"One of the Least of These"

Last weekend was a whirlwind from the conference, and then Tuesday hit.  It was a dismal day for me or absolutely nothing!  I remained in my pajamas all day, and for the first time here (which I think I did pretty good making it 3 1/2 weeks!) I went crazy in my mind because I have no responsibilities.  I tried to study, but I felt completely worthless.  Apparently the people in Colombia don't like being served and after 3 1/2 weeks of diligent searching for service opportunities I had turned up none!  I felt sorry for myself for a day, and wondered what I was doing with my life.

Wednesday morning I woke up and earnestly prayed for a service opportunity.  The following is a journal excerpt:

           "This morning I prayer fervently for an opportunity to serve.  I listened to Elder Holland’s conference address and it’s inspiration to be a disciple of Christ made me feel like I was running against a wall, I didn’t know where to serve in this country so foreign to me.  As I went to the grocery store with Hermana Martinez I expressed my feelings of being lost without a responsibility, but she just confirmed what everyone else did—that there wasn’t a place right now for me to serve.  My friend, Rachel Sanchez, was talking to me on facebook and when I lamented not having a responsibility she said "Be responsible for relaxing!  Sometimes you have to be responsible for that especially after you've been too responsible!"  Haha.

            After lunch Andrés discovered that one of the 5 puppies wasn’t responding.  At first we thought it was dead, but on closer inspection it was breathing very shallowly and far spaced.  We rushed to warm and revive the little fellow.  He was the smallest of all the puppies and I rubbed him with little response from him.  I place him inside my shirt on my chest, and put my alpaca beanie over his little body, then placed a water bottle with warm water along his back.  After breathing warmth on him for a little while his chest started to rise a little higher.  What followed next was one of the funniest experiences of my life!  Hermana Martinez and Andrés milked the mama dog!  This produced very little milk as she is a small dog, so we used a little cow milk and with some coxing the pup ate a tiny bit.  Next I searched online for what to do and we followed as best we could.  One suggestion was to get puppy powder, but they don’t have that in the little stores close to the house, so Hrm Martinez ran to her sisters house who has a bigger dog that just had puppies and milked her.  This produced much more milk that I was able to get the runt to drink a little more of!  All afternoon was taken to warming, and feeding, and reviving this little guy.  At one point I heard in my mind “In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto me.”  I had prayed for an opportunity to serve, I had supposed it’d be another person, but this fragile little pup certainly qualifies as “one of the least of these”.  God works in mysterious ways!"

And that is what I have been doing all week since.  Every 2 hours during the day, and every 3 hours during the night I feed this precious little guy!

It's the one of the bottom right:

This one is the fattest, and I named him Gus Gus like the little fat rat in Cinderella.  

It looks like I am squeezing him, but he is just that skinny :(

Here is a better picture of my cute little guy!  One night at dinner they said I was like his mom and the 16 year old quickly corrected "More like GRANDMA!" Bahaha!  So this is my grandson.  To keep the theme of Cinderella Anrés named him "Ceniciento" (Cinderello).

Unfortunately his is not a fairytale with a happy ending on earth.  One week after he was born, this little guy died tonight.  I am sad, but like I told Andrés "Heaven is way better then here!"  We did all we could do, and we loved him when he was with us.

Sorry to start out on a sad note, but the majority of my week was studying and caring for Ceniciento.  For a while he was really improving, but by yesterday I was pretty sure he wasn't going to make it.  It was a sweet opportunity to take care of him.  If you know me at all you know I have a super soft heart for animals, so I loved every minute of caring for him.

Friday it hit me that I DO have another responsibility!  And that is to study spanish!  There is a time and a season for everything, and right now the more I improve my spanish the more I can improve my service in other areas when I get home.  So I have 7 weeks left and need to get cracking!  So less e-mails, less facebook, less other distractions, it's crack down time!  (And I thought I was studying a lot before).

It's been a pretty chill week other then that.  Here is my first pizza in Colombia!  (If you didn't know pizza is my favorite food.)  My verdict is: mine is better.  They don't really have sauce on their pizza (or at least I didn't see or taste any), but it was alright...probably won't be eating it again.

