Fever + Hottest week of the year = Miracles

Short update...my pday writing time got cut short due to a trip to the distribution center and technical difficulties as I tried to watch 17 Miracles.

Suffice it to say that I got rather sick this week, and as such, did not work like I would have liked to. But what we did do was so special, as we made sacrifices to serve our friends who needed us, and it's being paid off in blessings in our lives and in their lives as well. More updates to come in this next week, and hopefully some pictures as well, most especially of the baptism of my special friend, Hermana Luz. She is a dear, dear sister who just started visiting the church here in Managua a couple of weeks ago, after having become acquainted with it years ago thanks to her sister, a member in another city. She is so special and so sincere and has such faith and such great desire to follow her Savior, and I am so excited to see her take this first step and continue a life full of faith and devotion to Christ.

I just want to share with you that I know that any sacrifice we make to follow the Lord Jesus Christ more fully and more perfectly turns is so eternally worth it. It turns out to be no sacrifice at all, as he blesses us with more than we ever could have expected. And this time spent testifying of Christ and His restored gospel is some of the best time I'll have in my life.

Love,

Hermana Ferrin

Easter

Today's update will be rather short, folks. Sorry. But I want to take a moment to share my testimony of the Savior. 2 years ago this last week, I was coming home from Jerusalem, where I learned in a very real way that Christ lived, that he minstered, and that he died and was resurrected to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, to give us a chance to live again in his presence and find joy in this life. 

I'm learning here, in Nicaragua, in a very real way, that He lives. He is the Only Begotten of the Father, and that through Him, we are begotten sons and daughters unto God. I have realized just how true it is that there is a real Christ, and that this is really his church, and that all the covenants we make in the temple and at baptism teach us more about him, and that really, there is nothing better in this world than following him and getting to know just how amazing and marvelous he is. Christ lives, and life doesn't get better than that. I would give up everything I have, more than I've already done to be here, to know him and follow him, and I am amazed at the love he gives me, and I invite each one of you to focus more on Christ this week, to learn just a bit more of what he did for you, for me, and for every one of us, even for the ones who reject and scorn him.

Love,

Hermana Ferrin

General Conference Weekend! (Learning to love it as much as my Uncle Loren)

This week was pretty interesting, being the first of the new change. Monday started with some tears as ward members and Hermana Argueta and I bid farewell to our district leader and fellow La Fuente missionary, Elder Howard. It has been cool sharing La Fuente with another gringo for 6 weeks, and he'd been here in this ward for almost 5 months. It's a pretty special place, and it was pretty hard for him to go. 

Wednesday was darn interesting. We had planned our day pretty tight, as usual, and in the middle of a lesson I get three phone calls (after ignoring the first two) from the Zone Leader (the missionary responsible for all the missionaries in his area) of Puerto Cabezas, the zone way the heck in the boonies of the atlantic coast. He had to get ahold of me so that Hermana Ramirez, the Sister Training Leader (the sister missionary who works with all the sisters in her zone/geographic area), who had flown in to Managua in preparation for the leaders meeting the next day, could come work with Hermana Argueta and me for the evening. That was pretty cool. I was "born" (started my mission) in the same zone that Hermana Ramirez was working in. She was one of my favorite people, and it was great to get to see her again. With her, we went looking for an address in one of the sketchier parts of my area, and had to cross the "bridge of the dead" three times. It's a bridge with more than half the slats missing. All the Nicas were laughing at us trying to jump across in skirts and missionary shoes. Zooming around in a taxi to drop her off after our appointments that night, I was struck once again with how different this is, what an adventure it is, and how much I love it.

On Thursday we went out to work with a recent convert who was baptized 6 months ago with her whole family. They're preparing to go to the temple in September to be sealed as an eternal family. I am so excited for them. They are super, super awesome. Her husband is the Elder's Quorum president - the leader of the quorum of men who hold and exercise the priesthood, the authority of God, which is given to every worthy male in Christ's church, and she is the seminary teacher, the scripture study course for the youth of the congregation. 

Friday we had some pretty miraculous finding experiences. We went to a number of members and asked them to take us in that very minute to visit some of their friends, to invite them to general conference. And the husband of our lunch cita (the sister who makes us lunch every day) took us to one of his neighbors, who was really excited to go. And that evening, we visited with the friends of another member, a sister who is not a member but who studies the Book of Mormon and the magazines of the church, and they are such a special family. 

Saturday was General Conference, and lucky us, we went to every session. In the morning we went alone, and my prayers were answered with the very first talk: Elder Holland's, where he talked about the great priviledge it is to represent Jesus Christ and have his name. That is even more real as a missionary, as a person set apart to represent the Savior and to wear his name on our chests every day. This is such a grand opportunity, even in the times when it's hard. In those times, we learn how to come closest to the Savior, as we live a little bit more like what he experienced than in any other point of our existence. And I have such a strong testimony that answers and vital inspiration are given during conference sessions, and that was a slightly overwhelming moment of answered prayers, as at the very start of the conference I got an answer to prayer in such a way. And every single hymn in that session was just for me, and music gets me more than anything else. 

