An Emotional Week!

This has literally been the most emotional week of my life.  If I was to talk to a therapist about my average day, they would diagnose me with bipolar disorder.  I've cried every single day, either from joy or stress or something.  But I'm so happy to be here and the Lord has already given me so many tender mercies.

The hardest thing is the language.  100% of my life I have no idea what's going on and that's super frustrating.  But then, I have moments of clarity and it makes up for everything.  Most of the time in lessons I can only bear my testimony and ask a few simple questions and give a few simple answers.  But poco a poco! It'll come!  All the gringos who have been out for a long time speak the language so it has to happen eventually!

I'm in an area called Trompillo.  The ward is huge and there are eight missionaries in it.  One of them is a gringo, so that`s nice because sometimes he explains things to me in English.  And, there is an American in the ward, which is such a tender mercy because it's nice to understand what someone is saying to me and be reminded that once upon a time people didn't have to repeat everything a hundred times for me to understand what they are saying.  My trainer is from Peru, Hermana Murga.  She's only been out three months, so we're both still learning.  She has yet to have a baptism, but we have a few investigators we're going to commit this week and one girl who is committed.  So we'll see!  Bolivians are pro at saying they will do something and then be too busy to actually do it.  But, we have some really golden investigators that are progressing.  We live in a really nice house with two other hermanas.  They are all older than me but really sweet.  I'll send pictures next week! 

I've learned a lot about the gospel and Bolivia, so I'll share a few fun facts:

1. It's "No shave November" here all year round.

2. The whole "crocs are cute--said no one ever!" thing is a lie.  People down here LOVE crocs.  They wear them all the time. 

3. They don't believe in dinner.  I don't even understand that.  Its like they don't get hungry or something.  I tried doing that one day.  It didn`t go to well.  At the end of the day I told my comp (Hermana Murga) that I NEED to eat dinner.  

4. A testimony of the gospel is not enough.  Before we left the MTC, we watched a devotional by Elder Bednar about this.  We go visit menos activos (less actives) and they always bear these awesome testimonies and I sit there super confused.  Last night, we visited this one lady and when we asked her how she felt about being a part of the church, she said she considered it a privilege.  And then, she bore her testimony about the gospel. Yet, she hasn't been to church in over a year and a half.    So, I've learned that while we need a testimony, it is not enough.  We must be converted because when we are converted then we will truly become disciples of Christ. 

5. Faith is an action word.  It takes a lot of faith to learn a language.  Sometimes, it's really hard because I'm tired or discouraged.  But, I have to show the Lord I have faith and then He will bless me. Demonstrating that faith means I have to open my mouth.  And then it will be filled.

I've learned lots more but these are the most important things! 

I love you all so much and miss you tons.  Eat american food for me and take a warm shower, ours is freezing! 

Love you!

Hermana Willes