
The fiend is dead!
Our father has saved our very lives!

All cheer but mom.
Table is a graveyard for dead flies,
But through her hand
I see her smile, twinkle in her eyes.

Dawn clouds

power lines slice through faintly pink

dawn-streamed cloud

like kitchen's sharpest knife

silently

effortlessly separating

the thick sweet blanket

of "cloud" that mom likes to make

with thawed whipped cream

hint of strawberry jello mix

generic brand of cottage cheese

God's recipe shows no sign

of Miss Muffet's preference

but in His broad bowl we call sky

long, thin leftovers of night

greyish blue

after my eyes have had their fill

the flavor tastes of orange

like mother's after I've already

removed the squishy mandarins

still changing

as rays begin peaking over lofty mountain tips

my eyes taste a

dampened, inoffensive lemon

all traces of night now seem but shadows

as sky lightens

and earth is made ready

for vibrant sun's

reentry

Craig's house

Dusk.
air pleasantly warm
reminding us of a sun-baked day
steady creak of the porch swing
keeps time for a soft orchestra
of crickets
distant highways
and subtle wind
whispering wisely to ancient trees
your sharp intake of breath
indicates the first sighting of a firefly
They ignite!
And gradually the field is a vast galaxy of stars
which live but a moment-
just long enough to fascinate
then, stifled out
one by one
in Night's thick blanket.
Darkness.
like nothing happened at all

Miriam

I see her in their faces
though lacking lines from years still to come
framed in heavy hair
not as white or wispy soft
Mother's movements look so familiar
the way she softly taps the table with her hands
just as she had done
just like Miriam

As they retell her stories re-retold,
passing them from mouth to mouth, reverently
as one should handle one of her precious quilts
I see her in them

The stories form bit by bit
pulled from each memory
sometimes interjection
correction
on the particular wording
she may have used
even so,
the morbidity
of Big Clause and Little Clause
or the shocking lack of mentality
of dear lil' Epaminondas
is clearly communicated

there's laughter at the accuracy
then tears at her memory

I cannot yet recite her words as they
and my youthfulness does not reveal much resemblance
but I see her
in that ancient skirt
its unusual style for these times
but my favorite to wear

I see her
in my desire and attempt
to sew patches of random old projects
into something to keep someone
warm and comfortable
much time is spent
and every stitch says "I love you"
I'm beginning to understand her

She called me "friend"
and I become my own
friend
as I begin to see her in me

John

there's something so poetic
about the candle
never moved, never opened
fire never playfully teasing the wick
the smell of apple cinnamon
never fills the room
never performing the expected task

only touched three times a day
so as to hold a tube in place
as liquid drains
in a slow steady pace
leftovers of some
unsatisfying nourishment
for one who cannot taste or smell

other tools may think it useless
but its consistence is vital
it, being there, near the sink
helps the helpless
live.

My Paul

left thigh unusually warm
from the weight of his head
as he sleeps
seeing him this way
as my heart nearly leaps
from my chest
wishing to be his
wishing to still know more about him.
Life is so beautiful
so short but so full
when he's there to fill it up
was there really a time
in my life before him?
were my smiles real?
did I really know joy?
did I really have love?
no.
and I know
my life will always be filled
with him.
his laugh.
his tears.
his tired sighs.
or it won't be life
at all.

If you like it then you better put a ring on it... !

2011-01-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

I bought some books for class, minding my own business, when out of an orange colored sky... crash, bam, alakazam...

a random boy asked me out.

Let me back up a little bit. He started talking to me and I didn't pay him any mind. The conversation consisted of "What's your major?", "Where are you from?", etc etc. We walked toward some stairs and it became clear that he was going to go down. I didn't feel that we should continue the chat. So I walked parallel to the stairs on that same floor as he began to go down. He stopped awkwardly on the stairs and kept talking. After a while he came BACK UP THE STAIRS and stood by me, talking. He moved closer; I moved away. He moved closer; I moved away. I couldn't believe he would hit on me... doesn't he see the love in my eyes for another man?!

I don't know how Paul came up in conversation, but he did. The boy's disappointment was almost tangible. "Oh... are you two serious?" "Yeah," I said, not admitting that we were, in fact, ENGAGED. "That's a shame. I was going to... you know... see if you and me wanted to... go out sometime....."

::awkwardest silence::

"Well, nice to meet you. What was your name?"
"Scott"
"Nice to meet you, Scott. I'm Diane"
"Thanks, Diane. See you around?"

I didn't respond. I just walked away.

It feels good to know that another man may be interested in me. Especially as Paul is the only one who has asked me out or wanted to be with me for the last 6 months. But I still love him the very best. :)

But if he wants to keep me from the flirting tactics of the single men on campus, he better buy me the bling bling. And soon. ;)

Like a pack of sardines...

2011-01-05T13:24:00.000-08:00

This morning I took the bus to school. All was fine, I was gonna be ontime and everything, and then we stopped by a place where freshmen live. And there were so many people waiting for the bus. They piled on by 5s 7s 11s, until all the seats were filled. And then they kept piling on until there was a long line of people all the way down the aisle. But they kept on coming. Until we were all so squished, I was afraid to breath so as to not disturb the atmospheric pressure. There were probably 300 people on a bus that can have 45 (if that). And then we started moving. Tentatively... forward. We all laughed and screamed "NO!" As we saw a guy running to catch the bus.

Amazingly the bus driver stopped to pick him up.

It was pretty funny.

My life: the last few months

2010-12-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

Temple= Vernal. Man= My love. :)

Paul got a 94 percent on his test. so I made him a crown. BRILLIANT. (the crown has 94 star stickers)
John McCaskey and I meet again. Yes I do have stickers on my face.
John is excited about his dreamcatcher from Honduras (made by the lil kids there)
Temple= Timpanogos. Man= My one true love.

Double date action!!!!!

Love this.

Rock band collage!!!!!!!!! Love John E.
my penguin pjs are bonded.
Here we are on the plane from Utah to Virginia. To meet the parents.
We are cuteums.
Temple= Washington DC. Man= my one true love, Paul. He took this blurry blurry photo, but it turned out to be the best one of many attempts.
Dog= Sammy. Footie Pjs = Penguins Dianey.
cute!. The cat is cute too. jajjaa. I'm liking animals this trip. ?! But not to keep. Right? (not pictured yet= a big huge pitbull with a silver tooth who is quite tough looking but LOVES to cuddle me)
Church= Paul's.
House= Jared's.
we= adorable adorable adorable. Love my bangs. Love him.
School = Paul's HS. Planetarium!!!!!
House of God= WASH DC TEMPLE. Us= cold. I= no jacket but Paul keeps me warm.
Coat= red so on the ground.
Paul's thoughts= COLD!!!!
Ellsworth= us. Del, Marylou= Missionaries. Ant, Sharon= cute!. me= wannabe momma with Ira. Paul= the love of my existence. Christ= our Savior. This is a good shot.
me and Ira sittin in a tree....
trying to k-i-s-s-i-n-g.
Mary-Lou (what is it with Aunts with 2 names hyphenated? Mona-jo?), me being gorgeous!, Sharon being Sharoney.
The hottest couple at the prom. I may have some news for you. ;)
Uncle Del plus my love.
Pose= I said "pretend like you like each other!" and they... leaned.
Check out his birthmark on his hand!! (heart shape)

:) I'm not engaged. But...

2010-12-16T16:52:00.001-08:00

Found it. Thanks to Robyn's help. This is the ring I would like. Hint hint. :)
It's a pearl. and it's only $60. That makes my ring + my wedding dress = less than $150. Less than$145. wow.
:)

http://www.gordonsjewelers.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4343434&cp=2633775

If you like it then you better put a ring on it...

2010-11-24T14:52:00.000-08:00

I'm not engaged.

But Robyn asked me if I knew what kind of ring I would want if I was. And I realized I've never really thought about it before. So I researched a little bit. And these beauties were what I found.

Diamond: (These top 3 are my favorite)

I like the band, but I think I'm lookin' for a round cut.

Pearl: (I LOVE this top one!)
Gotta admit... a blue ring would be pretty snazzy.

So, it looks as if pearls are much cheaper than diamonds. And I kinda like them! These ones were under $100. Whatever ring I end up getting some day, I would hope it would be different. I don't really like these ones:

They're just not for me.

Anyhow, just some thoughts. And hints. ;)

My Paul: 24 Oct 2010

2010-11-16T11:22:00.000-08:00

It's been a good day for the 1st music video debut

2010-11-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

pronounced" dee-butt". :)

This is my brother who is a doctor and I'm a pirate.

Happy. In love. In a homemade dress.

I made a music video today. Steve is helping to edit it and it'll probably end up on Youtube. Hooray!

Here are the lyrics for the 2 songs I've written: better if you know the originals.

P-Town

(Parody of Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus) 11/5/10

I hopped off the plane @ SLC

With my stuff and my name tag on

Welcome to the land of LDS

Am I gonna fit in?

Jumped in a bus

Here I am for the first time

Looked to my right and I see the Y mountain

This is all so crazy!

Everybody’s lookin’ so gringo!

My tummy’s turnin’ and I’m feelin’ kinda carsick

Too much pressure and I’m nervous

Then when the bus man turned onto I-15

And a hip hop song came on

a hip hop song came on

So I put my hands up to cover my ears

White handbook still applies

Closing my eyes like “yeah”

Ignoring the world like “yeah”

I put my hands up to cover my ears

No worldly stuff, you guys.

Yeah!

It’s an RM coming back to P-town.

Yeah!

It’s an RM coming back to P-town.

Get to the ward at 9 o clock

Everybody’s lookin’ at me now

Like who’s that girl and where’s her comp

She’s gotta be from outta town.

So hard with Latinos not around me

It’s definitely not a Hondo party

Cause all I see are poofy hairdos

I guess I never got the memo

My tummy’s turnin’ and I’m feelin’ kinda naucious

Too much pressure and I’m nervous

Or is it the parasite that I picked up

In my 2^nd Area?

In my 2^nd Area?

So I put my hands up to cover my mouth

I feel vomit in my throat

Runnin’ away like “yeah”

Ladies’ room like “yeah”

I put my hands up to wipe off my mouth

And try to clean off my coat

Yeah!

It’s an RM coming back to P-town.

Yeah!

It’s an RM coming back to P-town.

Feel like I’ve been in a dream (in a dream)

Without nametag wanna scream (wanna scream)

Somethin’ stops me every time (every time)

Teach at MTC and I feel all right

So I put my hand up to write on the board

Ser, estar, ver and ir

My class is asleep like “yeah”

Spanish review like “yeah”

I put my hand up to erase the board

In June it’ll be a year

Yeah!

It’s an RM coming back to P-town.

Yeah!

It’s an RM coming back to P-town.

I put my hand up to show off my ring

He proposed yesterday.

Sparkle and shine like “yeah”

Carats and gold like “yeah”

I put my hand up to show off my ring

Think I’m gonna be okay

Yeah!

It’s an RM coming back to P-town.

Yeah!

It’s an RM coming back to P-town.

(This is not to announce that I'm engaged. I'm not. I'm also not teaching at the MTC. It's just a song.)

Scripture Mastery

(Parody of Perfect two by Auburn) 11/4/10

Read about Lehi, Read about Sariah

Read about King Noah, and his little fire

Read about Laban, how he’s got the brass plates

Read at least one verse even if you gotta stay up late

Read about Nephi, Read about his record

Read about Ammon, how he found the lost herd

Read about Lamoni’s Dad and his silence

Read about Nehor and his silly nonsense

Don’t know if I could ever be

So smart without seminary

RMs are lookin’ to marry

Cuz baby I have a wish:

I wanna be held tight like unto a dish

Baby I have this thought

I’ll read this book in the cold and the hot

Nephi 7:3

means a lot to me

Faithful we should be

Scripture mastery

Read about Samuel up there on his high wall

Because of his power, sticks and stones don’t hurt at all

Read about Armies of Helaman and their moms

After Lehi’s death, read about his son’s psalms

Read about King Ben up there on his tower

Read about Enos, only takes an hour

Read about the Lamanites, and their facepaint

Read about Abish, fast and she don’t hesitate

Don’t know if I could ever be

So smart without seminary

RMs are lookin’ to marry

1^st and 2^nd books of Nephi

Jacob Enos Jarom Omni

Words of Mormon and Mosiah

Alma Helaman not a liar

Then there’s 3^rd Nephi (Nephi)

Then there’s 4^th Nephi (Nephi)

Mormon, Ether guy (guy)

And Moroni…

You know that I’ll never doubt it

Cuz I’ve read all throughout it

And I’ve even prayed about it

This book has changed my life

Pride cycles of peace and strife

I’ll make someone a good wife

Cuz baby I have a wish:

I wanna be held tight like unto a dish

Baby I have this thought

I’ll read this book in the cold and the hot

Nephi 7 chapter 3

means a lot to me

Faithful we must be

Scripture mastery

The funniest part of today was when I hacked into Paul's facebook account and made it seem that we were engaged. It only stayed that way for 6 minutes, but he got a bunch of comments and "likes", plus his brother called his mom who called him and asked him about it. :) ha ha it was awesome. They caught on SO FAST.

Things are getting better all the time. I'm getting happier.

Look! I was trying to be like Robyn! It's a littler handcart though.

Robyn's home in just 6 days. YAY!!!!!

I have this new friend: Liz

who lives at the BC and she's really nice. We're gonna sew together one of these days. She's chill and funny and brave and we get along. I'm grateful for her. This boy was being dumb and she totally called him on it: asked him to go on a walk and was like "Hey! What's the big deal?!??!?!"! I respect and admire her for that.

The end.

www.despair.com

2010-10-29T22:51:00.000-07:00

Paper dolls for missionaries

2010-10-11T08:14:00.001-07:00

This is Robyn. She is in France on her mission.

See Robyn in her tie skirt. Every sister missionary needs one.

See Robyn in her PJs with her toothbrush and her pillow, ready for a pillow fight with her companion. It's in Preach My Gospel, under the Companionship inventory paragraph. Read the fine print. :)

The Sudoku quilt!

2010-10-04T21:58:00.000-07:00

Day 1: Today.

Day 2: Finish sewing the top and buy more black fabric. Make more black strips and also numbers 1-9 (9 1s, 9 2s, etc.) Sew on velcro except for the hints, which I'll sew right on the blocks

Day 3: Batting. Begin quilting.

Meanwhile, I'm working on Jared's tie quilt, a rug out of ties,

and a chair

Woooo!

Continue in Patience

2010-10-04T08:38:00.000-07:00

Continue in Patience

Some lists

2010-10-01T08:21:00.000-07:00

Some specific things I love about living here:

Carpet

Putting the toilet paper in the toilet

My hair straightens

Fewer political riots

Not having to wear flip flops ALWAYS in the house

Easy computer access

Jason, Mike, Steve, Mary, John E.

The piano

My sewing machine

Harmonizing in singing

Millie

Paul

Not hearing daily news of deaths in the area

Hot showers

Tolerable weather

Consistent running water

Seasons (besides rainy, hot, rainy)

Not sticking out too much. "gringita!!":)

My ties

Safe food - knowing I probably won't get sick from it

Drinking from the tap

No cockroaches

Some specific things I miss about living in Honduras:

People going door to door selling home-grown vegetables

The adventures when the lights randomly go out

Washing my clothes by hand in a PILA

Watching them dance (punta)

Real baleadas

Seeing kids playing soccer in the streets

The traditional kiss on the cheek each time you greet someone

Random cows block your path

The music pouring from the houses and pulperias (little shops)

Being the only one not tone deaf (cute voices)

The crazy moto taxis - no seatbelts

Nahum, Delmis, Reina, Cindi, Silbano, Sofia, Familia Cervantes, Jonny, Maira, Jackie, Mama Ibeth, etc.

The mischevious children

Hitting mangos down from mango trees (sticks, soccer balls, etc)

Fireworks for Christmas

They mow their lawn with a machete

The BEAUTIFUL hills, sunsets, stars

Showering with a bucket. :D

Drinking from a coconut on the side of the road

Houses that are painted bright colors and each Christmas painted a different color

Mayan Ruins

Feeling the Spirit in Spanish

The rivers

When the right side of the brain takes over...

2010-09-30T13:18:00.001-07:00

Stumbled across some pretty fun sites today...

http://sewingwithneckties.blogspot.com/

http://iwannanewbag.blogspot.com/
Why does the creativity have to stop at ties? Wow. I mean, who do you know who has a soccer ball purse? The ultimate soccer mom, perhaps.

Crazy patterns: joys of sewing

2010-09-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

I love these patterns... I thought the models looked so funny. Perhaps trendy at one point in time.

John E. water skiing. :)

2010-09-27T22:49:00.000-07:00

with a little help from our home teacher.

I can sail! I'm sailing! I'm a sailor!

2010-09-27T21:13:00.001-07:00

I can moter! I'm motering! I'm a moat! ?

What a beautiful day! NONE of these pictures were doctored up. I really did get up on the water skiis for just a minute, although there is no proof. It was wonderful!

This is my favorite!

Caption contest!!

This is me. I wish. :) This is Sis Garner. She's amazing.

This is the closest picture to how I was gracefully flying through the air... er... it was for about 5 seconds.

Tie skirt power

2010-09-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

My newest model, modeling her newest skirt.

Cowboy, take me away...

2010-09-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

The newest sewing project is finished! Kudos to my sister to having such an adorable child. Now gotta hurry and think of something for all of her cousins so they won't be jealous. :)

Mary did the onesie. They are her speciality. :)

Guitar lessons... We'll start her out on a Ukulele

Behind the Y

2010-09-20T22:39:00.000-07:00

B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L

Biking photography

2010-09-20T21:51:00.001-07:00

The CD cover art is half the battle

2010-09-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

blown away

So... I took some random pictures today, and then played around with them, and then they just looked so much like cover art, I thought it might be good to make a CD.