And to end on a funny note, two things from today: 

        1- I was talking with the older son (who knows a bit of english) and I mentioned something about only knowing 2 other girls in high school with my same name.  One was cool, one was less then that (and then I said I didn't know the word in spanish).  After some guesses and hints, one being "ella era como una mujer de la noche", his face lit up as he said: "OHH!  Como "playa".  I was confused for a second until I said the word out loud in English "beach" and then I laughed SO hard!  

       2- I get asked to pray A LOT here, more then I have in my whole life.  I don't know if they think it's funny to hear the white girl pray or what, but the family, church classes, all the time!  So for F.H.E. tonight I was asked to pray and whenI started to thank Heavenly Father for this day of rest I forgot the word "rest" and after a pause still couldn't produce the word so I said essentially "thank you for this day we don't have to work".  The family is getting pretty good at holding their laughter till after "Amen" but all their faces were red and they busted as soon as the prayer ended.

Sometimes My Life is Just One Big Laugh!

This last week has been one of the funniest weeks I've had in a long time!  (and my life is usually hilarious, so that is saying a lot)  Since you are tuned in, get ready for some good laughs.  First I'll start with the bad: I was pretty excited when I came here on the idea that I wouldn't have to listen to that stupid "Call Me Maybe" song for 2 1/2 months, it took 2 1/2 weeks--but that dream was shattered.  Here are some songs I have been greatly disappointed to hear on the radio and even more horrified that people knew the words:

Katy Perry.

"Here's My Number, So Call Me Maybe" - this is really the one I was sad about.

"What Makes You Beautiful"

The family and I get along great and are always making jokes, but I think I'm well accepted because the other day the parents told me they are all going to cry when I leave (and it's 2 months away).  The youngest son is hilarious and is always teasing me, here is a video of his latest favorite thing to make fun of me for, you'll probably recognize this and most likely you too have mimicked me on this particular laugh of mine (he is sick so it's not quite as good as usual):

Wednesday I was SO hungry for breakfast that I kind of zoned out and was focused on my food.  (Which is featured below.  Side note: when my friends who served in South America told me of dipping bread in hot chocolate for breakfast I vowed to never do such a odd and gross thing...now I do it nearly every morning!)  Anyhow I was eating and trying to hold myself together because I was so hungry.  Hermana Martinez has been telling me about the cheese, then I zoned.  She asked "If it was cold like this in the United States" and I stated "that I didn't know because I had never eaten it before".  To which she and Andrés starting cracking up.  Apparently--without me--the conversation had switched to the weather, in particular, autumn.  We had a good laugh about how I had never eaten autumn before.  This of course is an isolated event, I never tune anyone out and go into auto response...I'm sure I've never done that to anyone in the states. ;)

On the topic of food, here is another typical lunch:

Of course there were some classic mis-speaks this week, but the following is one of my favorites:

Andrés was sick so I gave him some of my DoTerra oils.  He was asking what they were all for and as I was explaining I got to wild orange and said it was my favorite because it "Huele MAL!" (meaning it smells bad) which obviously I didn't mean.  So now when we pass a place that smells bad we always laugh about how happy I am.

Presidente graduated from his Masters program this week, so I bought him a cake and had them write "Happy Graduation Shoulder" on it! (if you don't get this, refer to last weeks post) He thought it was hilarious.

Look at the following two pictures and consider what they have in common:

(I know, you wish your hair could be this styling after 3 days of not being washed.)

(This is a pitcher of water I boiled...)

I have been avoiding showers here because it is SO cold!  Sometimes I wait 2 or 3 days.  And for 3 weeks I haven't shave my legs.  This whole time I have been so confused at the girls who shave their legs!  The water is freezing!  There is only one knob to turn, and every time it's cold water.  Once it was less cold, but mostly always cold.  But this weekend was a 10 stake young single adult conference and there were dances, and swimming and I needed to shave.  I happened to be chatting with my roommate from AZ, who is friends with the family, and told her about how I just heated up water on the stove to shave with.  This is when THREE WEEKS after shower with cold water, I found out THERE IS HOT WATER!  There is a trick you do with the handle and no one told me!  I wasn't mad at all, just SO happy I didn't have to shower for the next 2 months with cold water.  It was probably one of the best showers of my life!

