Hello everyone! Thanks for all of the emails of support! I love hearing from you!
Well, this was a fun week, as usual. Lots of people told me everything fun that they did for Easter, well, not a huge holiday here. In church, no one even mentioned it! It´slike it wasn´t a holiday at all. They do celebrate throughout theweek. It´s called Semana Santa, and they go all out on Friday, Good Friday. But yeah, we didn´t doanything special for Easter, sad day. I did make cookie dough because someone gave us choc. chips, so hopefully we will do some baking soon. Good way to celebrate Easter. But like I said, they do celebrate Good Friday, and they have a traditional plate that they only eat around Semana Santa, and I tried in on Friday. It is called Fanesca. It is a soup with about 12 different kinds of grains, and a weird smelling fish. Luckily, my comp doesn´t like fish, so we both got ours without. Before I got it, everyone was like, this soup is crazy, you won´t beable to eat anything for a day or two, it is so heavy, don´t feel bad if you can´t finish (which you always have to finish usually), etc. So I was expecting something extreme. Well, it was good. It was a hearty soup, but they said we would be too tired to work afterward and that we wouldn´t be able to move...they underestimate us gringas! We both finished, and went back to work afterward! It was good, and I might try and get the recipe!
We are teaching two sisters, Juanita and Alejandra, 19 and 8 yrs old. They want to get baptized, but there is always something keeping them from getting to church. Well, we called this week wanting to stop by, and found out their dad died. We stopped by and it just made me so grateful that I could share with them my faith that he is happy. We talked to them about our Heavenly Father´s plan and how as a family, they could be happy together after death. Hna Thelin then said that she knew her father wasn´t hurting anymore (he had been sick), and Juanita looked up and responded, you mean he doesn´t feel pain where he is at? I am so glad that we could have brought her that message of such happiness that could give her more comfort, knowing her father is happy and not hurting anymore.
Now for a funnier note and my subject line. So yesterday we had to meet a couple of elders in our zone to give them some things. So we were outside and it was raining, but then came aguacero, downpour, followed by hail and more rain. Needless to say, we got soaked! We were drenched, even with our umbrellas. So the elders finally come and say that theywant to meet the Pepinos, so we take them to their house. Well, on the way, Thelin and I are already soaked, so we don´t care about getting more wet. So we stand onthe side of the sidewalk, trying to get splashed by the oncoming cars. This turns into a water fight with the elders. It was so fun! We got them soaked and they got us even more wet. I woke up this morning and my shoes are still wet. I took them off and just poured water out of them, that is how wet we were! I will send pics! Way funny! Anyway, at the end, we were saying goodbye to the elders and this drunk passes us. Usually, drunks always hit on us, big time, but this one just yells at us, go home you yankees! The elders we were with were Latin, so they were yelling at us. But I thought it was hilarious! I can now say that someone called me a Yankee! It was funny. On our wayback to the apartment to get clean and changed, we got 15 cat calls and hit ons. Yeah, let me remind you that we were soaked and had makeup running down our faces. Thelin just got so mad that she yelled, we are so ugly right now and we still get hit on! Good times on the mish!
Ecua fact: So, no matter who you are, you always look at the ground while you are walking for 3 reasons: dog poop, gum, and uneven pavement. You can not walk in Ecuador and look up at the same time. You will fall flat on your face, step in poo, or get gum on your shoe, it is just a given. So if you come and visit me, be prepared!
I love you all and miss you and until next time!
Hna Kaylee Sorensen
Monday, March 24, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
The goy goy noise
Hello Everyone! So good to hear from you! As always, it has been another busy week in Ecuador. It seems like every day there was something big that had to get done. But, busy is good and it means success!
Let me tell you one thing I love about Ecuador, and this is completely sarcastic, and that is the people that throw parties right outside our window in the alley by our apartment, from about 3am to 8am. Oh my gosh! Both Friday night and Saturday night! Me and my comp were dead from lack of sleep! They blare this music so loud, and it is literally right outside our window! And Saturday night they were all really drunk and started fighting, which I was glad because I thought that would break up the party, but no, it kept going on until we left for church. And we had to speak in church! Again, which I was fine with, but it is hard when you are going off little or almost no sleep for the past two nights! I actually did better on my talk this time then the last time. I got lots of compliments and I feel like my Spanish is really improving. I get compliments a lot on my pronunciation. Now I just want a Latin comp so it can get even better!
