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Tikal, Guatemala
Uaxactun
Tikal, Guatemala
Temple VFlores, Guatemala
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Monday, August 3, 2009
Lomas Del Norte Barrio Ward
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Monday, July 27, 2009
Hola Familia,
Our baptism yesterday was awesome. The Lord works in mysterious ways, and so does Satan. So on Friday we couldn’t find the family anywhere and we still lacked a lesson and we were freaking out. So we leave a note and decide we will come back on Saturday the day of the baptism, but we will skip our study for the day and focus on our baptism. So we go to find them and they were not there. We were like oh no so we call her cell 4 times and wait for 40 min at their door and we are like man Satan is working on them. But as we are walking away from the pay phones I said a prayer and then we heard... Hey sisters and we turned around and 10 minutes before their baptism we find them. They were buying shoes and new clothes for their baptism. Well it ended up being awesome and I sang the musical number but I lost my voice the day before and so it was bad but the day went well.
I am in the Lomas Del Norte Barrio Ward. The church buildings are just like ours in many ways like you can tell it’s our church by the look of it. It has a fence with barbed wire around it and all tile floors. The windows here aren’t ones like ours they are slats of glass and you turn a knob at the bottom and there is like 10 slats in one window and they all crack open so you can get some air flow because there is no AC unit. There are no benches in the chapel it’s all fold down chairs.
I get my new comp next Monday the 3rd; I won’t have p-day so I don’t know if I’m writing next week. I miss milk it’s all powdered here. I miss boneless chicken its all the bone stuff even in your tacos, you bite into bones its sick. The way they raise the chickens here they are really pink and when you cook them, they are rubbery, its sick lol. I miss the candy and omg RANCH there is no salad dressings here. I miss a lot of stuff…Don’t get me started.
Our mission goal is to have 140 contacts a week and a lot of times we don’t make it because we are teaching lessons but we try to contact every day. My Spanish is better. I understand more and it’s not as bad as before, but it’s still hard. Well this week has been crazy. It’s so true the gospel is so important, especially about families being eternal. The lord blesses us with so much especially our lives and the opportunity to be here as a family. The second principle in preach my gospel is the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families and it’s so true.
I can’t believe you’re going on a cruise! I hope you book an Alaskan one or something for when I come home! You all SUCK! Or even Mexican Riviera, I’ll be able to talk to the people. It’s funny that Debbie and Molly play together. I really miss noel! I’m praying for the Latham’s, I hope they are okay. Let Bryce know I’m sorely upset with him. It’s been over a month since he has written me and I have written him 2 or 3 times...and nothing! Give him my email address and tell him to write me!
I am glad you got a new calling it’s about time. I hope you do better than they do here with their callings. There is like no one in our ward and no one has callings. We have to tell the bishop how it’s supposed to be and help him redo the church records in the computer because it’s all done wrong, it’s funny.
I can’t believe the computer died again, I swear it’s the Habbo or something, and there is no way it can crash that soon. You need to just invest in a Mac. I hear they are so much better than a PC, but I don’t know. I’m glad to hear that food ex is doing well. I have an idea with the diet move to Guatemala and walk at least 10 miles a day, lol, I have lost like 10 lbs or more, all my clothes are falling off of me lol, that’s a good way to lose weight. I would eat the nutria system food lol, it’s better than some of the stuff here.
That is awesome the missionaries at home are practicing by teaching members the discussions. I would recommend studying the lessons and have them use visual aids about each bullet point in all 5 lessons. Tell the missionaries to make flip charts. I am glad to hear your treating the missionaries well to the point where they want pictures with you, that’s a good sign you’re good to them. I love you all and I don’t think I’ll have pday next week because of changes but hold firm to the iron rod and say your prayers. I hope all is well and give the missionaries references!
Love,
whit
whit
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Monday, July 13, 2009
"I have 3 baptisms this month...cool huh...my first baptisms"
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Monday, July 13, 2009
Hey Fam!
Dad´s Questions
Q: Do you have to shop for any food during the week?