Impulsive, I know. And with my raw no-experience-besides-church-and-highschool-choir voice, perhaps it would be too hard. But I don't know... I'm thinkin' Rachmanninov, Vocalise, singing some good old sad songs. Maybe you'd like to sing with me? And we could maybe possibly use Nae's connections to make it happen? Steve, you also have voice recording material, right?

Mary and Janae (and... now Steve, and Mike, and Jason) are the only ones who even have access to this blog, so at this point, yours are the only opinions that count. What do you think? Am I crazy? Well, I know I am. But do you think it would work? Too much work?

Love, Di.

I made a summer dress!

2010-09-20T15:23:00.001-07:00

But... are the sleeves weird? What do you think?

This is what I did tonight! :)

2010-09-18T19:57:00.000-07:00

I'm an aunt again!

2010-09-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

My best friend Janae had a baby on Sept 7, 2010. 1:19 pm.
7 lbs, 11oz, 19 inches long. Utah Valley Hospital. Lily Jane Stubbs.

This post is quite delayed. :)

Stress can really change a person

2010-09-01T23:11:00.000-07:00

Just still can't get over how much I've changed physically and emotionally from everything that happened on the mission. Is it as obvious to anyone else? Well, obviously it's obvious. It just makes me sick sometimes.
I'm sure there's a purpose in all of it!
With all the feelings of shame and sorrow that nearly constantly bombard, I also feel overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to serve the children of God living in Honduras. They are beautiful, and I will never forget them.
"May we freely and willingly choose to LIVE for Him." -Elder Hales

2010-07-02T23:02:00.001-07:00

Norma is the housekeeper of the Matute family. She was taught the lessons a year ago, and teaching her has been kind of a review.
This morning Norma was baptized! It´s also her birthday today. Hermana Story joked that two were being baptized today because she´s going to have a baby. :) Jason sent some round colored stickers which really came in handy because I made a birthday card with the stickers as balloons. What a blessing to be able to be part of this amazing work and to be able to see the change in people's lives.
It´s fun to hear Hna. Story´s stories about being the mission nurse. She´s seen a lot of miracles. She says that the more she helps the missionaries, the more blessings she´s seen in the ward we´re in.
Thank you for all the updates and for your love and support. Happy Father´s day daddy-O! I love you!

Hermana Francis

2010-06-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

Dear familia

Thank you for the birthday wishes! It was a somewhat uneventful birthday although they have a tradition here in Honduras that they break eggs on your head on your special day. It happened to Hermana Meese serving in Santa Cruz (Area Villa Nueva, where I was before I was transferred here to Fesitrahn).

I can´t believe I´m 22. I haven´t felt the time pass.

We´re always praying for and teaching the Ordones family... Berta (la mama) was at church with us on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed the gospel docterine class, taught by Mariela, who is so energetic and excited for her mission (she´ll be leaving in January). Yesterday we were with them (the Ordones family) when the lights went out in the neighborhood, and watching Abby (age 10) light the candle and all the family there together in the dark made me think of President Uchtdorf and his experiences as a young child with the world war. It also made me think of how important it is to be prepared in this world, and what a comfort it is to have a family when times are difficult. The good thing is, the Ordones family is attending church, which will help them in their preparation. The bad/interesting thing is, Hermana Salazar and I are being transferred on Wednesday and so we´ll have to put our trust in the new missionaries to help them progress and be baptized. But I know that these things are in the Lord´s hands, and He is watching over His children here in Fesitrahn.

I love you all and miss you something terrible. :) I´m doing my best, although I feel very small in every way. Thank you for your prayers...
XOXOX
Hermana Francis

Flying to Fesitrahn

2010-05-31T22:05:00.000-07:00

Hola familia! I´m now in Fesitrahn, which is close to San Pedro. I´m serving in a ward instead of a branch. There´s a piano! I´ll be playing for the church meetings. My companion is Hermana Salazar from El Salvador. Wow, can she Salsa! She is teaching me how for our exercise time in the mornings.

Fesitrahn is big and rich and quite different from the more-puebloish towns that I´ve been serving in. There are still dogs in the streets, but they are big and very well bred dogs. The houses are quite large and some families have 3 cars, where in Riolindo it was much less common to own a car. The people are colder and busier and everything is faster. It´s funny to see the difference in the missionaries as well... all chubbier.... for the first time in a long time I´m eating at Wendy´s and Pizza Hut. You may say this is a cushier area as well... we used to go out and bring in the purified water with a wheelbarrow in RioLindo, and here a purified water truck with a little purified water jingle drives past. It makes us laugh.

We do most of our work in Vera Cruz which is more of a pueblo, and the people are more receptive. The Montejo family (converts of Hermana Alvarez who was with me in the CCM in Guatemala) help a lot with the work there. Lenin is very bright... he´s 17 and has a huge testimony. I know he´ll be a great missionary someday.

My very first day as a missionary, all the new missionaries contacted a park here in San Pedro. Hermana Salazar was my companion for that day. It was major dejavu to walk past the same park with her today. She and I and one other Elder are the only ones in the mission who started off in Copan. It has been fun to reminice and talk about the people we know and love there. She also served some time in the mission office, so she has the answers to everything I want to know about the mission. It´s quite nice. :)

Also this week we had a multizone meeting and I listened to Hermana Rosales, Hermana Figueroa and Hermana Gutierrez share their testimonies as they go home in just a few weeks. It was a sad day... I´m really going to miss seeing them. But it was great to reflect and think of all the experiences I´ve had with each of them. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to serve and teach and sweat and pray and laugh and learn with my sisters from Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala.

I´ve been reading about Abinadi lately in el Libro de Mormon and thinking about power and authority that the Lord gives His servants as we preach repentance and help people change. What incredible examples we have from the book of mormon of men (and women... Abish! :) )who were not afraid to stand for the truth and do as the Lord directed them.

I love this gospel and I know it is true. I know that the Lord answers our prayers and always protects us from harm. I´m trying to develop more faith to find the chosen. I know they´re out there!

I love you all! XOXOXOXOX Hermana Francis

Hola Familia Favorita

2010-05-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

Hello family! It's so good to hear from you!

On Saturday, Maira and Jackie Argueta were baptized. It was also Hna. Gutierrez's birthday... and she felt like it was the best gift ever. We've been working with this family pretty much since I got here, and we feel so glad that they've progressed to this point and that now can enjoy the blessings of the gospel more in their lives. It was a great experience. Jackie (age 12) was so cute... nervous and scared of the river, but came out beaming.
And I felt happy in our gospel essentials class, which was about the atonement, and to hear the testimonies of Jonny Figueroa and Maira Argueta, our converts, of how they feel to have Jesus Christ personally as their Savior. They both enjoyed (with their spouses) a conference in Villa Nueva with Elder Clark, a seventy of the area.

A birthday package??! For me??!? :) I really could use a few Modbe sleeveless undershirts... a black one and a white one... and a few short sleeved size S shirts (modbe also), maybe a plain green one and a blue one, lightweight and good for hot weather. Through trading, etc. my clothes have become a little bit hard to match. :) Hooray!!!
I love you all very much!! Transfers have come and it's my turn to go. Changes are a good thing. I'll let you know all the details next week!
XOXOXHermana Francis
2 Ne 31:3.

Photos: The Argueta family, with the sister-in-law of Senen(the bearded man) and her kids, and Maira's father.
Hermana Ibeth made me fish! I don't know if you can see it well, but they eat the whole thing, eyeballs and all. Mmmm.

2010-05-18T16:45:00.001-07:00

Hola familia, como le han ido?
The last couple of days have been great, as Hermana Gutierrez has let me lead to see how well I know the area. I´m amazed to see that although I still feel like I don´t know the area very well, the Lord always helps us get to where we need to be.

Today we had a P-day de zona in Pulipunzak which is a beautiful waterfall in our area. We had divisions because Hermana Boiton had to go to San Pedro for a doctor´s appointment and Hermana Gutierrez has already been to Pulipunzak and didn´t really want to go again. I remember the very first time I did divisions and how worried I was that I didn´t know enough Spanish or that I would get lost, but it´s becoming a lot easier every time. We played Ultimate Frisbee as a zone and some of the rules didn´t exactly translate, but I love seeing all the personalities of all the missionaries come out and I know it increases unity to have activities like that.

Yesterday we taught a less active family, the familia Maradiaga who went to the temple, had callings and responsibilities in the church but now haven´t been to church in 8 years. We´ve been teaching their daughter, Heydi, and as they see the need for her to be baptized, they are starting to be more animated about the church and are going to come on Sunday! I was able to testify about what it means to me to have generations of faithful members of the church and how if my grandparents had gone inactive where would I be? I´m amazed at how at times I feel as though perhaps we´re not the most powerful companionship of missionaries, but when we´re in the right place at the right time and testifying with sincerity, the spirit has the ability to touch their hearts and we can see changes.

The brother of Hermana Ibeth (our cook and also the Branch President´s wife... and our mom here. :) ) was here for a day from Choluteca which is the very tip bottom of Honduras and which is where the Varela family are from. He said there he met Hermana Fuka (who was with me in the MTC and the CCM) and that she wasn´t doing so well there with all the heat, but that she was transferred and is now doing a lot better. I was really happy to hear about her and it was definitely a tender mercy for me.

Times are pretty hard as far as work for everyone here. Our mission leader, Hermano Inmer Guerra, has been working for a taxi company (Here in Riolindo the best jobs are the taxis and Aguafinca... a great big fish factory) and just found out yesterday that he lost his job. I´m not exactly sure what happened but we have a FHE with his family tonight and I hope I can say something to help him. I wish I could help the people in this beautiful country with all their temporal needs as well as spiritually.

Tomorrow are interviews with President Cruz again! Hermana Gutierrez goes home on June 16th and I´m not sure if I´ll be staying to teach my new companion the area, but probably so. Who the Lord calls he qualifies, and I know that with His help I´ll be able to do it. I can´t believe how fast time goes. I love the time I can share with President Cruz... I always feel so much love and motivated to do better.

I love you all so very much! Say Hello to President Brady for me and send all my love to the 9th ward! Also to my dear Aunties and Robyn... I received un montòn of letters all at once and I feel so grateful! I promise I´ll make time to write back. Perhaps I´ve become a little bit Latina... :) It´s not really part of the culture here to write letters.

XOXOXOX Hermana Francis

2010-05-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

Hola de Lindo RioLindo

2010-05-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

How amazing to talk to you all on the phone! It was pretty strange speaking in English but I loved hearing how all of you are! The kids sounded the same to me, except Emily... so grown up I called her Rachel! I couldn't believe how fast the hour flew by.

Today we had a preparation day with the whole zone. We went to Cojan which is a big power plant... 40% of the power in Honduras is generated by the water there. The Sisters in Santa Cruz (Meese and Nunez) hosted us with the Urbina family... they are great (a family of 6? returned missionaries) It was beautiful and really fun to be there. Honduras is so beautiful. I can't complain. :)

We had an activity this week which was put together in a few days (it was in the mind of Hermana Gutierrez until the end) and we had a lot of people come! It was almost the first time that this branch has had a missionary activity. We taught the plan of salvation by having one room in the church represent the telestial kingdom, one the terrestia kingdom and one the celestial kingdom. The Rivas family (they are great! Always willing to give references and help with baptisms) were all dressed in white and bore their testimonies in the "celestial kingdom". It was a lot of work to put it all together but a good experience and I know the Argeta family as well as the other investigators we had there were able to feel the Spirit.

I feel like in this area I'm seeing how a whole branch can come together and work hard for the righteous cause. A main part of this activity was to have a plane which would "crash" and then all those who were "dead" would enter the church and go to the "telestial" kingdom. We had everything figured out... the food, the parts that members of the branch would play, everything, and the night before the activity (Thursday) we realized that our branch President's son hadn't done anything to create the airplane. We had six poster size papers to work with and 3 markers. My companion was exhausted with everything we had done to plan, and I've never drawn a plane before but I got working on it, and with the help of the Varela family we were able to finish in time. TACA is for the airlines here in Central America but the photo says TAKA because Osmond (another son of the Varela family) got his hands on that part of it. :) We also covered the walls in the rooms with black trash bags and dozens of stars that Hermana Gutierrez and I cut out. It was a lot of work and kind of a disappointment that it was taken apart in just a few minutes, but I know it meant a lot to the members in this area to have this activity and it was a good experience. And I've learned how to do it for next time (and to plan a little better and more in advance... :) )

Funny story: we were with the Argeta family and Senin (the head of the family) had a question about the priesthood as he saw another brother in the ward be sustained to receive it on Sunday. I began to explain what the priesthood is and how it was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith and Maira (the wife) interjected and asked who was sitting next to him (meaning the brother in the ward who received the priesthood). Hermana Gutierrez didn't understand and said "Emma Smith". We all laughed quite a while. They are progressing, and we love teaching them.

Anyway, I'm doing well and learning to have more empathy. Something I didn't get a chance to share on the phone when Steve asked me how I normally contact people is something super cute that Hermana Gutierrez does. She pulls out her name tag a little ways and says "The church has a sign that says this. This is my name, but this is the name of the church". :) Every missionary shares the gospel in their own way, but it's the same gospel and what a privilege it is to be here and share it! I love it, I love seeing people feel the Spirit, and I love that I have trials, because I know the Lord is teaching and preparing me for the future.

Take care, all! Hasta proximo lunes
XOXOX Hermana Francis

2010-05-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hello familia!

What a week! Jonny was baptized on Saturday in Santa Cruz and it was a beautiful baptism. He was dunked 3 times because it was the first baptism for Hermano Reynaldo but it was great. The Spirit was very strong and Jonny and his wife Marjorie cried when Hermana Meese and I sang "I need thee every hour" with one verse in English.

Wednesday is transfers but our district is staying the same, how it was.

I was reading this morning in Enos 1:15-17 and thought it interesting and beautiful that Enos could make a covenant with our Heavenly Father, and that his desires of his heart were answered. I want to improve still my relationship with Heavenly Father and know that we can make personal covenants with him too.

Congrats Jason and Marcie! Your baby is beautiful!!

I love you! Can't wait to talk to you on the phone soon!!

Hermana Francis

2010-04-25T11:05:00.001-07:00

Hola todos! Como estan?
Funny experience this week... we were doing visits with a member in our branch and as we passed a teenager calling out to a turkey and the turkey gobbling back. We couldn´t help but laughing... it sounded so funny and so... turkish.

We found a woman named Daisy this week and as we testified of the love of our Savior for her a breeze began to blow and hard. She invited us to her house and we walked her home and met her 5 adorable boys (ha ha... all under the age of 14, don´t worry). She was very nice and listened to our message but didn´t come to church when we were there to bring her on Sunday. Things are kind of stagnant here... but I know that we are planting seeds for other missionaries.

This week we had a big storm and I felt so grateful that we have such a firm house. We have a tin roof and it was pretty hard to sleep with the rain pounding on it. Probably the loudest thing I´ve ever heard. We felt sad for those who don´t have firm houses who suffered the effects of the rain and wind.

President Cruz wants every missionary to have an emergency backpack with food and a change of clothes etc. Hermana Gutierrez and I are prepared! Today we went to San Francisco (I´m using an internet cafe there... it´s probably 30 minutes away in the car) to go to the police station and ask for a map of the area, but they didn´t have any. We´re using the internet here because yesterday all the power went out in Riolindo (not uncommon). Sometimes it´s crazy to live in this poor poor country.

The thing I love, however, is seeing the members and how much love they have for the gospel. Jennifer Benditez, who went on divisions with us last week was just called as the primary president and she´s 18. I´m learning that in places like this where the church is so small, it´s so important to serve with all the energy of heart and do it for the love of the gospel and for the Lord. Our Branch President hasn´t had work for 3 months and just heard of a job in Guatemala. He´s still praying about the decision but would rather find something, anything here, in order to stay and serve in the branch.

There are so many things I don´t understand, but I know that the church is true and I know that there is a purpose for me to be here. I love you all! XOXOXOXOXOX

Hermana Francis

Oh, one more experience!

This week we watched the Testaments with the Varela family (our Branch Pres. and his sons) and Jonny (an investigator). The TV which always is in color for some reason only worked in black and white. I was thinking it was such a pity that the vibrant colors weren´t able to be seen, but it turned out to be an amazing Spirit there. Jonny said that the only other time he´s felt that way was when his son was born. I was grateful and happy to see how the Spirit can touch our hearts and how we can feel the love of God through the Spirit.

Over and out!

Hermana Francis

xoxoxoxoxoxox from your favorite Hermana

2010-04-15T07:44:00.000-07:00

Dear family

What a week! We had a zone conference on Wednesday and I had the chance to sing Brightly Beams with 3 other “gringas”, Hermana Meese from San Francisco area, Hermana Caldwell who worked with me at Platinum Protection, and Hermana Fairbrother who went to BYU and also happened to do a study abroad in Guadalajara. They are all very nice and it’s amazing how we’re instantly friends because we come from the same culture. I also get to see Hermana Story (my companion from the MTC) every time we have zone conference because she’s the mission nurse. I love seeing her and hearing her Spanish getting better all the time.

We were able to do divisions in Yohoa and I went with an 18 year old, Jennifer, who has a great testimony and so much love for the gospel. I’ve been so impressed with the sacrifices the Saints are willing to make in this area. They were so happy that we would come for a day to bring enthusiasm to many less active members there. And it was great to see some of them there on church on Sunday. The branch is very small.. we have about 50 in attendance for sacrament meeting.

Investigators are few right now, but we’re working hard and searching almost under the rocks to find them. We found a woman named Tania this week who was taught by the missionaries about 6 months ago and had almost all the ‘discussions’. We’ve been visiting with her but she didn’t accept our invitation to church on Sunday. We’re also teaching a man named Jonny whose wife is a member and I was able to help him with his English this week, which was fun.

I’m learning that a lack of confidence is a lack of faith, and we must press forward diligently, it doesn’t matter how much the members are involved or how many people we have the chance to teach, what matters is really acting as a representative of Jesus Christ, having faith in Him, and seeking to do His will.

I love you all so very much! Take care and I’ll write you in a week!

