Out 6 months!

Well Family this week was another great one!!!!
Tuesday we had a meeting in Managua for all of the trainers. It was pretty good but I am getting a little sick of the bus rides haha. After the meeting we went with our awesome family Ernesto and Visenta we talked to them about the Book of Mormon last week and this week we started reading it with them. They are so interested and so positive the only thing is they like to take things on their time so that is a little hard for me because I am not very patient haha.
Wednesday we had interviews with President in the morning so we had to go to Leon which meant another bus ride haha. I really enjoy interviews though because it is a change that I have to sit down and talk with the man that has the revelation for all of the mission. It is a little scary sometimes but he really is incredible!!! Later that day we went to Sonrisa again, I love Sonrisa haha. There we were contacting a bit and we started talking to this woman named Rita she told us that she is just there watching her daughters house for the week but that her daughter is a member but is less active. She told us that she has been wanting the missionaries to come teach her daughter again and baptize the husband of her daughter.... so naturally said ok that would be fine haha. The houses in Sonrisa are made of wood and plastic. It didn't really ever phase me until this week and I am not sure why. I am not joking when I say that they just have wood posts in the ground and then like a big black plastic bad over it. But isn't it interesting that these are the people that are the most receptive of Christ? I don't usually like working in the areas that have more money because the people are ruder. hahaha Just a random thought for you all.
Thursday was finally a normal day and we didn't have to go in a bus anywhere. Right now we are teaching a man who is called Jose Larios. He can't walk but he is super interested in the gospel. He is pretty old but he is the cutest old man haha. He always has the funniest questions. He asked us this week if he could still be saved even though he was an old man. There is also a little puppy that lives there and it always bites me while we are teaching haha I literally left with my feet bleeding. In the middle of the lesson I just picked up the puppy and held him out there like Simba in the Lion King haha. I would normally just hold the dogs but here they scare me...haha...  That night we had a Night of .... Brothering? Haha I still don't know what that would be in English... but we talked about the story of Joseph Smith and we had some investigators there. The part that was amazing is that the Members shared their testimonies and now these investigators also want to get baptized. NEVER EVER EVER underestimate the power that sharing your testimony can have. Even if it is scary it is so worth it!!! I love bringing members to our lessons because it helps out the investigator so much.
Friday we had our activity with the two missions. I would send picutres but 1.The internet sucks right now and 2 we couldn't bring in our cameras. It was with Elder Soares he is a member of the 70 and he is from Brazil so of course I was thinking about annie the whole time :) I sure do miss her. He talked to us about the importance of the retention here in Nicaragua. We have a lot of members but a lot of less actives. A lot of our work here in Nagarote is in reactivation. But there is nothing more awesome to see one of your converts super active in the church. That is what brings the true joy!!!! This was also the day that I completed 6 months in the mission. I can not believe time has gone so fast. It really does scare me. Haha.
Saturday in the morning we went to go learn how to make tortillas :) Yes that is right I am now a professional tortilla maker. And they were SO SO SO tasty!! That afternoon the elders had a baptism but they were in Leon so they asked us to fill the font. The problem was that we don't have keys... so we had to break into the church hahahaha I am not going to tell you that whole story but just know that I think we were forgiven because it was for a baptism. So we cleaned out the font and started fillin it up. It takes about 2 and a half hours to fill so naturally we left so that we could teach and it could fill. Haha so then we went to go teach some lessons and completely lost track of time. So at about 12:30 (3 hours later) I remembered and we went sprinting back to the church. When we got there the font was fullllllll but not yet over flowing. So we turned it off just in time but we knew that when the elders got in to baptize, the water would spill out but we just left it hahaha. Oh man... Anyway we invited our two families that have the goal to get baptized to the baptism but they couldn't come. For the baptism my comp and I did a special musical number where I played the piano haha. That night we were out contacting again and we offered to help this lady that was out working in her garden. Surprisingly she said yes!!! So I started digging some holes (in my skirt) and my companion was planting the flowers haha. After that we washed all of her clothes (by hand) She thought we were a little crazy and asked us why we were doing service so we told her who we were and what we were doing. She had never heard of the church before but asked us to come back the next day. We invited her to church and she told us that in the morning she had to go to managua.... Shoot. But that is ok we are going to visit her tonight.
Anyway life here in Nicaragua is as good as usual :) Don't worry mom just about a year left haha. I hope you know I love you all so much and I am sorry if I have been a terrible writer... Time just always flys when we are writing.
I love you all!!!!
Hermana Willardson

Hiking the Volcano!