To my subject line: The goy goy noise. Some of you might know this noise, in fact most of you probably do. Annie taught me in like elementary school, where you put your fist to your mouth and say girl and comes out sounding funny. I do this to entertain my nephews. Well, people here have never heard it because they would never think to say girl with their fist to their mouth. So my zone heard me doing it and demanded that I do it at the talent show. All of hte missionaries in our zone hosted a stake talent show and we put together a bunch of funny sketches, and they wanted me to do that noise since I can do it to songs. I didn´t think it was that funny to do, but agreed to it and wow, they thought I was the best thing since Bon Jovi! I even got an encore, but here they just say, otra, otra. I was like the only one to get an encore! I did it to two hymns, the Battle Hymn of the Republic and to Choose the Right. Who knew that I could entertain people so much!
Which brings me to my next point. After the talent show, this young woman comes up to me, low 20s, and just says hi. She is holding this really small baby and introduced herself. I had no idea who she was, but she just wanted to know me! She went to another ward, her entire family are members, but her husband wasn´t and our zone was having a Noche Blanca, where lots of people in the stake get baptized on one night. Well, she told me her husband was getting baptized first that night. She was just opening up to me about all sorts of things. I had to get going, so I told her I would see her the next night at the Noche Blanca and how excited I was for her and her husband. So the next night, as soon as she sees me, she comes up to me, wants me to meet her husband, has me hold her baby, everything! When the program was about to start, she handed me a necklace and told me she wanted me to have it. I had only met her the night before and she loves me! I have no idea what I did to deserve it! She had me take a picture with her and her family before the baptism and everything! She was so excited for her husband, and she cried when he was baptized. It´s like I just know that this family is so strong! They are amazing! Even though she is not in our sector, we are going to try to get permission to visit her.
Which brings me to Daniela, one of our investigators. She is 23 and has been investigating for about 6 months, maybe more. She wants to get baptized in about two weeks. But yeah, she came to church on Sunday and just opened up to me about everything in her life. I told Thelin later and she was shocked because she never told her any of those things. She is going through a divorce, her husband is basically a creep, and her family is against her being baptized. She then bore her testiimony to me, saying that with all of that, she still wants to be baptized because she knows it is true. She knows it is a good way to bring up her three young kids too. She is strong and always wants to learn more. It´s just crazy because it feels like this past week, people have been opening up to me in a whole new way that I didn´t think was possible. It makes me love this work even more!
Ecua fact of the week: Here in Ecuador, like most Latin countries, when you greet people, you give them a kiss on the cheek. I got used to that when I was in Mexico. However, you are supposed to do that with everyone, men or women. Well, as missionaries, it is against the rules for sister missionaries to do that to men. This has created some akward moments when men who are not members and we meet them for the first time, they always go to give us the usual, kiss on the cheek. Most of the time you can get out of it by sticking out your hand real fast, but other times they shake your hand and at the same time kiss your cheek, so then as a missionary you just feel awkward after knowing you just let that happen. So yeah, good times!
I hope all is well with everyone at home! I loveyou all and think of you often. Until next week!
Hna Kaylee Sorensen
Let me tell you one thing I love about Ecuador, and this is completely sarcastic, and that is the people that throw parties right outside our window in the alley by our apartment, from about 3am to 8am. Oh my gosh! Both Friday night and Saturday night! Me and my comp were dead from lack of sleep! They blare this music so loud, and it is literally right outside our window! And Saturday night they were all really drunk and started fighting, which I was glad because I thought that would break up the party, but no, it kept going on until we left for church. And we had to speak in church! Again, which I was fine with, but it is hard when you are going off little or almost no sleep for the past two nights! I actually did better on my talk this time then the last time. I got lots of compliments and I feel like my Spanish is really improving. I get compliments a lot on my pronunciation. Now I just want a Latin comp so it can get even better!