A: Well we get to go shopping at the Costco and Wal-Mart place on P-Day and stock up for the week. We get like 300 Q every month for breakfast which is like $40 and then we give the rest of the money to the cook and she will provide us with lunch and dinner. We normally buy granola bars and juice boxes and I got some fruit loops. They only have powder milk here so I don’t drink milk, LOL, I eat the cereal dry.
Q: Have you had to cook any meals?
A: We don’t get to cook in our apt/garage, LOL, because electricity is so expensive so we are getting a gas stove today and the church will pay us for it. We can’t even use the microwave. But we get to cook at the cooks’ house when she is not home, but we just make eggs and beans.
Q: Are you learning how to make tortillas yet?
A: Well we get to go shopping at the Costco and Wal-Mart place on P-Day and stock up for the week. We get like 300 Q every month for breakfast which is like $40 and then we give the rest of the money to the cook and she will provide us with lunch and dinner. We normally buy granola bars and juice boxes and I got some fruit loops. They only have powder milk here so I don’t drink milk, LOL, I eat the cereal dry.
Q: Have you had to cook any meals?
A: We don’t get to cook in our apt/garage, LOL, because electricity is so expensive so we are getting a gas stove today and the church will pay us for it. We can’t even use the microwave. But we get to cook at the cooks’ house when she is not home, but we just make eggs and beans.
Q: Are you learning how to make tortillas yet?
A: Not yet but I will eat them with every meal and there are tortillarias on every corner so they make several hundred a day and sell them.
Q: Do you have a refrigerator?
A: We have a small mini one and we have yogurt in there, LOL, and some fruit but nothing much since we only eat breakfast there.
Q: Is their fresh meat around every corner?
A: Well I don’t think so, I don’t live by the butcher shops and so I don’t notice it, but I did see intestines just hanging on a line the other day…Pretty Gross!
Q: Do you have a refrigerator?
A: We have a small mini one and we have yogurt in there, LOL, and some fruit but nothing much since we only eat breakfast there.
Q: Is their fresh meat around every corner?
A: Well I don’t think so, I don’t live by the butcher shops and so I don’t notice it, but I did see intestines just hanging on a line the other day…Pretty Gross!
Mom’s Questions
Q: What kind of sandals are you talking about? I have several different kinds. Do you want me to buy and send them to you?
A: They are called Chacos, I believe I told you that LOL, but they look like your Jesus sandals. I think you can buy them online. When I’m in the jungle I’m tracting in them so my good shoes don’t get sickly worn.
Q: I was wondering if you have hot or at least warm water to bath in and can you take showers in your garage?
A: There is a pipe that comes out of the wall that has water and it’s warm, but I hear everyone else has cold showers.
Q: Does the Mission Home give you medications every month to kill parasites or worms that you might pick up?
A: I will get a pill at the end of my mission that will clean me out.
Q: How is your mattress? Are you sleeping alright? How’s your back, any problems?
A: They are sore and the bed sucks, but its okay. At least it’s not the floor. But I’m getting a backpack today to help with the stiffness of my back.
Q: Will the mission home call you when your package or mail arrives?
A: We have district meeting once a week and they bring all the packages and letters so I get it every Wednesday.
Q: So how is the umbrella holding up? Do you need a new one?
A: I’ll buy a new one here that is double lined, so don’t worry about it.
A: They are called Chacos, I believe I told you that LOL, but they look like your Jesus sandals. I think you can buy them online. When I’m in the jungle I’m tracting in them so my good shoes don’t get sickly worn.
Q: I was wondering if you have hot or at least warm water to bath in and can you take showers in your garage?
A: There is a pipe that comes out of the wall that has water and it’s warm, but I hear everyone else has cold showers.
Q: Does the Mission Home give you medications every month to kill parasites or worms that you might pick up?
A: I will get a pill at the end of my mission that will clean me out.
Q: How is your mattress? Are you sleeping alright? How’s your back, any problems?
A: They are sore and the bed sucks, but its okay. At least it’s not the floor. But I’m getting a backpack today to help with the stiffness of my back.
