Oh dear family,
There is not nearly enough time to write about all that I have experienced this week. CRAZY!! I truly feel like I am in a new world here in Belize. The culture is so different. People speak english, spanish, and creol and it is a battle to figure out which one to speak. I think almost everyone would prefer creol but that is the one that we just can't do. I have had one too many opportunities to teach in english this week. Hna Rodriguez speaks and understands a lot of english but neither of us have ever taught the gospel or street contacted in english. The words just don't come out very smoothly. But church was in english and we had to give a short talk/ testimony. How weird to do it in english. I sat right next to the guy translating it in spanish and I thought of you dad. I helped him find the scriptures when the other missionaries didn't say the references. haha. I also have to tell you dad that all of your money and hard work has payed off. After church one of the sisters came up to me and told me that I was an answer to her prayer because she had been praying for someone to come to the branch who could play the piano. What you weren't able to do in your mission I am now able to do because you have helped me to learn how to play that piano. Thank you Dad!!
There is not nearly enough time to write about all that I have experienced this week. CRAZY!! I truly feel like I am in a new world here in Belize. The culture is so different. People speak english, spanish, and creol and it is a battle to figure out which one to speak. I think almost everyone would prefer creol but that is the one that we just can't do. I have had one too many opportunities to teach in english this week. Hna Rodriguez speaks and understands a lot of english but neither of us have ever taught the gospel or street contacted in english. The words just don't come out very smoothly. But church was in english and we had to give a short talk/ testimony. How weird to do it in english. I sat right next to the guy translating it in spanish and I thought of you dad. I helped him find the scriptures when the other missionaries didn't say the references. haha. I also have to tell you dad that all of your money and hard work has payed off. After church one of the sisters came up to me and told me that I was an answer to her prayer because she had been praying for someone to come to the branch who could play the piano. What you weren't able to do in your mission I am now able to do because you have helped me to learn how to play that piano. Thank you Dad!!
We as the 4 sisters are opening two areas so we have spent a lot of time this week working with the senior missionaries, the Galvezes, to buy everything for our apartment and get everything set up. We have also been on foot this week because our bikes still haven't gotten here. It is super frustrating because everything is so far apart. We waste a lot of time walking. But hopefully today we will get the bikes.
We also have gotten a ton of rain lately so there is mud EVERYWHERE!! And it isn't normal mud, it is a white and concrete-ish mud. All my shoes that used to be black are now all white.One of the member families in our area lives in the area that used to be the riverside. Now their house is literally in the river. The river is flooding because of all the rain. Their house is on stilts but even then, the water is almost inside. They have only a super iffy homemade bridge to get to their house. Hna R and I looked at the bridge and started to walk away but then Brother Miller came out and invited us in to meet his wife. We couldn't say no so we had to walk on board planks that were sinking into the lake to get inside. As we were visiting I could feel the house swaying back and forth in the water. Sister Miller started to tell us about all the turtles and crocodiles that live in their "back yard" and how the other day one of their daughters almost got bitten by a crocodile. OKAY....we are not in kansas anymore Todo!!!! What a very different world. But I shared a scripture with Sister Miller about having patience in our trials. By the end she was almost in tears and told me that that was exactly what she needed to hear and that she knew that it was God talking to her through me. What a cool experience!
The branch here has about 500 members and only about 70 that are active. YIKES! The church is super young here in Belize so we have to work a lot with the members so that they can grow too. A new primary president was called this week and she doesn't know any of the primary songs. Because of my apparent "talent" in music she has asked if I can help teach the primary songs each week. It is going to be tough to take care of my investigators and teach the songs but I just couldn't say no. Who would have known that part of my missionary duties would be to be the primary chorister?! I honestly don't have a clue how to do it when almost no one reads but I am just going to dive in and do my best.
There is so much more that I want to write but my time is gone. The work is just so different here but I am getting used to it and loving it. I hope all is well with you all. Thank you Bonnie and Karen for the pregnancy pics! I now will wait for the pics of Madison this week Bon. :D I love you all so much!!
Hermana Heap
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