To my subject line: The goy goy noise. Some of you might know this noise, in fact most of you probably do. Annie taught me in like elementary school, where you put your fist to your mouth and say girl and comes out sounding funny. I do this to entertain my nephews. Well, people here have never heard it because they would never think to say girl with their fist to their mouth. So my zone heard me doing it and demanded that I do it at the talent show. All of hte missionaries in our zone hosted a stake talent show and we put together a bunch of funny sketches, and they wanted me to do that noise since I can do it to songs. I didn´t think it was that funny to do, but agreed to it and wow, they thought I was the best thing since Bon Jovi! I even got an encore, but here they just say, otra, otra. I was like the only one to get an encore! I did it to two hymns, the Battle Hymn of the Republic and to Choose the Right. Who knew that I could entertain people so much!
Which brings me to my next point. After the talent show, this young woman comes up to me, low 20s, and just says hi. She is holding this really small baby and introduced herself. I had no idea who she was, but she just wanted to know me! She went to another ward, her entire family are members, but her husband wasn´t and our zone was having a Noche Blanca, where lots of people in the stake get baptized on one night. Well, she told me her husband was getting baptized first that night. She was just opening up to me about all sorts of things. I had to get going, so I told her I would see her the next night at the Noche Blanca and how excited I was for her and her husband. So the next night, as soon as she sees me, she comes up to me, wants me to meet her husband, has me hold her baby, everything! When the program was about to start, she handed me a necklace and told me she wanted me to have it. I had only met her the night before and she loves me! I have no idea what I did to deserve it! She had me take a picture with her and her family before the baptism and everything! She was so excited for her husband, and she cried when he was baptized. It´s like I just know that this family is so strong! They are amazing! Even though she is not in our sector, we are going to try to get permission to visit her.
Which brings me to Daniela, one of our investigators. She is 23 and has been investigating for about 6 months, maybe more. She wants to get baptized in about two weeks. But yeah, she came to church on Sunday and just opened up to me about everything in her life. I told Thelin later and she was shocked because she never told her any of those things. She is going through a divorce, her husband is basically a creep, and her family is against her being baptized. She then bore her testiimony to me, saying that with all of that, she still wants to be baptized because she knows it is true. She knows it is a good way to bring up her three young kids too. She is strong and always wants to learn more. It´s just crazy because it feels like this past week, people have been opening up to me in a whole new way that I didn´t think was possible. It makes me love this work even more!
Ecua fact of the week: Here in Ecuador, like most Latin countries, when you greet people, you give them a kiss on the cheek. I got used to that when I was in Mexico. However, you are supposed to do that with everyone, men or women. Well, as missionaries, it is against the rules for sister missionaries to do that to men. This has created some akward moments when men who are not members and we meet them for the first time, they always go to give us the usual, kiss on the cheek. Most of the time you can get out of it by sticking out your hand real fast, but other times they shake your hand and at the same time kiss your cheek, so then as a missionary you just feel awkward after knowing you just let that happen. So yeah, good times!
I hope all is well with everyone at home! I loveyou all and think of you often. Until next week!
Hna Kaylee Sorensen
Monday, March 3, 2008
Rain rain go away
Hello friends! Thanks for all of the fun emails! Like always, everyone is doing well and I love to hear that!
