Letter #76 - February 28, 2011

Hello everybody,

This week was pretty uneventful which is just as well because I only have about five minutes to write about it. Haha. Well We are still working hard with the families we're teaching but none of them were able to come to church this week. Carlos hasn't been drinking at all, which is great, but Julio has been drunk all week despite our super human efforts to help him to stop. We practically camped out at his house a few days this week but to no avail. However, we have also been contacting families and have found a few more really positive families to work with.

Thanks for the good counsel, dad, about writing those things in my journal. To be honest, it has been harder and harder to write in my journal and I really need to dedicate some time to it and record EVERYTHING.  One day this week I was walking home from our dinner appointment with the other three hermanas, joking and laughing with them as we went. It had been such a good day, full of great experiences and I just felt so full of joy, full right up to the brim. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks how soon all of this would be coming to an end and I got quiet and a little bit sad. Oh how I will miss people arguing in Spanish in the streets, saying "adios" to all the little kids who shout out "Hermana Crosland!", talking to anyone I want to in the street, walking into any house and becoming instant friends with complete strangers, testifying of Jesus Christ and how the gospel will change their lives. It really is a strange and beautiful thing to be a missionary. I know that this is a singular experience that I will only live once and now it is coming to an end. How strange it feels. All I know is that I am going to squeeze all the juice out of these last two weeks, every last drop.

Being a missionary is the greatest thing in the world - angels on earth.

Love, Hna. Crosland

Letter #75 - February 22, 2011

Hello fam,

How are you all?  Seems like your all busy and doing well, which is great. Felicidades to Nick and Jessica on their mission calls!  I was thrilled to finally hear about where they are going.  And congrats on Will's first date.  She's a cutie, Will.  Nice work.  I want to see more pictures of baby Ada.  I'm pretty much obsessed with her, telling the whole world I'm a tía and I have a severe need to see more pictures of her.  Please send them. Asap.

Well, this week we had a few set backs.  The night after we taught a great lesson about the Word of Wisdom to Julio y Dulce, and committed them to keep it (Friday), we found out that Julio was drinking on Saturday, breaking a three month streak without a drink. Cool, love when that happens.We were doing better when we hadn't taught the commandment. So that kept him and Dulce from coming to church this week. Also, Carlos y Christian didn't come after two weeks of coming all by themselves, because Saturday night, Carlos was drinking as well after three weeks of being clean. Very disappointing. But we are not discouraged and we're going to keep working hard with these families. But we were happy because Nubia and Edwin came. They are a couple that keep breaking up and getting back together so I'm not sure what to think, but on Sunday they came to church together and said that they wanted to get married and baptized. Well, strike while the iron is hot, I say. We're going to try to baptize them this weekend.

The work is going well and I know that there is so much I can do here in these last few weeks. But I am longing for the cold of Utah.  The sun here is brutal and it is really starting to heat up.

Yesterday we were invited to a Super P-day with two other zones who have also been consistantly baptizing families and we had a fun day playing with water. It was fun having a huge water fight and dragging unsuspecting victims outside to be hosed down and thrown into the blow-up slip-n-slide. There was also a giant blow up slide and those crazy elders ended up tipping the whole thing over because there were about 10 of them all up at the top. Sometimes elders are so smart. :) But we had a great time even though I think getting wet really worsened the cold I had been fighting because it came on full force today and I feel slightly miserable. But who can let a
cold slow you down?

Well, I've been thinking a lot about agency and the atonement and changing in the last week and I've got a lot of thoughts swimming around in my head. I don't think I will be able to adequately be able to formulate them in this email, but it's been amazing to note the ways in which I have changed. The power that the atonement has to change us, change our attitudes, our thoughts, our habits and to heal us our hearts is truly incredible. But so much of it has to do with our agency and our actions. The atonement can have just as much power in our lives as we let it, but we have to choose it, and we have to work for it.

This journey is not easy. My mission has not been easy. It has been the most challenging thing I have ever done. But I chose to come and I choose to be here every day, and not just to be here, but to invest here - in myself as well as in the people all around me. I have made countless mistakes, but I choose to be better and overcome. Then the atonement makes that choice a possibility for me and erases the imperfect past. The process is continual but can be easily reversed if we are not careful. A good seminary teacher once explained it to me using the example of walking up a downward-moving escalator. If we stop walking for even a second, we get pulled down.  Now, I don't know if you have ever actually tried walking up the "down" escalator, but I was a little dare-devil of a child and I have.  To make any upward progress, you really have to be moving, almost running, in a constant effort to overcome the
down-moving stairs. It's hard and sometimes you fall. But just as in the battle against satan, if we keep a constant eye on the goal and never stop fighting, we will all make it home.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - no matter where in the world you are serving (Guatemala, Belgium!!)

Love you,

Hna. Crosland

Letter #74 - February 15, 2011

Hey loves,


¡Feliz día del cariño! And HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! What a great week it was right? Well we had a fun day yesterday in Managua, all of the sister missionaries at Presidents house with Hna. Arredonde. We basically had a girl party - doing yoga, learning how to straighten our hair without any electrical appliance, playing volleyball, making lasagna, talking, taking pictures, eating cheesecake, and laughing lots. It was a really fun day. At the end, we even got our own private question & answer session with Pres. Arredondo. Can I just tell you how much I love and admire that man? And Hna. Arredondo as well. They are just gems of people. Well, that is the reason I'm writing a day late.

Sister's Conference

Oh, and before I forget, I'm coming home March 17th. I don't know what time yet, but that is the date. Crazy that they already have my homecoming talk scheduled... Man, I don't even want to think about giving that talk. My english is so bad. I was talking to some of the new hermanas in english yesterday and I was surprized at how much I get stuck and tongue tied. Just promise not to laugh at me too much...

Well, this week we had a miracle and also a big disappointment. It cause me to ponder a lot. Okay, so first for the story. You know about Felix y Ruth, our part member family that couldn't be completed because Felix was waiting on the okay from the prophet to be baptized... well, thursday afternoon I got a phone call from the AP telling me that they had received a letter from the first presidency that Felix could be baptized. I was ecstatic. We ran to Felix's house to tell him and he was thrilled too, even though his wife seemed a little apathetic. Well, he just needed an interview with the mission president, so friday early-morning we all went to Managua and everything went great. He passed his interview and although we had the baptismal date for the 19th, President said that we should baptize him the next day, Saturday the 12th. Felix agreed and we set a time.