Love, XOXOXOX Hermana Francis

2010-04-07T13:06:00.001-07:00

Hola familia!

Wow... how amazing was General Conference, eh? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't do so well in the Conference Bowl... I didn't really understand as much as I would have liked. But it was great to hear many of the speakers giving their talks in Spanish(which they had pre-recorded). I thought that was neat, how much love they had for the Spanish speakers of the world to share their message in their native tongue. What I did understand, due to much concentration and help from the Spirit, was exactly what I needed to know and learn. I especially loved Elder Martino's talk. Since he spoke to us in the CCM Guatemala and also here in the field, and since I know his neice serving in Argentina, I think I'll always be excited to hear him speak for the rest of my life. I'm excited for the Conference addresses to come out and to read all the talks in English.

It's been quite an adjustment working with my companion, Hermana Gutierrez. She is quite sensitive and we're working on improving our communication and working well together. I pray that I can become who the Lord wishes me to become and develop charity and patience... and fast! Ha ha... that's patience, for ya, right? But I'm realizing that in the mission I'll have the opportunity to work with every different type of person and that as I do, I learn more and more about myself and how I need to improve.

Well, I know this is super short, but it's time to go. Know that I'm alright but need prayers of faith that Hermana Francis can develop more faith and confidence.

I love you all! I'm fine! Better email next week, I promise.
Hermana Francis.

2010-03-29T18:10:00.001-07:00

Hello family and all loved ones at home!

So, I was transferred! I had felt for a while that I would be transferred but it was still hard to say goodbye. In the Latino culture, they have a tradition that when a missionary leaves, they go to all the houses in the ward to have a proper goodbye. Although it was good to get closure and say goodbye, it was an emotional rollercoaster. It was incredible to realize how much I've come to love these people, and how much all of them mean to me. My heart broke to leave them.
In some of the houses we shared testimonies or a hymn. As I asked which was her favorite hymn, I love what Hermana Rodriguez chose, "Come come ye saints". She has been so faithful, always helping us and with so much enthusiasm for missionary work.
And to say goodbye to Silvano and Sofia, that was hard. I truly will never forget them. Silvano even woke up at 4am to take the bus with us to the zone conference in San Pedro Sula. That’s how these people are… they’ll give everything to show their love. I hope I can learn to become more like that.
I think hardest of all was to say goodbye to Hermana Figueroa. She taught me how to be more sincere, to teach what people need, and to have more confidence. From the first day we were great friends. She is still in Copan serving with Hermana Jimenez who was with me in the CCM in Guatemala.
Anyway, my first transfer was hard. But I know that my heart can open again as I focus on the work at hand. There is a lot of work to do here, especially in retaining. The branch is small and meets in a house near a central park. Many that we contact on the street haven’t heard of the church, which is quite different from Copan. I’m excited to learn here and seek to be an instrument in the hands of God, doing my best every day.
I am now in Riolindo with Hermana Gutierrez from Guatemala. She is very kind and has a lot of charity for the people here. We've already practiced making tortillas(practice makes perfect, right) in our kitchen, and she pronounces well her English (she learned some in school before her mission).
Riolindo is very hot, calm, with less noise (La Entrada was more of a city with music pouring from the houses). I taught Relief Society (4 people) on Sunday, using Deiter Uchtdorf’s talk from Oct 2009 conference about the love of God. I’m so excited for General Conference this weekend!
I was impressed by a sister I met this morning who rode her bike an hour and a half to visit us. I still haven’t seen the whole area, but it’s quite large.
I love you all! Thank you for your love and support! XOXOXO
Hermana Francis
Ether 12 27

2010-03-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

The Craziest Week of my Mission Yet!

2010-03-22T21:30:00.000-07:00

What a crazy week. The big news is, I´m being transferred on Wednesday. I´ve felt for a while now that my work is done here and I need to move on. I feel sad to leave the members who have taken such good care of me, to leave Hermana Figueroa (we are so close... I feel pain when she feels pain, I feel happy when she feels happy. Can we all go to El Salvador in a year and visit her and her family? Thank you.), and to leave my sweet converts and investigators. But I also feel that it is right for me to go.

On Friday morning we had a zone meeting and almost impulsively afterward, Hermana Figueroa decided that we would do a companionship exchange and I was to be here in my area with Hermana Judd (from Michigan and with only 6 weeks in the field). My first companionship exchange ever, and I was to be the Senior companion! At first we were scared and thought it was crazy to put two junior companions together, but the day ended up amazing! I was so surprized. Hermana Judd kept apologizing and feeling bad that I had to ¨deal with¨her lack of Spanish, and I had dejavu... I remember myself saying that exact thing all the time with my trainer. It was amazing to hear her simple but so very sincere testimony and to teach with her. The biggest highlight was at the end of the day when we were going to go for Baleadas in the house of the familia Cervantes but the spirit prompted ¨Abner¨ so I said ¨Let´s go to one more house¨and we went to contact a reference from the Rojas family closeby. Hermana Figueroa and I had just met the son in the family, Marlo, before. They were all sitting around watching television, but let us come in and teach them a simple lesson about faith. Abner´s wife, Leslie, is a member of an evangelist church and their neighbor was there and is Catholic, and at first seemed pretty cold to us. But by the end of the lesson, all was quiet and I really noticed a change in their reaction. They said we could come back any day of the week after Monday. It was amazing. The whole day the Spirit guided us and we were able to bring comfort through many and had a lot of good street contacts too. Anyway, it really built up my faith and confidence, and I know now that I can´t use the lack of Spanish as an excuse. I really can do better than I have been doing. I need to trust more in the Lord and He really will make miracles happen.
Hermana (Rachel) Judd lived for a while in Bountiful Court Apts. in apt. 1 and knew a lot of my friends from there, so it was nice to talk in English when we were back in the casa. =)

Another huge thing this week!
Hermano Silvano Contreras was baptized on Saturday!! I can´t even tell you how happy and blessed I felt to see him baptized and to hear his longwinded but happy testimony afterward. I almost feel like he was the reason that I was here (I´m sure there were more reasons... I grew and learned quite a bit... but as I´m sure you can tell from my emails, Silvano and Sofia mean quite a bit to me). I´ll never forget the night we met, and all that has happened in the last 3 months. It´s crazy to relate so much with a 50 year old man who has troubles with alcohol but has found peace and hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I already miss them.
Sofia was there and also came to church with us on Sunday for all the meetings. She´s waiting to see if there´s a real change in Silvano before she joins the church, but I´ve seen a change and I know she will be baptized someday.

This week we were in the house of Glenda and Alex (every time we teach them I feel like we are teaching at the TRC in the MTC. They are so receptive and the Spirit is very strong with them) and se fue la luz or... the lights went out. Sometimes that happens in the whole town and as missionaries we are intructed to go immediately home. We left the house with the help of my little flashlight and almost before we could be afraid came a moto taxi... the only light we could see, and took us safely and quickly home. We were able to testify how Christ is our light and the only Salvation we can gain is through Him and His atonement. I am so happy to be so protected and blessed. I´ve almost never been afraid here... well... I´ve been afraid for the lessons and to speak and things like that, but never for my safety.

This week Hermana Figueroa read in Genesis 3:16 and shut her bible and said ¨ya no voy a leer Genesis¨. Ha ha.

This week I also ate crab for the first time. It was excellent but it´s pretty hard to eat in my opinion.

I love you all so much! Thank you for all the letters... I feel bad...I try to hide them as soon as I get them in the Zone meetings because I´m getting more in a two-week period than many get in their whole mission. (a.k.a. 6 or so) But I´m not going to tell you to stop writing! =) Know that I love you all very much and am grateful for your prayers and support. How blessed I am to be here and to be learning patience, charity, and faith.

I´ll let you know about my new companion and area and everything next week! Love, Hermana Francis
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxox

2010-03-09T02:15:00.000-08:00

2010-03-09T02:10:00.001-08:00

I´ve been a little discouraged about Spanish and my lack of experience and all the little mistakes I make (culturally and generally), but I know that my faith is being tested and that things will improve as I trust in the Lord and try harder to focus on others. I didn´t want to worry you, but I haven´t been as happy as lately. I think part of the reason is that none of my converts are active, and I´m doing all I possibly can to help them. Here in these missions, it is really easy to baptize and really hard to retain. I think now in retrospect that we didn´t really teach as long and well as we could´ve, but I couldn´t argue... Hermana Rosales was the trainer and she said that I have to fight for my baptizms and do all possible to have them. Anyway, I´m trying to help them and learning from sad experience that 1. I have great responsibility as a missionary to do all I can before baptism to help them have a real conversion and 2. people have their agency, and I can´t be destroyed if they choose not to be faithful. But I am having a hard time about it. Please keep Delmy, Nahum, Evelyn, Maria, Reina and Cindi in your prayers. Also Hna Figueroa is amazing but not super obedient... as you can see we´re emailing our families right now at 7 pm and we should be prosceliting. But I´m learning and I know I need to do all I can to be obedient. Just wait... and don´t worry. In time I´ll be back to my normal, happy, slightly more wise self.

A miracle though! Maria (Brigida) has been off working selling things and I haven´t seen her in a few weeks and she hasn´t been to church. But because the Lord loves her and me and is answering my prayers, she was in our path twice this week and the second time she came to a lesson that we had with the Contreras family and felt the spirit. I was so glad she could be there, and the Rodriguez family has agreed to continue to help her attend church.

Silvano was preaching the gospel with us, introducing us to his friends on Friday, and he should be baptized this next Saturday. We´ve been working with his wife Sofia, but it seems that she´ll be following Silvano in more time... she still has doubts and hasn´t received her answer yet. Silvano has been waiting for baptism because he wants to be baptised with her, but because she´s hesitant and he needs to progress, we´re pretty sure he´ll be baptized alone on Saturday. I know someday the family will be all strong in the church.
Attached is a photo of them. (Finally you can know who I talk about all the time!)

I´m trying to forget myself and go to work! I know that not every day of my mission will be easy and the best day ever, but I have faith that the Lord is making me into who He wants, and that with His help I can do all things. I love my companion, we get along very well, and I´m being taken care of by the good members here.

I love you all so very much! Keep strong and endure joyfully every day!
¡Nos Vemos!
Hermana Francis Xoxoxoxoxoxox

:)

2010-03-03T05:05:00.000-08:00

HOLA familia mia! Como estan?
This week we had a multizona in San Pedro Sula on Tuesday with Elder Martino of the 70. The Spirit was so strong and I wrote pages and pages of notes. Sister Martino also spoke, and it was fun to hear her Texan accent and then the Spanish translation (Elder Martino served his mission in the Central America mission).
Then on Wednesday we had a zone meeting, and afterward outside of the church we did a street contact with a young man (age 19) named Carlos Hernandes. He looked sad and we talked to him for a while and then invited him with us to an appointment with the Contreras family (Silvano and Sofia). He happily came along as he had nothing better to do. We taught the plan of Salvation, and the Spirit was very strong and we had a lot of participation. We were also able to explain about baptisms for the dead. Silvano accepted the docterine with hardly any questions, but Sofia is still praying about an answer. When Silvano or Sofia didn´t know an answer to a question, Carlos surprised us by knowing. He is very bright.
Afterward we took a moto taxi with him to see where he lived and dropped him off suposively near his house. He told us it was easy, just follow the road and we´ll see a white house made of adobe on our right. The next day we went to find his house, and called out ¨buenas tardes!¨in every white adobe house and didn´t find him. We tried for 2 hours and had plenty of contacts and inviting to church, but no Carlos.
Anyhow, when we talked to him on the phone that night, he said ¨Oh, now that I think of it, the house is white on the inside.¨ Ha ha...
His family is also very receptive and we had a great lesson with them (the restoration). They said they´d come to church with us on Sunday, which was a satelite conference for Central America. Elder Costa, Sister.... I don´t remember but 1st counselor in the General YW Pres., Elder Christofferson and Pres. Eyring spoke. FHE was a big theme, as well as temple work.
One thing I liked from Elder Christofferson (he spoke in perfect Spanish) was that the father of the home should pray to know when his children need a priesthood blessing, not just wait for them to ask for one.
On Saturday we had a lesson planned with Silvano and Sofia and The Rojas family who are strong in the gospel. We went and to our surprise, Silvano wasn´t there. As we sat and waited, talking to Sofia (who is much more shy than Silvano and hardly said a word... only now after all this time is she willing to read and participate in the lessons with only us missionaries), we felt that Silvano was drinking. Sure enough, when we saw him the next day he was so ashamed. We were worrying about him the whole night, not knowing where he was and it was so sad to see him feeling the guilt of his sin on Sunday. But he has to feel this sorrow in order to change. We expressed our disappointment, but told him that true repentance is still possible, that we are here to help him, and told him to get ready to come to the conference with us.
Hermana Figueroa said that she feels like Silvano will be a great leader. Satan is fighting so hard against him! We had a baptisimal date (March 6th) and we were planning the baptism for the river behind his house, and now he has to wait more time because he drank. He was doing so well but still hanging out with some of the same friends and finally wasn´t strong enough. On Sunday night we brought the Rojas family and the Herrera family for a FHE, and they were very friendly with the Contreras family. I know that everything that has happened to Silvano and Sofia is for a reason, and that truly they are being prepared to be excellent leaders in the church. Please pray for them!
There´s much more to write, but time is short. I love you all so very much! Thank you for your letters, your prayers, and support. Keep the prayers coming... Satan is tricky and can sometimes make us feel like we don´t know Spanish or like we can´t do the work. But I´m here for a purpose, and I know I can do it! Right? Right.

Love, Hermana Francis
Xoxoxooxoxox

:)

2010-02-24T00:32:00.000-08:00

Hello familia (y amigos)!
It was a very feliz week!
As a mission we have some goals, such as reading Preach My Gospel every two transfers, reading the Book of Mormon and New Testament in Spanish before June, and memorizing the Articles of Faith. I have the articles of faith down (I wrote them down and taped them up in the shower so I can enjoy memorizing while showering with a bucket) and Hermana Figueroa and I use them in our street contacting all the time. We started talking with one man this week who made the mistake of asking ¨And what do you Mormon´s believe?¨ I only got through Number 3 before he made it evident that he was in a hurry. =)
I wanted to say ¨No wait! We have 10 more!!¨

On Saturday we were finally able to meet with our Branch President, Pres. Merren (I say ´finally´because Hermana Figueroa has been here for two weeks and just now was able to meet him) for what turned out to be almost 2 hours. He´s a doctor, has 5 enthusiastic children (3 under the age of 8) and just yesterday called his counselors and is very busy. We planned some missionary activities for March including what may turn out to be a bi-weekly English class that I´ll be in charge of teaching. But we´ll see. Pres. Merren is hesitant to start it if it turns out that I´ll be transferred out of the area in April. And I´m kind of feeling like I will be. But who knows?

Hermano Silvano Contreras is progressing and I´ve become quite attached to him and his wife Sofia. It´s exciting to see them bringing themselves to church. As Pres. Merren explained to me, in this culture there is a lot of dependency on other people. Many investigators depend on the missionaries for everything, and when they leave, we are left with many inactive people. I´m pleased to be learning from my companion how to help these friends of ours be self dependent and to develop faith in themselves and more importantly in the Lord and His atonement.

I´m really having a hard time writing in English right now.

Oh, also about Silvano... we were talking to him about the word of wisdom again (he hasn´t had a drink since the first week of February!), and I decided I´d go a week without sugar to try to understand how he feels without his alcohol and how Sofia feels without her coffee. And the very next day we had interviews with Pres. Cruz and Sis. Cruz brought out some nice big chocolate doughnuts. Silvano laughed when I told him with shame that I couldn´t resist. I have a lot more respect for those who struggle with their addictions! I can´t really explain the love I feel for the family Contreras, but I´m grateful for the opportunity to teach them, eat beans and rice from their table, watch them change and progress, and especially to listen to their prayers. Please keep them in yours!

This morning I was studying in Mateo (or rather Matthew) 18, verses 21-35 about forgiveness. I wasn´t really sure why I was studying it, but when I shared in companionship study, it was just what Hermana Figueroa needed for something that she´s going through right now. I love how she teaches me and I´m able to teach her as well. Actually, I love how the Spirit is teaching both of us, every day.

It truly is amazing to learn and grow from being with a companion all the time. Yesterday she was sick (reaction to the pills that all the missionaries have to take every 6 months to help us if we have parasites... which I´m pretty sure I don´t because I always drink purified water, but you never know... not everybody washes their hands before preparing our beans and tortillas etc. ... don´t worry, mom!) and I was so worried! She´s like my other half and in very little time I´ve come to love her very much. She rested while I went through our little first aid kit and brought her juice and water, and we were able to find someone for a priesthood blessing (although worthy priesthood holders are sparce). Today both of us feel much better.

There´s much more I want to say, but I´m already super long-winded and time is ticking, and it´s not mine. It´s the Lord´s. Gotta go!

Love you all so very much!
XOXOXOOXOXOoxoxoxox Hermana Francis

What a Change!

2010-02-21T11:43:00.001-08:00

My new companion is Hermana Figueroa from El Salvador. She is very bold, punctual, straightforward and to the point. She has been a member of the church for 2 and a half years, and one of those years as a missionary. When she came to the MTC she didn´t really know what a mission was and hadn´t read the Book of Mormon. But she is quite a go-getter, and now with 4 months left of her mission, she is a Spiritual giant. She´s also a good teacher. In our companionship studies she asks me, ¨what ELSE did you learn?¨ I feel very motivated, and more confident. Already I´ve seen a big change in everything- the members, our investigators, and myself!
Something that Hermana Figueroa has taught me already, with only a few days with her, is that we need to have faith that people will be true to their word and that the Lord will help them and we don´t have to do everything for them. With Hna. Rosales we would wake up at 5am and try to bring everyone to church, and sometimes we´d be successful, sometimes no. But this Sunday we had it all organized, with help from the members, and we had 9 investigators at church.
And one of those 9 was Jose Molina!
I don´t know if you remember me telling you about Jose, but we found him probably my first week in Honduras, and in our first lesson he was waiting for us. I was so excited about him and his family, and so devistated when he fell between the cracks.
So... just know I was happy, but things are much better now. I feel happy to know that we are working hard and effectively.
This morning I was reading in 3 Ne 22, where Isaiah is quoted, and was especially touched with verses 7-10. I remember singing these verses in the 9th ward choir. I think I was secretly feeling down for a while there...(you know me and my rose-colored glasses) but sometimes we need to feel alone to be able to learn and progress. Our faith is being tested. The Lord, in His mercy, always sends His love and blesses us if we are faithful. I´m aware that I´ll always have challenges in my mission. The Lord wants to change me, and this is the only way.
Thank you for all the letters and good news from home! I sure love all of you and am grateful for your support. Please pray for me in this adjustment... it´s a little bit hard to get used to having someone new with me 24-7 and teaching her the area, but she´s great, and very patient and easy going.
Hermano Contreras was at church and gained more enthusiasm about the Book of Mormon last night as we had a Family Home Evening with him and the familia Cervantes.