Well, lots of you were very curious to know what happened this weekend with the Lovato family...They got baptized! Well, at least Jeanette and Denise, the mother and the 11 yr old. It was so beautiful too! I will send pics! But yes, so the baptism was Sunday at 3pm. Jeanette got there early with her family to do the interview and while she was there, we got to talk to Denise. A little history, Michelle, the 15 yr old, has been a terror for us! She is such a rebel and is causing her family so much heartache. We were talking to Denise about baptism a couple of weeks ago and she was so excited. Then Michelle walked in, and Denise said she didn´t know if she really wanted to. All because of Michelle! So when she was at the baptism, we didn´t know if she still wanted to. She was really hesitant and just didn´t know. Then, another missionary, Elder Cayambe, asked us if he could talk to her. We told him to go for it, and about 45 minutes later, they came out of the room, and it was the old Denise again, wanting to get baptized with her mom. She was so happy! Little did we know, she had brought extra clothes with her the whole time preparing on getting wet, like she knew deep down the whole time that she was going to get baptized. It was also great because her dad got to baptize her. He was so nervous because he had never done it before and had been inactive for so long, but he just advanced in the priesthood and was excited to start using his priesthood after 30 years of not having it! They had to do Denise about 5 times because he couldn´t ever get her under the water competely, always something out. I felt bad because the water was so cold! Then Hno Lovato (Carlos), his brother baptized Jeanette. They were so happy and oh, the feelings that I felt! It´s like I could see into their future and could see the change that this was going to bring for this family. Oh, and before the baptism, our DL, Elder Vinces, asked if he could talk to Michelle. They were together for like 30 minutes, and afterward he said what a good person she was and that he knew someday she would be baptized. I know she is a good person, she just has so much hatred stored up. We are working on just establishing a good relationship with her. We taught her and her so nice friend, Rosaura, and this week we have a fun day planned with them, like doing their makeup and hair. We just want to establish some sort of friendship, try and make things better. After the baptism, we went to their house with their extended family and had so much fun. You seriously could see the difference that it already made in their lives.
Which brings me to my next point. I never realized how lonely people are. It has to be the same in the states. This past week, we visited Jeantte before the baptism, and she just broke down and cried, talking about how lonely she felt all the time. She has a day care, so all day she is alone, with like five kids, and she feels so alone. She said that hte only time she feels peace is when she would study the Book of Mormon or other material we gave her. We told her more about how that was the Holy Ghost and how she could have him with her forever after her baptism, and after that she was all the more eager to be baptized! But this lonliness is such a problem. We have two other investigators, Juanita Luzpa and Daniela Velez, both of whom are always so eager to have us over and talk because they are so lonely. That is what I love about the church. It is another family. You have so many people to rely on and so many friendships to build. And if you do what is right, you have the Holy Ghost with you, making you never alone. I love that feeling! If you feel like someone needs some special attention, give it to them. Everyone needs a frined.
Now to my subject line. So this week has been EXTREMELY SLOW. We could not get a ton of work done because of storms! For like, two days straight we were inside because of storms. We get done with our studies about 10:30, work until 1, eat at someone´s house for an hour, and by then, it is pouring rain and lightning and thunder, all within a mile or two. Your umbrella turns into a lightning rod. So, we were stuck inside all day, two days. We can go out when it is raining, but when it gets too hard or when you have the added pleasure of lightning, hail, and thunder, it is a rule to stay inside. Right now we are in the rainy season, until about May. That means from about 2 o´clock on, we are game for storms and rain. My umbrella is my best friend and I am loving the full length rain coat I was smart enough to get before I came! Yay for me!
Now an Ecua fact: I get hit on at least 20 to 30 times a day, no exaggeration. It can be any of the following: Mi reina, mi novia, mi preciosa, marry me, anything. Whistles are popular, and oh, when they are in their car, they will honk, but if they are with their wife, they will flash their lights at us. Even if I fell flat on my face, I will get hit on. It´s funny, because that is really just their culture. I know I get it more because I am white and stand out, but when we were wtiht he three stooges last week, they would do it to other girls. Me and Thelin got so mad and yelled at them, like show some respect, and you´re practicing on becoming a missionary for crying out loud, but they just laughed and kept doing it. So yeah, it gets pretty funny. People usually say, you´re beautiful, and Thelin will turn around and say, yeah, I know. It´s great, we try and make it fun.
So that is it for this week. Thanks for your continuous support and prayers, I need them and it feels great to have so many loved ones! Till next week!