Before I get into the conference, que más?  This week I ran 4 miles for Jamie and by mile 3 I thought "Man, I hope it's the altitude that is making this so hard to breath!"

Thursday was a long, hard day of studying...which entailed listening to popular songs most of the day and writing down vocabulary I didn't know.  haha.  My life is tough right now.

This little girl is the cutest thing ever!  Dana is a girl that Maria watches and we became fast friends.  Every time we have a cake for a celebration she always sneaks frosting before it's time to eat it!  I understand, I was (and sometimes am) that way too.

So there is an alarm in the neighborhood that goes off randomly during the day and night.  I asked about it a week or so ago and they explained it was both for something dangerous or bad (a drunk or druggie in the street) or for something good (like a goal for a soccer game).  I thought it was super weird that it could mean good or bad, 'cause how do you know when it is which!?!  I just let it slide though.  I always thought there was some random place in the street where you turned on the alarm, which I also found confusing, again--I let it slide.  Friday was a big soccer game which Colombia won!  It was a great game, and as we watched the game the answer to my questions came clear:

There is a switch in all houses that turns the alarm on!  I about fell out of my chair laughing as I viewed it being turned on and everyone ran to the porch to yell at the top of their lungs "GOOOOOOOAAAAL!!!!!!!"

Here is a photo of me in front of our chapel.  This whole town is tatted up!

I love looking out the window and looking at the graffiti as we go places!  This week as we were going somewhere I looked at these walls and I felt like it was my home, not a vacation.  I knew where we were and I knew how far we had to go, I felt comfortable with my surroundings!  It was sweet.

Just enjoying a drink on the Transmilenio!

Here is one of my favorite journal entries of the week:

"This morning I had a pretty sweet experience at seminary.  First off it is their school break, and there is still seminary this week.  There are 3 members in the class, one of which doesn't come most of the time.  The other two (Andrés and Stefany) are the only members of the church at their school.  Normally seminary is at 5:30 and the teacher walks to each of the boys houses and then we all walk together to Stefany's house, where seminary is held.  Since it is a vacation week seminary is at 8:30 and we just meet at Stefanys without being picked up.  Today, however, it was a 6 because their teacher had something she needed to go to.  Sometimes the teacher doesn't come because she is a single mom of 4 and sometimes she or her children are sick.  She doesn't have a phone, so they just wait and if she doesn't show then there is no seminary that day.  This morning Andrés and I walked to Stefany's house and arrived at 6.  No teacher.  SO what did this 14 year old girl and 16 year old boy do?  They didn't sit and chat, they didn't lay their heads on the table and fall asleep, and they didn't go home.  They sat and read their scriptures.  So I followed suit.  After 15 minutes they said to each other "She is running late, we better start" so they picked a hymn and we sang, they assigned me to pray, and then Andrés gave a spiritual thought.  Now 6:25, no teacher.  So they said, "well we're supposed to be in Matthew 7" so we started taking turns reading verses in that chapter!  5-10 minutes later their teacher comes.  WHAT INCREDIBLE YOUTH!  Pretty sure in the states if the teacher is 15-30 minutes late you bounce!"