I love you all! This is it from me this week but I promise a better email next week. Let me know if you get any of your snail mail (as always, I´m curious)!
Love, Hermana Francis Xoxoxoxox

Already Febrero?

2010-02-03T08:19:00.000-08:00

¡Interrobang!

This week I saw some fruits of my labors in exercising every morning. I can do a double-under with the jumprope (well... roperope) and can do boy-pushups. Hooray!

But more important, on Saturday we were able to help a young mother and her children hike up the hardest hill in the area with all her stuff. I had a chair upside down on my head with a big sack of corn on top of the underside of the chair. As we passed an old man sitting on the side of the path, and I greeted him enthusiastically (because who isn´t happy when they´re serving? and in Honduras? Carrying the weight on my head like a Honduran ... or ´Catratcha´as they say), he said ¨rest, child!¨ It was funny.
But then after that we were able to have a great lesson about the word of wisdom with the familia Contreras and Hna. Rosales shared the experience. How great that we have the word of wisdom to help us be alert, and in good shape to serve the Lord with all our hearts, might mind and strength. It was a fabulous day.
And better still, the next day we hiked up the same hill for an appointment which fell through. As we rested to see the view on the other side of the mountain, I just felt so impelled to go to contact a house in the distance where we saw a woman washing her clothes in the pila outside. We went, met Maria and her partner (not yet spouse, but they, unlike many, want to get married) Omar, and had a lesson about the Lord as our creator and the creator of all the beautiful things that we can see on this earth. They had seen us the day before helping the young mother with her things. Perhaps that was one reason they were so receptive. And perhaps another reason is that the people here are so friendly and open to listen to us.
I feel so blessed to be having these experiences and to be seeing the hand of the Lord in our lives every day. We also had a challenging week (we felt the need to fast twice) with people not being willing to keep their commitments, and not progressing.
Spanish is coming, but I realized with the help of my companion that I´ve been focusing a lot on trying to understand the positive things, like in church, and in the lessons, and with the members, and letting my mind wander when people complain or speak negatively. I think it´s partly my personality to flee from contention and see everything with rose colored glasses. I´m focusing more now on trying to understand always, and not picking and choosing. And also on trying to offer solutions even though I don´t have much experience in the mission.
There are a million more things I want to write, but I feel bad because Hna. Rosales didn´t have many email to check and she doesn´t like to write her family. Please send letters in pouch for her. AND! We´re most likely going to see some ancient ruins (not THE Copan Ruinas, but some closer to home) later today. I´ll take pictures.

One more thing... I was reading about John the baptist in the bible and then later in Our Search for Happiness about the restoration and all the people who prepared the way for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored (Martin Luther, reformers, etc.) Then I thought about how prepared I´ve been in all my life to come serve a mission, and all the good people who have influenced me. I also know that there are people prepared here to receive this gospel and to fulfil their purpose here on the earth the way the Lord wants for them. I know He is helping me be more than I am to find and help them in this journey.

I love you all bigger than a tortilla box. Take care and forgive the mail man. I suppose email will have to do. (but I´m still sending snail mail nevertheless)

Xoxoxoxox Hermana Francis

2010-01-28T16:36:00.000-08:00

Good Week

2010-01-28T16:35:00.000-08:00

It was a good week! Some highlights:

On Thursday when we do our weekly planning, the Jehovah´s witnesses came tracting to our door. We listened to their message and then shared the message of the restoration. I found it interesting and was happy to share the memorized 1st vision. A man who sells vegetables door to door from his wheelbarrow stopped to listen only for that part. I believe everything happens for a reason.

One night we stopped for ice cream on the way home and saw some people from the States! I started talking to them and it was so strange to speak in English! (´We are missionaries from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints´ doesn´t quite roll of my tongue like ´Somos misioneras de la iglesia de JesuCristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias´) They´re from Pennsylvania and here for a medical mission, as well as starting up a library in this town. As I reached for a pamphlet I realized I only had things in Spanish, but luckily one of them speaks enough. It was funny... I didn´t realize the melting ice cream in my hand... I was so excited.

I saw some children sledding down the road with a piece of styrophome, an empty gasoline carton, and empty plastic soda pop cartons (what are those things called?) as their sleds. Poor little things, they don´t have snow to cushion when they crash. But they still were having a great time.

We found a family!! Mom´s prayers (and mine) are being answered! They are the family Contreras and our lessons with them have gone really well. The father was a preacher in the Catholic church for several years but got involved with alcohol and was excommunicated (I think? I´m not exactly sure what happened.) Anyhow, he hasn´t been in any church for 14 years but is graciously accepting everything we say and inviting his family to listen as well. When we introduced ourselves to him, he was very open and we told him of the hope we can gain through repentance and living the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have faith that they will be baptized and be very strong and a big help in the work in this little branch.

Also, happy happy news! You know how I always talk about the family Cervantes? The whole family was at church on Sunday! We´re so happy and proud of them. It´s amazing to see changes in lives of people and to see the love of God for them. Hna. Cervantes is always studying the Book of Mormon and her church manuals and Hno. Cervantes led their family home evening last night. !

Attached is a picture of me making Baleadas with Hna. Cervantes and Hno. Cervantes was there (after work.. he works as a news anchor).

I´m learning so much and yet feel like I´m learning so slowly at the same time. But I have to be patient with myself. What a privilege to be here and to really be a representative of Jesus Christ. I´m trying my best to live up to the responsibility.

I love you all so very much. You´re in my prayers. Please never worry about me. I´m happy, healthy, and learning more how to be wise.

Xoxoxoxoxox Hna. Francis

Things are looking up!

2010-01-18T11:09:00.000-08:00

Hello family and blog viewers! I think my last email was a little bit discouraged (well, I know it was because I was, a little bit), and thank you Mike and family and Marcie for your emails. I can´t even believe how much love I´m receiving from home. I know I don´t deserve it.

I got un montón de cartas ..er.. I got a whole lot of letters from pouch, including from Gabe, Paul, 2 from mom, Aunt Fae, Aunt Joann, Sis. Harker and Bishop Payne. Thank you so very much! I don´t know if my snail mail will ever reach ya´ll so you just need to read my blog and know I love you.

It´s was actually a little bit cold in this part of Honduras! Either that or I´m becoming Latina little by little. Hermana Rosales and I were sleeping with several layers of pants and shirts and socks and even a jumper too. We finally got some blankets, hooray! It was funny to be out contacting people wearing hats and coats when really it´s probably as cold as Sept. 16th in Utah. Hermana Kochevar in Santa Rosa was using her blowdryer to warm up her bed. Haha..

Funny story.. we were on our way to an appointment doing contacts and we started talking to a couple sitting on the sidewalk holding hands. I started sharing my testimony (zealously) of families and how they can be happy and together forever in the gospel of Jesus Christ. They laughed nervously, and my mind left the missionary mindset for a second and I thought about how awkward that would be if that was me and my boyfriend being preached to about families. As we left we heard them laughing and we were laughing too... how awkward but also how true. They CAN be happy and together forever.... someday. I think I jumped the gun a little bit.

We had interviews with President Cruz, which are always great as I feel the spirit so strongly, feel so motivated and feel so inspired by him. He told me that I´ll be staying here in La Entrada for my next transfer but receiving a new companion. I´m praying and working to try to be ready... to know the streets, the ward members and the area, and to be learning Spanish as fast as I can. We´ve been promised a ward mission leader and Pres. Merren (the new Branch President who lived for a while with his family in Utah) is great! The whole Branch feels a little more structured and I have great hope that with their help we can do miracles in this area.

I´m reading the New Testament in Spanish and it´s been wonderful. SOmetimes I doubt my Spanish abilities when I make so many mistakes and am still so innocent and weak in teaching, but then am surprised how much I do understand. Every time I try to do my personal study in Spanish I feel I am developing a little more faith. Little by little, right? If I was the perfect missionary with all the knowledge in the world right now, how boring would that be? I need to learn and grow and progress and I knew it would be challenging.

I´m learning the importance of punctuality and feeling a little guilty about how late I always was before my mission... ha ha.

Hel. 14 vs. 30 and 31. How beautiful is agency and the ability to choose to be happy and learning in every circumstance.

I love you all! Thank you for your prayers and support and for everything!!

¡Nos vemos! Xoxoxox Hermana Francis

PS... ya´ll are writing Hermana Rosales pouch letters, right? Thank you.

Poco a Poco

2010-01-11T15:41:00.001-08:00

Hola familia mia! Another rapido week! This mission is flying by.

But at the same time, I feel like the adjustment from MTC life to field life sure is taking a while. I´m trying to be patient as things are still different from my expectations. I´m trying to not be frustrated and to learn all I can here. It´s similar to what I learned in Sociology about culture shock... first is the honeymoon faze where every little thing is new and exciting, and after a while reality sets in.

However! I know Spanish is coming little by little (poco a poco) and I know I´m learning how to have more charity and how to be a little more grown up and responsible. I´m living each day with the end in mind, hoping to become what the Lord would have me become in this, His mission. And I know the way to do it is to focus on others. I can do a lot better with that.

Anyhow. This week we had a multizona in San Pedro and I was talking to Hna Alvarez who was with me in the CCM Guatemala. I mentioned something about our branch, and she said ¨you only have a branch there? We have stakes.¨ Our area is having the lowest amount of baptisms in the mission. I knew it was a hard area, but didn´t really realize it until it was put in perspective. I´m grateful for the opportunity to be here and to be learning and starting the mission in Copan.

And how funny that ¨hard area¨means still having baptisms every month and people so willing to let us in and listen to the gospel. I´m happy to be here in Honduras!

Also at the Multizona I was able to talk to Hna Story (my 1st companion from MTC Provo) and she speaks Spanish now! It was really exciting to hear her.

Because of how slow the work is progressing in Copan, the zone leaders presented a missionary plan to choose 10 families, and each of those families choose 10 families for us to teach with their help. Also, we and the members need to read from the Book of Mormon each day and pray in faith for those who we are working with. We´re excited and more motivated, and know that if we have faith, this plan will work and strengthen this area.

This week I had to explain what the red, yellow and green of a stoplight mean to Hna. Rosales. We have one stoplight in La Entrada.

We´ve been trying to find Frankling every day (I think I´ve mentioned him... 17 years old and we always feel the Spirit strongly in our lessons with him) but it´s been hard because he doesn´t have a phone and we almost always miss him. Yesterday though, with help from the Spirit we found him and talked to him again. I felt prompted that he needed to know why we knew what we knew (we´d talked to him a lot about his life and problems and he´s been to church once but we still haven´t taught him about the restoration) and after we told about Joseph Smith he said he knew that what we told him was true. He also said that he was able to find a new and better job after praying, and this one will keep him in the area so we can teach him! (his other job was going to take him to Guatemala) It´s amazing how we can see the hand of the Lord in our lives in the small things and the big ones. Hna. Rosales especially feels a strong connection with Frankling and wants to help him so much... she´s always thinking about and praying for him. I care about Frankling and want him to have this change in his life, but also am almost more excited because when we teach him Hna Rosales is motivated and happier. I know that she needs him... she´s a little bit trunky. (only 4 months left).

I´m sorry if this email is a little bit not-as-perky as usual. Please know that I am finding things every day to be very happy about, and that I´m fine. The members are good to us... feeding us and being patient with my Spanish. I love being a missionary and I´m growing ever so slowly but still.

I´ve been thinking a lot about the brother of Jared and how he presented his little stones and yet the Lord was able to perform a miracle because of His faith. (An insight Jason helped me understand when I was in Indiana this last summer) At this point in the mission, my stones are all I have to offer. But I have faith that there´s a reason why I´m here, and that I can do good with the Spanish I do know and with my testimony.

Wow, this is getting long. I love you all so so much! THank you for the pouch mail, it comes frequently. Please send a letter to my companion Hna. Regina Rosales. English or Spanish... I can hopefully translate the English.

Oh Crazy Honduras, Le Quiero

2010-01-05T13:40:00.001-08:00

This was a great and crazy week!

This week,
Learned how to squeeze juice out of sugar cane and meanwhile testified of God´s love for us in things great and small (like sugar cane! mmm.)
Watched a boot maker make handmade boots (redundant... sorry)
Elder Beard from the Park Stake was transferred into the area and is our Zone leader
Helped Bro. Cervantes with family history... it´s only a matter of time, I know he´ll be active again
Saw both a funeral procession and a baby being born in the same day... both in the street and both in the bed of a truck
And... we had a baptism!

Elvin Nahum Arita (11 years old)... I will never forget his baptism. Saturday the 2nd of January.

When we woke up that morning none of the lights worked in the whole town. And it was raining. Cows blocked the path from our casa and when we finally got to the church only Nahum and Pres. Rodriguez were there, waiting for us (we were late). Also the church had no running water so there was no way to fill the font. Or so we thought!

Nahum was so put out when we were thinking we´d have to baptize him another day. So, Pres. Rodriguez suggested we hand fill the font. With excitement and faith we went to work.

Soon members of the branch showed up and we all worked together, bringing water from a source behind the church in with buckets. It was fun and took a long time, but no one got sick from the rain.

I feel like it was a good experience for all to work hard to welcome in Nahum to the branch. It was crazy watching Nahum who is smaller than John E. bringing in buckets of water bigger than himself for his own baptizm. He is already so strong and dedicated to the gospel. I know he will serve a mission someday.

When he shared his testimony, all he said was that he felt so happy when he entered the water, and then he started to laugh because he couldn´t express his joy. Hna. Rosales and I cried. The spirit was very strong. I know that Nahum is so loved by our Heavenly Father! We are working with his mom and sister and the Spirit is always there in our lessons with them. I have great hopè that they will join the church as well, and that their family can enjoy blessings together. Nahum is an example for them!

I love this work! I´m trying my best every day. Spanish is coming. Sorry this is short... the internet stopped working (pretty common here..) and erased my last attempt. Oh how I´m learning patience. =)

I´ve noticed mini pride cycles in myself... I need to learn humility as well.

The attached picture is Nahum, us, and Pres. Rodriguez. He is incredible and I´m so grateful for his help in missionary work. So faithful. We´re all wet from the rain and the lugging of the buckets. Hooray!

Love you all!
Hermana Francis
Xoxoxoxoxox

Les Quiero!

2010-01-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

What a good week! We ate a lot of tamales, and I learned that they only eat them at Christmas time so I better appreciate it! They were super tasty.

Good news, Hermana Rosales and I aren´t going to be transferred! We have at least another 6 weeks together. Hooray!We go to the house of la familia Cervantes every day because Hermana Cervantes is our cook for lunch. It´s been interesting and wonderful to see the changes in their family. Hno. Cervantes is innactive and lately has had a lot of questions for us and we´ve been able to have some great discussions (reminds me of discussions with Daddy-O... hopefully we can have bastante when I get home someday!). I´m so grateful for the gift of tongues which helps me say what the Spirit indicates. A few days before Christmas we sang Chrismas carols in their kitchen while waiting out a storm, and last night our discussion was about the word of wisdom and also the importance of going to church. He has a new interest in family history, and they are eating together as a family now. I´ll keep you posted... but it is truly amazing to see the changes and to feel that I am an instrument in bringing the Spirit into their home.

And another miracle, was yesterday at Church when a boy named Elvin whom Hna Rosales and I casually invited to church two weeks ago told us he loves primary and wants to be baptized. We went to his home last night and met his mom, who proceeded to tell us that he woke up early and told her he couldn´t eat breakfast because he had to go to church, and later the branch president told us he was one of the first ones there. We shared the message of the Restoration with his mom (Candy) and the Spirit was very strong. She answered with a firm ¨sí¨ when I asked if she would pray to know for herself if Joseph Smith is a prophet. We´re praying that she can have the same excitement as Elvin, since he needs her support and we desire her salvation too. It was probably the best lesson we´ve ever taught, and I know that people are truly prepared for this amazing message and change in their lives.I´ve been thinking of Suzie lately and praying for her as she just has a few more hours until the MTC! I hope she loves it and learns all she can there. I am so grateful for my experience at the MTC and the CCM Guatemala. I hope she can remember that if Robyn is out there in France and I´m out here in the middle of Honduras, she can do it! Whom the Lord calls, He qualifies.

This morning I read Helaman 3 verse 35 and now think of it as my new mission scripture. It describes what I hope to become.

I love you all so much! Thank you for your prayers and good examples! Please know I love you even if my snail mail never gets there... but I am sending it every week.

Love, Hermana Francis
Xoxoxoxox

Feliz Navidad!

2009-12-22T16:28:00.001-08:00

¡Hola familia mia! This email may be tiny because I´ll be talking to you on the phone this week. Hooray!

