I am doing super good this week! And we got to meet up with the RM, Fernando yesterday! This week had been rough as I am preparing to say good-bye to yet another companion. However also awesome because I will not be training a greenie. Thank goodness. Haha.

I love that Harry Potter thing. It's funny and kind of true. Except I have different friends every 6 weeks who never leave my side. Haha. 

It was scary in the sense that he just called us all to repentance. I guess there are some disobedience going on right now... yikes. (a meeting they had with an area 70).

I got to watch the women's conference and I got to watch it all in English! WOO! We had a room of the four gringa sisters (Hna. Ontiveros, Hna. poche, Hna. Savage, and me) plus another north america sister who is living here, and a latina who is fluent in like 5 languages. It was really amazing! I loved Uctdorf's talk! Really amazing! I loved all of it but his talk really just amazed me! Usually the man who talks is sweet and says things like "We just love you sisters" and such, but he got up and said things I think that needed to be said. I thought it was amazing!

I think a mission saving jar is so stinking cute! (we are starting a savings jar for Christian's mission fund). And a really great idea! I am so glad that little sinker wants to go on a mission that really just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! 

My week was long, but I am sure this one will zip by with my new companion! We went out to eat last p-day as a zone. We went to Papa John's all you can eat for 4.99. We decided to have a competition. I ate 10 slices of pizza, another sister 10 as well. There were only two elders that beat us with a total of 11 each. Wow. I was so stuffed... and rather impressed with myself... haha. We then went to this market. I will send pictures of some things I got. I finished most of the package that I want to send for Christmas. :D We also had a family night with the Rivera family. They are so cute. We had it with an investigator named Douglas. He's adorable, he talks with such a raspy voice I barely understand what he's saying... but the important thing is that he's learning. Haha.

Tuesday was great. We had a sister meeting. I walked up 22 flights of stairs (I had to work off the 10 pieces of pizza). Our meeting went really so great. But a little long. I got to see my trainer Hermana Escobar which was awesome. I love that girl! I then went on interchanges with a sister and I got to take her around and do lessons in my area with her. It was really good. I liked it... it was just forever long. 

Wednesday we switched back at nine in the morning and then I took my comp back home for like 15 minutes and then we left for an appointment that we have with Max. Our one investigator who in reality is completely progressing! He is really excited for General Conference. I am happy to have found him... it really was a blessing. He wants to bring his whole family to church! I am so excited! I think he will get baptized in October. :) Then we did interchanges again. I was this time with Hermana Giron. It went good. A lot of our appointments fell through. So that was hard. 

Thursday we had our last zone meeting of the change. It was really fun. Our district threw a little party. It was a lot of fun! We then had our normal day. Which was good. We had a meeting with our ward mission leader. Afterwards we went to the relief society activity... it was a surprise dinner and cake for the sisters who had birthdays this month! It was delicious! 

Friday was a really great day! We had great lessons with two new investigators! And we had two members who helped us get lessons today! It was really much needed and awesome of them to help! 

Saturday was the women's conference, and was a much needed break. We had two people feed us this day. One person gave us tamales (they're pretty gross here) and then warm milk with rolls (stuffed with beans and rice). I was so full! After the awesome women's conference we were waiting for a member to take us home. so I laid on the ground and just stared up at the temple. Mom, it was so beautiful! 

Yesterday was great! We got to meet with the less active RM and he is just so awesome. He wants to come to our chapel for church now! He told us he wanted a fresh start and he is basically living at the hotel he works at so he decided our ward would be the best fit. I was so stinkin' happy when he told us that! We also visited a few members... all which gave us food! I am sorry but I am coming home fat! YIKES. The Rivera family gave us this huge chocolate cake/brownie thing with a little ice cream. The Herreras gave us this pan dulce type thing with limonada. Then The Joaquin family gave us a big dinner... wow. So much food. I tried dragon fruit for the first time... I am so addicted. Something really sweet happened last night. Hno. Joaquin told his daughter (who was also over for dinner) "She's like my daughter" (talking about me). Mom, it almost broke my heart. They are close to your age and also have a daughter on the mission. It was so beautiful. 

This week will be different as I work with my new companion. But I know it will be great! :)

I love you so much mom!

Siempre, 

Kelibell. 