       Ok, the singles conference this weekend was hilarious!  And sometimes frustrating.  It was supposed to start Friday night at 6PM with a formal dinner and dance.  Luckily I found a dress that week that would work.  But Jhonatan said we were meeting some of his friends at their house and then heading over after that.  But we didn't leave our house until 5:30, then it was raining pretty hard and we got stuck for 2 hours in traffic because of the accidents on the road.  We get to his friends house and we are pretty soggy and it was cold.  Then we waited another 2 1/2 hours for his friends girlfriend to get ready.  So we show up right after 10PM (it goes till midnight).  I was surprised to note as I walked in that the food for the buffet was still out with servers at hand.  It was quite the elegant event; the tables had white linen tablecloths and napkins, big bouquets of roses, and full silver wear (including 5 forks).  We get to the dance floor and the first two songs are an oldies swing song (which was hilarious because Jhonatan and his friends were all looking at me and copying my dance moves! Baha!) and then YMCA!  I laughed so hard as they all sang the words to YMCA.  There is the proof that it is a world wide LDS dance song!  After that a meringue song came on and I didn't get asked to dance so I sat down at the table.  A little bored because everyone I knew was dancing I went to go peer at the food before it got put up.  It looked good, and being a little hungry I was served a plate of food.  It was a little weird that there were huge stacks of plates and bowls, but I didn't let that deter me.  I went back to the table, sat down, and started picking at my food when Jhonatan comes over and asks, somewhat surprised, if I'm hungry.  I said that I was a little hungry, and immediately everyone starts pouring into the seats at the tables.  The music stops and a prayer is said.  By this point I was thoroughly confused and asked why they stopped the dance in the middle of it to pray?  This is when I found of that in Colombia you dance first, then you eat!  So here is the white girl with her food as everyone else gets in line to be served!  BAHAHAHA!  All the sudden the odd looks on the servers faces made sense!

       The next morning we had to meet at the temple at 5:30!  (keep in mind the dance ended at midnight and it takes forever here to get places because you take the bus or wait for a taxi)  So we get there and they don't have breakfast or anything for us!  We drive 4 1/2 hours (which was supposed to be a 2-3 hours trip) and arrive at the water park.  Which consists of a bunch of pools that are shallow enough that I can easily stand in all of them with my head above water.  It was an interesting experience because there wasn't a ton to do.  So we ended up doing things like the following video:

---coming soon, I'm waiting for it to be sent to me--

Note the "gorro" on my head.  I was handed it when I got there and I didn't understand why, so I put it in my locker.  They didn't say they were mandatory!  So as soon as I got in the pool I got yelled at.  Haha, apparently they think these little caps keep diseases out of the pool.

       As one point I was sitting under a water mushroom thing and the water was pounding on my shoulders, it felt SO nice.  In that moment I realized I really missed be touched.  From my observations they don't really hug here, just a kiss on the cheek for hello and goodbye.  In that moment I thought "MAN, I REALLY WANT A HUG!" (Which was cool because the next 2 days I got a ton of hugs from people!  Gods love right there!!!)  I met some cool people, and talked a lot with them.  I was happy to make some friends.

       The next day I attended the other ward (because I accidentally slept in) and they were AWESOME!  I was so happy it was testimony meeting, and towards the end I got up and bore my testimony.  The sweetest thing followed!  I went back to my seat (in the middle/backish, on a bench by myself) and this older woman who was sitting in the front got up and came and sat by me!  She gave me a big hug, thanked me for my testimony, informed me that we were going to be friends, and held my hand.  It was so tender.  Tears trickled down my cheeks because I had been praying to make some friends this weekend.  I was so grateful to be loved by someone in the same country as me!  She wrote down her name and number and told me to call her, I am so excited!  After the meeting ended probably 20 different people came up to me and introduced themselves and gave me a hugs.  I LOVE that ward!  I went to sunday school with another sister that fastened herself to me and I understood everything that was being said!  I felt so loved and welcomed I want to go back!  I don't think it would be kosher to switch wards, so I think I am going to attend both because I have fallen in love with that ward!

       When I got home from church my favorite dog, Canela, went into labor and had 5 puppies!  They are so cute!

       Because of this Jhonatan and I were late going to that day of the conference.  We missed the first fireside talk.  But we didn't miss the never ending one!  It was about 4 hours in total and there were 3 different times where everyone was sure it was the end, but NO!  I was ready to poke my eyes out by the end.  At one point I was a little bitter and thought "I NEVER WANT TO ATTEND ANYTHING IN THE CHURCH IN SPANISH AGAIN!"  I was super tired, and really hungry, and I had no idea how long it was going to be when I went into it.  In reality I do enjoy listening in spanish, but I was over this particular fireside or storymonies and never ending Q&A's.  After it ended a guy who was sitting in front of me started talking to me. He asked where I was from and he was surprised that I wasn't from Colombia, success!  He got my number, so that is guy number one with my number here.
       Monday was my favorite day of the whole conference!  It was awesome!  We listened to the Temple President talk (which amounted to "if you want to get into Heaven, get married!"--ok, it wasn't that blunt...but...).  After we had lunch and it was super chill day hanging out with people.  That afternoon/evening was my favorite!  It started with dancing (which I was terrible at at first) and then intermittedly each stake would present a cultural dance from countries in South & Central America.  It was AWESOME!  It was nice too because it gave you a rest from dancing!  I didn't think I would get asked that much, but I got asked to dance for every song!  And equally surprising was that I picked it up pretty fast!  I had a blast!