Daddy-O wanted to know about Honduranian Christmas traditions. I´m sure I´ll see what it´s really like on Thursday (they do most of their celebrating on the 24th) and be able to tell you on the phone on Friday, but here´s what I know for now.
They have fireworks, they eat tamales, and they paint their houses. It´s funny to walk past a house that once was blue and see that now it´s bright green. It´s funny too because to take down someone´s address we write in our planner ¨Neighborhood San Jose, past the school a little ways, in the blue house.¨ And then they paint their house bright green. =)
We have un montón (quite a few) dinner appointments for the 24th. I´m sure I´ll be gordita quite soon! It´s a miracle I´ve maintained my weight thus far.
A quick spiritual experience and then I´m signing off... we haven´t had much success as far as baptisms, and we´ve been feeling bad because we´re working hard all day every day and with little results (as far as numbers that is). On Saturday during personal study I felt prompted to study fasting, and decided that I could still do more to find and bring souls unto Christ. We fasted, and during the time when we usually have lunch we had three great contacts, including a family that seems very receptive. I have great hope for the Family Castillo. I know the Lord answers our prayers of faith, especially when we seek to combine our will with His.

Even my short emails are super long winded!. I love you all and am thrilled to talk to you por telefono soon!

XOxoxoxo Hermana Francis

PS Dad also asked about my companion... Her name is Regina Verónica Rosales Arias and she´s from Granada, Nicaragua, close to the largest lake in the world. She´s amazing, and my best friend here.

PPS The members here don´t believe me when I tell them that there´s snow and snowmen in Utah. Could you email me a pìcture? Thanks. =)

Ay No!

2009-12-17T06:56:00.000-08:00

I just wrote you all a beautiful email, and the computer crashed. So... this may be short. Sorry. ¿Disculpeme?

On Saturday night we had a special Christmas activity that Hermana Rosales and I organized at the church. It was to start at 6 but we went at 5 to set up chairs and then go bring the Eugenia and her family. When we got to the church we saw the youth playing futbol (soccer) in the court and the church was completely flooded! Every room.. the offices, the bathrooms, everything. So we spent the hour sweeping and mopping water out of the church and turned on all the fans to help dry the tile floor. The youth and young men´s leader helped and it was actually super fun. We finished just in time to start a half hour late ( as is very normal here) and were blessed for our efforts by how many showed up! We both shared small talks and then showed the video ¨Joy to the World¨. Oh, how I love Motab. Hello, Brother Hendricksen.

One of the attendees was Marcos, age 11 who we invited the day before. We were surprised to see him... we gave him an invitation but he can´t read, but evidently he remembered. Also we had given him a pamphlet of the gospel of Jesus Christ which he brought with him, worn and battered as if it had been looked through quite a bit. He has something in his eyes, a longing and I just want to fix it. I know that the gospel can save his life spiritually. He was at church as well and we´ll be contacting him tonight in his home.

There have been times this week when I felt prompted to share something and as I opened my mouth I knew that it was what the Lord wanted that person to hear. What a blessing! All I want is to be an instrument in the hands of God and it is thrilling when I really feel like one.

I love Hermana Rosales so much, and the best part is, she loves me too! We sing primary songs in Spanglish in the streets and we really support each other. She´s teaching me loads and I just hope I can learn all I need to and quickly because she thinks she´ll be transferred in January. It´s kind of scary to think of myself here with a new companion who perhaps isn´t as patient and kind, but I know all things happen for a reason and that I will learn and progress in every experience in this beautiful mission. I truly love being here.

I love you all! I hope you realize how grateful I am for such strength in my home and among my friends as well. I receive a LOT of letters through pouch (including a beautiful poem from Aunt Julia.. please tell her it hit the spot).

XoXOXOXOX Hermana Francis

PS, 1 Corinthians 2.

The Mission is Sort of Like a Roller Coaster

2009-12-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

Ups and downs, and sometimes I feel like I want to throw up, but over all it´s really fun and I´m super happy to be here.

That ¨throw up¨reference doesn´t mean I´m sick. No worries!

But I can see why people say that the mission is the hardest thing they ever did. I have a lot more respect for all those who have served missions. And especially for those who did so cheerfully and full of the Spirit, like Nephi or Ammon or Joseph Smith, or Christ. I want to be like them.

We have a lot of investigators, and a lot of families (yay!!), but this week a lot of appointments fell through (boo). However, that meant we had a lot of service opportunities! One was with a man named Manuel who was all red from effort of repairing the road (moving dirt from the side to the road with a shovel). I asked if he wanted a rest and took his shovel and began to move the dirt from the road to the side, not understanding exactly what I was doing, just knowing I wanted to help. We laughed as I realized I was un-doing his work, and quickly I began to move the dirt from the side to the road. Hermana Rosales gave him a quick description of our message, and I helped maybe .0003%. But that´s okay! We got a good laugh out of it, made a new friend, and hopefully he´ll be there when we pass by again (we just left a note in the first attempt). Sometimes I feel very weak, but I know that who the Lord calls, He qualifies. As long as I´m trying my best and repenting daily, I know the Lord can make something amazing out of me. But to have the patience and to keep trying all the time! Let´s just say, I´m grateful for your prayers and support. I need them.

I didn´t really know I was a little homesick until last night, when we had the opportunity to watch the 1st presidency Christmas fireside (did you see it?) with all the members of the branch and an investigating family (yay!), Eugenia, Odilma, Eugenia (jr), and their little brother whose name I can´t pronounce. The program was translated of course into Spanish, but all the hymns from MoTab were in English. When I heard the Orchestra start ¨For Unto Us a Child is Born¨ I just felt so...healed. That is part of what Christmas means to me. And snow and the lights on temple square!

Anyway, don´t worry. I know this tiny bout of homesickness will pass and may return again but each time I rely on the Lord and remember that I´m here to do His will, I´m happy and able to carry on. This work really is incredible.

This week we had a lesson with that family I mentioned (Eugenia) and we asked them to follow the Savior and be baptized. Odilma (12) and Eugenia (10) had the desire, but their parents refused, saying they were too young for such a decision. Throughout the whole lesson I had the Spirit with me strong, although I was a little afraid to open my mouth. Their father, Pablo was going on and on in almost a battle of words with Hermana Rosales, and I just sat there listening, trying to understand everything, trying to listen to the spirit and be prepared to interject if He prompted. Finally I just felt almost like a voice in my mind (¨It´s okay, you can do it, I am with you!¨) and I read Moroni 10, vs. 4 and 5 and told Pablo that we could talk all night, but the only way that he could really know is to pray with real intent. We all knelt and prayed together. This family has so much potential! They are so poor, they rarely have clean water and the children are always dirty. But they are so humble. The girls are reading the Book of Mormon and the mother, Eugenia came to church and the fireside. Anyhow, keep them in your prayers. We know that the Lord wants them to have the blessing of the gospel in their lives as a family, and we´re just praying to know how to best proceed.

I love you all! Thank you for your emails of encouragement. Thank you for your prayers. It´s been a tough week, but also a wonderful one. And a fast one! I know my time is limited and I need to enjoy every minute, the good and the bad, the easy and the hard.

I love you! Alma 53, vs. 10. Ammon was amazing missionary, but he always gave the credit where it belongs.

Hermana Francis

NOW I've missed Thanksgiving...ha ha

2009-11-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

Hi familia! ¿Cómo están? Things are great for Hermanita Francis!

This week we had a baptism! Can you believe it? I´ve been here less than 2 weeks and already a baptism.

Her name is Delmis, she is 10 years old, doesn´t know her father, birthday or place, and her mom had to sign the baptisimal form with a thumbprint. But she knows the gospel is true and is changing her heart. The baptisimal dress was too big, she hadn´t even met Alfondo who baptised her, and everyone wore casual clothes except for Hermana Rosales and me. It was different, and yet the spirit was there. Hermana Rosales and I sang Joseph Smith´s 1st prayer to the tune of Come thou Fount.

An Elder Durfee in our District told me that I shouldn´t expect to get any snail mail here, that he´s been here for 4 months and hasn´t gotten a thing. And then on Saturday I received a letter from mom dated Nov. 8th. Yay for pouch! Thank you!!

This week we went to the house of the Branch President for a mission call opening. It was crazy... you know how mission call openings are super exciting in Utah? They are super sad here. I´ve never heard ¨Called To Serve¨ sung so much like a death march. He was called to the Guatemala South mission and doesn´t go til March.

This week I heard my first Gekko and tried my first sugar cane! Also I took less time washing my clothes in the Pila, but still it´s pretty hard. I´m so happy for this experience!!

Every time we go to the houses of the members I think of 1 Ne 2 verse 20, along with many other verses in the BOM which say that the righteous will prosper in the land. In general it´s easy to see who is faithful and who isn´t just by their standard of living. Very interesting.

We brought 8 investigators to church on Sunday, and 2 more were there with members. Out of those 8, 7 were children. It was fun and exciting to accompany them to church, and also a little crazy keeping track of everyone. We´re going to work more with their parents and hopefully convert families who can all come to church together.

We stayed in the apartment Sunday afternoon (from 1pm until Monday) because of council from President Cruz. I don´t really know what is going on with Politics, but we had time to write letters, and study lots.

I love you all so much! I´m learning lots and the language is coming slowly but surely I hope. I just want to help the work along, not be an obstacle for my companion. She is ever patient though, and we´re having fun! She´s a great friend.

I love you all (again)... (emphasis!). Take care and have a great weeK!

Hermana Francis

No Snow in Honduras!

2009-11-27T16:19:00.001-08:00

Hello family!! How are you all? Things are so great here!
"Here" is La Entrada, Copan, Honduras. Copan is one of the two most coveted areas in the mission because it´s beautiful, in the mountains, and "cold". But "cold" is code for hot. Ha ha... Can´t wait to see what "hot" means.

On my first day here, we were hiking around to all the different little houses (the people are super poor) and there was a lot of trash all over on the ground. I had a few negative thoughts about it, just the mud and the trash and the smells. But then I raised my head and saw the beautiful mountains and green and sky and wow. It is SO beautiful. It reminded me that the things we pass through are for our good and we always need to have an eternal perspective.

So ya´ll had Thanksgiving I´m guessing if it still falls on the third Thursday of November. How was it? I actually didn´t realize it was Thanksgiving til the day after.

My companion is Hermana Rosales from Nicaragua. She knows a few words in English but definitely not enough to communicate, which means I have been praying a lot for the gift of tongues! And it is definitely real. These couple of days, though, I have understood a little more how important it is to put forth a huge effort to obtain it. When I concentrate on understanding and speaking Spanish with all my heart, might, mind and strength, I´m blessed and it truly makes a huge difference.

But more about my companion. She is amazing! She´s so excited to have me... I´m her first "hija" or the first missionary she has ever trained. Plus I´m a "gringita"... which makes me endearing I suppose. She works very hard, always takes opportunities to serve and teach, and is extremely patient with me as I am learning how to do everything over again... like shower and clean the apartment and wash my clothes. I am so grateful for such a trainer.

But speaking of showering, I totally shower with a bucket! Yep. And I want you to all try it. But you can use warm water, because we always boil water on our little stove first and then mix it with the cold water. Anyhow, it´s super exciting. Sometimes I take a step back and realize, I´m really here, in Honduras, showering with a bucket. Wow.

Hermana Rosales and her last companion were teaching some children, and so I met them my first day here. They´re super cute and love us a lot... they always run after us and hug as and say they don´t want us to leave. One is Maira (8) and her brother Armando (10) and another is Delmis (10). The thing that makes me kind of sad is that their parents aren´t opposed to us coming but they don´t have interest to hear the message. I know it will be difficult for them to come to church without the support from their parents, especially being so young. We´re working with the members to try to get people to help welcome them into the fold as they very well may be baptized this Saturday. THIS SATURDAY! Yep. I´m excited.

And another exciting thing. We met a man on Friday named José and talked to him for a little while while he rested from chopping wood. He seems about 30 (I´m still not sure his age) and has a girlfriend and children, sister and parents. He accepted our pamphlet with my memorized ("will you read this pamphlet before we come visit you again?") phrase. The next day he was waiting for us with chairs all ready to go and was very receptive. The spirit was strong and I was able to say what I wanted to with the gift of tongues.

We had invited him to a special District conference we had on Sunday, where all the members of the branch would take a bus to Santa Rosa (where Hermana Kochevar-my friend from both MTCs- and her latina trainer are working). Everyone was supposed to meet at the church at 7 30 am to go. Which means on the day of, everyone actually met at 8 and we left at about 820. José wasn´t there.

When we visited him last night, he told us that he had gone and was there at 730 but no one was there and he thought he had missed us so he went home. It was a shame that he missed it because he was punctual. But he said he would be at church this next sunday and also accepted our invitation to be baptized (not with a date yet but we´re thinking Dec. 12) and the Book of Mormon and said he´ll start reading it. He is incredibly ready for this gospel. Wow.

Talking to his mother that night, she said that Mormon missionaries had come by the house before, but they were worried about going to church because they´re very poor and don´t have anything fancy to wear. We assured her that God knows our hearts and that this gospel is for those who are willing to accept and live it. I have great hopes for them!

Anyhow, I need to wrap this up. I love you all a lot, and hope you never think I´ve forgotten you or anything.. but it´s going to be really hard to send snail mail. At least at first as I get used to everything. Don´t worry, mom, I´ve already written your snail mail, that you´ll get in a month or two. Oh also for mom, our secret... Christmas would be great. You know what I mean.

Love you! The work is amazing! I feel so blessed and happy to be here!!

Xoxoxoxox Hermana Francis

Oh Hermanos Adios, Pues Adios

2009-11-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Thank you for your love and support! I received letters from mom, Aunt Janet, and the Judds today. I´ve always pleasantly surprised to see how many people still remember me back home. (smiley face)

This is my last week at the MTC, and then here comes the field! I was going to say, ´here comes the real thing´, but it has been pretty real so far. It is amazing to feel the spirit so strong and to have my testimony so strengthened.

Today we had an incredible devotional with Elder Costa from the 70. I was in a group of 6 (including Hermana Crossland who knows the Brough family) and we sang ¨This is the Christ¨in Spanish. The whole meeting was in Spanish, but because the Spirit was there I was able to understand all but a few words. He converted to the church after many years of having a hard heart, but being touched deeply by the Joseph Smith story decided to study and pray about it. He read in JSH for 14 hours, the next day was sitting on the Hermana´s porch, and took the first 3 lessons that day, the next 4 the next day, and had his baptisimal interview that night. He is an amazing man. The spirit was very strong! He opened his talk with a question and answer session, and when no one asked anything I rose my hand and
asked in Spanish what he had studied from the Book of Mormon this morning. He said they´ve been studying out of the New Testament lately but he reads 2 Ne. 31 20 every day. He is a powerful man.

He also cross referenced D&C 84 88 with 1 Ne 3 7. Look them up!

Tomorrow we have divisions again! I´ve been hoping I will be more brave and prepared this time. Pray for me that I will be able to bring some Guatemalans unto Christ before I fly out to Honduras next week.

Funny story... Hermana Romero and I have been having much better companionship studies these days. This week though, we were sharing some personal experiences, when suddenly a crash came from the ceiling a little ways down the hall and we saw a foot. I guess there were men working in the attic. You never know what will happen here... and it isn´t even crazy yet!

In class this week, Family Home Evening came up, and Hermana Leonardo (or teacher who served her mission in Temple Square) asked how many had FHE growing up. Only 3 of us. Out of 10. Wow. I am so grateful for you, and how I was raised in this gospel with so much righteous consistency. I think of Elder Bednar´s words from this last conference often and want to be a consistent, progressing, servant of the Lord.

I studied Temperance this morning... just felt it was something I needed to have more of, because most days are great, but if I have anything wrong happen, I´m not great at continuing to give my all, which is so important in this work!

Still loving the Book of Mormon, which I´m reading every day. I´m in Alma 8 right now, and it is making so much more sense as I´m really focusing on the stories and the chapters in context with each other.

This email doesn´t even express ´a hundredth part´of how I feel this week, but I need to go now. I love you all! I know the Lord is looking after me and I will be protected as I go to the field. This has been an incredible experience to be here! President and Sister Christensen are the best (she is my mom away from home) and I think my spanish has improved (sure hope so!!) I love the gospel, I love the Lord, I love being a missionary. I´ve been able to see some changes in me, and I hope and pray to continue to change as I come to be what the Lord wants for me to be.

I love you! Take care!!

Hermana Francis

Hello again!

2009-11-05T07:24:00.001-08:00

What a week. I can´t believe how much I learn in a day, in an hour, let alone a week. There is too much to say.

I got letters today!! 7!!!!!!!!! Thank you all so much. It takes a long time for letters to come, but I know you all love me, so I don´t worry when I don´t hear anything. Thank you for your support.

When reading your letters I smiled and laughed out loud at a lot of things, big and small. I realized that my love for my family and friends is so big, that it almost doesn´t matter what you say, I just love to hear how you are. So thank you.

The new Latino missionaries are here, and they are wonderful! My roommates always serve me with every opportunity, asking if they can help do my hair or teach me words. They all like to get up early, and one of them, Hermana Pineda reads Spanish with me to practice my pronunciation every day. I am so blessed to be in this place! I love it.

This week has been a week of personal revelation. I´ve had a lot of questions of the soul, and several have been answered! One came from my patriarchal blessing, and I´ve been wondering about it since I received it 7 years ago, and this week I gained more understanding about it because of the Book of Mormon. I felt so happy that Heavenly Father loves me and listens to my prayers.

I was very impressed by a sister that I´ve known since day one, Hermana Fuka (from Tonga). She got an allergic reaction on her face which swelled up her cheek and her lip, and really drew attention. Her companion and other sisters were telling her she should just study and maybe not go to class, etc. She later told me that she did feel embarrassed and bad about it, but no one was able to tell at the time! She said ¨my voice still works, my body works, I can still work, I can still serve the Lord.¨ Also on Fast Sunday, she was the only non Latino to share her testimony. What a brave Sister and friend.

President Christensen always asks us ¨what did you learn today?¨ when we meet together as a big group. Recently the question was ¨what have you learned in the last 7 weeks?¨ I immediately thought of the principle of every day repentance. I used to think of repentance as an event. Now it is a lifestyle. I constantly feel the need to improve and I love the feeling of the Holy Ghost helping me know what specifically to work on next, and then peace when I am improving... even though my progress is hard to see.