Well, that pretty much took up our whole day on Friday and what time we had left, we prepared for the baptism. We went back to his house at about 7 just to check with him and make sure everything was set, but he was asleep. His wife said everything was fine. Well, Saturday morning we got there early and found Ruth alone with the babies. Felix was gone. She said that he had woken up feeling a little sick and that the babies were sick too and that they didn't have any money to buy food because Felix had gone to Managua with us instead of working on Friday so he had gone to work (tricycle taxi). I couldn't believe it. I was praying for a way to find Felix and talk to him and while we were there with Ruth, he showed up. He said he was sorry, and that he wasn't feeling good, but asked if we could have the baptism later in the day. So we set another time. When we went back for the second time, he wasn't there again but showed up shortly after and we had to convince Ruth to come because she had a lot of clothes to wash. Well, he finally got baptized and the service was really nice.

Well, to make a long story a little bit shorter, on Sunday we went to his house three times before sacrament meeting, the first time at 6:45am and the last at about 9:10am, then again after sacrament meeting, and then one more time after church at lunch time, and never found him. We even went to find his mom's house because Ruth said that he might be there.

Well, I was pretty devastated that he wasn't able to be confirmed to say the least and it made me ask myself why. We were even fasting so that he could be baptized and confirmed and that everything would work out well. He had been waiting for months to be baptized and was so excited when we told him the news. We did everything we could think to do to help him and he wasn't confirmed. I have had many opportunities to ask why things don't work out and why we don't have success when we are doing everything humanly possible to achieve it. Didn't the Lord want Felix to be confirmed this weekend? But I feel like the answer is, of course He did.

The Hermana and a bashful toddler

But the Lord respects our agency so incredibly much that He would never impose His will over ours or over the will of those we are trying to help. Felix made his own choice not to come to church and receive the Holy Ghost on Sunday and hopefully he will be able to receive it next Sunday, but I know that even though it makes me sad, I have to be happy knowing that I did everything I could. I know that this is the Lord's work, but I also know that the Lord respects our agency, and we must respect the agency of others as well. It is heart-breaking when others make poor decisions, when they don't understand, when they reject the gospel, but we cannot let our strength slacken.

I love you all so much and I can't think of better examples of Saints of God, living the gospel, and enjoying all the blessing that it brings. Thank you for being who you are and for being examples for me.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - fighting for salvation and respecting agency.

Love, Hna. Crosland

Letter #73 - February 7, 2011

Buen Día Vosotros,

How is everyone? Are you all super anxious, waiting for baby Ada? I am too. I was sad not to find pictures of her in my inbox today. But, next week for sure right?

Well, this week I started my last change here in Nicaragua. I am still in Corinto, training again, but this time a Salvadoreña. She is the first companion I've had that is taller than me. Funny huh? I have a feeling that I am going to feel like I shrunk when I get back home. Her name is Hna. Menéndez and she has been a member for just over a year, the only member in her family. She is great. She is one of those girls that is super gorgeous and from far away would be easy to envy, but when you get to know her, she is just so innocent, and kind, absolutely guileless and sweet that it is impossible not to like her instantly. She is still learning a lot about the gospel but her testimony is so pure and real.

Juan and Sunilda got married and baptized this Saturday along with their little daughter Daniela. It was one of the happiest days of my mission. There is just a light around them and now their family is complete. Their oldest son Kervin (26), who has been a less active member for years got up and bore his testimony about how grateful he is to have his family with him in the church. He doesn't feel alone now and now there is a support system in his home. I know that they will all help each other and work together to stay active in the church and go to the temple as soon as they can. I can only dream of being there with them.

We're also teaching the Beteta Family, Carlos and Christian. I think I've already told you a little about them. Christian was in Guatemala almost all last month but now she is back and we're working with them again. They came to church yesterday and I wanted to sing when I saw them walk in. Julio also came to church. He was a man we contacted and turns out is a friend of one of the members. After church he asked us if we could get him a copy of the book of mormon and we told him we'd bring him one later that afternoon. We went and met his wife, Dulce and had a really good lesson with them.

Another of our investigadors is named Nubia. I don't know if I mentioned Edwin and Nubia in the last email, but this week, they separated again. Apparently, he treats her pretty bad. But she came to church and is very positive about the gospel. She wants to change her life.

We have two other new hermanas in the house as well and we've been having a blast. Hna. Ruíz is from El Salvador as well, and Hna. Tacam is from Guatemala. They are hilarious and good workers. Hna. Ruíz organized and cleaned our whole house. I thought it was pretty good, but she is kind of a clean freak like Paige and I'm super glad to have her help in the house. Hna. Tacam is short and chubby, like a little teddy bear. She is the smallest hermana in the mission and just so cute. It was her birthday
yesterday too. I'll attach a picture so you can get to know the gang.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - aiming towards the temple.

Love you a million times over,

Hna. Crosland

Letter #72 - January 31, 2011

Another week has come and gone. How does that happen so quickly. I wish I could report that Sunilda and Juan got baptized and confirmed yesterday, but the divorce didn't get finalized until today. But they are all set, excited and ready for next Saturday. What a celestial family. They were all in church yesterday, all five (Kervin and Nidia are their two older children and have been less active for a while, but now they're coming back to church) and we also had Felix and Ruth with their three little screaming kids. But they looked so nice and dressed up.

I was kind of sad on Saturday when I found out that we weren't going to have the baptism that day and it really hit me that I only have 6 more Saturdays... yikes. Only six more opportunities to see these people I love enter the waters of baptism and make covenants with the Lord. That hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt almost a panic in my chest and a sense of urgency that I hadn't felt quite that strongly before. I don't feel like I have wasted time on my mission, but I felt a renewed energy to use every second wisely and work even harder to bring these people to Christ. I don't know what will happen with changes. I don't think I will be leaving Corinto, and if I do, I will be really sad, but I know that the Lord will put me where He needs me most and where I will learn and grow the most.

A couple of days ago I tried a raw clam. It was super salty and super fishy and all around super nasty. We were helping the bishop and his family make ceviche - or seafood cocktail - with raw fish, clams, and shrimp. They say that the lime juice cooks it. Okay, that's fine. I actually tried the finished product as well and really liked it, but the raw squiggly little guy that I just popped into my mouth right out of his shell... I won't be doing that again. My job was taking the clams, after the bishop had opened the shell, and scraping them out into a big bowl. There were a whole lot of clams. Anyway, it was a fun experience. I eat a lot of fish here, and clams and shrimp every once and a while too. And last night, Hna. Cunningham gave us each a little loaf of coconut bread. ¡Que RICO! I don't know if she will give me that secret recipe but it was delicious. You must think I'm hungry from how much I've been talking about food...

