November 26, 2012

Hola Familia i hope thanksgiving was great. We did not do anything for it here.  They did have a typical day in panama, not sure what they celebrate but lots of Panamanian food.  It was not my favorite, it was the first time that I tried real Panamanian food.  I’m sure black Friday was crazy.  I was just telling my companion how crazy people are in the states.  Well I hope I will stay  in my same area for Christmas.  It has been three changes, so not sure yet.  This week was really good.   We struggle to get our investigators to come to church for only 1 hour and for some reason it’s really difficult for them.   We found more investigators to teach and one family that lives across the street from the church and doesn’t know anything about our church.  They said it would be no problem to attend church so we will see how that goes ha ha.  My comp has been teaching me the lessons in Spanish, and it has helped so much because sometimes I only share my testimony. We are going to work really hard so that we can have progressing investigators.  Most of them are old. I don’t think they will progress ha. But funny story, so we contacted a less active old man that is blind and he lives with his mom that is 91 and 2 sisters one can’t speak. Not sure what you call it but she is special, and the other sister has Alzheimer’s.   Anyway so we sang a hymn and the sister that has Alzheimer’s hit my comp 2 times.  I was laughing so hard and I didn’t know what to do, so as we were saying bye she pushed me off her porch and the mom that is 91 was yelling at her.  Oh man lots of crazy stories and of course the mom that is 91 is in perfect condition, remembers everything and can walk, speak and is in good health.  I think the lord guides me to the older people because we have a few other investigators that are over the age of 70.  Its hard to move away from them when we don’t see them progressing but I know there are others waiting for me to teach them.  I’m so grateful for everything that I have and I hope  you all have a better week.  love ya lots Hermana Ericson 

November 19, 2012

hola Happy birthday to Brayden and Grandpa Ericson.  I hope you have a good birthday,  love ya tonz.  This week was a little busy with changes and everything, but ya usually I’m only in a 3 sum for 2 or 3 days till my new comp. but she arrived at midnight on jueves and i love her she is from PERU ha ha really close to the airport like 5 minutes but ya we talk a lot about Peru and the food. So I’m  very jealous you had a Peru party.  This change is going to be even better I’ll be honest. I really didn’t like killing my first 2 companions it’s not easy especially because they were a bit turnkey.  But this change is going to be amazing I’m already learning so much from her the first 3 days. Its awesome and I’m speaking a lot more and practice lessons together so I love it.  We went to the beach again today and I was running away from the water when the waves came in and my camera fell out of my pocket so i ran to put it in some rice so I’ll see if its ok in the next couple days but don’t worry I have my memory card I didn’t lose any pictures.  We are finding more people to teach and want us to come back but it’s not easy to get them to church with us.  Oh mom,  the 3 companions I was with one is from salt lake and lives a minute away from the Ericsons Dave and Karen,  Hermana Petit and I”m sure you went to school with her parents she only has 4 more weeks left and then goes home.  She lives behind the park the we have family night at sometimes and her dad owns the Western Gardens that’s about all I really know about her. I sent some pictures home so I hope you got them and I’m sending some things home in December with Hermana Petit I hope every one is doing well. I pray for you every day. I’m doing better and I’m excited for this next week.  They don’t celebrate thanksgiving but they have a festival traditional ´party on the 24.  and lots of food so great more food.  I have not been sick for a really long time I don’t eat much rice anymore well none for lunch and dinner a little bit because the members feed us dinner.  Make it a better week,  love ya tonz and can’t wait to talk to you in one more month.