I´ve also gained a lot of strength from D &C 6 this week. And The stories of Zeniff, King Noah, and Abinadi and now Alma the Elder in the BOM. I love the scriptures! There is so much to learn!!!!

Well, time is short. But I want you to know that I have a testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel and of the restoration of the church of Jesus Christ.. think about that... the actual church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on the earth. What a blessing it is to have this knowledge and to feel the Holy Ghost confirm truth. Please be missionaries and share your testimonies too!

I´m praying for all of you, and for Grandpa and his upcoming surgery. Let me know if my emails aren´t entertaining enough, or if they´re alright. I need to write for my audience here... and believe me, plenty of funny things happen too.

I love you! Stay true! Have faith, hope(patient perserverance), and charity.

Hermana Francis

From Nuevos to Viejos

2009-10-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Happy almost Halloween!

What an incredible week! A LOT a lot happened. Hopefully I'll be able to type quickly and get it all in. Sort of like a lesson here at the CRE (kind of like the TRC... an opportunity to teach teachers who pretend to be investigators), when we only have 20 minutes to get to know them and share these beautiful truths of the gospel in the best possible way. Except I already know ya'll, and this isn't really a conversation, and I get a half hour... so... here we go. :)

The week started with Divisions (on Wednesday... which I can't believe I forgot to mention to you last week!). This was where all the North American Missionaries went out into the field for a day! I was put with Hermana Campo, a Latina from Guatemala, and I served in the Guatemala Central mission. I was blessed to get a Latina companion... most of the Nuevos (or new missionaries... so those who got here on the same day as I did) got North American companions, and getting a Latino is a special treat. She was very sweet, and my only frustration of the day (as it usually is in every day) was not being able to understand as much as I wanted to from her. It is hard working with a companion when you don't speak the same language.

2 experiences I want to share from Divisions: The first lesson we taught was at a tiny home, dirt floors, smoke from a fire in the kitchen billowing into the house, and 2 big beds for 10 people to share. There were a lot of small children, and the father was sick and barefoot. It was very humbling to see. I got to sit in the nicest chair they had, which was a plastic one with a big hole in it, so I sat on the edge.
The father (David) was really excited about the Book of Mormon. When he read what he liked, his son had to help him with the words... I think the son had more education than he did.We also talked about prayer and I told them how having family prayers with my family has strenghtened and unified us. So humble, so poor, but the Spirit was strong. It was a wake up call that people actually live that way.

The other experience was when we went door to door, contacting. The first house we went to was a man who talked to us for quite a while. He used to be a member of the church but now was very anti. We didn't want to waste our time, but he kept talking and talking. He tried to discourage us, letting us know how dangerous it is for any girls to be walking on these streets, and saying that there is no way our God will really protect us. I bore my testimony that this is where I need to be, and I know that I am protected. My spanish had been not great until that moment, and he seemed surprised with the change in my ability to speak. I know it was only through the help of the Holy Ghost.

So, divisions were really fun! It was nice to go out into the world and practice for real what we've been learning. We get a chance to do it again in 3 weeks, (or I guess just 2 weeks from tomorrow) just before we leave for the field.

We saw our first cockroach this week! My companion was pretty scared, but I was just so excited to be seeing one! A Latina sister stomped on it 4 times before it died, and it was just a little one.

On church this last Sunday, we had a musical number of two Latino Elders singing "A child's prayer", accompanied by another Elder who played evey other chord with the left hand and the melody line with the right. It's amazing how music doesn't have to be beautifully arranged or perfectly in tune for the Spirit to be there. Also, one of the talks given was by an Elder Valdizon, who I've never heard speak and never had eye contact with. From his first day here, he has walked with his head down, in his own little world. I've never known what was wrong, and President Christensen told us to just treat him like everyone else but not take it personally when he doesn't respond. Anyway, he spoke in church about enduring to the end and perserverance. It was great to hear his testimony, although ironically, I was on the front row and the podium was so high that I couldn't see his mouth moving. Kind of eerie to see his eyes but still not know what he looks like talking. Pres. Christensen shed some tears. I think it was a miracle for this Elder to have the courage to speak in church.

On Monday we went to Las Colinas or "The Hills", a beautiful place! We had the day to play and spend time with the Latinos and Viejos before they were leaving. I went on a hike with about a third of the group through real jungle. It was really really great. :) Wish you could see what it's like here.

Last night was very touching. We said goodbye to all the Viejos (the Northamerican districts who have been here for 3 weeks more than us) and all the Latinos. I have made such great friends with them in just 3 weeks! Elder Illescas, who took rubix cube lessons from me sometimes during gym, Elder Mejia who is incredible at soccer and has the sweetest testimony, Hermana Noj who really confided in me and became such a close friend. It was hard saying goodbye, thinking I may never see them again in this life. Just the first of a lot of times when I'll have to say goodbye, I suppose. But I'm also very excited for them to go out to their respective missions, and for us to have 3 more weeks to prepare our best before ours.

Are my Emails too long? Let me know! Sorry... we have an hour for email this week because there are only 20 of us here today. That'll all change tomorrow when we get 70 Latinos and no more North Americans!!! I'm very excited!!

I love you all and am having a wonderful time! and want you to know that I have a testimony of this Gospel. Please share your spiritual experiences with me when you write back!

Love, Hermana Francis

PS: Just got my first snail mail today... one from Mom sent through pouch written on Oct. 11th. I guess it takes a while! Thanks for the emails... it's really great to hear how you all are!!!

PPS: I leave this MTC on Nov. 16th, just to let you know.

Hello from Paradise!

2009-10-20T14:42:00.001-07:00

Hello all! What a wonderful and super rapido week! I can´t believe it´s already preparation day again.

I still LOVE being here. I feel so honored and blessed to have the opportunity to serve the Lord with all my heart, might, mind and strength. I´ve realized that this is just a preparation for me to learn how to do this for the rest of my life. And what joy is in store when we seek to do God´s will! I am so very happy.

I now realize that in my last email I said nothing about food, which was silly of me. The food is really really good. Sometimes it does funny things to our Norteamericano stomaches, but in general, but nothing worth complaining about or worrying about. We have eggs and beans a lot, nearly every day for breakfast. One day this week, along with our eggs and beans, we also had nachos and chocolate cake! Crazy. I thought maybe John E. would enjoy it. Ñ) (... that´s what happens when I try to do a smiley face... I guess you´ll just have to imagine my grin. )

We also have amazing ice cream here, offered at every meal except for breakfast, every day! At Provo we only had it Wednesday and Sunday nights! Yep, we´re lucky. One of my teachers, Hermana Leonardo figured that if we had it for every meal it would be 80 something ice creams... so I cut down to the odd days like Marcie does, and only at lunch times. I don´t want to be too gordita.

Often I wake up before the alarm, and when I do I smile because it means I have extra time to read the Book of Mormon. I´m reading it sequentially and am in 2 Ne. 21 now. In the past I´ve always skimmed or skipped over the Isaiah chapters, thinking they were only for deep thinkers like Dad, but as I have sought the Holy Ghost to accompany me in studying, I´ve been able to apply and understand a lot more than the past. Specifically, one morning I went over and sat on our little window sill slash seat and read with a beautiful view of the Guatemala City temple, and the early morning sun. I read in 2 Ne 12 verse 2 which talks about nations flowing unto the temple. I thought about the people we´ve met going to the temple here, from Honduras, Guatemala, and other countries in Central America, and what a sacrifice they make to come. At least 2 faithful members I´ve talked to (at different times) have said they´ve gotten up around 1 am, taken a bus for several hours, and attended several sessions. I am so touched by the sacifice of the people here.

Speaking of sacrifice, we had an amazing experience on Sunday where we sat at small tables with mixed groups... 4 missionaries from different districts, and had a chance to ask questions and learn about some questions of the soul and special experiences that these missionaries have had before and so far on the mission. I had one Norteamericano Elder who has been here 3 more weeks than me, and 2 Latino Elders. I was so touched by all the stories told, and by the end we were all in tears, thinking about the sacrifices these wonderful Latino Elders have made to be here, and what an important cause this is. I absolutely love speaking and listening to Spanish, and my only frustration is not being able to understand as much as I want to. Usually I can express what I want to say by talking around a word or by the help of who ever I´m talking to, but I just want to know every word from these amazing people.

I gain so much strength when I think of my family, and ancestors, and their slash your faithfulness to the gospel. Thank you for your good example. I know that Grandma Ellsworth is here as my companion, and for her presence and help, I´m grateful.

Speaking of companions, I know I raved about her last week, but I love working with Hermana Romero. She´s very fun to be around, works hard, teaches very well, and she is so sincere. I want to be able to express my love to people with words the way she does.

I had a question brewing in me this week, wondering if everyone back home was doing alright, and if yáll (ha ha.. that´s a new way to write it!) know how much I love you. I know this is my time to focus and learn how to love the people of Guatemala and soon Honduras, but I want to be sure you all know how much I love you, that I´m praying with faith for you specifically, and that I appreciate you and all you´ve done to help prepare me for this, the Lord´s mission, and for your support now. So, just never forget it. ¿Está bien?

I love you!
XOXOXOXOX

Hermana Francis

Estoy en Guatemala!

2009-10-15T05:58:00.001-07:00

Hola todos! Como estan? I'm in Guatemala!! It is incredible to be here. I love everything about it. There's no way that I could possibly describe everything to you all, but just know that I'm safe, happy, and having the time of my life.

My favorite thing about being here is just talking with everyone, especially the Latinos. I try to talk with them every opportunity I get. My district is just North Americans, and we have a different schedule than the Latinos, so when we get to be in a meeting or have meals with them, it's a special treat. I have become great friends with so many of them. Every time I tell them I'm going to San Pedro Sula, they make a face and tell me how hot it's going to be. I guess I have no idea what I'm getting into. :)

It's not super hot here, quite humid, but I like it. When it rains, it really rains, and it just comes down hard and suddenly. It was funny watching the viejos, or the missionaries who have been here already for 3 weeks taking a nice group picture outside... it kept raining, so they'd wait for it to stop, then go out and try to take the picture, running back and forth while the camera man tried to protect his camera. I love love love the rain.

My companion is Hermana Romero from Hooper Utah. She's as gringa as I am, although her last name comes from Mexico a long ways back. She is very smart, has a lot of Spanish experience, and is outgoing and great! We do well together contacting and teaching. We're already fast friends. It's interesting to see what people think of you or what labels they give you... my last companion thought of me as very strict and organized, and Hna. Romero thinks of me as happy and excited about everything. Which I suppose is true, I mean, I'm in GUATEMALA!!! Anyhow, she's wonderful.

Every Sunday, everyone has to prepare a talk to give in church (in Spanish, of course). This week, the topic given to my district was virtue, and I kept teasing all the Latino Elders that they would be called to speak. Guess who was called? Yep, me. I wasn't really nervous, and it went pretty well. It was fun to see a whole two rows of Latino Elders grinning at me with smiles of "I told you so" and "You're doing great". I feel so loved and supported here. In my talk, I struggled a little bit in reading and pronouncing things, but as soon as I shared my testimony at the end, I noticed a great change in my confidence and ability to speak.

Elder Falabella from the quorum of the 70 (He gave a prayer in our latest General Conference) came! He spoke in Spanish to all of us, and I got to sit in the front row, center. There weren't enough headphones for all of us Norteamericanos, so my companion and I tried to understand as much as we could without, and we got most of it! I was able to take a lot of notes, and in Spanish. It was amazing.. the spirit was strong, and I felt honored to be able to hear a general authority share his testimony and love.

Earlier in the week we went contacting at the temple grounds! There was a man selling ice cream that my comp and I talked to. We testified of the gospel, of God's love for him, and gave him a panflet (can't spell in English any more) about the restoration. Later we saw him reading it! The best part is, a few Elders tried contacting him before us, and he wouldn't hear any of it. Oh the power of being a white girl. :)

Today we get to go to the temple! I'm very excited!! Email is probably the best way to communicate with me here... I get 45 minutes to read and respond, where snail mail is going to take probably at least a week maybe more. But you can snail mail if you want too. Pouch mail will get to me in my mission, sometime in mid November, or here is the address of our CCM (MTC):

Hermana Francis
CCM
Boulevard Vista Hermosa
23-15 Zona 15
Guatemala City, Guatemala
CENTRAL AMERICA

I sent some letters today, so you probably won't get them for another week, but know they're coming. My home address is the return address so that if they get lost, they'll be sent to home in Orem and not get lost coming back here.

I love you all! I have a testimony of this amazing work. Be missionaries now! Seize every opportunity! You don't know what good you can do.

Love, Hermana Francis
Jacob 3:1-2

Hast Luego

2009-10-05T17:37:00.001-07:00

Hello all! This is my last day at the Provo MTC! Crazy, eh? The time has flown. I leave for Guatemala first thing in the morning. I'll have a 5 hour layover in Texas (we should be there from Noon to 5pm), and I'll have time to call you! I'll try soon after we arrive in Texas, but if no one answers I'll keep trying in between my passalong cards and Books of Mormon that I'm planning to give out. There isn't really a time limit on the phone call (that I know about) and I'm really excited to talk to all y'all!
Speaking of the Books of Mormon, here at the MTC we get $8 a week to spend at the bookstore or vending machines. I bought myself a yogurt one night and thought it took a dollar off of the card. Later I went to the bookstore with the intent of getting passalong cards and 1 English and 1 Spanish copy of the Book of Mormon to mark up, write my testimony in, and give away at the airport in Texas. I didn't really pay attention to how much it would cost me, and wasn't using my math skills (we get a discount anyway), so was surprised to find out it would cost me $7.60. I gave them my card and it had $7.61 on it. Wow. I would call that a tender mercy. :D

It's been an amazing week. Things are a lot better with my companion: not perfect, but better. It's wonderful to look back and see how far we've come together. Heavenly Father has certainly answered our fervent prayers. Our last lesson this week for our "progressing investigator" (a teacher here at the MTC) went really well and we taught in unity.

To help my Spanish improve, I've been memorizing a scripture a day. I've noticed that if I'm diligent and start from the minute I wake up (putting a 3X5 card in the shower in a dry spot so I can start trying to memorize it then, and then trying every spare moment I get throughout the day) that I am able to remember the verses! I guess I'm still a sleep talker... and one night this week I woke up all my roommates saying "Y cuando recibeis estas cosas, quisiera exhortaros..." ("and when you shall recieve these things I would exhort you..."). They tease me that I'm even a missionary in my sleep. :) But that's the way it should be, right? 24-7 for the rest of my life.

I know that having the Holy Ghost with me is vital in my ability to learn and remember. One day this week, my companion and I were doing our service assignment which was vaccumming. I was trying to memorize Alma 32:21 (in Spanish, por supuesto) while I vaccuumed. After a while, I could no longer see my companion (she had gone around the corner at the end of the hall) and I realized I couldn't remember the verse anymore. I know that the MTC is pretty much the safest place in the whole world, but it still is so important to obey with exactness (in this case to stay within sight and sound of my companion at all times: no exceptions). I'm grateful for the ability to realize when the Spirit is with me and when He isn't, so I can strive to always keep Him with me. I find joy in obeying with exactness, and I figure that this is the best time to get in the habit of doing so, as it may be more difficult in the field.

How about la conferencia general??!?!?! Wow. That was incredible. Someone (I'm thinking it was one of my teachers) suggested a way of note taking given by Elder Bednar, to make a margin about a third of the way across the page and to just write what strikes you in what the speaker actually says in that much space, leaving the rest for personal inspiration. I did that, and I thought of it as an act of faith, hoping and praying that I would have enough personal inspiration to fill in all the blank space I left. (Does that seem silly? I don't know if that made sense...) I was given so much!!! It was amazing. Every hymn sung had at least a line that really stuck out to me, and I made a lot of written resolutions and promises to the Lord that I will always be faithful to Him and that I will do my very best on my mission and for the rest of my life.

On Sunday night we had a fireside (my last here). I was overjoyed when it was announced that the topic was music, and that we were going to sing a lot! Elders and Sisters lined up at microphones and shared their favorite hymns and why, and then we sung a verse from them. We ended up singing 19 hymns!!! I love singing loud and strong in praise of God and Jesus Christ. The Spirit of missionary work was so strong and I have loved singing with so many people with the same purpose: To invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentence, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. Please do this for all those around you! Every member a missionary! I love you all so much and think of you often. I found this yesterday in my personal study and thought of all those who love me back home:

Romans 1:9

Take care, all. Always be faithful. Things are great with me.

Love,
Hermana Francis
PS: don't worry about my knee, mom. It's feeling great. :D

The Work is Pressing Forward, and I am a Part of it!!!

2009-09-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

Hello family! How are you all? I am so so so great!

Things are amazing in the MTC. I've learned loads and had many wonderful experiences here. I'll try to give a good overview of the week.

We got our travel plans! We fly out on Tuesday, Oct. 6 (leaving the MTC at 5am), have a 5 hour layover in Texas (I'm sure we'll have missionary opportunities!!) and then we'll be in Guatemala! I'm very excited, although it's a little strange to be already leaving the Provo MTC. People who have been here a while are jealous that we're leaving already. I hope we get paired with native companions so we can really be forced to excel in the language, but if we keep our current companions, I'm sure it will be wonderful still. I've heard rumors from the Dominican Republic MTC that the time we would use here in Provo to meet with volunteers pretending to be investigators and teaching them is used to actually contact real people in parks or nearby the MTC! I wonder if it'll be the same in Guatemala. I haven't heard anything for sure, I guess I'll find out soon enough. Also, there's a temple in Guatemala City. Wooo!

Que mas... I had a great experience during personal study this week. I read Mosiah chapters 22 through 24, about the people of Limhi vs. the people of Alma, both having similar experiences but one group relying no their own brains and brawn and the others relying on the Lord. It applies to all of us, but forgive me as I apply it to me here at the MTC. We're all here going to the same classes, having the same schedules, hearing the same things in devotionals, etc. We can rely on our own knowledge of the gospel and handle our burdens on our own (tried that... it was hard and miserable) or we can be faithful and trust in the Lord, and He will make our burdens lighter so we can cheerfully serve Him, and even enjoy His miracles! I feel like everyone here at the MTC has challenges, but I want to be like many I've seen here: one to lift others and cheerfully, humbly learn from the things that are hard here.