So here in Corinto the people are really interesting. I don't know any other place in the world where the men (straight men) pluck their eyebrows and the women don't even shave their legs. Very strange, very strange. But I am enjoying the culture and getting to know these beautiful people. They are all children of God, my own brothers and sisters and as I look at them, I think of Paige, Alison and William. There isn't much I wouldn't do to help my sisters and my little brother. As I contact new people on the street, I try to imagine that I am contacting you guys, and giving you the gopel that has blessed our lives so inexplicably. We all lived together once and fought side by side for our chance to come to earth. Now we are here together and we walk by each other as strangers. Why can't we remember? We must remember. With all their oddities, weaknesses, and errors these people belong to me and I must take care of them, we fought together once and now it's my turn to fight for them.

Thanks for your support and prayers in my behalf and in behalf of those I'm fighting for. Thank you for your good lives and your good examples. You are a strength to me. I can't wait to hear about and see pictures of the new little person in our lives that should be arriving shortly. Ada Lou, I love you.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - fighting for our brothers and sisters.

Love, Hna. Crosland

Letter #71 - January 25, 2011

Just to let you know, I'm going to write the real letter tomorrow because we got back so late again and we don't have time right now. Just didn't want you to worry, but you're probably getting used to this bad habit of writing a day late. Okay so here are just a couple pictures of Sunilda y Juan and another family that we're teaching named Felix y Ruth.

Felix y Ruth

Sunilda y Juan. Sunilda and Juans son in the back is named Kervin and the daughter is Daniela. She is going to get baptized this week too if all works out right

We played soccer today and went to Presidents house to celebrate the great success of the choir. He also took us to a great mexican food restaurant. It was another P-day of traveling to and from Managua, but always great to be with Presidente and the missionaries. And oh how I love mexican food.

Tomorrow I'll tell you about the conference which was amazing. Pray for Sunilda y Juan to get baptized this weekend. Okay loves. Until tomorrow.


Okay,

Sorry for the teaser email, but I didn't want to let you down by not sending one on Monday. We got back late and the plan was to still write but when we got to the cyber they were closing and only gave us half an hour to write, so now we'll see what I can pump out in the other half hour. Really the best thing this week was the conference.

The missionaries in the choir had to go to Managua on Thursday to practice one more time Thursday night and then be there early Friday morning. Which meant that we left Corinto at about 2:00pm and after the practice we stayed with the hermanas in Ciudad Jardin! It was fun to be there in my old house with Hna. Cano and Hna. Rippstein (her new comp) and also Hna. Willford, Hna. Avila, and Hna. López. We had a great slumber party and I got a nice surprise when the Medina Family showed up at the door to say hi! It was so lovely to see them. I don't know how they found out that I was staying there. Actually, I had wanted to go out and visit a bunch of people but we got back too late from the practice, so I was feeling a little sad.

I don't know if I told you that Aldo y Karla got baptized a week and a half ago! I am so happy for them. And Norlan and Maryuri are getting baptized this Saturday. Hopefully Sunilda y Juan también, so basically, even though I couldn't/can't be there in Ciudad Jardin to see those two families get baptized, my heart is full to overflowing that they are entering the waters of baptism and making those covenants with the Lord that will bless their lives forever.

Friday morning we were all excited, waiting for the apostle to come and Pres. Arredonde had asked us all to prepare questions for him. Before he arrived, we were all seated and pondering, listening to the prelude music and when Elder Christofferson walked in we all stood and sang We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet. It was such a powerful feeling and the spirit was strong as we walked up one by one to shake his hand and look into his eyes.

Elder Falabella, Elder Duarte, and Hna. Christofferson also spoke briefly. Some things I liked from their remarks were the emphasis on the habits we are making in the mission and continuing to do these things after we get home, that these things are for all our lives, not just good ideas for missionaries. Elder Falabella said that a habit forgotten was never a habit, it was an obligation. Hna. Christofferson made a really good remark about being ready to receive all that the Lord wants to give us. We only receive according to what we are ready to receive. The question is, how much do we want? She talked about our study time in the morning and how important it is to be immursed in the scriptures. How much are we spiritually prepared to receive? And that the "word of God" is not limited to written scriptures, it also means personal revelation. We receive the word of God when we receive revelation personal.

Elder Christofferson was magnificent. He spoke humble and simply but testified so powerfully. He let us ask questions for the majority of the time and it was incredible to watch him listen and ponder after a
question was made, waiting for the spirit to reveal the answer. Someone asked (actually it was Elder Goodman, jaja) how we can know if we have really been converted on the mission. I thought it was a very good question and the answer was so beautiful. He talked about having the spirit in your life and
being able to recognize it as a good sign of conversion, but then he started talking about the Savior and doing the will of the Father. He said that when a person has removed every motive from his life except that of doing the will of our Father in Heaven, they have achieved true conversion. He went on to say that if Christ's one true motive was not doing the will of the Father, He would not have been able to complete the atonement.

He said that when we return home, we will be able to note the difference in our conversion, but we will not have yet arrived. It is a life-time process. He said that to keep our families of converts in the mission and our families at home strong, we should help them to understand the gift of the Holy Ghost and it's role in our lives. He said that they have to keep doing the things that they did to plant the seed in their hearts in the first place. The process described in Alma 32 has to continue after baptism and throughout our lives.

He bore testimony that the Lord is personally guiding this church and that He is an active leader, there each day guiding in very specific ways. The Lord takes care of this church because it is the most important organization on the earth. He bore powerful testimony of the Savior and of our magnificent callings as missionaries, preaching with His power and authority and in His name. He also left us with an apostolic blessing to receive the gift of faith in a greater profundity, that we will feel more deeply His love and that as we preach in His name, we will feel it. He also blessed us to achieve celestial marriages and eternal families and to be faithful servants of the Lord throughout the rest of our lives, and that His angels will guide us and keep us on the path to eternal life. Those were just the blessings that my heart was longing to hear.

He finished all too soon, and as we sang the closing song I was left wishing he would speak again. Unfortunately I didn't get my wish but he did allow us to take pictures with him zone by zone. It was great.