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I had an EKG last time. This last one was an echocardiogram. Which in all reality was the coolest thing ever! I got to see my heart beating and the valve pumping and it was the coolest 30 minutes of my week. It turned out all fine. I didn't have anything abnormal in it. Thank goodness. So I am all set. The pain has dulled some, but occasionally is there very sharp. However I am doing better. I haven't had anything else take me down yet. Thank the good Lord. :)

No we haven't seen that man again... that was terrifying. (there was a scary looking man that chased them from last weeks letter). I thought I wouldn't have to deal with Voodoo until I was in Belize. Haha. I am not sure, he was just far away that I could only get the basics. I just remember the pale face. Sister Onti keeps saying he looked like a guy from KISS. Which I thought was pretty funny. 

I have gotten a lot of birthday cards at least 20. Plus if any got caught up in the mail. I am working on sending out thank you letters but I can't find any thank you cards here. So I have to make some. Plus... I am broke. Haha. Aunt Kelly sent me $20. Woohoo! That will buy me scripture cases. And thank you so much for sending me a package. I have realized how important mail and packages are to missionaries. Thank you for being such a wonderful mom!

Rachel told me you found the dress but she didn't send any photos! PLEASE SEND PHOTOS EVERY WEEK! She didn't tell me that she asked Dan B to walk her down the aisle! That was my idea to do when I got married too! Puchies. But I knew that would make him cry! I am not really sad I am missing it. I am glad they're getting married. And I will be there when they get sealed in the temple... and that's the best (and most important) part. 

We use that scripture in Amos all the time to teach about the Apostasy. It totally makes sense mom. :) Just keep trying your hardest and all will work out. :)

So my week was awesome. :)

We had the chance to do a service project Tuesday. I loved it. We were cutting and helping shape a tree for a family in our ward. I got to use a saw and saw pieces off. Then they fed us lunch. Which was awesome. Then Charlie went to go visit with us and we had 5 lessons with him present. Then English class and Hno. Jose left with us. Hno Jose is so awesome. He has like 1,000 scriptures memorized. It was a great lesson. With Eric and, his son, Daniel. 

Wednesday we had a multizona. Elder Alonzo (an are president) came and spoke to us. It was just as scary as it was cool. He was kind of like a robot... a funny robot. But still a robot. I loved it. That lasted until three in the afternoon. Then an hour to get home. We had one lesson with an inactive family. I like them, I hope we can get them back to church. Then we stopped by the Juaquin household before our English class to see if he would give us a ride. He also gave us a big cup of milk, a spoon, and expensive imported Kellogs cereal. Mom, I was so happy! Haha. Later this night I ordered pizza from Pizza Hut. The delivery here is free... that made me happy. That's what the photos are from. :)

Thursday we has the leadership meeting. I was there because Sister Onti is the sister trainer leader. We got so macheted (?) for so much stuff. But I am so glad I was there. I learned a lot and I liked it. :) Then we went to the mission office for a few things we needed. By the time we got home to finish going over our plans we had to leave for the office again so I could get the money for my Ecocardiogram the following day. Which the nurse told me it was super expensive... it only cost 175, I think it'd be like 1,000 in the states (maybe). Then we got home. Went to work for the hour we had before our correlation meeting. Then we had the meeting (nothing to report there). Then we had Relief Society. It was fun! We got pupusas and hot cocoa. Yum! Also, so I don't forget the bus ride today was the funniest thing. So this crippled guy gets on the bus, we think he will be begging for money, like they usually do. But then a clown gets on behind him... they begin an act. Which in like three minutes the crippled guy throws his leg behind his head like an acrobat! Then with the clown holding him he throws the other around his head and the clown puts him up on the rails. He starts doing FLIPS! We are like oh my gosh... what the heck is going on!? Then the clown pulls out maracas(?) and the crippled guy starts dancing on the bars with his legs still behind his back. I am so friggin confused. It was like the weirdest thing ever!

The Friday was awesome. We had a really full day with interchanges. I was with sister Poche and it was super awesome. We had this RM dinner which all RM, (returned missionaries) families with missionaries out, and the actual missionaries were invited to. The RMs and us got to talk for 2-3 minutes about the best experience of our missions. That was really hard since I only have 5 months. Haha. Also the Bishop and his family had us over for lunch. Our bishop is so funny. I like them a lot. 

We had a really good Saturday. I won't go too in depth (for time). But we were contacting in an area and were not finding any luck in news.  Then this guy outside of a hotel says "Hermanas" So we turn and he starts walking to us. He asks us for a Book Of Mormon so I pull one out and hand it to him. He thanks us and tells us he is an inactive RM. He works 24 hrs, at this hotel. He doesn't belong to our area but he pretty much lives there because of work. He hasn't gone to church in a year. It broke our hearts! So then he asked if we would say a prayer with him. After the beautiful prayer he thanked us for the chapter we left him to read. He then said how he hadn't had the courage to ask us the past 3 times he's seen us to ask for help. We told him we were glad he reached out and that we could help him. He tells us: "Ustedes son un milagro para mi." (you are a miracle to me). It was amazing!

