Adios Me Guatemala

Well, here's to 18 months of sweat and sun!! Guatemala has been the best place to me and I have learned more here than I could have imagined! To every...

-crazy bus ride where I thought I was going to die

-tropical rain storm

-tortilla

-tuc tuc

-leading the hymns in sacrament meeting and the people don't sing what I'm singing

-sunburn

-convert ❤

The list is SOOO long. I love Guatemala and I love to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I KNOW that this is the true church and that God loves His children. I know that the church was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon is true, and that we have a living latter day prophet. I love my Savior and am so grateful for Him and his sacrifice. I can't believe that 18 months has already gone by (if only it could be 24) however, I know the Lord has great plans in store for me and I'm excited to keep living my life in harmony with His will and commandments. 

2 timothy 4:7

Alma 29:13

These two scriptures I read today and they made me laugh because they both were related to "finishing" and it made me realize that I am happy with the service I have given the Lord in these past months. I love the Lord and know that this is His church. I can't wait to see everyone soon!!

My homecoming talk is on the 18th for those that would like to come.

Have a happy week! Smile! Read the Book of Mormon.. 

With love, (for the last time) 

Hermana Bracha

Hey Family, still freezing here

Hermana Ralph

Hermana Romero

I'm sorry that I am literally the worst ever in writing!! But we have seen some of the BIGGEST miracles here in Valle Real!!! Me and Hermana Robles are so happy and finding lots of people that are interested in listening to us!!

Noemi-- she is doing so well!!! she just needs to accept her answer and realize that God is answering her. She told us in the last lesson that she knows that God loves her. Which is such a big deal because when we met her she didn't even believe in God!! so yay yay yayyyy!!

Alejandra-- she was a reference, but the funny part is that she wasn't even the ref! We were looking for a girl named Maria Jose when we found Alejandra and she told us that she had gone to the other ward in Federacion for 2 years!! She already has a testimony and everything and she is so awesome!! she's 17 so we're hoping so much that her parents will give her permission to get baptized. She has a testimony that God always puts the correct people in our paths because we still haven't even met the girl Maria Jose!! but Alejandra was waiting for us and now is going to get baptized on the10th:))))

JOSE!! he is the coolest guy ever!! he was telling his friend that he wanted to "learn more about God" and wanted this year to be better than last year and all of his life. So he decided to meet with us and long story short, he has had THE hardest life, but he has SO much faith it's incredible. I admire him so much. He went to church on Sunday and LOVED it, he said that he felt so so good and that he knew it was the truth. He prayed to God and asked for him to help him feel peace if it was the correct church and he said that he felt it. He accepted the baptismal date for the 10th because about 3 years ago he had gone to the Vale Real ward and the best part is ... more than half the ward knows him!!! All the YSA know him and are friends. So cool. I know that God prepares His children and always helps them in order to continue and find the truth:)

So I'm super excited because the past 6 weeks of struggling are coming to an end ( in terms of people) because there are a few people that are starting to accept their answers! I'm so excited for the 10th and to see these people enter the waters of baptism. I had my last interview the other day and that was hard, but I know that everything will work out how the Lord wants it to. I love to be a missionary!! Every single day I think about Christ's ministry and how He never once stopped serving people. I hope with all my heart I can one day become, even if it is just a little bit, like Him.

I love sharing with the Guatemalan people that I am a representative of Jesus Christ and the message I share can completely change their lives for the better. I love the Lord and know that He lives. I know that this is the true church or Christ and that He leads it. I love Him with all my heart. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that we can receive guidance in our lives by reading it. --- ALWAYS read the Book or Mormon!!!

Hermana Robles

Love you all!

Con Amor,

Hermana Bracha

I'im a little icicle here in San Marcos!

Sister Ralph :)

It's so cold! But I love it. The work is SO much different here and sometimes I think to myself, "am I really here in Guatemala?" but then I see a woman carrying a bucket on her head with chickens and I think again, "yep. still in Guatemala!" I love it here and we have a couple people that are progressing super well!!  

Elisa-- she has fecha for the 10th and she now has all the lessons almost and is super awesome! She told us yesterday that in the beginning she didn't really want to listen to us, but now reading the Book of Mormon and having gone to church, she's a lot more excited and likes it. 

Lucinda-- she is the cutest little old Guatemalan woman! She told us that she was praying to God for a sign that He could help her! She then walked into town and when she was waiting for the bus she met two elders! How cool, they then passed us the reference and we went and visited her. We hope that she will be getting baptized on the 17th:) she is so dang cute!!