The other best thing was the FHE that we had with Sunilda y Juan last night. After leaving the cyber we ran to their house because we were about 15 minutes late and we found them with their scriptures and hymn book out, just about to start. Wow. Sunilda had planned down to the hymns and the refreshment. I have never been in an FHE so well planned and so spiritually rich. I was left with my jaw dropped. She had picked a lesson from the book Principles of the Gospel about the life of our Savior, Jesus Chist and had all the scriptures marked with little papers. The comments of the family, explaining the scriptures was so amazing. We said very little, just adding a comment here and there. Basically they taught us lesson three, the gospel of Jesus Christ right down to enduring to the end and the importance of baptism. Um... I think... they're ready. I just am praying that the divorce will finalize so that they can get married!!!

Anyway, my time is up but I just love you all to pieces. I love my mission. I can't believe all the amazing experiences I am having and the ways that these people are changing my life. I don't know what I would have done without this experience. I don't even want to think about it.. hahaha.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - period.

Love, Hna. Crosland

Letter #70 - January 18, 2011

Hey! Glad to hear you got the all the stuff. I really don't have any time this week. It's been hard having to travel to Managua on Mondays to practice for the musical number we're doing for Elder Christofferson this week, but the conference is on Friday so hopefully next Monday we will actually have a normal P-day.

Just to tell you a couple of highlights... We had an awesome activity for the recient converts on the beach and it was a great success. We played games (water balloon volleyball and others) and had a testimony meeting around a bonfire. It was wonderful to hear the testimonies of the recient converts, some of which were sharing their testimonies for the first time in their lives. It was a great spiritual and faith building experience for them. Then on Saturday, the elders from Chinandega came to Corinto with their investigators and we had a baptismal service on the beach. I was sad that we didn't have anyone ready to be baptized, but hopefully we will on the 29th, when we do the activity again. It was really beautiful though.

Okay, now to answer your questions. The ward is doing pretty good. We've made some good progress and now we just need to really follow up well so that they keep up the energy and develope good habits. They had a leadership training meeting with the stake this week but I still want to organize an activity for leaders and really get them going strong. Maybe next Friday.

Sunilda is still awesome, but Juan broke my heart this weekend because he got drunk on Saturday and didn't come to church. But we had a great Family Home Evening with them at the bishops house yesterday and they are still progressing. We contacted a bunch of new families on Saturday but we haven't had appointments with them yet. As soon as I'm done writing we're going to see a family named Justo and María. They seemed really positive so I hope they're there.

We go into Chinandega on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and sometimes on Monday to do stuff as a zone for P-day. We just take a little micro-bus and get there in about 20 minutes. Here in Corinto we get around on our feet. It's pretty small. It actually reminds me a lot of Nagarote. We also go in Bixi (tricycles) sometimes when we're short on time. I'll take a picture of one if I remember. In Corinto we're four missionaries. All sisters. But in Chinandega there are like ten and in Chichigalpa there are about 6. I am pretty sure there are 20 in our zone. Chichigalpa is another town on the other side of Chinandega.

As far as health goes, I'm feeling really good. Just sad about my once lovely hair that now is pretty sad. It is still falling out but not quite as much as before. But my little pony-tail just makes me cry. I think I'm going to cut it short when I get home. Oh well. Hopefully it will grow back right?

Well, sorry for an informative but not very spiritual email. I love you all endlessly and can't wait to see your faces so soon.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - building up zion, one drunk at a time.

Love,
Hna. Crosland

Letter #69 - January 10, 2011

Dear Family,

Thanks for the emails this week. I'm grateful to have such an amazing family. Happy Birthday to Grandma Donna!!! I'm glad you all got to get together and celebrate and enjoy each other's company. I'm looking forward to more days like that in a few months. I think that Paige needs to follow the tradition and name the baby Ada Louise. It seems like a pretty great pattern to me.

This week I have more to tell you about than I have time. Sad story.. The highlights are that after a lot of hard work and patience, we achieved a bishopric meeting and consequently a great ward council meeting. The organizations haven't been really functioning for a little while now and it's time to get the ward up and running again. It's a little bit amazing to me to think of how the church runs like an oiled machine in my home ward and how I have taken that for granted all my life. Here, it is a battle to get the members to have their meetings, and basically take care of each other and work in unity. I've been working a lot with the leaders and I have high hopes that we can make some lasting changes. Really it starts with a vision. Each leader needs to have a vision of what they want their ward or organization to look like, then they can set the right goals and make the necessary plans to accomplish those goals. And on top of it all, they need to have a personal commitment to their plan and the diligence (and patience) to follow up and keep going when the run up against problems, because the problems are many.

We are teaching a wonderful family, the family Roque (Sunilda and Juan) and they are progressing really well. They came to the activity we had on Sunday where we showed the film The Testaments and Juan was crying at the end. He said what a powerful film it was and how it had really touched his heart. I'm just hoping his divorce can go through quickly so that they can be baptized this month. We found a couple of new families this week and I'm excited to go to the appointments and get to know them and help them start progressing.

I'm just in awe of how truly white the field is. There is only one road to Corinto from the closest city of Chinandega and it's a beautiful and inspiring drive. Along both sides of the road, there are sugar cane fields and right now, the grass is high with the white heads of grain blowing in the wind. When the sun streams through in the early morning on the way to district meetings or in the evening as the sun is setting, it nearly brings tears to my eyes to have such a beautiful physical representation of the marvellous work of the Lord. And those who serve in this great work are laying up salvation to their own souls. The Lord brought me here to give me the chance to save my own soul, an amazing opportunity to save my own life and to change in ways that I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. I can't express my gratitude for that gift and for the infinite and eternal gift of the atonement that makes salvation possible.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - la sembra es nuestra, pero la cosecha es de Él.

Love,

Hna. Crosland

Letter #68 - January 3, 2011

Dear Fam,

This week was pretty hectic with new years and all the drinking and the fireworks and the burning of "el viejo" that accompanies it. We are teaching a young couple, the family Beteta, named Carlos and Christian (yes, Christian is a girl). We are trying to help Carlos stop drinking and get them married so they can be baptized at the end of this month. Unfortunately the festivities haven't been helping and we couldn't get them to church this week. But we did have an investigator named Enrique who came up to us after the class and told us that he wants to keep studying with us and if he recieves an answer, we can expect him every week in church. We put a baptismal date with him on the spot.