Hey Family! 

I hope you are all doing just fantastic :) This week was a really good one. Even if all the days are blurred together.. I had to bring my agenda to the Cyber so that I can remember what day happened what things haha. It is a problem! 

Tuesday we had our usual District meeting. I was asked to share an experience of Faith or success, I shared the following. On Sunday we were a little sad because we didn't have many investigators in the church and every one that we were counting on suddenly had things to do. So we were a little sad and I was feeling stressed. I didn't know what to do so I decided that after church we would go visit our recent converts Edda and Juan. While we were there they expressed with us how much they loved us and how grateful they were for us. In this moment I realized that the numbers just don't matter. What matters is the love that we feel for the people. The converts I have are so so special to me. I feel a love for them that I don't know how to describe, every day I am learning more and more about the love of Christ because I can feel it really strong here. 

Wednesday I went to do Divisions in Leon with another newbie. We went to their investigators and talked about preparing for baptism. After one of the lessons the investigator asked me why they sent me to Leon so I told him I was just there to help out the sisters to which he replied "Ahhhh there is reason, its because you are a good missionary that is why I am feeling that I need to get baptized today!!" it made me laugh out loud. Haha although at times it is really stressful I am grateful that I have the chance to be a TL and a trainer. This week I am letting my daughter take more control, she is learning how to teach effectively and listen to what the Spirit tells her. It fills me with so much joy as I watch her follow the things I am doing. Well.. that is if the things are correct haha. Training is also hard but it is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I love Hermana Alan so much. She is such a good learner and such a good sport with all the divisions. I am blessed to have her.

Thursday I got back from Leon a little late so we ran to eat lunch and to go teach our family Cristina and Gustavo.. this was a little sad because Gustavo told us that he will never marry her or anyone else.... then he left really angry and she told us that she wanted to move out... I am not sure what to do with this family.. Please please please pray for them. Or pray that we will know the best way to help them. Then we had our noche de hermanamiento where we shared a little message and after we played chareades (I don't know how to spell that but it is where you try to act out the word.) anyway we were there with some pretty old people and it was really funny to watch them play haha. It was just the pick me up I needed. 

Friday was finally a normal day of teaching. We have a new family named Ernesto and Bisenta they were assisting (I think she means attending) the church about 5 years ago for a whole year but never got baptized. Then they moved and didn't know that there was a church here in Nagarote. We are now teaching them and they are very positive. They are pretty wealthy so I enjoy going to their house a lot haha... It makes me feel a little closer to home. Then we went to go teach Osmar and Carol. They are also very positive and really interested to learn. He always has a ton of questions and we do our best to answer them using scriptures so that he knows we aren't just making this stuff up. I am learning a lot from the scriptures!!!

Saturday in the morning we went to Leòn to participate in an activity to help out the missionaries there. We had all the missionaries in the zone go out with one page of the names of the members and less actives to see what it is they needed help with or why they were inactive. In my group we were looking for this one house for a good 45 minutes just to find out that the lady had died about 3 years ago hhahaha It made me laugh really hard that we were looking for the dead for so long. Funny right??

Sunday we had two families of investigators in church and Cristina. This was proof to me that right before every miracle there is a trail. So whenever you are feeling like things are getting really hard, have faith that your miracle is right around the corner!!!!!!!

I love you all so much and I will write you again next week!!!!

Love Hermana Willardson 

Pictures of Breann with her new daughter Hermana Alan

Happy  Hermana!

Iguana from the iguana soup she ate. HMMM

Riding in a horse drawn cart

Picking corn service

First week training!

Jan 13,1914

Well family here we are again, another week has passed by super super fast. My time with my Hermana Cruz is over but I am now with my daughter Hermana Alan. She is so so so so awesome and I just love her so much already. 

So Wednesday is where we are going to start this week. Things started out like any normal day, we planned out our day with some awesome lessons and right as we were about to walk out the door the Zone leaders called us and told us that we needed to be in Leon at 5:00 which meant we would have to leave here at about 3:30. So that messed up some of our plans. Haha and we needed to sleep in Leòn because the next day we were going to have our zone meeting. SO we had lunch then ran over to our converts house so that they could meet Hna Alan. After that we ran home to get our stuff together and head out to Leòn. There we had a meeting with the Stake President and it was really nice to hear what he had to say. He told us a lot about how whatever thing we need he would be there to help us. It was really nice haha. That night we slept with some of the Hermanas in Leon. We pushed the two beds together and the four of us slept on one big bed. It was super cute and cozy.