Q: Will the mission home call you when your package or mail arrives?
A: We have district meeting once a week and they bring all the packages and letters so I get it every Wednesday.
Q: So how is the umbrella holding up? Do you need a new one?
A: I’ll buy a new one here that is double lined, so don’t worry about it.
Q: Are your shoes ruined from all the rain?
A: yes and no…They are holding up okay but they are expanding from the rain and one pair I’m still trying to break in because I always get blisters.
A: yes and no…They are holding up okay but they are expanding from the rain and one pair I’m still trying to break in because I always get blisters.
OK THE REAL LETTER:
This week has been a lot better. I had interviews with president about all the issues I was feeling and that solved a lot of things. He was saying that she has issues and that her pride gets in the way and all this stuff about why they had to keep her in the field and not to make her the mission nurse because the bad talking she was doing and all this stuff. He told me that in 3 weeks he will give me another companion and that things will be better. He said he knew I could handle her personality more than the other sisters so he put her with me. But that cleared up a lot for me. I got a letter from Lizi and she is pregnant crazy huh, I’m writing her later about it all. I was thinking about it and isn’t Hess home now? I want a picture of him and Brittan.
We have 3 baptisms this month...cool huh...my first baptisms. They are a family we found the familia Jimenez. They have 2 girls and the dad had a stroke and can’t remember anything so he might not get baptized but the mom is for sure and the 8yr old daughter too. We are also planning a wedding for the familia castillo they aren’t married and he lost his job so we are working on getting the means for them to get married and then baptized.
I’m not too sick anymore; I just deal with it and move on so it’s not too bad. The weather here is crazy it rained a grip load the other day and we just get soaked and keep walking. Most of the houses have dirt floors. I don’t know how they deal with it all. I can’t believe Debbie is being such a beast to Molly.
The transactions I made were at the cosco here and the ATM. I think the ATM was what gave me problems, but I’m going to take out a larger amount like 200Q or so that’s like $25 but we will see. I sent you the package I had for you of ties and a CD of pics and the tape so you should get that next week. I’m excited for your package. Let Chels and Jess know I’ll probably hand write them. I got this shampoo from grandma and it’s a demileralizer (a what?) it helped so much with my hair. I was also wondering if in the next package you can send me some makeup I have to wear it at zone conference and its like 20 bucks for mascara. Just get me the creamy natural you wear from covergirl in the powder and liquid and also some natural colors of eyeshadows like creams, browns, and corals, and brown mascara. Something I can stock up on and save, I’m almost out.
I want you to know how glad I am to hear that my service is blessing the family. It makes up for the hard times I have in the field. I can’t even imagine being in elder White’s spot now. He found out Monday his mom has brain cancer and I know the lord will bless his family too because him and his brother are in the mission now, but I’m glad I get to see the blessings the lord gives me. I pray for you all every night and I want you to know that your prayers and scripture study helps me out a lot. I hope I answered your questions, and give Brent my love and know he is in my prayers. I want you to know that with all my heart that this church is the only true church on the earth and the lord gave his only begotten son so that we can repent and be forgiven and live with him again. Is Troy out in the field yet? Has anyone else receive their call, or come home? Tell Brooke and Bryce stop slacking, and Brooke good luck on the test.
Love you all!
Whit
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Wednesday, July 8, 2009
I LIVE IN A MEMBERS GARAGE
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Monday, July 6, 2009
Hola Fam!
I loved the letter from both of you this week I just started crying after I heard that Brooke was doing so much better. I have been praying so much for her and its all I wanted is for her to be married in the temple and follow in the footsteps of the lord!
I am so glad to be an American. I missed the Fourth of July. I wanted to cry that night because I knew you were having a BBQ or something so instead I sang I’m proud to be an American and went to bed! How come you do all the fun stuff once I leave you punks! White water rafting ... I’m shocked dad didn’t say..."You will break a bone!" lol.