We are also teaching the family Roque, named Sunilda and Juan José. Juan José also has a drinking problem and we have had a couple of funny lessons with him. He kept saying "WOW, que fascinante!" to everything we were teaching. He also likes to talk a lot about the war. He said he signed up because he didn't want to live anymore but although he made it through all the fighting, I think it left him pretty emotionally scarred. However, Sunilda is awesome and has been to church both last week and this week and even came to be a part of the choir (we're starting a ward choir). We left her a pamphlet of lesson one and when we went back to teach her and asked her what she understood from what she had read, she taught the whole lesson to us, right down to the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthood. They have both recieved the lessons before but it has been quite a few years. Their oldest son, Kervin who's about 22, is a less-active member. They also need to get married but the hold up is that Juan José has to get divorced first. That is probably going to be a bit expensive... thanks for the Christmas money! :)

Well there is a funny tradition here that they do for new years. It's the burning of the oldy, kind of an out with the old, in with the new idea. They all make these viejos that remind me a ton of halloween, with the jeans and the shirt stuffed with newspaper, old shoes, old gloves for hands, some with hats, some with wigs, many with empty bottles of alcohol and all ready to be sacrificed. The idea is to burn the old year and leave behind all the problems and bad things that happened. Unfortunately we couldn't see the smorgaspor because we were fast asleep in our beds (despite the barage of fireworks), but we did take some pictures of our favorite viejos for your viewing pleasure.

kissing a smoking viejo

teaching a drunk viejo

A point of sadness. Our beach running got nixed. And with it, all my motivation to exercise.

So we are forming another choir because this month Elder Christofferson is coming. Today we got up really early and went to Managua to practice. I also got my hands on a flute (miracle) that belongs to some really awesome members here close in Chinandega. It was fun practicing with the other missionary singers and to see some of my good friends here in the mission and especially seeing Hna. Cano and learning about how everyone is doing in Ciudad Jardin. This Sunday they had 7 investigators in Church including Aldo y Karla and Maryuri y Norlan! They all have baptismal dates for this month and are doing really well. I was so excited to hear it. Also Oscar, who we had been working with forever and ever finally comitted himself to a set date, Jan 22. And last week they baptized an investigator named Juan who we found just before I left. I'm glad that things are progressing there. Corinto has such a different feel from Managua. I love this little town. It's a lot prettier and a lot safer. There's not a bunch of trash and traffic. It's just all around a much more laid back place and it's a nice break. Not from the work, just from the city life. I never was much of a city girl.

Hey, this week an Elder who finished his mission in August, came back to visit with his parents and I got to talking to them on Sunday. Turns out that Elder Burrows dad (I didn't catch his first name) knows mom. Hahaha.. everyone knows mom! No, but I gues you went to high school together. Anyway, he took a picture of us and is going to put it up on facebook. They were also kind enough to loan me an empty suitcase of theirs, because they brought down a few extra suitcases with clothes and things to give away, and I loaded it up with things I wanted to send home, that I won't be using in the next few months. So that will lighten my load a lot. I also sent Dad's machete with it. I hope it gets through the airport security. Let me know when you get the stuff and also when you get the Christmas cards and package I sent.

Well this is getting long, but I just have to tell you that being a missionary is the best thing in the world - I've never been so happy.

I love you all so much and hope everyone had an enchanting time welcoming in the new year. As we set our goals and make our new years resolutions, I hope we can always remember that every day is a day of changes. It's not just once a year that we should evaluate our lives and make the necessary changes to become more like our Savior. Let's all be more like Him everyday.

Love,

Hna. Crosland

us with Hna. Cunningham, originally from the atlantic coast

new years dinner (nacatamales) with the bishop and his family

Hna. Winter, Hna. Contreras, yours truly

the kitchen

our bedroom

our patio in the new house, including our coconut tree

Letter #67 - December 27, 2010

Hey everybody!

I feel like we just talked... oh wait, we did! How great it was to talk to all of you and feel like I was a part of you for a little while on Christmas. I started remember Christmas things and what it might be like to be there relaxing with family. But it acutally didn't make me homesick. It seems like a completely different universe, or like the pleasant dream of a far off place in a fairy tale that I someday hope to visit. I'm glad that you are all doing well and enjoying each other's company. It is so lovely to know that I have a family that loves to be together.

So to fill in those that I didn't talk to on Saturday, I had changes this week and I am now re-opening an area and training. We are in the port town of Corinto in the northwest of Nicarauga (if you wanted to find it on google earth). Corinto is a pretty clean town compared to Manauga and it's quaint, with few cars and a lot of tricyclos (three-wheeled bicycle taxis). They eat a lot of fish and clams and everything from the sea, and it just has that easy going, care-free feel of costal people. Our house is really close to the church and the beach is only two blocks away. It's fun to see the ocean even though we can't take a dip. And I found out that Corinto is actually where all the cruise ships come, so Grandma Donna will have to double check her cruise stops and what days she'll be in Nicaragua. It is actually hotter here than in Managua. I didn't think there was a hotter place on earth than Managua, but I was wrong. Well they threw me into the fire to finish my mission and I'm going to "echar fuego" (throw fire) here in Corinto and go out with a bang.

It has been fun trying to get to know a new place and contacting a lot of new people while trying to find ourselves. I've been carrying my guitar around and we had some fun starting our contacts with a christmas hymn. One time, we saw an old couple sitting in front of there house so we went over to talk to them. There was a fiesta just finishing up next door and it was
a little loud, but we started asking them how they were doing anyway. The abuelitos said that things were regular, not good, but not bad either and I told them that we brought them a song to lift their spirits. As we started to sing, the mańs face lit up, and the woman lifted her head and started to smile. Soon the people leaving the fiesta were shushing each other and
turning to listen too. We had a good crowd all quiet and listening to us and were able to contact and teach them a little, setting up appointments to come back later on in the week. The power of music to lift hearts is truly amazing and the way it facilitates so freely the spirit opens doors that otherwise wouldn't be available.

Hna. Winter has a really pretty voice and actually holds her own part pretty well so we've been able to have some fun harmonizing. She's the first companion I've been able to do that with. Hna. Winter is from Guatemala even though her name comes from Germany (great grandpa) and she is white with black hair. I'll have to send some pictures next week because I forgot my camera today. She is excited to work and to learn and she really wants to be a great missionary and follow the rules. She is a little on the moon sometimes, the scatter-brained type and almost too sweet, but we're going to have fun and I know she is going to be an amazing missionary. We are also living with Hna. Contreras from El Salvador and she is working with one of the members right now, María José, because we have an odd number of sisters. They are both great and it's nice to have them to help us and show us around the area. We actually have two seperate areas, both in the same ward. The ward seems pretty strong, with an average attendance of about 115, but the leaders seems a little tired, a little disanimated. But we're going to put in the batteries and get everyone charged up for the new year.