November 12, 2012

Hola, I hope everyone is doing well I can’t believe it snowed that much that’s crazy.  This week was a little crazy with changes and my companion finishing her mission.   I’m in a trio for 3 days until my new comp comes to my area.  So I have a story, mom you will love it.  Ok so we took the bus to a part in the area which is a 20 minute ride, then 30 min walking.  It was raining so hard so we waited at the chino, a lil store on the corner.  Me and Hermana Rodriguez saw a rat pass by close to us. I didn’t think anything of it just oh cool, ha.   It ran into the store and we were watching where it went. Then  3 people in the store ran over to trap it between the stacks of soda in the isle.  We stood back and just laughed and watched them try to catch it, oh and it was not a mouse it was a rat.  It ran out and not even 2 seconds after a man in the store saw it,  and stepped on it with his foot.  His life ended. We could not believe it ha ha, it was nasty but really funny.  We had stake conference yesterday and ended up having lunch 2 times.  So I skipped dinner because I ate too much.  The  members are all very nice,  and it was my companions last day.  Lots of fiestas these next couple of months. They don’t celebrate  Thanksgiving but they have lots of parties for a special day in noviembre not sure what.  This change there are 70 new Hermanas coming to panama so its growing with missionaries it’s going to be great.  These last 2 weeks we have been working hard to find families to teach and we found a family next to a members house that has 10 kids and 7 live there with the parents. Four kids above 8 and three little ones. We have only had one lesson but if you can imagine the lessons don’t last very long,  the dad is not very interested but the mom is and of course the kids. The dad  lets them go to church so that’s good.  I hope they will come this week.  It’s really hard when the dad doesn’t really support, but things are going a lot better.  I learned so much from my last comp.

Love ya and miss you all tonz have a good turkey dinner I’ll  be missing that. Make it a better week love you.  Please send pics of our whole family in my package or in letter I need some to show the members,  and also my bishop wants a family photo gracias. ´´We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become eachday¨´   richard g. scott

le quiero mucho

November 05, 2012

Love the pictures, thanks.  Send me more pictures in the package, and letters.  Also don’t buy me any shoes. You can send me the brown pair you bought, but if you bought others, take them back.  I  don’t need black, only the brown the shoes.  My black shoes I have are good and  will not  wear out for a long time , they are great.  For Halloween they don’t do anything here just parties at the bars.

For  p day today we didn’t really sleep because my companion wanted to say goodbye to some families that live in changuinola which is 5 hours from David.  We went to the bus station at 3 am  this morning with 2 other Hermana’s Hurst and Bustamante.  I tried  to sleep but the busses are not very comfortable.  When we arrived we went to one house had spam for breakfast.  Yummy ha that’s the first time I have had it.  Ya not the best ha.  But right when we sat down to eat, a snake was outside the door and this was not a small snake.  I wish I would have taken a picture, but the mom ran inside to get a huge knife to chop it up but it got away.  Any way this week was great.  I’m speaking a lot more and feeling more comfortable even though I mess up every day.  I  just repeat myself when the people don’t understand me, but I’m ok with that.  Ya,  so we did visit Aneil Cubilla to see if he really quite smoking and drinking.  I asked him when the last time he smoked,  he said earlier today which is sad but we are still going to teach him.  He just needs more time. Not many of our investigators are progressing but I hope this week will be much better. We found a couple families to start teaching and one family has 7 kids so we will start teaching them this week.   We will see how long they will all listen.

It’s been great to have a mission leader that cares he helps us every day. Sometimes it’s too much but I guess it’s good for me since he pushes us to work hard.  This is my Hermana Rodriguezes last week with me.  She has been so great, we have had a lot of fun together.  We have our days but that’s what makes us closer.  It is sad she is leaving but I hope my new companion is just as amazing and will work out good with me. Let me know when you get my letters.   I sent home pictures through the internet, which here it’s  not very good.  I can’t plug my camera into it to download the pictures to send,  but I’ll keep trying.  I’m so happy because we found a new restaurant to eat at everyday it’s a lot more healthier and 10x cleaner ha ha.  It was sad to cancel with our cook but it was the best thing to do seriously.   It was a full plate of rice and a tiny piece of chicken every day with one tomato, anyway you don’t want to know the details.  I’m sure Michael and Josh and maybe Shantelle could imagine. We ate at this restaurant  once and the owner is a member but not active,  and it’s a fish  restaurant  so lots of choices fish, shrimp, chicken, salad lots of vegetables it’s wonderful.  I’ll have to see if I gain more weight or loose weigh. ha ha.  On Saturday we did service for a lady in the ward and cleaned out one room in her house and painted it. I’ll send pictures.  Josh where did you take the picture with Jimmer? PS send an update to me a little about the football season.  love ya all tonz ,make it a better week love Hermana Ericson