Noemi-- she's 19 and she was asking us about how we can be sure that God loves us and listens to our prayers. She has such a desire to learn and come unto Christ. She is having a hard time accepting a baptismal date, but we know that she's going to do it. I love her dearly!!

There's a woman in our ward that just turned 94 and she acts like she's 50! hahaha. She is the coolest woman ever and actually was the first member here in San Marcos! She has 6 children and 22 grandchildren and all of them are members. Her testimony is so strong and she loves to talk about "her fruits" that she has seen having become a member of the church. She is so cool and is such an example to me to keep looking for the prepared children of God. 

I love this gospel and know that this is the true church. God knows and loves his children. I had such a confirmation this week that God really does answer our prayers. NEVER be afraid to pray and ask God for things, He loves us and WANTS to bless us when we keep his commandments. Be happy, read the Book or Mormon, and go to church!! haha

Love you all and hope everyone has a fantastic day!!

Love, Hermana Bracha

P.S... thanks for my Christmas/bday gifts! I think I forgot to say thanks!! So now I'm saying it:) THANKSSSSS!!!!!!!! 

Guatemala is cold?

P-Day at the beach

So I had a CRAZY week and ended up getting transferred. I am now training a sister from Santiago, Chile. Her name is sister Robles and she is adorable, we’re super happy!! However the weirdest part is that I am now in San Marcos which is SO COLD! It’s so weird because I used to want to be super cold, but now that I’m living in it I’m like dying haha. But it’s gorgeous and it’s like a whole new world up here.

The happy news it that KARLA GOT BAPTIZED!! Sadly I wasn’t able to be there, but I heard that it was fantastic. Also Anthony, the kid who didn’t believe in God has a baptism date for the 10th of February!!! I just am so happy for the area of Pedregal and all the prepared people!! I can’t wait to start the new journey in my new area and find the prepared people there as well. I miss Hermanas Ralph and de Los Santos, but sometimes things change and it’s all for the best:) I love my new area lots, it’s just SO cold!!!

I’m excited because we had a couple miracles on Sunday. A man named Jose Carlos who has been trying to get baptized for a year now but has a problem with alcoholism. He came to church and told us that he hasn’t drank in a month!!! We had such a spiritual lesson with him and he has fecha for February. Another woman named Elisa has fecha for the 10th of February. I love to be a missionary and Guatemala is such a blessed land!!!!! 

We were walking down the street when a woman came up to us and said that she had been baptized 15 years ago and wanted to go back to church she just didn’t know how to. She also wants us to come over and teach her 12 year old son. When we walked away from her, Hermana Robles and I were just stunned. That like never happens, but I’ll take it!

“Do good and be good". God loves his children and only requires a few things of us, "to keep His commandments"! I love my heavenly father and hope everyone is having a great week!!!

Love, Hermana Bracha

Hi, hi, hi

Guatemala is so fun and we're doing soooo goood!!! This week was a blast and we're so stoked because...... KARLA IS GETTING BAPTIZED!! This Saturday her husband is going to baptize her so that she can come unto Christ and one day they can get sealed in the temple... this gospel is fantastic!!! She is the most amazing woman and I love teaching her because she always has awesome questions and just whole-heartedly trusts in God and trusts (and knows) that this is the restored church.

Chelsea-- she had fecha for this Saturday but it's sad because her parents want her to wait until February so that way they can be there.. SAD! but also happy because she is SO set on getting baptized and knows that this is the true church and wants and is set on doing it.. she is so cute. She has 2 YEARS of attendance and finally has made the decision to do it, and in one year she wants to serve a mission as well. JOY JOY JOY!! 

Tony-- he is this 21 year old that was a reference. When we found him he "didn't believe in God". He just seemed so sad and a little lost but when we started teaching he seemed to change a little bit. He went to church on Sunday AND came in a tie, so cute!! He has started reading the Book of Mormon and yesterday he prayed with us. Such a blessing because last week he just wouldn't pray, no matter how many times we asked him to do it he just wouldn't do it.. BUT, yesterday he did. and I'm so stoked for him because it's so awesome to know that God loves us and that we are His children!!