There are are so many resources available to us here! I feel like my companion and I are spending our time pretty well. During MDT (Missionary Directed Time) we often go to the TE (Barney told me to do this, remember? :) ) and get help with teaching styles or language learning planning, etc. I've been amazed that I'm not tired and I'm able to do so much in a day. I hope that after my mission I can be dedicated to using my time wisely, and I think I'll do better in school when I get home if I can keep this as a good habit.

The language.... I'm not being super stretched still. I'm trying to learn extra during language study time, but in class I'm still a little bored. It's a good review, but definitely not challenging for me. On Sunday I shared my testimony in Spanish with my branch. I was surprised how easy it was to really speak from my heart. I wasn't nervous (like I am when I share my testimony in front of that many people in English) and I wasn't worried, I just got up there and felt like I had the gift of tongues. I'm grateful for the Spanish I've already had, and know I still have far to go. But what a beautiful language! I love it!!!

Top 15 of the MTC
Samuel Smith statue: I love thinking of our first missionary ever and his bravery to be the first to share this gospel with the world.

Ice cream on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Singing with all the missionaries in devotionals (especially Called to Serve!). It's amazing how powerful the Spirit comes when singing in unity (or harmony, you know my bass tendencies) with so many who share my purpose and love for the gospel and the Lord.

Hearing my classmates pray in Spanish, especially when I can tell they aren't reading off of the paper anymore.

My tag!!!!!!!!!

The temple walks.

Preparation days: it's nice to communicate with ya'll and do something a little out of routine.

Seeing the Elders get hair cuts.. they are so funny looking! :D

Volleyball at Gym time -- especially with uncompetitive, fun people.

The teachers here: they love us so much and I have already learned so much about how to really be a good missionary from them.

Meeting new sisters while brushing my teeth in the bathroom. I've already had a lot of small world stories.

The Referal Center. I had a chance to talk to a Born again Christian over the phone from the Bronx and I sent her the Book of Mormon and shared my testimony of it's truthfulness. It went well. My companion talked with a woman over the phone there for about an hour and we were both REALLY excited afterwards!

OK.. so I only shared 12 things I love. But as you know, "Top 15" doesn't necessarily mean 15. I love the MTC and even more I love being a missionary. I feel so honored to have this chance. I'm doing my best yet I know I can still improve. The Spirit is guiding me to obey with exactness and be more effective all the time. How amazing this gospel is! I know we can be missionaries wherever we are! Seize the opportunity to share the gospel with all those around you, please!!

Always remember that Hermana Francis loves you.

Love,

Hermana Francis

(Sorry for the redundancy at the end there. :) )

September 21, 2009

2009-09-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hello!!! It's me, your favorite Hermana Francis! I have 26 minutes and 5 seconds to write you, since I don't have any emails to read yet. So this may be the best/longest email you'll get from me.

Can you believe I'm finally a full-time missionary? I am so happy and feel so honored to wear my name tag and have such a wonderful purpose: Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, Repentance, Baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end.

In fact, I was so excited about this great experience so serve the Lord 24-7 for the next 18 months, that I slept my first night with my nametag on. :)

Wednesday was amazing. The Spirit was with me all day, and I felt happy and amazed that I could feel His influence so much. I met my companion, Hermana Story, from Liberty Utah (near Ogden). She is 22, really really athletic, loves snowmobiling, hiking, soccer, and has been sky diving 3 times!!! Wow. There are 2 other sisters in our district, Hermana Kochevar (rhymes with achiever) from Vegas, and Hermana Fuka from Salt Lake (but with Tongan ties). We're in the same room together and we have a lot of fun together. I'm in the beginning Spanish track. This worried me on Thursday and Friday, because I felt like I slipped between the cracks or something, as I was never tested to know how much Spanish I knew. People were surprised to hear me speak, and a lot of people (teachers, my Branch President, etc.) asked me why I didn't take the test. I felt out of placed, and not challenged at all, since the Spanish we were learning was very simple and slow. But don't worry, I've had other challenges. :)

Anyway, I talked to my teacher, Hermano Jimenez (from Mexico!) about it privately, and he told me since us Hermanas will only be in this MTC for 3 weeks (It's true... we're going to the Guatemala MTC on Oct. 6), that it wouldn't make sense for me to change districts and companions and everything. He said that the best way to learn is to teach, and challenged me to help Hermana Story be at my same level when we leave here. She hadn't had any Spanish before coming here, and she really has been improving a lot! It's been amazing to see what the Spirit can do.

I wish I could say that I was worried about the lack of learning in the language and being out of place for only a day or only half a day. But it consumed me, along with feeling all the differences between my companion and I, and I wasn't happy and couldn't feel the Spirit all day Thursday and Friday, and some of Saturday. That may not seem that long, but the days here (at least at first) are loooooong. I was so frustrated. I prayed a lot, but just felt hopeless. I was feeling pressured about the great responsibility I had here, and wishing I could change districts or something just so it would be easier on me. Tears happened, and the other sisters saw Hermana Grumpy Frumpy Francis.

On Saturday I got a letter from my friend Paul, and he shared 1 Ne 7:16(?) with me. It's when Nephi's brothers bind him and he prays that he can burst the bonds. He doesn't complain, he doesn't ask for the bonds to be taken away. He asks to have the strength to burst them. Paul testified of the power of the Atonement to help us through our struggles.

I knew that if I wanted to be an effective missionary (and I do!!) that I would need to have a good relationship with my companion and have the Spirit with both of us. I prayed so long and so hard on Saturday night! It was past 10:30 and the room was dark, but I knelt and prayed and prayed, grateful for the reminder that I needed to rely on the Atonement, and begging to know what to do to be happier and to obtain the Spirit again in my life. At the end of my prayer, I said, "I'll wait and listen if there is anything you would like to tell me, Heavenly Father." and closed it. Soon I thought the words "Go to bed". This made me laugh, as it surprised me. But then I remembered I need to obey with exactness, and I was out of bed after 10:30.

The next day, the power of His answer was more clear. He was telling me to trust Him, to go forward with faith, to not worry so much, and that things really would work out if I would start doing things His way. Sunday was much better, and today has been really really good. Our companionship study went well, and I know that we are friends.

Every minute is important here, and I'm tempted to feel bad for wasting so much time being unhappy and lost for the days that I felt that way. But maybe here at the Provo MTC I don't need to learn Spanish as much as learning to connect with a lot of different kinds of people, not just people similar to myself. The Spanish though, is coming too. I'm still learning a lot. We have a computer program here that helps us learn the lessons and vocab etc. in Spanish, and Hermana Kochevar showed me a way to go to the more advanced things so I wouldn't be bored. She knows quite a bit of Spanish too - she did a study abroad in Ecuador - so we help the other Hermanas along.

I'm so happy now. I have learned this week, that without the Spirit, I really am nothing. I've been able to see a lot of my weaknesses, including pride. Maybe I was spoiled by the love of all of you dear family and friends. I was just over confident, thinking I know the language (at least better than my district) and I know how to be a good missionary. Wow. These experiences really put me in my place. I have confidence that the Lord can make me a wonderful instrument, but I am never going to try without His help.

I'm learning to love my companion, I'm learning to love this work, and I already love Honduras. And I love all of you, very very much. Thank you for your support, and help. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is enabling. I am so happy to be here!

Take Care!!

Love, Hermana Francis

Dianey's Journey Has Begun!

2009-09-17T07:10:00.001-07:00

We received this email from the MTC Presidency, and I thought I would post it for all of you who want to write Hermana Francis with the correct mailbox number, or who are planning visits to the temple on a certain days in order to run into her.

I'll continue posting her letters and updates on this blog--for all who didn't get this message before.

-Diane's sister, Mary

We are pleased to inform you that your missionary has been safely checked in at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. We thank you for supporting your missionary and know that your family will be blessed as a result.

Your missionary's mailing address while at the MTC is:
Diane Francis
MTC Mailbox # 267
HON-SPS 1116
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Please note the following items:

1. Missionary service began upon arrival. Please do not arrange or request visits with your missionary, particularly "unanticipated" meetings at the temple or in proximity to the MTC.

2. All missionary mail must come through the US Mail or commercial delivery services. Hand delivered items will NOT be accepted. Do not send pizzas, fast foods, ice-cream, or any items that will spoil if they are not refrigerated within 24 hours. Missionaries are not called out of class to receive packages, nor do they have access to a refrigerator.

3. Communicate with your missionary weekly through letters sent to the above address or through the email account that the missionary will set up within the first two weeks. Only immediate family can send to this email account. Telephone calls for missionaries cannot be accepted.

4. Families and friends should not plan to visit departing missionaries at the airport or MTC. Farewells should have been said at home before the missionary arrived at the MTC.

Can you believe I'm finally going??!?!?

2009-09-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

Interrobang(s). The day is here. Tomorrow.

Yep. Tomorrow, so in less than 20 hours, I will be in the MTC. I'm excited, slightly nervous, and hoping I won't be this emotional during my whole mission... I've been crying over everything! But good tears, mostly. Don't worry.

I hope to receive letters from all of you. Keep me posted on life! You absolutely must send me at least one, alright? This is the easiest homework assignment! I'm giving you a span of 18 whole months to send a letter to your favorite Dianey.

My first 3 weeks (Sept. 16-Oct. 7 I think) I'll be at the Provo MTC.

Sister Diane Francis
Honduras San Pedro Sula Mission
Provo Missionary Training Center
*
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo UT, 84604

*Not sure about the mailbox # until I arrive at the MTC... but my sister will post it on this blog.

After that, I go to the MTC in Guatemala for... however long. Don't have the address yet. And then...

Option 1: Pouch mail
"The Church provides pouch mail service to countries where other mail service may not be reliable. Each country regulates this service differently. To prevent possible fines or discontinuation of pouch service, only postcards and letters that are single sheet, folded into three-panels, and taped at the top only (no envelopes), may be sent through the pouch."

As this may be difficult to grasp, I will show you the steps. I'm not trying to patronize... I seriously did this wrong the first time. And after seeing these instructions and how easy and rewarding it is, you'll have no excuse... you'll have to write! :)

Write a nice, newsy, uplifting letter.Fold it in thirds.

Apply one piece of scotch tape.Flip it over...(Other side. :D )Place a stamp in the corner. Liberty stamps are good... they don't require additional pennies when the prices go up. Remember, as this is pouch, no international stamp needed. See how cheap it is??! Easy.Write my address and yours, because I will write you back!
Sister Diane Francis
Honduras San Pedro Sula Mission
POB 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0150
USA
[Don't mess up like I did. ;)]And then the long journey to the mail box...And look how happy I will be when I get your letters!!!

Option 2:Packages[hint, hint, nudge nudge, ;) ;)]

Sister Diane Francis
Honduras San Pedro Sula Mission
12 Calle, Avenida Circunvalacion, S. O.
Edif. Yude Canahuati, 3 Nivel, Oficina 4
San Pedro Sula, Cortes
Honduras

Option 3: There is no other option. Write to me!!!

Also, read my emails if you want! I'll be sending them to family, and my sister will be updating this blog with them.

I love you all.

Docterine and Covenants 128:22
Brethren [and Sisteren], shall we not go on in so great a cause?

Paul Epperson Appreciation Post

2009-09-15T16:17:00.000-07:00

You knew it was coming. It's called karma, my friend.

I could tell that we were gonna be friends...
For a long time we were just tagalongs.
But then you finally asked me out.
It still took me a long time after that to realize that you were who I should be with. I'm so happy I finally came around.

Dear Paul, Thank you...
for your example, your goodness, your friendship
for the temple trips
for the laughs
for the gospel insights and discussionsfor letting me into your life
for letting me learn how to love you.
Nos vemos.

Don't hide your light under a bushel...?

2009-09-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

and don't hide your needles inside a pin cushion.

This morning my mom ran out of needles and needed more. Being the smart and resourceful woman that she is, instead of buying some, she decided to just cut open an old pin cushion to see how many needles had wormed their way down into the middle. She asked me how many I thought she found.

I said 6, assuming I was exaggerating like a crazy person.

How many were really in there? 43. 43!!! In a small pin cushion, the size (and style) of a tomato. If there had been one less, I think we would find that pin cushions are significant when pondering life, the universe and everything.

There were also a few pins, including one with a huge ball at its head. How did that get in there?

It's raining cats and dogs and chickens and pigs...

2009-09-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

I don't know if they'll really come out of the sky, but those animals commonly roam the streets that I will be walking on by December. And if it's the rainy season, it'll be raining rain. Hard. Yay Honduras! Can't wait to meet you!!!

Speaking of rain, I went to a baby shower recently, and I've been to many a bridal shower. And let me tell you, it's awesome to have a party where people come bring you gifts and money and pay you a lot of attention! So... I was thinking of throwing a missionary shower. You know... presents, money, mission advice, attention, the works.

I'm registered at the Distribution Center and Sis. Missionary Mall. ;)

Jokes. I'm not crazy enough to throw that kind of party. In reality, I leave my home in Orem in less than a week for a little jaunt down the street to live in the Provo MTC for a few weeks. Which leaves me just 6 more days to do crazy-fun things that missionaries can't do. And then I'll have 18 months to do crazy-fun things that missionaries can do. :) But... any mission advice or ideas of how to live it up these last couple of days?

I will miss you, dear readers, tremendously. Don't forget me. Write to me at least once. I'll post my address here before I go.

Have you ever been on a blind date?

2009-08-31T09:07:00.000-07:00

I have. Usually (for me) they're interesting and not super fun or memorable. All I remember from one of them is how obsessed he was with Charlie Brown/Peanuts... that's cool I guess. But if you're gonna be obsessed with a comic, couldn't you choose a funny one, at least? "Oh man! Lucy pulled away the football again?! No WAY! I can't believe she did that! The irony! The hilarious-ness! Ha ha ha..." And from another blind date, I can't remember what we did or even the guy's name for the life of me. Good thing my life doesn't depend on it. I'd be dead. But then, I know so many Matts... if someone was torturing me for his name I'd probably say "Matt" and I'd probably be let off the hook. Or the rack or hot iron or whatever they were torturing me with.

My point is, blind dates aren't that fun. As aren't, I would guess, dates with blind people. So vote for Sarah Hall to get Lasik, so her dates can be fun for the rest of her life!

CLICK HERE, PLEASE

PS: I don't mean to be offensive to all you blind people out there. Wait a second... unless you have braile computers these days, pretty sure you can't read this. So... I guess I shouldn't worry about offending anybody. But if your better-seeing friend is reading my blog to you right now, just know that I have really bad eyes without my contacts/glasses. We have a lot in common! So you should keep feeling/listening to my blog. Thanks.
PPS: I also don't mean to offend Charles Shultz or his family and friends.
PPPS: You can vote for Sarah every day until Sept. 8th. And you should. And tell all your friends! Ok. I'm done.

Conclusion to the previous two posts

2009-08-24T19:15:00.001-07:00

After thorough analyzing of the preceding data, it has become evident that the female species, especially those between the ages of 19 and 22 years, converse mostly about males, relations with males, and their own [believed] beauty/attraction. At the very least, it is clear from this, our case study, that these specific females residing in Apartment 15 turned out to be and perhaps still are the silliest girls in all of England. We suspect that most females in the same age range follow similar patterns in conversation, and behavior which inevitably leads to such speech.

More psychosocial documentation will be available in May 2011! Check the future best seller, "Findings of Francis and Brough-- a *Dating Approach".

*data may be potentially skewed, due to the status of the authors and their potential biases. As recently returned missionaries, they may be awkward, and have forgotten how to woo the menfolk.

Dianey Proverbs BYU- Winter '08

2009-08-24T19:13:00.000-07:00

Boys can't solve problems! ...They cause them! - Shay

He didn't even kiss your hand? - Robyn
He didn't even kiss your face?? - Diane

Here comes my face...I WARN YOU!!! - Nae

We were cuddling while I was playing old-school Nintendo. And I was like 'this is what heaven is actually like.' - Benji

Yeah. Nothing like making out with an unconscious person. - Steve

I can't wait until my life fits a love song... :) - Shay

You can lick my legs if you want to...they're not muscley. - Josh

You look like a monkey. - Guy 1
I was going to abercrombie model. - Guy 2
What's the difference? - Shay

Hitler would approve. - Diane

I want tuna fish. - Janae
I want my headache to go away. - Kelli
I want a banjo. - Shay
I want a man. - Diane
Diane asks for the impossible. - Kelli

Hide the vases! She's reading J. Swift!!! - Suzie

Janae, I make your mother stand in front of the mirror every morning and swear, so that she doesn't get translated. - Bro. Card

There's times to be honest, and there's times to just freaking lie. - Benji

Different kinds of...exude-tion. - Suzie

PAAASTAAA! - Janae

I almost didn't recognize you with your clothes on! ...I mean...GASP! - ?

That's awesome! Suzie eats me every time I open my phone! - Robyn

What does 'Ay carumba' mean? - Suz
I don't know, but hispanic people say 'Ayayay' when they're freaked out. - Di
Ayayayayayayay...I could say that all the time. - Suz

I can't, because then you'll know I'm not a boy! - Dianey

I think I'm an unintentional drama queen... - Kelli

I want one of those too. - Suz
The typewriter or the lamp? - Nae
The Man. - Suz

The stove is constantly rotating. - Brian

I pride myself in sounding obnoxious! - Nae

I know this is really awkward because I'm not wearing much, but I was really hot... ... - ?