Yesterday we had a investigator in church! Max, he owns a gym and is super cool. I think we might have a baptism next month! WOOHOO! Also Nidia came to church again! I love her so much! 

I miss you mom. I love you so much. I will try to send out some mail soon. I have been a little lame. I also want to thank you for putting a little more money on my card. I could use that for the letters (and a few things from lds.org/store). You're the best. I am always praying for you! You are amazing!

Siempre, Kelibell. 

It's so crazy to think I have been a missionary for 5 months! YIKES! Some days I feel like I have been here forever and other days only for weeks. It's kind of insane. Well I think more than anything I am accustomed to the chest pains. But sometimes they are stronger. I am not on any medication right now because none seems to help. I just work even when it's hard. It's easier to do that than complain or sit around the house. 

I love the way he explained that! It really makes sense. (I, Keli's mom had sent her something another missionary mom had shared from her missionary's zone conference meeting: He said to qualify this, you have to remember that no unclean thing can stand in the presence of God. So he said that sin is just practice. Think about that. We know we can't be perfect. God knows we can't be perfect. The piano player doesn't play everything right the first time. We are all working towards perfection. Every time we sin, we just hit the wrong key in the chord. Luckily, we have the atonement and we can go back to the start of the measure and do it again. Sometimes we even mess up the same chord a hundred times. It happens. But the more we practice the better we will get. Remember that and don't let yourself get down about any sin you have committed. That is what Satan wants, not what the Savior wants. He wants you to get back up when you fall, not curl into the fetal position and wallow in self pity. Sin is part of the practice. Fix your mistakes. Practice until you have perfected one aspect of your life, and then move to the next while still working on that part; and someday, when the Savior returns, if we have done this, we will all be drafted into the first round, and be perfected.) We need to just keep working to that goal and remember that Heavenly Father knows we will not be perfect. We just have to keep trying and keep applying the atonement in our lives. :)

I have thought about Jake a lot. (A best friend of hers that passed away in their senior year of high school). I have his picture on my wall. But I have not been sad about it. I know that this is part of our amazing Heavenly Father's plan. He knows what he is doing better than I do. :)

Well Hermana De Leon is Hermana Ontiveros (my companion)'s previous companion. She's in Belice right now! How cool is that? I would love to get the Elder's name so I can tell her about it when I meet her! I am so proud of you doing that mom. :) (This was in response to my telling her I (her mom) had received word of a missionary from Guatemala, serving in Georgia, whose family isn't able to send much and his b-day was this month and how fun would it be to send him cards and stuff. He so graciously sent back thank you postcards and told of his cousin serving in Keli's mission and wondered if she had met his cousin).  

So I cannot wait to tell you about my week (It's been crazy!)

Monday: (after writing about the R's family and all that Jazz) We went home. Did our shopping for the week and then cleaned. After cleaning we had a little time to relax before six. Then at six we went to an appointment that we had with someone we had met on the street. When we knocked on the door, a young lady answered the door. We asked if Javier was there. She said he was at work. But she let us in and let us share a message with her and her cousin. It was seriously such a cool experience. Plus we have been working hard at trying to find those that are prepared and I think after some work we can get them to the church. We then went to a member's house. The Juaquin household. Hno. J is so stinkin' funny. They bought us pupusas and they were such good pupusas. They did a little family home evening and it was really beautiful. :)

Tuesday: We got to have a lesson finally with these two references that we had. Karen and Enoch. They are seriously so awesome! And Karen has this little almost 18 month year old boy. Momma, he's so cute! His skin tone kind of reminds me of Christian and Gabby. We also had this really awesome lesson with Maria. I think she can really progress. She tells us she wants to feel it. She doesn't just want to go to church, she wants the truth. It's amazing to meet people like that because we have exactly what they are looking for. We have that truth for them. :)

Wednesday: I was so sleep deprived. I was just laughing the whole time! Plus making the funniest bad jokes. Hna. Onti asked me where an investigator lived and I said "Just arriba" then laughed and said "Just a Reba McEntire". It was a lot funnier in the moment. :) Then we were street contacting and we met a woman.

Hna. Onti: ¿Cual es su nombre?

Ella: "Brindalinda"

Me: "Oh, ¡que linda!"