Mom, thanks for your sweet testimony. It brought tears to my eyes. I rarely cry now when I'm teaching or bearing my testimony. I remember this time last year when I really couldn't even open my mouth without tears, I was so tender. But it's not that I don't have tender feelings about the gospel anymore, really they are deeper and more profound. And they are accompanied with experience. I know that Christ lives. He suffered beyond human comprehension and took upon himself all the wickedness and confusion and darkness and pain that the human heart can experience. Then he rose from that abismal and triumphed over death and sin, freeing us all from their bondage if we will but humble ourselves before Him and seek His will. I know that in our darkest and most difficult hours, we are very close to the Savior and that as we reach out and up to take His hand, He will guide us into the light again. That is the plan, it is the good news. Christ restored his complete gospel with all that we need to achieve our exhaultation through the Prophet Joseph Smith. His is an extraordinary story of faith and perserverance, never wavering even until the end of his extraordinary life. Because of the diligence of that faithful man, the blessings of the priesthood are again available on the earth and the ordinances of the temple have been restored. We have a living prophet today who counsels with the Lord to guide His work on the earth. If we heed his words, we will never go astray.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - being a special witness of Christ during Christmas was never sweeter.

Love,
Hna. Crosland

P.S. I sent a package home and a few Christmas cards this week. Sorry so late. The package has a few articles of clothing, shirt for Will (light blue button-up) and shirt for Ali (awesome baseball jersey) and a nighty for Mom. I got Dad a machete but they wouldn't let me mail it. So he'll just have to wait a little while, along with Mike and Paige. Sorry. But I hope the Christmas cards get to you this week, even though they missed Christmas. LOVE YOU!

Letter #66 - December 20, 2010

HEY!

I can't believe about the provo tabernacle! I am so sad!! I hope they can rebuild/remodel it. I have so many memories in that building.

This week was full of choir practices and performances for me too. We worked so hard with the ward members and were able to present our ward Christmas cantata friday night with about 8 differente himns and it turned out really well. I was really happy because it gave an opportunity to some of the choir members who have family members who aren't members of the church, to invite them and present something really nice and spiritual. The wife of Hno. Guillermo and the mom of Marjourie, a recient convert came along with a few others and they seemed to be really touched. Neither of them are very receptive to the church and mabye they still don't want to come on Sunday or recieve the missionaries, but I know a seed was planted and that they were able to feel the spirit in the chapel. That is a big step.

It was so fun to see the ward members get all prepared and coordinate what they were going to wear and buy red and green folders for the music. The bishop's wife even made beautiful christmas badges with ribbon, fake leaves and white flowers for everone. We were all unified and proud of the work we had done. Yesterday was the presentation of the stake and each ward choir did a number or two. We were all excited and sang two of our best numbers. It all went really well and even though the choirs were far from professional, the spirit was felt and you could really see the effort that every ward put into organizing and preparing their choir. All in all, it was a great experience that I will never forget and I am so grateful for the talents that the Lord blessed me with to be able to share a wonderful experience with our ward members. They were all so grateful and everyone felt so proud of what we accomplished and how nice it turned out.

The other good news is that Aldo came to church this week and Norlan stopped drinking. We had some really good lessons with Norlan and his companion about faith and repentence and he has been reading in Alma from 32 to about 39. I love that Norlan loves to read the book of mormon. We leave him a chapter and he not only reads the assigned chapter, sometimes twice, but then keeps reading and he always points out his favorite scriptures to us. The bad thing is that he couldn't come to church this week, but we also have the problem of his divorce, so his baptism is still out a little ways, but I am so happy that he is back on track.

Sorry to be short but today is a little crazy. I love you all so much!

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - sharing the best of ourselves.

Love, Hna. Crosland

Letter #65 - December 13, 2010

Thank you for your birthday wishes. My birthday was great. I had more fotos to send you but I forgot my camera.... oops, until next week. I got many birthday wishes from the ward members and even a few gifts. They are so sweet. And I was invited to a birthday lunch and dinner. Actually we've been invited to eat at members houses all week, which has been perfect because the Medina family was gone and with them, our normal food appointment. But the Lord has taken super good care of us. I also tried Mondongo for the first time this week. Mondongo is cow stomach and it is just as nasty as it sounds (fotos coming soon). But basically it looks like carpet and tastes nasty. I'm not quite sure why people eat it, but whatever.

News with investigators is not so great this week. After some amazing lessons with Norlan and Maryuri, they didn't show up for church last week and then on Tuesday, we found Norlan drunk. He has been drunk this whole week even though we've been stopping by his house nearly every day. The frustrating part is that his wife says that he hadn't had a drink in over two years and right when we found him and started teaching him and his family, Satan had to pull the rug out from under them. So frustrating.

We also weren't able to teach Aldo y Karla until Sunday night even though we also passed by their house everyday this week as well. After the great experience with them at the Chirstmas devotional, we wanted to follow up with them quickly and strike while the iron was hot, but no such luck. They were always gone or too busy to receive us.

The Purisima didn't help matters either this week. Tuesday, Wednesday and even Thursday the streets were full of people singing praises to the Virgen and each house hadconstructed a fancy schmancy alter with flashy lights and the Virgen María prominent. I wanted to take pictures of them and the people were thrilled to be asked if we could take a picture of their shrine. It's a tradition to give out things for the Purisima to those that come and sing at your shrine and after one of the pictures I took, the man gave us a little gift...oops, I was purisima-ing. Bad missionary. But the festivities made it really hard to proselyte and Tuesday night we even had to go in early. Elder Figueroa had part of a burning firecracker land on his head and it caught his hair on fire! I wish I had seen it. I was pretty much dying of laughter as he showed me his singed scalp. Crazy catholics. Hopefully this week we can help Norlan stop drinking so he can really start progressing and Aldo and Karla will get more involved. We invited them to a bunch of activities this week in the church and they are all in the evening when they are a little more free with time. They are always really positive when we teach them, they just can't stop being work-aholics. We really need to get some investigators progressing right now. Seems like the Christmas season should be the best season to find more open and willing people, but here it is just the opposite.

We had our mission Christmas activity/conference today and it was so good. Each zone prepared a hymn (the ones we prepared went splendidly) and the program was really nice. Then we played outside with a few big blow-up obstacle courses and water balloons and dodge ball. And I participated in the watermelon eating contest... and WON! Well it was only me and one other elder because they did a whole bunch, just two at a time. But I won. Yep, turns out that besides being a really good balloon player, I'm I really good watermelon eater. We couldn't use our hands and I had watermelon juice all over my face and up my nose. Salvaje. It was fun. Then we had a big banquet and swapped gifts and Presidente and Hermana Arredondo closed with a few words. It was really wonderful, especially when Presidente and his family sang. They have a singing family too and it was a good moment for me to remember singing with my family at Christmas.