Thursday morning we had our zone meeting where we talked a lot about starting the new year right. I was in charge of getting people animated. I am not sure why people always put me in charge of that but I am getting really good at making up chants in spanish haha. Then we came back to Nagarote. Right now we have a family named Christina and Gustavo and they have a 4 year old daughter. Christina is so loving and so positive. Everytime we go over she yells and runs to give us a big hug. If the font was full she would baptize herself haha. The only problem is that she isn't married to Gustavo. We had a hard time finding a time when they were both there. Thursday we had planned to go see them at 7:00 at night but after lunch I had the strong feeling to go visit them right then. So we went and FINALLY we were able to talk to them both. It was the first time in about 2 weeks that we were able to be there when he was there. We had a really good lesson and the spirit was so strong. As I was testifying that families can be together forever I started to cry for the first time ever in a lesson. The thing that I love so much about the mission is that everything I am teaching to the people I know I am learning to know for myself. I know that my family is eternal and I am so grateful to my parents for living their lives in a manner in such that we can be eternal. It was a lesson I will never forget. He accepted to be married and baptised the 24th of this month. Pray for them please... They still have their difficulties. I also really want to baptize with Hna. Alan to show her that it is possible. 

Friday we were in Sonrisa visiting a less active family when we decided to contact a little in the area. We randomly ran into the first counselor of the branch and asked him what he was doing. Turns out he working on a house that is in Sonrisa so we asked him if we could go with him to meet the family that lives in the house he is working in. He of course said yes and we went. This family is named Omar and Karen. They have 3 and a half kids because she is pregnant. He is very interested and had a lot of questions. We will be working hard with them this week so please also pray for them. 

Saturday we went to help the branch president with his corn. I felt like Pocahontas out there picking corn in the hot sun and I actually really didn't mind it!! I was out there singing Pocahontas and my companion joined in. In that moment we became best friends. Even if she was singing the songs in Spanish. You better believe I will be learning those Haha. 

Sunday after church we went to go see Edda and Juan. Our converts. While we were there they asked us if we could pass by every day in the morning to keep them company because they just love to spend time with us haha. It was kinda sad that I had to tell them no but I think they understand. But we will be passing by with them more. Edda cant read but she loves the Hymn Families can be together forever. So every time we go she asks us to sing that song. Yesterday as we were singing it I realized that I really feel like they are my Nicaraguan Grandparents. I love them so much it is almost incomprehensible. I can feel the Saviors love for them every time we are together and it always makes me so happy. That is why in all of my photos I look so happy. It is because I am :) I can feel my Saviors love so easily here. It is incredible. For lunch they gave us soup again and again I ate it before asking what it was.. Again it was super delicious so I asked what it was... You won't believe this but they gave us IGUANA SOUP!!!! ya... That was a shocker to me.

Anyway I don't have much time and I know I have been a horrible letter writer so I am going to go work on your personal letters now. But I love you so much!! I know the church is true and the book is blue!!! 

Keep on Smiling :)

I love you!

Hermana Will

Saying goodbye and hello

Breann’s first Daughter on the Mission

 Pres and sister Collado and Breann and H. Alan

 The Hands of Christ

 Saying goodbye to her Angel companion H. Cruz

 Saying goodbye to H. Lopez Breann’s Trainer goes home this week.

Hello Hermana Alan!  Breann has such a love for this special sister!  Lucky girls!

Hiking the Volcano

This was a hike the president took all the leaders of the mission on.  Here Breann learned she would be a trainer and a TL.  She was overwhelmed with anxiety but knows the Lord is over all and will bless her to be able to complete this assignment.  She is amazing!  

Whirlwind week

Jan 7

Whirlwind week!

Well Family here I am again, sorry for the delay in writing and crazy writing schedules but don't worry I think after today everything will be more or less back to normal.

Alright so to catch you all up on what happened this week....