Yeah, I was just so tired. Also, to put your worries to rest (and all the moms who probably flipped out on Presidente Hintze) we got smoke/CO detectors installed this day. :)

Jueves: We had our District and Zone meetings. My DL and his companion (Elder Solazar and Elder Yos) gave me this mug that says Feliz Cumpleaños and it had some candies in it. It was so cute. Then we did exchanges for the day (since sister Onti is the Sister Trainer Leader) and I got to be with Hermana Torres. It was a lot of fun. A less active member gave us cake. Which of course made me so stinking happy. Haha. I also had a really good lesson with Isabell (an investigator) she hasn't been reading so we read with her. We read 1 Nefi ch. 2. I was able to use verse 4 to commit her to go to church... but then she didn't go. What a stinker right?

Viernes: We did exchanges again and Hermana Savage was my companion. I seriously love this girl! She's so funny! So we met this lady named Ana  who makes and sells earrings/bracelets/necklaces for only .25-.50 cents. Needless to say I bought 2 dollar worth of .25 cent earrings. Ana  is seriously one of the cutest things I have ever seen! I wish she was in our area so we could visit her and teach her. We then went to the Maldonado familia. They are too stinkin' cute! They told Hna. Savage that she looked like a barbie doll (like 5 times). They told me that my FB photos make me look like the girl from Brave. So Lily (the 5 yr old) ran to me and hugged me calling me "Princesa Valiente" Haha. I about died from cuteness. She also gave me a bracelet she made. Mom, I thought I would die from cuteness overload. When we gave hugs because we were leaving she asks me "¿Va a venir mañana?" (are you coming tomorrow?). I sadly had to tell her no. It was heart breaking.

Sábado: So as me and Hna. Onti are on our way to a city this guy rides up behind us on his motorcycle (which is normal) but he grabs my butt! Then just rides off like nothing even happened! Momma, I was so shocked. I just looked at him driving away, back at Hna Onti and right back at him. Like what in the world was this guy thinking? Then I also tripped in a hole. It had been such a long week, then they guy on the motorcycle, and then tripping and hurting my foot. I just sat and cried-laughed. There was nothing else I could do for like 5 minutes. I just cried-laughed. Plus all of our appointments fell through. So we ended up talking to 32 people trying to find news. And we only found one. 

Domingo: So on our way to Church guys yell disgusting things at us. It was just terrible! I haven't heard so many swear words in English. But I felt better when I saw one of our less active members was there at church. She just ran up and hugged me. I am running out of time so I am just going to skip to the craziest thing that has happened to me since I have been in El Sal. So We were walking to go visit an investigator. We turn down the street and this dark, like crazy dark man is at the end of the street. He had this face whiter than white. He had these eyes dark black. And he had this crazy hair. In his had was either a club or a machete. And he screamed at us and went to chase us. It was insane. So Hna. Onti started to run so I started to run. And when we finally felt safe and slowed down and I turned to Hna. Onti and told her "I think that was the adversary himself." Mother, no one else saw it. It was terrifying. We visited members for the last hour of our time. 

But I am safe. I am happy. I am ready to go work some more.

I love you so much mom.

Mariah is so stinking cute. I know you don't cry that much. It's just kids recognize those type of cues. Like when I mention Keli, she cries, and they make the connection. I am so glad you (and E) think I am a good missionary. Sometimes I just feel like I'm here. Haha. He told me that you wanted to tell me "Happy birthday and I love you so much". He also told me you told him that I was a little out there and crazy back home... eh, what? Haha.
I have seen so many posters for Guardians of the Galaxy.... it looks so good. Don't worry, I won't get sad I promise. :)
New things this week? not really. We did get like 6 new investigators this week but that's average. And only one I think will actually progress. His name is D (name withheld). We have worked with a sister and she's coming back to church so hopefully we'll get her to the temple in a couple of months. We just found new inactive members and I think we'll be able to work with them to get them going back too.
It's been hot and rainy. So hot. But sometimes it gets cold. So yeah, I bought a blanket.
Honestly I think it's awesome that you are getting to help other missionaries. Also we just love mail!  I would like for Christmas...
Peanut butter, a pair of my jeans, fun colored plain t-shirts (round and v-neck) and one white one and one black one. I want twizzlers and pkgs of oatmeal. I would love a calender for next year. :) A calender like from Shutterfly with photos of the kids and your guys. And birthdays already on there.
Lunes: We had to go to the dr.'s for my appointment and we missed bowling. My EKG went fine and nothing looks wrong. Also my blood was awesome. So i don't know what's going on. We'll be doing more tests soon... maybe.
Tuesday: We had a fun meeting for sister trainer leaders (my comp.) and the zone leaders. So I sat on the patio of president's and hung out with a couple other sisters.
Wednesday: We had a multizona with Elder Duncan. They were so funny I loved it.
Thursday: We had our zone meeting. They bought a cake for me and another sister who has her birthday. Something weird they do here is they make you bite your cake. So I got cake on my face. I will send photos.
Friday:We had an awesome day just in general.
Saturday: We had lunch at a member's house. It was amazing chicken lasagna. I also bought a blanket. My companion's eye is all red, a blood vessel popped in her eye. Yikes!
Sunday: So the last person to get up and give his testimony says something along the lines of this... "Good morning everyone. Firstly I would like to wish sister Mims a happy birthday." I turned so red and just covered my face. Everyone told me happy birthday afterwards. Also half way through testimony meeting, the cutest little boy runs up to me and hands me a chocolate bar and says: "Feliz cumpleaños. Este es para usted, después de ayuno."  (This is for you, after fasting). So cute!
So yeah. I only have a little time left, so I will send photos.
Also this morning we ate with a memeber... they own a mansion. Holy pisto (dinero) Batman.