The stake I am in actually had the US and they danced 3 different styles and killed all of them!  I was really impressed.  The last number was a country dance and after they were done they wanted a picture with the gringa:

These are all co-workers of Jhonatan from MTC down here.  I majorily hung out with them this weekend.  They are all super nice and really funny!  It's hard to pick a favorite among them, but probably the 3rd from the left.  She was really fun to talk with.

       By the end of all this I ended up having more confidence in my spanish because I was able to talk with so many different people, I picked up some sweet latin dancing skills, gave my number to two guys, and made quite a few friends and acquaintances!

Una Semana Difícil Bueno

       This week was not an easy one for me.  Last Sunday night I went to a fireside for the singles of this stake.  President Martinez was the speaker, he is the dad of the family I am staying with and I almost always know what he is saying.  But as I sat and listened to him speak I found that there were many times I didn't know exactly what was being said.  About half way through I was wondering why I was having such a difficult time and all the sudden I remembered my previous stake presidents.  As I remembered their talks I remembered the moments when they would say a word and all the congregation would look at one another because we didn't know what it meant.  When I thought of those moments, and how I've been speaking english for 26 years and I still don't know it all, that's when it hit me--I am going to be studying and speaking spanish for a very long time and even then I will not know it all.  I determined I was ok with this, and moved on to keep learning.  But something else settled deep in my heart that night--no one hear knows me.  They don't understand all I want to say, and I don't understand all they say to me.  And for the first time in a long while I felt very much alone.  The family I am with is wonderful, and kind, and funny.  I enjoy their company very much.  But it takes a lot of time to explain my thoughts, it's not easy like it is with my friends at home, and we don't laugh till our stomachs hurt.  I think Anne of Green Gables coined the term "Bosom Buddies", and I was missing mine.  I missed talking to my friends in english, I missed easy communication.  That night when I knelt to pray I decided to start praying in english again, so at least I could have an easy time talking to God.

       Monday morning I woke up at 5 in the morning for seminary (it hit my that night watch at Anasazi has prepared me for going to seminary again! ha) and I wanted so badly to stay in bed.  I got up we waited for the teacher, but she never came.  Andrés decided he wanted to go to her house, and so I accompanied him.  On the walk over my heart was still weighed with the thought of missing dear friends.  When we arrived he started talking to her about a scripture mastery he had memorized.  As I listened to him I thought "Hey, I should memorize some more scriptures while I'm here, I've got the time!"  And immediately the words from a conference address a couple years ago of Elder Richard G. Scott came into my mind that knowing and memorizing scriptures is like gaining a new life long friend. With that my mind shouted "Great idea!  You need those right now!  Start memorizing today!"  And then the words "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thee for good."  I got very emotional as I sat there and realized I HAD already memorized many scriptures, and thus I HAD many friends with me.  As more scriptures came to mind I felt overwhelming gratitude that all these years after I had memorized them, here they were when I felt so alone in a country far from home.

       Also on Monday I got to skype for the first time with my nephew!  Which I was very excited about, and the conversation was pretty funny.  His face when he saw me was priceless!  His mouth popped open and he immediately requested that I come to his house.  When I told him I couldn't because I was far, far away he paused, then asked "Oh...were you chased by monsters?"  Hahaha, I replied in the affirmative but that I ran fast like him, and that was satisfactory enough of an answer.  Now when I leave the house Andrés Felipe (the 16 year old) warns me to watch out for monsters!  Another classic thing that happened monday was I wanted to show you guys how they do milk here, so I took a picture at a big store and about 2 minutes later (and several aisles over) a security guard approached me and told me sternly that I couldn't take pictures.  I did what any good gringo would do, I acted like I didn't know what he was saying and muttered some things in sloppy spanish (on purpose of course!)  Here is the fruits of my labor:

All of those are bags of milk!  I saw them in boxes in Mexico, but bags was a new experience for me!