This Christmas we are far from each other once again, but truly I am grateful. I can't imagine myself in any other place, doing any other thing this Christmas. The best gift that we can give the Lord is the very best of ourselves. I am not much. I don't have many talents or much charm. My spanish is far from perfect and my teaching skills are average. But this Christmas season, I am giving my all to the Lord, the very best that I have. And I am going to see what His hands can make of it and watch the miracles unfold. We are here to serve, not ourselves, but all those around us. There are so many looking for love and that is exactly what we have to offer, the pure love of the Savior that never runs out or wears out. I can't think of a more perfect and beautiful gift. And we are armed with it always. Don't forget what you have to give, it's everything.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - we have everything to give and nothing to lose.

Love,

Your favorite hermana in Nicaragua
Hna. Crosland

Letter #64 - December 6, 2010

Hello dear family and friends,

First off, before I forget. I heard Ali has red hair. That is awesome. So does Hna. Cano. Well, it's not that red now because she had to darken it before her mission but she told me that she always dyes her hair red. I also saw aunt Ruth in the Christmas devotional and I'm loving her dark hair. I don't know if it's new, but it looked a lot darker to me and I just kept thinking how pretty it was. So congrats for having cool hair. You will all need to help me with mine when I arrive... yikies. Speaking of hair, my hair has been falling out in fist-fulls and I'm starting to get worried. I know I'm stressed but do you think that is all it is? I'm going to come home bald. Well, enough about that.

making a magic herbal hair treatment from a plant that grows on Hna. Medina's fence

Tony was baptized this week and it was really special. He is so awesome. The elders also had a baptism too and we bought a cake to celebrate with them. We have been fasting and praying to find and baptize a family this month. We just dropped Juan y Iliana. They just weren't progressing. And we could never find Aldo y Karla.

the baptismal crew and cake

me, Tony, Hna. Cano

Then on Wednesday, the office elders called with a reference named Norlan. We dropped our other plans and went to look for him that afternoon, finding him outside of his house talking to his friend Luis, who happened to be the member that referred him. How sweet is that? So we met him and his family and set an appointment to come back the next day. We brought Hno. Jimmy along and had a really positive lesson with him and his wife Maryuri, where we left him with a book of mormon and a commitment to read Moroni 10. We set another appoinment with them for Friday and when we arrive he had not only read and understood Moroni 10, but had started from the beginning and was asking us questions about Nefi and his family. Wow. We commited him and his wife to a baptismal date for the 18th of December and they were all excited to come to church with us this Sunday. Hno. Jimmy was going to pass by to bring them. Well, Sunday morning, they were nowhere to be found. I was crushed. We didn't have a single family of investigators in church. Lame, lame, lame.

But I was determined to take a family to the Christmas devotional so after choir practice we set out to find one. We decided to stop by and see if Aldo y Karla were home. I didn't have high hopes, but we went anyway. We found them. Both of them. And they weren't busy. That never happens. We had a slight problem because they had promised to take their kids to the little neighborhood circus but we sat teaching them and getting them excited to meet the prophet and go to the devotional and in the end they decided to come. At the same time, Jennyfer Medina called and said that her dad had just gotten back from Rivas and still had the mission car and would give us a ride to the broadcast. How perfect! Jennyfer had accompanied us a couple of times with Aldo y Karla so they already knew each other. We all packed into the truck and headed off.

Greetings from the missionaries of Ciudad Jardin (E. Pinzòn, Hna. Cano, me, E. Figueroa)

I couldn't help feeling in the clouds. And then the Christmas devotional was just so amazing. And all the members who came were happy and inviting and inclusive. Are all mormons like that? Karla asked. Yep, and you will be too, replied Hna. Medina. Haha. I just love that lady. When we dropped them off, Karla asked us when we could come back to teach them. She didn't want to wait until Tuesday so we made an appointment for tonight. I'm so excited for them. They really loved the experience. Now we just need to get them to sacrament meeting and put them in the water. They are a really special family. I still haven't given up on Norlan y Maryuri, and we're going to stop by tonight to see what happened to them and keep teaching them. Ah, teaching the gospel to families is such a beautiful and amazing experience.

greetings from Zona Bello Horizonte

Tonight we are having a birthday dinner with the Medina family. They are going to be in Guatemala for Jimmy Jr.'s wedding all this week. How awesome for them. Man, I miss the temple. I think I will cry when they announce the Managua, Nicaragua temple. These people are so humble and ready for the gospel, and even though the work seems slow at times, I know that the Lord is preparing many hearts. He goes with us always. I'm grateful for this beautiful season and for the chance to keep the Savior even closer to my heart and in my mind. Walking the streets and spreading His peace and joy makes me feel close to Him. It is what He did while He was here.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - there is sunshine in my soul today.

Love, Hna. Crosland

Perro Sonpopo, our friend gecko

Letter #63 - November 29, 2010

Hello one and all,

Glad to hear that you had a great Thanksgiving break. Once again, I didn't realize it was Thanksgiving day until about 8pm and so avoided thinking about all of the delicious food and turkey that I wasn't eating all day. I did eat some beans and rice and cheese though, accompanied by a large glass of pinolillo. ¡Que rico! Dinner is always pretty light, but Hna. Maritza makes big lunches and all her food is delicious. I told her to start making me a recipe book of all my favorite dishes. The trick will be finding all the right fruits and veggies and seasonings back in the states.

The Medina family is busy getting ready for their son's wedding on Pearl Harbor Day and then the trip to the temple on my Birthday. We wish we could be part of the festivities (and especially the temple trip) but we're excited for them just the same.

I wish I could tell you that Aldo and Karla are progressing, but they are so busy working all the time that we haven't even been able to teach them and they haven't come to church. We also had a slight hang up with Toni, but his baptism is scheduled for this coming Saturday. We found out last minute that Toni's Dad, a member of the church, although less-active, wanted Toni to wait another year or so before getting baptized. But we talked to him and helped him see the importance of baptism and especially the Holy Ghost for Toni and he gave his permission.

We're still working with Iliana and Juan, although they are coming along really slowly. They couldn't come to church this week, but Iliana came last week and they both said they would come next week. Well I've heard that a million times (literally), so we'll see if they really start making progress or if we'll have to leave them. The search for the next golden family continues and we have the goal to baptize two families in December.