I love my companion. She's different then Sister O. But I love her and try to serve her as much as I can. :)
I love that story. And I love the scriptures about refiner's fires. Because it's true that's just how our lives are. Hard, but the result will be quite beautiful.
Sister missionaries are always nice. I am excited to hear how your FHE goes. (The sister missionaries in our ward challenged us to invite a family over for family home evening) The people here love to invite families over for FHE. It's always so much fun to go visit members and their friends. I'll try and think of who you could invite over too.
I am sorry that you miss me. I know it's hard, it's hard on me too. I have a lot to miss. But it's such a beautiful refiner... and the pretty silver we'll become is worth it. :)
I will be 20! Oh my gosh! I have opened some of my gifts. I LOVE THE SHIRT! "It's solid"(one of the Elders) I also like the party stuff, That's fun. There are a few things I am waiting on still.
I think I do fine with eating. (This was in response to her mother asking if she had enough money for food and other supplies). The things that are the most expensive are things like deoderant. If you could send some for X-mas that would be great. :) Also toothpaste is expensive but I'm set on that for a little. Some places we flush toilet paper... some places no. (Another question from her mom) Showers are freezing... one thing I really dislike.
I hand out the rings every now and then. I am set on things like those HLJ rings. And I don't need the Proclamations. We have those. I don't think I really need anything like that but I have been thinking about things that would be nice for Christmas.
So my week...
lunes: We had a family night with members and it was seriously so much fun! We also hung out with the other sisters from my district. It was fun just to hang out with them and just love them.
martes: We had a meeting (well my comp did) because she's a sister trainer leader and I hung out at temple square with a few other sisters and it was so much fun. The pain in my chest was so bad that I ended up stay in Hna. Rivera's home while my comp went out with another sister from our ward. I had a fun time helping the Rivera's kids with their homework.
miércoles: I had the dr. appointment. He gave me some medication and it helped stop the pain. We had some really good lessons. I think we're getting close to getting a family baptized. We have also been teaching English classes. I love one of our students. He's so funny and he always gives us a ride home.
jueves: After zone and district meetings I went to the labs (I had been fasting for 15 hours) and they told me I couldn't get my blood drawn. I was so hangry it wasn't even funny. So then we went around and contacted a bunch. We found one or two people who might be positive and listen. Woohoo!
viernes: I got my blood drawn thank goodness. Haha. I was so hangry. But we then did splits with other sisters. It was so much fun that I got to spend all day with hermana Salcedo (a sister who has the same time I do here) she's from Guatemala. I love hanging out with her.
sábado: So we have an area president coming to talk to our mission (3rd of sep.) and my zone got picked to sing. So bright and early we had singing practice... so much fun.-_- We got to go to this activity and it was so much fun. I tried elote loco. It's corn on the cob, on a stick with mustard and ketchup drizzled on it and sprinkled with cheese. It's really good. I got to visit with a lot of the members there. I loved it. Then we visited with our neighbors, they invited us over for arroz con leche Sunday night for dinner. YUM!
domingo: Church went awesome even though we didn't have a single investigator there... Funny story. So we had a reference right? We go to the house and knock on the door.
Other side of the door: "¿Quien?"
us: "Las misioneras"
Them:" ya voy!"
So we're thinking... why are they acting like they know us? They were members! We got the wrong house number! Oh my gosh. It was funny. But we got to hang out with them for a little. Edgar added me on FB. So it's okay to accept that friend request mom. :)
Today we are going bowling as a zone! Yay! I am going to wear my batman shirt. Also this morning I bought new shoes, because I don't have any casual shoes to wear. :)
I love you so much mom!
Siempre,
Kelibell. :)