Also in this same store I went to use the bathroom and the first stall I entered didn't have toilet paper (as in the whole toilet paper dispenser) "that's weird" I thought and moved to the next stall...but that one didn't have any either!  Good thing I happened to have in my purse my little package of puppy print, smell good tp.

       Tuesday I got to Skype with some friends and I was so happy.  Man I really give it up to you missionaries, it's tough not having friends who speak your language!  That day Sister Martinez and I went shopping again (I think for the 5th or 6th day in a week and a half) and on the bus ride home I thought "I hope I don't die today or tomorrow because I really don't want to tell God that for my last week on earth I shopped most of the days!"  (Luckily my life has been spared.)  When we got home I was showing my spoils to Andrés & Maria when two men came over.  I asked "Quien hay estos hombros?"  And they laughed and laughed, for two reasons.  I had accidentally called them 'hombros' (meaning shoulders) instead of 'hombres' (meaning men).  Bahaha.  Also you call men in the church "hermanos de la iglesia" (brethren of the church), and 'hombres' is somewhat derogatory.  So all in all it was a ridiculous statement.  So we laughed hard and decided it was our new insult/joke.  And we always so it with cattiness.  I think it's my favorite mis-speak so far!  

This town is tatted up!  But some of it is really beautiful.

This week was my first time doing the wash...I'm a fan of how we roll in the states ;)

Shopping on Friday for a suit for President Martinez brought us to this store with a Harry Potter bathroom!  (I am bent over at the waist.)  I thought it was so funny I had to take a picture.  (and thanks to my dad my eyes are never open!)

Some more of the sweet lunches I enjoy here.  I love cooking, but it's super sweet to have a home cooked meal 3 times a day that I do nothing but show up for (most of the time).

Can you see why I'm a little concerned at getting fat here?  I ran 2 times this week because I ate arepas and drank avena so much!

One of the fruits of my purchases.  I can make boots like these...but for $20 I'm sold!  These are one of my favorite pairs of boots.  I went from 2 pairs of boots in the states, to the proud owner of 6 pairs total.  I think I'm done shopping, it's just that things are SO CRAZY CHEAP here!

       Saturday I was listening to some stories the family were telling and expecting I any moment there would be something I wouldn't understand, but it didn't happen.  I understood them completely!  (Now that is not always the case, but it is happening more and more often.  Pretty sweet!)
       I was super excited for general conference this weekend.  Initially I had intended on watching it in spanish, but after trying that for the relief society broadcast I decided against it.  I was alone in my room when I heard the exciting news about a new temple in AZ!  And I had no one to be shocked with about the new age option for missionaries.  But it was a sweet experience.  President Uchtdorf laid it down like he always does, and single-handedly answered almost all the questions I wrote down.  But as usual it just kept coming.  I loved all of it!  I am so excited to have that counsel right now!  It came at a perfect time to set my sails on where I need to go.  I love that we have a living prophet and apostles that speak to us!
       Tonight they had me in charge of FHE.  Of course the song I choose isn't in spanish, and they don't have any other songs about the prophets that I know.  I gave the lesson and I wasn't so sure that it'd go well so I wrote down my thoughts so I would have all the words set up right, but I put my paper down and started and hardly looked at it.  It turned out well!
       Well turns out I'm the same person speaking english and spanish.  Today the mom and dad were teasing me about how sassy I am.  And we are constantly dishing jokes back and forth.  Well I am setting myself to a new schedule this week.  Hopefully it will help my spanish skyrocket!  Sure miss and love y'all!  I'll write again next week if I'm alive ;)  (I went to the stake center today with the family for conference and watched the morning session with the gringo missionaries...when they found out I was living in Bosa central they all got looks on their faces and said it was dangerous.  I don't believe them, I've been here two weeks and it's been fine!  Don't worry, I am very careful still.)