My companion and I have gotten to know each other now and she’s like a boy version of me and we have everything in common and our personalities are so similar that we just talk loud together, it’s fun. Well yes Brooke I ate cow balls and it was sick and I described it on the tape I’m sending Wednesday along with the 2 ties and a CD of all my pictures from the mission so far. I have 10 new investigators this week and they are golden. My Spanish hit a dead stop so I’m struggling with the language but it’s coming along as I speak more. I understand a lot more than I speak. I check my blog every week now just to look at it. We go to the mall here and there is an internet cafe our district goes to and we sit here for an hour. I was able to print off some pictures too so I’ll send some home I think but you will have the CD.
Uh so I live like 1 hr east of the CCM (Guatemala MTC). I don’t know if that helps. I live in the colonia del maestro, ha I know that means nothing but the city is in the large Guatemala city and the part I live in is called Lomas (north). I was tracking yesterday in a butcher market street of our zone and omg guess what there was 3 dead cows all cut up and parts everywhere and skinned heads on the floor and a river of blood and flies lol so sick huh, scared for life ha. It stunk like blood eh.
So I didn’t have a problem taking money out I took out 100 quets which is 13 or so us dollars and so as long as I have like 20 bucks or so in my account when I need it that’s good. I used my card at their Costco too to get CD’s for my pictures and a pillow, it was like 15 bucks total if that in us money. But tell me what’s going on with that, I still don’t know how it works when I take money out.
I got a letter from Jackie and tell the Crosiers’ I say hi, and that Nicholle is a slacker. Tell Brooke and Bryce I expect an email once a week and they need to step it up. I can’t believe Bryce has a girlfriend, that’s cute. How is the diet going... you two losing weight, I have lost at least 15 lbs my clothes are falling off of me. I have a cook her name is Hna. Maldanado and she makes us beans eggs platanos and cheese together, it’s so good. A word of Spanish you can add to your vocabulary is rico, it means yummy. They feed us lunch and dinner. I have had a hard time with the food it’s made me sick twice. They like to eat the fattiest part of the cow so I just get sick, but like the bishop said; “don’t let it stop you.” My body has to get used to it so I’m pressing on.
I’m glad you’re continuing with prayer. I hope you all have read the last Liahona on the general conf talks. Dad read the priesthood section it’s very good, I read it last week. I try to read a talk a day. Oh and I think that I want to print off nice copies of each letter I get when I get home, and get it bound, so make sure you save all the letters you send and receive. I don’t know if I answered all the questions. Ask Brooke who the elders were that visited her in co and if one of them was elder white. Because the elder white here, his brother is serving in your and dad's mission and I was curious if he was the one that came over to her house.
I love you all and thanks so much for everything. I got the package from grandma and I wrote a thank you to her. I am so mad at myself for not getting that backpack at Wal-Mart. I have to find one here because the bags I bought are falling apart. Oh and for my 6th month in October or Christmas I want chacos, they are sandals I can wear in a size 9 and black they are like the sandals you wear mom. My shoes don’t dry out fast enough for me some times. Thanks for the package I’m excited to get it and I think that the rain boots Brooke had were my old ones so good send those!
I want you to know I love this gospel and it was such a blessing for you two to serve a mission and an example to me that I can do it when its hard, and I am so happy that you have the advice for me to get through it when it’s tough. I love you and I have faith in the lord and savior Jesus Christ. I hope you get a chance to watch the movie of Joseph Smith and share your testimony.
Thanks for everything-
love Whitney dawn!
Oh ya, to answer your question from my letter last week. White washed is when they take out both missionaries and put in two new ones who don’t know the area....And I live in a members garage. LOL!
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Wednesday, July 1, 2009
G U A T E M A L A
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Monday, June 29, 2009
"He started crying during the First Vision and....
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Hey Familia!
I miss you all so much. Oh my gosh so much has happened I don’t even know where to start. Well I had divisional I believe the last time I wrote and so I went and it was a blast I had 2 Latino companions and they were great. Until I had lunch and then I ate cow balls and was sick for 3 days strait! lol its funny I know I died lol.