Thursday we had our meeting with all the leaders in the mission. It was really good because you can always feel the spirit so strong there!!! I love how much excitement and faith that the other leaders have. It is definitely inspiring. Then after the meeting I left my beloved Hermana Cruz in Managua to do divisions with Hermana Raymond. I love doing divisions with her because she always knows what to say. She knew I was stressed out because I found out that I would be a trainer as well and that is a lot of responsibility so it was really timing to be with her. 

Friday Hermana Raymond and I worked really hard and she taught me a lot of really great things. We found a new family that is super positive and will be getting baptized here in a couple weeks. She also helped us out with Edda and Juan to get them ready for their baptism this passed weekend. Then we did another division and she went to Leon to help out there and one of the sisters from Leon came with me to Nagarote. During all of this time Hermana Cruz was working in Managua with Hermana Ayala. 

Saturday in the afternoon Hermana Cruz finally came back to the area and I was really glad to have her back. We had a meeting with the Stake President and all of the leaders in the Branch and he let them know that if we want to turn this Branch into a Ward the members need to help us out. It was a good lesson for the members and it got the animated to work with us. 

Sunday we had the baptism of Juan and Edda. I love this little family. They are old but I sure do love them. We didn’t have a woman’s shirt that would fit Edda so we had to use a mans shirt that was huge... hahahahahahaha It was really funny to me and I am not sure why. I will send pictures for you to see. It was like she was in a dress. But they were so excited and so happy. I know that in the pictures they don't look like it but they were happy. Haha no one here smiles for pictures. But I promise they are happy people. Sunday night they started telling us what would happen for transfers. I got a call from the AP to confirm that I would be training and that I needed to be in Managua at 3:00 on Monday. I felt a lot of different emotions but I know that I can take on this calling because it is direct revelation. They also told us that Hermana Cruz would be heading to Manauga to be the new MTL and the companion of Hermana Raymond. She was really nervous but I know she will be awesome. 

Monday we went to Leon in the morning to say goodbye to the zone and figure out the rest of the transfers. Then I went with Hermana Cruz and another Hermana that will be training and we went to Managua. While we were there Hermana Cruz went with her new companion and I was there in the trainers meeting. They showed us pictures of our newbies and the minute I saw her picture I just loved her so much. It is really weird because I honestly do just love her and want her to have the best experience possible. They talked to us a lot about the keys to being a good trainer. I am really excited for this experience. We got done with the meeting at about 8:00 so we went to the nurses house to sleep. 

This morning I got permission to go to the chapel in Managua because Hermana Lopez was going to be there because she goes home this Thursday. It was really bitter sweet to say goodbye to my trainer.. I learned so much from her and she was a big part in making me who I am as a missionary. It was bittersweet because now I have the chance to impact a new missionary and teach her all that I can. Then we went to the house of Pres. to meet our daughters. I didn't go with the rest of the group though because I was with Hermana Raymond and Hermana Cruz. SO I had to wait in the Kitchen of President for about 45 minutes while my greenie was just outside the door. All I knew was that her name is Hermana Alan and she is from Costa Rica and that I loved her. Then when the rest of the trainers got there I went outside with them and they called us in one by one to meet our trainees. I was the last of the Hermanas and I was really nervous. I think it was the most nervous I have ever been in the whole mission. So I said a prayer because I knew there wasn't anything else I could do. As I walked through the front door I felt and overwhelming Spirit of peace and in that moment I knew that God would not let me fail. He called me to be a trainer and He will help me as long as I am worthy and asking. When I saw Hermana Alan my heart just opened right up. She is so happy and SO excited for the work. She is an answer to my prayers and I know we are going to be good friends. She is from Costa Rica and only has 12 days in the mission. She is so humble and so loving and just so cute. I am so so so lucky to have her. Everyone loves the people from Costa Rica too. They say that the Costa Ricans are just like white girls hahaha. I gave her a big hug and told her welcome to the best mission in the world. Then I told her all about Nagarote and how much I love it. I am going to be working with the excitement that she has and the faith that she has because those are two vital things that every good missionary needs. So I am going to try my hardest to keep her faith and excitement high. :)  I am really excited to have this chance to train. I know that I have this opportunity because I need to learn still too!! I am grateful... every day for every single day that I have here in Nicaragua. I love everyday of the mission. Even though it isn't easy. But I think that is why I love it so much. You work so hard and you really do see miracles. I don't know if I can ever come home :) 

Anyway I don't have tons of time to write today because it is kinda late and my poor daughter left the MTC at 2:00am this morning. 

I love you all!