We have a ton of other people that are progressing as well and I just hope that they can do all the things they need to in order to progress and to come unto Christ. I love this gospel with all my heart. I sometimes think about all the crazy things I do here in Guatemala like:

-preach on public buses (but actually, we stand up and preach in buses and it so cool:))

-talk to complete strangers in the street

-wake up early to go look for people to take to church on Sundays

---the list goes on and on.. and I think, why do I do it? Because I love my savior, and I hope that all my brothers and sisters on this earth can learn about this gospel that I have in my life. I love to know that I am a daughter of god and that He loves, cares, and protects us. I do all these things because I know that the Book of Mormon is true, the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true and restored church on this earth. Jesus Christ leads us through his prophets and apostles. I love these things and know that they are true.

I hope everyone has a good week and is reading the Book of Mormon!!

Love, your fave chapina!!

Hermana Bracha​

Today we went mini golfing and it was pretty fun! Also we worked in pants.....so weird. I feel like a weird office woman, but its also kinda fun. Hermana Ralph and I had a funny incident where we thought we got fleas so we were wearing flea collars every night, but it turned out to just be like a sun rash or something:) we're dumb. I FINALLY GOT TO GO THE MOUNTAINS!! We did intercambios in San Marcos and holy smokes it's cold!! I felt like I was in Colorado!! I was literally dying it was so stinking cold. We are so blessed in our area!! We have like 8 people right now that are progressing towards baptism. We need so many prayers here because they are all people that need help in big ways:)

Maya is the cutest woman ever and she's a daughter of a recent convert. She wants to get baptized so bad but she has to get married first.. BUT, her husband doesn't want to so we're trying so hard with him. This week we fasted with her and it was such a cool experience because when we taught her about the fast she was so excited and said "can we start it right now? I know that it will work!!" It was one of the coolest experiences ever. 

Karla is the wife of an former missionary and she is SO cool. She knows that she needs to get baptized and wants to (her date is the 20th!!!) but she just wants to FEEL and know with all her heart that this is the true church. Yesterday we were teaching her the first lesson and she said that she believed in it!! She had faith that it was true and she knows that God is going to answer her.. she is an amazing woman!!! 

Mario.. he is the cousin of a recent convert also:) My first week here in Pedregal we went and taught him but we never found him again until on Saturday night we were walking and I said to my comp, "hey do you think that Gustavo knows about the hour change?" and she said, "who knows, lets go!" We went to the house and we saw that there was a funeral going on. Mario's mom had passed away. God is so real and good. He 100% gave us that prompting to go and visit them. We had a lesson about the plan of salvation with maria, his cousins, and his aunt. It was so powerful. He has a baptism date for the 27th of January and he went to church on Sunday and LOVED it.

It's so amazing how God works and does everything in His own time. I love my Savior with all my heart and am so grateful for Him. He gives us strength, support, and love in every hardship that we go through. "Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail, but to succeed gloriously"- Richard G. Scott. 

I know that this is the true church. I hope everyone is so happy and doing well. 

SMILE PEOPLE, LIFE IS FUN!!!!

Love, Hermana Bracha

WOW!!

This week was amazing and full of soooo many miracles... When I got here we were teaching a family that had received the lessons for so many years and they were progressing a ton, they just didn't want to get baptized. Well this past Tuesday we went to visit them and the dad said that he wanted to get baptized with the son!! When they said it, the wife then too said that she wanted to get baptized. So we put the fecha for the 30th and they were all excited and super happy!! They even all bought their own baptismal clothes. WELL, Saturday at 8:30 in the morning they called us and told us that they were no longer getting baptized and a whole bunch of stuff. So we went running over to their house in the morning and had a lesson for like an hour and a half trying to figure out what went wrong!! The man kept saying "no no no" so finally we ended with him saying the prayer and it was the most beautiful and sincere prayer I have ever heard in my life.. literally it was the best thing that I have ever heard and he ended up saying at the end. "I know this is what you want me to do and today I will do it"! When he finished I was crying and we were all so happy, the best day of my life!

I love to be a missionary!!!! Christmas and New Years were crazy here!! We ate three dinners and that night we all thought that we were going to burst open we were so full!! But it was so fun and SOOO many fireworks for like a solid 15 minutes. It was beautiful. They sure know how to do Christmas! So many tamales! hahah, it was a blast. 

We also have a ton of other people who are progressing right now and we're just hoping that they can all accept their fechas!!! I love to help other people on their path home. "the gospel is a transcendent message of hope, happiness, and joy. it is the pathway that leads us home". I hope that everyone is on this pathway, and if you feel a little wayward, that you can get back on the path! God is our father and He loves us so much and only desires that we are okay in this life. I KNOW that this is the true church of God and that He loves. Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer and through Him we can receive peace in this hard world. 

I love you all and hope that everyone is super super good!!! 
Happy New Year!! 
Hermana Bracha