I remember nothing of the afternoon session, unfortunately, as I wrangled 3 children so that their mother, our investigator, Claudia, who we've been teaching for a month now, and who loves the church, could pay attention. I love kids, but this time I was a little sad to miss part of conference. That night I rode a bus across Managua to do divisions with our Sister Training Leaders, came back, and threw fire. We found 2 new families, and one of them accepted the invitation to be baptized, and then came to conference. Miracles, man!

Sunday was special, as even here in Nicaragua, the general conference was like a holiday. People were talking with friends, taking photos with family, and hugging everyone in sight after the morning session ended. And I had a really special experience when, as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir started singing "A Child's Prayer," my good friend Estefen, the 10-year-old brother of one of my piano students, and the son of one of our most pilas members, who was sitting next to me and playing tic-tac-toe with me, started singing the words in Spanish, all by himself. Oh, these people are so special, and I'm so lucky to be here with them.

This morning, we took cupcakes to the husband of our food cita, since today was his birthday, and I just happened to find "magic relighting candles" in the supermarket filled with American imports the last pday, and, naturally, I used those on his cupcakes. No one knew, not even my companion, because it was labled in English. His family could not get enough of those candles. They laughed and laughed and laughed. I got video. It's pretty great. 

I love you, I love these people, I love this work, and I love my Savior.

So much love,

Hermana Ferrin

Everyday Life in Nicaragua & 6 Months as a Missionary

Nicaragua is such a weird place, and I'm really learning to love it. Managua is such a weird mix of third-world poverty and high-techness. People who sleep with their whole family in one bed walk around in Hollister shirts and talk on Blackberries. People use magnetic cards to ride surprisingly clean city busses to their work in rudimentary factories. 

I've gotten used to the need to bathe twice a day due to sweat, buying bags of sliced green mangoes topped with salt and vinegar in the street, having t-rex syndrome and mosquito-bite scars due to the amount we walk and my apparenty more desireable blood. Don't worry, I do still laugh at taking pictures with people whose heads don't even reach my shoulders (everyone here) and cramming myself into a "mototaxi" or "japonese" (you'll have to google those, I don't have any pictures, sorry, but they're so worth seeing). 

I can almost eavesdrop on Spanish now. I still love walking the streets and hearing a mix of bachata and Justin Beiber, watching taxis almost run into busses, being given fresco, delicious, juicy, ripe mangoes, or soda at every house I visit, learning to love a city, and learning to love the Lord and the temple.

I'm getting used to, but still loving, that no matter where I go, children want to follow me, watch me play piano, sit in my lap, wear my nametag, hear me speak English, or just hold my hand. That is one of the most special ways to be a representative of Christ, and, like him, I've never sent a kid away.

Half of my bishop, his 3-year-old son Samuelito, his wife Nadieska, and me eating dinner and sharing pictures at his house, like we do every Thursday night. She was a boxer before she had Sam. 

On Wednesday I'm going to complete 6 months as a missionary, as a representative of Jesus Christ, called to such a responsibility by a living prophet. And boy have these 6 months as a full-time builder of the kingdom been some of the greatest moments of growth and change in my whole life. 

At this point, more than ever, I have desires to follow my Savior, to let him take and seal my heart his. As I come every day to understand his atonement and his life a little better, I have more and more love for him, and more and more desire to do his will. And as I continue to study his life through the scriptures and as I continue to try to emulate his life through my daily actions, I come to know him more and more and have greater desires to stay on the path he's outlined to return to live with him and our Heavenly Father.

I've learned a whole lot of patience, and I've learned how to be a better teacher. I've learned Spanish...of course. I've learned to be oh so grateful for every little thing that I have at home and in the first world. I've learned to be that grateful for the things I have here, the people who've stolen my heart, the testimonies and the light in the eyes of English-speaking missionaries, Nicaraguan members, and latina sisters alike. I've learned to conquer fears of failure, fears of talking to people, fears of public speaking (in English and Spanish), fears of what others might think of me, and I've learned to focus on what the Lord thinks of me. That is just about the only thing that really matters at this point.

I'm still trying to learn to become the person that the Lord and I both want me to be, but if I've gotten that far at this point, I can't wait to see what comes in another year.

I love you all lots and lots! Cuidense!

Love,

Hermana Ferrin

The Best Week in Nicaragua

This week, I basically relaxed and did what I could, and tried to do a little better every day, but didn't worry about doing everything perfectly all at once, and look where it got me: a lot happier!