The hard part about this time of year is that is the month of Catholic fiestas and processions, and chanting at the virgin María and everyone is drinking all the time. The weekends are horrible and the firecrackers and bottle-rockets and fireworks have started again and are in full swing. I remember when I first got here and I thought how weird it was that everyone was lighting off firecrackers at all hours of the day and night, every single day. I thought the country was crazy. Now I know that it's not a year round thing, just Nov, Dec, Jan thing. Haha. They almost don't make me jump and put me tense now, only a little bit.

The ward and missionary choirs that I'm trying to pull off are starting to sound pretty good. I've been drilling the parts with them, sometimes without a piano, which is a little bit tricky, but I improvise and lucky I have pretty good pitch. We have our ward Christmas cantata planned for Friday night, December 17 and then saturday morning, a service project, cleaning and fixing up some houses of less active members and investigators and taking them a food basket. On Sunday night, Dec 19 we have the stake Christmas program and our ward choir is singing Joy to the World (¡Regocijad!). I don't know exactly when the missionary choir will sing, because they haven't told us when we will be having the Christmas activity of the mission.

The biggest news this week is that we moved houses again. A sweet old lady who is a member of the church and who lives in Los Angeles, California has a house here in the ward as well and she happens to be visiting this month. We visited her at her house and she mentioned that only her sister lived there and she wished that someone else lived there to keep the house and her sister company. Well, the house is pretty nice, relatively speaking, and I jumped right on that offer and told her that we would love to live in her house. Haha, she loved the idea as well and even though we pass most of the day out of the house, she thought it would be a good fit. So this morning we packed everything up and with the help of the Elders, found a guy with a truck who could move us. The house is only about two blocks from our old house so it's still a great location. Hna. Cano and I are still rockin' the streets of Managua with the glory of the gospel and talking to everyone who will listen to us.

The time is starting to feel really short and it's time to sprint to the finish. We fall into our beds exhausted at night, but with smiles on our faces. I try not to let the problems of all those around me get me down, even though sometimes it's hard not to feel a little sad for the suffering of those I have learned to love so much. I'm grateful for the countless lessons that the Lord is teaching me about what it means to be a true disciple and walk the paths he trod. Where else could I learn this?

Through the trials and disappointments, we truly find what we are capable of and what's more, what the Lord is capable of. At times I feel like I'm standing in the dark and I don't want to move forward because I can't see where I need to go. But when I asked the Lord to light the way, He told me instead to put my hand in His, and advance in the darkness. His guiding hand is safer and more sure than a light and I know that when we put our trust in Him and humble ourselves to truly let Him guide us, we will find the way home.

I love you all with all my heart. I hope you know that I pray for you and that my thoughts are with you. May your hearts be filled with peace and warmth (I'm sending you a heat wave straight from Nicaragua), and trust in the Savior this week and always.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - walking hand in hand with the Lord.

Love, Hna. Crosland

Letter #62 - November 22, 2010

Feliz día de gracias!

Thanksgiving is this week right? I'll miss all the yummy american food, but don't worry, I'm filling my belly just fine with gallo pinto, queso frito, y tajadas. I think the adjustment to the food I ate before the mission is going to be almost just as hard as the adjustment to the typical Nicaraguan diet that I'm now accostumed to. Well, another week has flown by. It's starting to scare me how fast the time is going. I sent some pictures and letter to Nagarote a few days ago with Hno. Jimmy, who has a calling working with Presidente Monestel of the south mission, and he brought back some letters and gifts from my favorite families there. It put me thinking about those first three months in Nicaragua and really who far I've come, how I've changed since then, and really how long it's been.

I was glad to hear from some of my converts and know that they are still strong in the church. The church really struggles there, especially with organization and leadership. It's a fight for the members to keep their branch functioning as it should, but they love the church and although their testimonies are basic, their faith is strong. The branch in Nagarote is actually doing pretty well and progressing since I was there, so that made me really happy. It's easy to look at them and think how far they are from functioning at the level of the church in Utah, but then when I think about the level that God functions at... We are all very far from functioning as a perfect organization and in relation to where God is, we are all nearly at the same level. There is no reason to feel frustrated or hopeless or overwhelmed with the progress of this work. It truly is WORK and thoroughly difficult, but the Lord directs it and we are all learning every day. The important thing is that we never throw in the towel and stop working. We must never tire, we must never give up. Even when the results of all we do seem minimal and to us, don't amount to much. We must press forward, faithfully trusting in Christ. So in all your church service and all you do to strengthen your familiy, don't feel inadequate and don't feel like your work is in vain. It's a long steep hill we are climbing, but we will reach the summit with all those who matter most to us if we strive to lift those around us every day.

We haven't been able to teach Karla since last Sunday because she is super busy and every time we go to visit, she is working. But we put a baptismal date with Aldo last night and he seems really positive. Also, he said that Karla has been ready the book of mormon that we left for her and is already about 20 pages into it. That is an astounding accomplishment for the typical investigator in Nicaragua. I just wish we could actually teach her and answer her questions. But we have another appointment with them tomorrow so we'll see how it goes. I told you about Toni and his cousin Mercedes right? Toni is the son of a less active family in the ward. Toni's uncle gave us the reference of the family and we have been visiting them. Toni is ten years old and he is super smart and loves when we come teach him. The whole family came to church yesterday and he is going to be baptized this saturday. Iliana came as well with her cute little boy and she is doing well. We still haven't been able to convince Juan to come though. We found a neat lady named Teresa that said she really felt the spirit as we sang a christmas hymn with her and we had a really positive lesson, but saturday her mother fell, who must be nearing 70, and Teresa had to go tend to her, outside of Managua. I hope she can return soon so we can keep teaching her.

The elders are all settled in and we are having a lot of fun with them in the ward. It's really nice to be sharing the ward and working a smaller area. And the Elders are a lot of fun. Elder Figueroa is really funny and a really straight arrow at the same time. He likes to do things right but has a ton of personality and is always making us laugh. And Elder Pinzón has one of the purest hearts of anyone I've ever met. He seems a little slow and sometimes his comments don't have anything to do with anything, but he always makes us laugh as well and hasn't a trace of guile. It's fun to be in the season of Navidad and to see people start putting up their lights and chirstmas trees. It's still a little weird without the snow, and I have serious snow withdrawels, especially because it's so blasted hot all the time, but it's starting to feel a bit like christmas. We started singing christmas hymns this week in church. That always does it for me. hahaha.

Well, the time has run down again. I love you and miss you all. The Medina family send their love as well. My mama Maritza is taking good care of me.

Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - every day a little bit closer...

Love, Hna. Crosland