THAT'S where the snot comes from. The De Jong! - Barney

I learned something new! - Kelli

Wow! I'm up there with Winston Churchill! You should make a book...or a t-shirt!!! - Diane

'Aa-doo' - Jared
I thought he was saying 'adios,' but a weird, feminine version! - Paul

Do you think I look freaky? - Robyn
Freakiness is in the eye of the beholder. - Suz
So, you're saying I have a freaky eye? - Robyn

I killed your bare hands with a bear! - Doug

I belong to everyone. - Diane

If you behave, I'll give you a kiss tomorrow. - Kelli to Brian

I wish I could put that on the quote board but no one would understand that we're talking about perming our leg hair. - Janae

It's an 'r!!!' It's a sign! - Kelli

It's like a time vortex here! - Jared

I got an 'F' on your test cause you have no soul! - Brian

It's been a pleasure flirting with you. - Diane

I almost pretended to kiss him. ...Kick! I meant kick! - Janae

Shaylee, darling. You have the cutest squishy I have ever seen. - Janae

Ooo, here's a dollar! - Allison

I don't play 'hard to get.' I play 'come get! come get!' - Diane

Oooooo...SEDUCE.

Are you going to treat him like a princess? - Dave

Kill me. I'm sure I'll smell better dead. - Robyn

Gotta collect 'em all! - ?
Who do you want to collect first? - Robyn

We played smear the queer. - Robyn
Were you the queer? - Paul
I don't know what that means...but it hurt. - Robyn

Ah "Force" make-out. - Ben
That is what we call a federal crime. - Richard

It's TIMED, you imbecile!!! - Suz

Has nature ever given us anything more perfect? - a commercial
Me! - Shay and Suz, simultaneously

Don't give in to Satan. He wants you to be mad at me, but I'm really cool so you shouldn't be. - Dianey

The curse of my body...boy does it look good! - Nate

One more boy, one more weekend, one more Nazi. - Brian, Shay, Nae, and Suz

How hard can it be? You know where everything goes... - Kelli

7 cups!!! - Janae

I'm going to look back on this and say, 'Honey, I'm so glad we were sealed for time and all eternity before you saw this...' - Nae

2 boyfriends to go and an apple turnover! - Brian

I love how I brag about my roommates like they're my kids. - Suzie

Okay, I'll look for a semi-colon. - Robyn

I kneed you, I kneed you, I toed you I kneed you back in the arm-y! - Diane
STRIKE ZONE!!! - Steve

Lifting a child, twisting a child, bending a child... - Brian

Everything can be explained by the fact that I'm way inexperienced... - Suzie
Let's end that tonight! - Nate

Los secretos de dos, no son Dios. - Benji/common Spanish saying

I hope that _______ doesn't come between us. - Diane
I don't think he can, Diane. Unless you try to date him, in which case, I will destroy you. - Janae

I'm glad I don't have a boyfriend 'cuz I can do this! - Diane

I luff joo. - Ashwea

I love him as a person. - Diane
You love him as a person as opposed to...? - Suzie

Sca-a-a-a-ter suuuunshiiine... - Janae

The eyes, the voice--I could date that alone! - Suzie

I was really getting into it... - Diane

I need a man to harness all my energy! - Suzie

Why are they so sad? Tickle-me-Elmo, Tickle-me-Emo... - Diane

Lisp Support Society and Association

MALE ACHIEVEMENT IS ULTIMATELY A COURTSHIP DISPLAY. - Social psychology textbook

Dianey Proverbs

2009-08-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

A little blackmail never hurt anyone... right? :) I typed this all up because I'm going through things to get rid of and clean up my room. I'm throwing away the wonderful quote board (one of two) from Fall '07/Winter '08, with my wonderful roommates of Apartment 15. I figured since it was displayed proudly in our apartment for all to see, what's the harm of displaying it on my blog? Funny, funny times.

I feel like a bus hit my voice box. -Nae

They're like, "she's female, I guess." -Jonathan

We were passionate 7 and 8 year olds... -Nathan

Be anxiously engaged in a good cause, but don't be overly anxious about being engaged. -Pres. Hall

Kissing with candy is fun! -Kristen

I only have one quandary, where is he?! -Janae

-You have such a nice blend together -Gma Card
-And if you ask me, y'aint that bad to look at either! -Gpa Card

Mom, you're supposed to care about the superbowl. It's super. -Shay

You must live, Dear Sandwich you're going to live! It's too soon, too soon to say goodbye! -Suzie

PTLOR - Prolong the lack of relationship -Dianey Face

-Something's wrong with me today -Janae
-That's okay -- I have a mosquito bite. - Diane

Monica Lewinski's Ex-boyfriend's wife for president! -Nate

Diane, your group of friends is the best kept secret at BYU! -Matthias

-Why aren't the engaged people under the mistletoe? -Robyn
-To keep them under control! - Suzie

I've decided to become illiterate in love, because every time I read into something, I'm so wrong! -Janae

Kind of like me and you. I'm the horse. You're the pretty blind girl... with the boy. Dang it!! -Robyn

When you finally get your first kiss, we'll talk logistics. -Robyn

Stress = DEATH! -Shay

I know why I don't like him. He's a presumptuous little twit who thinks he can take our
roommate on a date. - Anonymous

It's like a handshake with your lips. -Mike S.

There was this one time... Oh... I almost started a story I didn't have. -Chris

You'll have to genotype the man you're going to marry to see if they'll be fat or go bald. -Bro. Peterson

No drug references on Sunday! -Shay

-There's only 3 ingredients -Kelli
-Truffle, chocolate and... -Keith J.
-Angels! -Benji
-We were eating angels?! -Keith
-Darn good tasting angels! -Benji

I think we have chemistry, but he's consisting of the wrong elements. -Diane

-Hmmm. what vegetable is rectangular? -Robyn
-CHEESE! -Kelli

121...313...Bob, dad, mom, ... wow! -Robyn

You make the baby--I'll make the blanket. -Janae

You have just lost your headlamp privileges! -Suzie

They're going to suck my blood today. The only one I want to suck my blood is Edward Cullan... but first I want him to suck my face. -Robyn

-Diane, I freakin' love you!-Suzie
-...But not in that Ensign way... -Janae

Robyn laughs and gently says, "shut up" -Diane

I'll flex and hold you guys. -Chris

-I'm going to bed -Suzie
-Can I go to bed with... er, too... um, I'm going to bed! -Robyn

Dating someone in your ward is like peeing in the pool. It feels good at first but then you have to swim around in it. -Katie V.

It's like a one year stand! -Janae

They're like stray cats. If you feed them they keep coming back. -Janae

I look like a hippopotamus. ... a sexy hippopotamus... -Anonymous
(...months later...)
I look like a cavewoman... a sexy cave woman... -?

What if people kissed so much that over time their lips started to evolve? -Robyn, Biology class

You could break into the city center and have good lips, all at the same time. -Tami

Just look at the bright side. Once you're married, there's no competition. -Janae

What?! I sleep with her. -Kelli

Manicure: It's called that because when a man gets one, he's cured from being a man. -Jeff Parks

You guys know what's awkward? I have a book that belongs to a married man. -Diane

Thanks for the sea cum-cuper! -Suz

Someone can be nice without a but(t)... -Robyn

Charm is a plasma. He is the solid form. -Nae

Did I tell you about that herd of deer outside my house the night that I couldn't sleep? -Shaylee

When I dance Salsa it's definitely not mild. -Kelli

Liscenced to FREAK! -Nae

I would totally marry Diane, but not her brother. What?! I like her better! -Robyn

It's the tall people! Against Mexicans! -Diane

It's TIMED, you imbecile!!! -Suzie

I support mistletoe toe in most of its forms, and all of its purposes! -Brian

Something about Idaho makes us hot. -Diane

Everyone dies but me. I don't die, I hold dying men on my lap! -Nae

Don't give up on men. Not yet. -Suzie

I need to get married -- just for all the free stuff. -Kelli

Who's up for non-kissing tag? -Barney

Why aren't you ladies on dates? Guys are slugs. -Bro. Brough

Actually, I'm Belle. I'll marry a hairy beast. -Janae

Ben has a really nice... butt. -Maren

That's what it's for, you know. A clean sink is a clean heart! I have no idea where that came from. -Janae

Talking to Diane is an important part of making your life happy. -Benji

My brain is angry with me because I'm not keeping my end of the deal. -Suzie

Don't tell anyone but chick flicks are kinda funny sometimes. -Anonymous boy

Suzie's as busy as a little deseret. -Diane

Your love is like the wind. IT blows me over. -Robyn

The classic movie of Apartment 15: Finding NCMO. -Steve

But if I do die, we'll see how popular I was! -Nae

I could SO stalk him... but I won't. -Suz

I married so many people when I was young. -Janae

Why is it the pre-mies in this ward hook up faster than RMs? -Robyn

*giggle* I'm seductive! -Robyn

-Give them sugar! They'll have more fun! -Sis. Card
-That has two connotations. -Barney

I think that's why God created roommmates. -Janae

I just had the whim to cut my sandwich into butterflies! Did you ever do that? -Suzie

It's simple, to the point, green... it's got everything. -Suzie

Gossip flies when you're having fun! -Janae/Brian

Last time he didn't even try anything... and I still wanted to deck him! -Robyn

Guitar Hero is virtual tobacco. So addicting. -John Packer

I must be nice to kiss. -Robyn

And he informs me it's 'gay frog.' -a spoonerized Suzie

Humphrey 'Sexy' Bogart. He'd have to lose his middle name if he stopped somking. -Barney

I've got to stop being so hot! -Kelli

I'll cough into their faces. ... with romance. -Nae

Make sure you put it in horizontally... oops! They're round! -Suzie

It's a SIGN! -Robyn

I dropped her and she tore my shirt off. -?

-So... how about them Dogers? -Steve
-I don't know... I don't really follow football. -Kelli

You have the fattest fingers in all of England... no offense. -Dianey

So today I was thinking about _____ and I realizd that he's probably not thinking about me. At
least I'm not bored. -Janae

Um... I was kissed by a drunk man once. -Benji

I wonder if black people are ticklish... -?

I woke up and it took me like ten minutes to say, "'Sup?" -Christian

We're all naked under our clothes! -Shay

I have to marry a really ugly man so that my kids won't be persecuted for being so hot! -Diane

I nose that I toed you I liver.... intestine! -Robyn, Dianey, Steve P., Paul

Why pay rent if you don't get dates? -Mom Francis

Pudding? Is it figgy? Because if it is, I won't go until I get some! -Benji

I propose a toast: To apartment 15: may the grades come easy and the boys come fast! -Suzie

John

2009-08-21T18:43:00.000-07:00

The Parable of the cold can o' chili

2009-08-05T19:46:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time, I was over at my friend's apartment, just chillin'. We'll call this friend Ben D. to protect his identity. Or... how about B. Downard. I like that better. No, how about just Ben. Ben is pretty chill.

Anyway.

Ben had been eating some chips and chili, as he chilled on his chillin' couch in his chillin' pad. After a while, he mentioned how the chili had gone cold.

"How about you warm it up again?" -Diane
"Nah." -Ben
"It's not that hard: just bring it over to the microwave and heat it up real quick." -Diane
"Nah. I'll just eat it cold." -Ben
"Do you like it cold?" -Diane
"No. But it's like this, ya see? Someday, at the end of the world, when all the microwaves fail to work and all we're left with is cans of cold chili, everyone will despair, except for me. I've been having cold chili all along, just to get ready. They'll all be crying for warm chili, and I'll just pop open a can, and spoon it in like I always do. I'll be prepared." -Ben

I've never met anybody who willingly endures unpleasant things just because they'd rather be prepared for the future.

Maybe there's nothing to analyze, and he really just didn't want to get off of the couch.

But I've thought a lot about this in my mission prep. I've still got a month and a half left, and I know I'll have quite a different lifestyle in the MTC and on the mission field then I do right now. So the question is, do I take the "Can of cold chili" approach? or the "Fill the canteen with all the warm chili you can, and just drink it down, enjoying every last warm bean, baby" approach?

I'm kind of doing a little bit of both.

Missionary schedule (rise at 6:30 am, bed at 10:30 pm): Canteen. I tried this for a while, but let's face it. I'm totally a night person, and this is totally unreasonable until I'm in a place where everyone else is on the same schedule. It'll be probably a bit hard to get used to, but I'm not really doing anything to get ready for it now.
Wearing missionary style clothes: cold chili (just about every Sunday, or chance to wear Sunday clothes. Not every day yet... don't worry)

Hana went to the MTC today, P.S. !!!

but Nylons? : Canteen. I'm not putting those guys on, until forced. And after enduring it at the MTC, I hear I won't have to wear them out in the field because Honduras is so very hot! Yeah, man!
Preach My Gospel/ Spanish Book of Mormon: cold chili. I try to do an hour a day, so that adjustment won't be as hard. I decided that the 2-verse-per-night-just-before-hopping-in-bed thing needed to be upgraded. How will I be able to teach if I haven't studied these things?
Don't date: enjoy the nunnery life: canteen. I can't help it. I just really like doing things with my friend Paul... a lot. If you knew him, you'd understand. You'd be wanting to get into his schedule too. But I only have a month and a half, so just wait a bit before chasing him, all right? Thanks. :)

Eat a lot of hispanic/Honduran food, and don't refuse: cold chili. I'm suffering and enduring this as best as I can, let me tell you! I tried tongue taco, freshly squeezed lime juice, friend bananas, and a Honduran dish called "Baleadas": tortilla+beans+eggs+cheese+sour cream= Amazing! The nice Honduran family which fed this to me said it was very typical down there. That's fine with me!

Only church music and enertainment: canteen. Although, I've increased my Spanish music library considerably over the past couple of months. But... it'll have to be left behind. I imagine they wouldn't let me blast Juanes or Reik in the halls of the MTC.
Speaking Spanish: cold chili. I've been so happy and blessed to be able to speak a lot lately. Pretty sure getting an Insta-friend from Bolivia just a few months before going on a Spanish speaking mission was no mistake. I love speaking in Spanish! Arianna is a great teacher! Also, I'd like to be on the fast track at the MTC if I could, so I'm trying to get ready for that dreaded phone call I hear I'll be getting one of these days. Oh! And the Spanish Branch on Sundays! What fun! I love it.

Temple: Canteen. There isn't a temple yet in Honduras, so I'm trying to go as much as I can now, with the blessing of having 13 temples in Utah. Besides, with such a lofty goal, I have lots to do!

I think it's interesting to see what I'm choosing... the things I'm already willing to sacrifice, and the things I'm holding on to until the very last second. When it's the end of the world and everyone is weeping for sleeping in, boys, movies, and days before nylons, hopefully I'll take my can of cold chili with a smile on my face and dig right in. Besides, I'll have some nice Horchata to wash it down with.

Miriam

2009-07-30T22:18:00.000-07:00

I'm the luckiest girl in all the world

2009-07-29T23:47:00.000-07:00

If I were only able to be allowed to be thankful for two things in this whole world, they may very well be:

This is my family.
I can be with them forever.

You might want to click on the picture. It'll show you in detail how beautiful and attractive they are. But then, that's a requirement to be a Francis (or a Lund in this case).

A tribute

2009-07-27T08:20:00.000-07:00

to a great fictional character
and a fan-freakin'-tastic muggle.

I saw Harry Potter on Saturday, and thought they did a really good job with it. It's amazing how those books and movies can pull you in, until invisibility cloaks and sorting hats feel like the norm.

Yesterday I saw nazzju, and she informed me that I'm going on a mission at the most perfect of times. You see, the 6th movie came out shortly before I'm going, the 7th movie will come out a few months before I get home, and the last movie will be out a month or two after I get home. So as far as Harry Potter is concerned, it couldn't be more perfect! And as far as I'm concerned... same thing. :)

I'm loving her and her shirt too. "The Guitar is a Horcrux". :D

♫♪ "I want to be a missionary now...

2009-07-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

... I don't want to wait til Sep-tem-ber...." ♫♪

I'm sure there are good reasons for me having to wait to enter the MTC for another 52 days, but sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy!! I know the mission will be tough, I know my Spanish isn't even close to good enough for me to survive on my own out there, I know I have more preparing to do. But I won't be alone. I have faith that if I am willing, the Lord can use me to be His instrument and convey the message of His good news, despite my many shortcomings. It's amazing how anxious I feel to go where I've been called to go: to be anxiously engaged in the best cause.

I have a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Through diligent study, we can find many lessons which are applicable to us. It speaks of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who loves me and you so much, that He chose to take our sins, weaknesses, pains and experiences upon Himself, suffering and dying so that we can live eternally. Our Heavenly Father manifests His love in everything we have, even our own breath, and especially in the act of sending His Son to fulfill the atonement. God knows each and every one of us by name. He knows our fears, problems, worries, joys, ponderings, and our hearts. Knowing these things brings me joy.

Everyone deserves to know these things too, don't you think?

PS: Speaking of missions... check it out.

"Honeydew you wanna get married?" "Sure, but I cantaloupe."

2009-07-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

The cantaloupe was really tasty this morning. And then I looked over at the counter and saw this.
"They were three for a dollar! I couldn't help it!!" -mom

Shoot! I dropped my knork!

2009-07-15T09:48:00.000-07:00

Got this off of Jenae Walker's facebook profile. It reminds me of this, randomly.

"...not Louisiana, Paris France, New York or Rome!

2009-07-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

But Gary Indiana Gary Indiana Gary Indiana, my home sweet home!!!!!!!!!"

On Google Anayltics you can see how many hits your blog or other website(s) gets every day. There's also a map feature which shows where these hits are coming from. Sometimes I get random hits from random places. Hence my friend whom I named Stan from Bangladesh. He looked at my blog probably just once, and probably by accident. He probably meant to google "Disney face" since that makes so much sense.

Anyhow, I was just posting this because I was recently in Indiana visiting my favorite oldest brother for 2 and a half weeks, and every time I saw the word "Indiana" I started singing that song from the Music Man ("Gary Indiana"). And then I saw three hits from Gary on Google Analytics. I was pretty psyched! Three hits is no mistake. :D

I think all the hits from Bloomington represent me blogging from Indiana, plus all the awesome support I get from Jason and Marcie. :)

I'm also randomly getting a lot of hits from St. Petersburg, Florida. Weird. ;)