On Thursday, I did companion exchanges again, this time with one of the sister training leaders over the whole mission. This means that for a day, I was working with her instead of my companion, while my companion went to work with the other companion in her area in another part of Managua. It's an opportunity to learn from other more experienced missionaries. These sister training leaders in particular don't usually do those divisions with sisters like us, who aren't leaders, but I think they thought I needed a little extra help. I was afraid that she was coming because we hadn't been doing a good enough job, too, and so I was super anxious Wednesday night and Thursday morning

But in our companionship planning session at the beginning of our companion exchanges when I was with Sister Cruz, she told me that the Lord was very pleased with what I'd been doing so far, and that line upon line I'd keep learning and doing more, but to not stress too much. She saw over the course of that day that I stress way too much, and told me to stop stressing like that. And when I told her that I didn't feel like I'd made a whole lot of progress in the last 2 months since I was last on exchanges with her companion, she told me that I obviously had or I wouldn't be where I am right now, working in this part of Managua with such a new companion. She was an answer to prayers right there.

On Sunday, we brought 5 visitors to church, and found that a super pilas (awesome) member family has started coming back to church. They are my favorite people in this ward, and it was great to see them living more and more faithful. So church was great, and then we watched Legacy, the movie about the pioneers made in the 90's, at lunch with our lunch cita, visited a less active sister, and hung out talking to her and her twin sister, who is fully active, for hours, before going to our dinner cita, their half sister. And then today we just relaxed and played ultimate with the zone.  A good time was had by all.

And today, while in the ciber cafe, the owner was talking with us, and mentioned that she'd seen lots of missionaries in her time here, but that none of them had ever talked with her, so she'd assumed they were rather exclusive. Yet another reason for me to get over my fear of taking to people.

And if I needed other reasons to know that my president is inspired of God and the best person we could have here at this time, he changed the policy put in place by he previous mission president, that missionaries could only attend conference if they brought an investigator, and now requires that every missionary attend every session of General Conference, though preferably with an investigator. Thank goodness. I am so excited for General Conference. It's my favorite. I hope you all do something fun and enjoy it a lot, but most importantly, listen to the words and voices of living prophets. 

Love,

Hermana Ferrin

Distrito La Fuentorce (La Fuente/La Katorce), aka Distrito Gringo

This is my district with our Zona Villa Flor shirts in the stake center (church building with offices for stake leaders, church leaders who oversee various congregations) in Villa Flor. My district leader is the gringo, and I'm sitting at the feet of my two Sister Training Leaders for our zone. Yep, they're in my district. And they're the bomb. 

On the right is my comp, the only sister who doesn't speak English, but I love her to death. On the left is Hermana Teichert, granddaughter of, that's right, Minerva Teichert, the boss. 

Please notice that Elder Howard and I like to be different. I am sporting the "We All Made It" Philmont shirt. Of course. As well as a sunburn from playing ultimate in Managua in March. Bad idea, but oh such a good idea.

Fwd: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

My time is rather limited. We had an adventure today with the bus system and trying to find a Payless Shoe Store that was open so that my companion could buy some new shoes to work in. Ironically, Payless is the most expensive source for shoes in this country. But we waited about 30 minutes for a bus that didn't come, so we finally gave up and took a taxi to try to find a ciber cafe, and of course they were all full, because we were in a hurry. So today my post will be a little shorter than normal. 

I'll start with something I told my mission president this week:

Mi meta para este semana es no ser tan preocupada por cosas pequeñas, en una manera que no veo las cosas más importante mientras pasan. He aprendido mucho de las ejemplas de Maria y Marta este semana. Temo que como misionera, he sido mucho como Marta, y estoy perdiendo lo mejor parte. Estoy trabajando tanto para el Señor que pierdo la oportunidad de escuchar su voz y seguirlo en la manera mejor, la manera que él espera para mi, y lo cual traerá lo más felicidad y la mayor oportunidad de cambiar y llegar a ser como Cristo. 

Translated, that says: my goal for this week is to not be too worried about small things, in such a way that I don't see the most important things as they happen. I've learned a lot from the examples of Mary and Martha this week. I fear that as a missionary, I've been a lot like Martha, and I'm losing the best part. I'm working so hard for the Lord that I lose the opportunity to hear his voice and follow him in the best way, the way he hopes I will, and which will bring me the most happiness and the greatest opportunity to change and become like Christ.

In other news, Sunday was stake conference, and we got to listen to a broadcast with Elder Oaks and Elder Scott, two apostles of the Lord, Elder James B. Martino, part of the presidency of the 70 responsible for central america, and Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, the General President of the Young Women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Just one thing I learned from that conference was that quite often we feel overwhelmed or beaten down by what happens in this world, and often, it is only through the Spirit of God that we can regain our perspective and see the good that we are doing and that is happening in the world. That is why it is so important to go to church every Sunday: to take the sacrament so that we can renew our covenants and hence our ability to hear the Spirit and respond in good ways to the things He teaches us.

Other good news, at the end of this month, a pair of senior missionaries are moving into our ward. They've been on a mission for basically 10 months, and I am so excited to have their help. They are bosses.

Also, I ate delicious cake for probably the first time in Nicaragua at the birthday party of the 1-year-old of our lunch cita on Sunday. I think people should keep having birthdays and inviting us. This is a good Sunday tradition. I like it.

Love from Nicaragua,

Hermana Ferrin