Hermana Will

Breann and her crazy animal adventures

Jan 1, 2014

Well family it was good to see you all on Christmas even if you were making fun of this so called "accent" that I have. Hahaha I still don't believe that I have one... you guys are all just crazy. Hahah Anyway this week has been a bit of a whirlwind. 

Wednesday after we talked I went and bought some ice cream... Hahahaha I really wasn't all that sad. It just felt really weird knowing that you were all just talking to me and then the next instant you were gone. But the good part about talking to you all is knowing for sure that you are all still just doing fantastic. This is really good because now I can refocus on why I am here. I didn't have a hard time getting back to the work and I have you all to thank. So thank you for not making me worry about you all. :) Wednesday night we went to some of our converts house and they had been to the beach earlier that day and had fresh peanuts so we cracked those open, toasted them a bit, and snacked on some peanuts. It was a good old time. 

Thursday we had our branch Christmas activity and we did a little nativity scene for them with the elders. I was a wise man. It was a good old time. 

Friday we were working just like normal and we went to go visit Eva and Juan. I believe that I told you all about them, but they are this cute old couple that we hope to baptize this weekend. They have been living together for 45 years and have kids but they are not married. We talked about the importance of marriage with them and they told us that they are finally ready to take the step. I think the funniest part of this is that he told us that he feels like he finally knows her well enough to marry her. Good thing it only look 45 years hahaha. Just kidding. 

Saturday we went and visited our convert Mileydi she has a pet pig and he is so cute. Now I am not saying that I would ever want to have one but he is cute. Anyway after we were done teaching I went to go get some water and I felt something really big start to climb up my body... When I looked down there was this huge chipmunk just chillin on my hip. Naturally I screamed a little... and my companion just sat there and laughed and laughed haha. Don't worry we got a picture so I will send that to you all. 

Saturday we were out contacting and we decided to contact this one house that kinda looked a little sketchy. We had passed by it before but never had contacted it. Anyway we went to go contact it and it turns out that there are 17 people that live in this one house. It consists of 3 different families. One of the families is a husband (Less active) and his wife that is interested in the church. They were all really receptive of us and want to know more. So we are now working with this big ol family and it makes me think about our family haha. 

Monday we didn't have P-day like normal because of what we did today (I will tell you in a second) So we were invited to eat lunch at the house of some members and we had a good old time. Hahaha I say that a lot don't I... 

Anyway Tuesday we had a Zone meeting and while we were there we were told that we needed to be in Managua by 6:30 that night and that we would have to spend new years there..  We were sad because we had plans with our converts and we had to cancel them. SO we packed our stuff (because we are here until Friday morning) and got on a bus. For new years eve we were sleeping in the house of the nurse with the other TLs of the mission so we had a little party and celebrated a little bit :) 

And today... Oh boy... So we got up at 5:00am and went to the mission office where we met up with all of the Zone leaders of the mission. We rode in a bus to a Volcano that is in Mesaya (South mission) and as I was reading the sign it told me that it is one of the most active volcanos in Nicaragua so I was convinced that President just wanted to kill us. Hahaha so we started hiking and President and his wife came to join us. It was seriously really awesome to see a real life volcano. It smelled really awesome hahaha. We were hikinh from about 8:00 until about 12:00 and then we stopped for lunch. During this time of hiking president would call someone back to walk with him and have a little interview. After lunch we started on another short hike and he called me back to talk with him. I knew that it had to do with the transfers that are coming next week and I was praying that he would tell me that I was just going to stay in my area with my Angel Hermana Cruz... As he started out the conversation I knew it wasn't going to be that way... He told me that he is grateful for the work I have been doing with the Hermanas in Leon (at this point I am thinking that he is going to drop me as a TL) and that he knew I was ready for another challenge (In my mind I am thinking oh no....) He told me that I am going to continue as a TL in Leon but at the same time I am going to train. My newbie is going to be coming on either Monday or Tuesday. In the mission when a person trains it is called the mother and daughter. SO I am going to have a daughter. :) I am really excited for this new challenge but at the same time I know that I will not be able to do it without the help of my Heavenly Father. Please pray for me. I am a little stressed out but I am still really excited. :)

Anyway I hope you know I love you all so much and I will hopefully be able to write on Monday but I have to be in Managua by 4:00 so I might be writing in the morning. 

I love you!!! 

Hermana Willardson