March 10

Well, I'm officially back 10 minutes away from Arraijan! I am now in La Chorrera, the Barrio Centro ward, serving as JUST Hermana Bond. No leadership responsibilites, no worries, just being a good missionary and dedicating myself to my Father in Heaven.

My new companion is Hermana Cabral, and she's from BRAZIL! How cool, huh? She is a very dynamic girl, speaking 4 other languages, and now learning spanish! She studied at BYU- Idaho before the mission, and she is completing 4 months on the mission today! I am so happy to be working with her, and we have already seen so many wonderful blessings in our companionship. One thing I love that she says is, "BUT ITS HARD!" We laugh a lot, and we find ways to be better. She is a forever-friend. She is incredible.

Yesterday we participated in a rescue in one of the wards in our stake. We were assigned to visit a family with the primary president, Hermana Fabiola. We instantly hit it off, and after our 2 hours together, the 3 of us were just having a blast serving in the Lord's work together!

I testify that as we serve and honor the Lord, He will provide the way to accomplish our dreams and aspirations. I know with certainty that our talents, gifts, and abilities will be magnified and multiplied as we more earnestly find HIM.

I love you all!

March 3

March is the best time of year. Especially because birthday month has started! Turns out I have changes, and I will be in my new area with a new companion in 2 days.

On Wednesday we met Elder Amado, the President of Central America. He is incredible, and the Spirit testified so clearly to me the things I need to change and be better at. I thought it was interesting that he spoke almost 2 hours about marriage and having children to a group of missionaries. Well, I supposed those are commandments, too!

This week has been interesting with all of the carnavals going on around us. But us 6 missionaries in Chitre are having a blast staying out of trouble. Saturday was the birthday of one of my zone leaders, so we baked him a cake and made his favorite lunch. We played some intense basketball and I got my toenail ripped off (not fun, I dont recommend it), watched a Disney movie "Aviones", and busted out in a water balloon fight.

I have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation, which is the plan of happiness that God has given His children through modern-day prophets. I suppose this is on my heart because I just found out that my Uncle Steve has finally lost his long battle to cancer. I dare not lose hope, for I know that Christ lives; just as we may live. There is a life beyond the grave, and I know that this life is a time of preparation. I love my family, and I know that I can be with them forever if I remain faithful and dilligent in keeping the commandments and living a Christ-like life.
Find out more about it here: http://mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation

I love you all.

Happy Birthday, Butthead!