Hna Kaylee Sorensen
Well, lots of you were very curious to know what happened this weekend with the Lovato family...They got baptized! Well, at least Jeanette and Denise, the mother and the 11 yr old. It was so beautiful too! I will send pics! But yes, so the baptism was Sunday at 3pm. Jeanette got there early with her family to do the interview and while she was there, we got to talk to Denise. A little history, Michelle, the 15 yr old, has been a terror for us! She is such a rebel and is causing her family so much heartache. We were talking to Denise about baptism a couple of weeks ago and she was so excited. Then Michelle walked in, and Denise said she didn´t know if she really wanted to. All because of Michelle! So when she was at the baptism, we didn´t know if she still wanted to. She was really hesitant and just didn´t know. Then, another missionary, Elder Cayambe, asked us if he could talk to her. We told him to go for it, and about 45 minutes later, they came out of the room, and it was the old Denise again, wanting to get baptized with her mom. She was so happy! Little did we know, she had brought extra clothes with her the whole time preparing on getting wet, like she knew deep down the whole time that she was going to get baptized. It was also great because her dad got to baptize her. He was so nervous because he had never done it before and had been inactive for so long, but he just advanced in the priesthood and was excited to start using his priesthood after 30 years of not having it! They had to do Denise about 5 times because he couldn´t ever get her under the water competely, always something out. I felt bad because the water was so cold! Then Hno Lovato (Carlos), his brother baptized Jeanette. They were so happy and oh, the feelings that I felt! It´s like I could see into their future and could see the change that this was going to bring for this family. Oh, and before the baptism, our DL, Elder Vinces, asked if he could talk to Michelle. They were together for like 30 minutes, and afterward he said what a good person she was and that he knew someday she would be baptized. I know she is a good person, she just has so much hatred stored up. We are working on just establishing a good relationship with her. We taught her and her so nice friend, Rosaura, and this week we have a fun day planned with them, like doing their makeup and hair. We just want to establish some sort of friendship, try and make things better. After the baptism, we went to their house with their extended family and had so much fun. You seriously could see the difference that it already made in their lives.
Which brings me to my next point. I never realized how lonely people are. It has to be the same in the states. This past week, we visited Jeantte before the baptism, and she just broke down and cried, talking about how lonely she felt all the time. She has a day care, so all day she is alone, with like five kids, and she feels so alone. She said that hte only time she feels peace is when she would study the Book of Mormon or other material we gave her. We told her more about how that was the Holy Ghost and how she could have him with her forever after her baptism, and after that she was all the more eager to be baptized! But this lonliness is such a problem. We have two other investigators, Juanita Luzpa and Daniela Velez, both of whom are always so eager to have us over and talk because they are so lonely. That is what I love about the church. It is another family. You have so many people to rely on and so many friendships to build. And if you do what is right, you have the Holy Ghost with you, making you never alone. I love that feeling! If you feel like someone needs some special attention, give it to them. Everyone needs a frined.
Now to my subject line. So this week has been EXTREMELY SLOW. We could not get a ton of work done because of storms! For like, two days straight we were inside because of storms. We get done with our studies about 10:30, work until 1, eat at someone´s house for an hour, and by then, it is pouring rain and lightning and thunder, all within a mile or two. Your umbrella turns into a lightning rod. So, we were stuck inside all day, two days. We can go out when it is raining, but when it gets too hard or when you have the added pleasure of lightning, hail, and thunder, it is a rule to stay inside. Right now we are in the rainy season, until about May. That means from about 2 o´clock on, we are game for storms and rain. My umbrella is my best friend and I am loving the full length rain coat I was smart enough to get before I came! Yay for me!
Now an Ecua fact: I get hit on at least 20 to 30 times a day, no exaggeration. It can be any of the following: Mi reina, mi novia, mi preciosa, marry me, anything. Whistles are popular, and oh, when they are in their car, they will honk, but if they are with their wife, they will flash their lights at us. Even if I fell flat on my face, I will get hit on. It´s funny, because that is really just their culture. I know I get it more because I am white and stand out, but when we were wtiht he three stooges last week, they would do it to other girls. Me and Thelin got so mad and yelled at them, like show some respect, and you´re practicing on becoming a missionary for crying out loud, but they just laughed and kept doing it. So yeah, it gets pretty funny. People usually say, you´re beautiful, and Thelin will turn around and say, yeah, I know. It´s great, we try and make it fun.
So that is it for this week. Thanks for your continuous support and prayers, I need them and it feels great to have so many loved ones! Till next week!
Hna Kaylee Sorensen
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)