I taught a man who was a grandpa and he let us in and we taught the first lesson and he started crying during the first vision and said he knows it’s true it was great. It rained so much that afternoon it was insane! I was soaked, it rained through my umbrella! Well I’m in the field now in Lomas North, it’s in the city, and I have a difficult companion. I’m having a worse experience with this one than with hna Allen preaching to me... She is from St George her name is Hna Lott. She has been here 13 months and she is way strict and I have really shut down when it comes to being myself because she always chastises me for being animated. She talks trash about her old comp so I hope she doesn't talk about me. She tells me I’m wrong all the time it’s frustrating but the lord has blessed me with amazing patience. I live in a garage... you would die if you saw where I live; actually I died for the first few days lol. So here you can’t flush the paper right so you just wipe and put it in the trash (that was Jackie's question) lol.
I taught a man who was a grandpa and he let us in and we taught the first lesson and he started crying during the first vision and said he knows it’s true it was great. It rained so much that afternoon it was insane! I was soaked, it rained through my umbrella! Well I’m in the field now in Lomas North, it’s in the city, and I have a difficult companion. I’m having a worse experience with this one than with hna Allen preaching to me... She is from St George her name is Hna Lott. She has been here 13 months and she is way strict and I have really shut down when it comes to being myself because she always chastises me for being animated. She talks trash about her old comp so I hope she doesn't talk about me. She tells me I’m wrong all the time it’s frustrating but the lord has blessed me with amazing patience. I live in a garage... you would die if you saw where I live; actually I died for the first few days lol. So here you can’t flush the paper right so you just wipe and put it in the trash (that was Jackie's question) lol.
I would love if you sent me copies of those pictures they are cute and the cat Molly is so cute! So I’m in a super poor area its crazy and I’m so humbled by this experience. I got called out at zone conf for talking to that district leader I told you about, elder white. He mentioned me in his testimony and now everyone thinks stuff, it’s pathetic. I just think of you and dad getting called out for talking its, pathetic ha.
It’s funny here because pointing your finger at someone means the “f “ word to your mother and stuff, it’s crazy so I’m trying to adapt. I have had the hardest time adapting to the culture most of all. I have a cook and we only eat eggs and beans lol. My Spanish was really good till I hit a wall and lost it all and I think its slowly coming back but it’s a struggle. The lord has blessed me with a family to teach in my area. The Castillo Famila; Edwin, Nancy and their 3 kids. The only problem is they are not married so we have to wait but they are golden. I got a letter from Vanessa with Chels wedding pics and I just loved it. Tell Jess I got her email and I wrote her a letter she should get it soon I hope. I can’t wait for Grandma Dawn's package! Thanks so much! I'll let you know when I get it. I am glad to hear from you Brooke. I love you and you hang out with Brittan please he needs friends! And tell that fool to write me!
Mom in that package would you send me some peds the nylon socks in black and tan. I don't have to wear nylons here and it’s like 6 bucks for one pair here. I am going to put all my pics on a cd and send it home with the ties. I will get scripture covers made for the family for Christmas. I only get 210 quetz a month for personal use and that's like golly nothing in American money like 40 bucks maybe, its 8 quetz to one dollar, you do the math. Oh and send a mosquito net for my bed please!
Our area was white washed so it’s been crazy trying to figure out the area. The ‘Area-Book’ sucks so we have struggled finding the investigators. We have 600 members but only 90 are active its so sad. I heard Michael Jackson died and that's all people are playing here now in his memory but I didn't know Farrah died too, so sad.I want you to check my hotmail account often so it doesn't close. Oh and I’ll probably pull out some money today because they didn't give us money today so I’m going to try and use my card maybe pull out 40 bucks American money. I looked at my blog, it’s cute. Thanks so much but I think you forgot that I was in a trio and there was the three of us, not just hna Allen, but hna Farnsworth too lol. I love what you did with the blog it’s nice. In case I didn't tell you P-day is Monday now. Oh and if you wanted to know who I was talking about Elder White is the elder in the picture in the back of my district pic on my blog with the brown hair the tall one in the back behind the elder with the red tie. He is related to my comp through marriage. Their siblings are married it was funny to hear about her from him and then I am her companion now.
I know I’m so scattered with my thoughts. I haven't been able to express my feelings since I have been out here and I really just wanted to type. I want you all to still keep reading the BOM I know you’re slacking but you need to stay strong for me. I need you to also do FHE and keep our family strong. I am curious to know how the diet is coming...Did you two give up? Guess what coke isn't allowed at all so no more it sucks lol. Anyways, I love you. I’ll write next week! Send me pics, I want that the most and the tape of your voices!
Love,
Hermana Robbins
It’s funny here because pointing your finger at someone means the “f “ word to your mother and stuff, it’s crazy so I’m trying to adapt. I have had the hardest time adapting to the culture most of all. I have a cook and we only eat eggs and beans lol. My Spanish was really good till I hit a wall and lost it all and I think its slowly coming back but it’s a struggle. The lord has blessed me with a family to teach in my area. The Castillo Famila; Edwin, Nancy and their 3 kids. The only problem is they are not married so we have to wait but they are golden. I got a letter from Vanessa with Chels wedding pics and I just loved it. Tell Jess I got her email and I wrote her a letter she should get it soon I hope. I can’t wait for Grandma Dawn's package! Thanks so much! I'll let you know when I get it. I am glad to hear from you Brooke. I love you and you hang out with Brittan please he needs friends! And tell that fool to write me!
Mom in that package would you send me some peds the nylon socks in black and tan. I don't have to wear nylons here and it’s like 6 bucks for one pair here. I am going to put all my pics on a cd and send it home with the ties. I will get scripture covers made for the family for Christmas. I only get 210 quetz a month for personal use and that's like golly nothing in American money like 40 bucks maybe, its 8 quetz to one dollar, you do the math. Oh and send a mosquito net for my bed please!
Our area was white washed so it’s been crazy trying to figure out the area. The ‘Area-Book’ sucks so we have struggled finding the investigators. We have 600 members but only 90 are active its so sad. I heard Michael Jackson died and that's all people are playing here now in his memory but I didn't know Farrah died too, so sad.I want you to check my hotmail account often so it doesn't close. Oh and I’ll probably pull out some money today because they didn't give us money today so I’m going to try and use my card maybe pull out 40 bucks American money. I looked at my blog, it’s cute. Thanks so much but I think you forgot that I was in a trio and there was the three of us, not just hna Allen, but hna Farnsworth too lol. I love what you did with the blog it’s nice. In case I didn't tell you P-day is Monday now. Oh and if you wanted to know who I was talking about Elder White is the elder in the picture in the back of my district pic on my blog with the brown hair the tall one in the back behind the elder with the red tie. He is related to my comp through marriage. Their siblings are married it was funny to hear about her from him and then I am her companion now.
I know I’m so scattered with my thoughts. I haven't been able to express my feelings since I have been out here and I really just wanted to type. I want you all to still keep reading the BOM I know you’re slacking but you need to stay strong for me. I need you to also do FHE and keep our family strong. I am curious to know how the diet is coming...Did you two give up? Guess what coke isn't allowed at all so no more it sucks lol. Anyways, I love you. I’ll write next week! Send me pics, I want that the most and the tape of your voices!
Love,
Hermana Robbins
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Sunday, June 28, 2009
A NEW BEGINNING
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Hermana Robbins "Whit" left the Guatemala MTC (ccm) on Tuesday, June 23rd with her District for her Mission Home where she received orientation for her first assignment and met with President Torres and Hermana Torres. She has grown to love the companion's that she's had since April 22nd, Hna Allen and Hna Farnsworth, and I know that she will miss them both a great deal. She has been assigned with a new companion, Hna Lott. In the email sent to us by President Torres he informed us of her arrival to the Mission, but did not tell us the name of Whit's new area. We will have to wait till tomorrow for Whit's letter.
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