Promised Photos

 At the ocean!

Bowling on New Year's Day

 Central Cultura de Tijuana

 With Hermana Misi Rodriguez, one of my favorite members :)

 With Hermana Urbina at zone conference :)

This statue thing in  the botanical gardens

 My t-shirt :) It's not a super great picture, but I love the shirt! Thanks Mom!

Jan. 27, 2014 Letter

Hola familia!

I love you! Thanks for everything! Today I am FINALLY going send photos. I promise. :)  

 

Where to begin...okay, sad news from yesterday: S and M didn't come to church. :( We went to their house ourselves and the gate was locked and called and no one and answered we shouted their names, but no one heard. When we went back later they still weren't home. We're hoping to be able to find them today. So then we walked the long way to the chapel and were late to church. Oops. Crazy times. But we did have a less active family that came. Actually they came last week too. The mom is  27 and her 2 sons, the oldest is 7. He is soo great, well they both are. She is so excited to come back to church and learn more about the gospel. She says she dones't remember anything. On Saturday we visited them and shared the Plan of Salvation and invited them to pray and ask if it's true. On Sunday, the 7 year old came up to us and said, "Last night I asked if the plan was true!" haha he's the best. 

 

I don't really know how to answer your questions about how the language is coming, because I feel like I can't really judge for myself! haha mostly I can understand and carry on conversations, but there are still times where I don't know what's going on or how to respond. but every day is better. :) My companion says I already have a "norteana" accent. (as in someone who lives in Northern Mexico), so that's fun. :)

 

Ahh I wish I had more time to write. Even if I had all the time in the world, I couldn't express everything. Like it says in the scriptures, "I cannot write a hundredth part." There is just soo much to mission life, being in Mexico, speaking Spanish, investigators, members, crazy people, everything!

I love you all!! Sooooo much! I wish I had time to respond to everyone but I just don't! haha sorry. But I love you! Have an incredible week!

Love,

Hermana Serena

Jan. 2014 letter

Hello my wonderful family!

I love you! Thanks again and again for the letters and support. I receive such strength from hearing from such wonderful people. I love you!

 

On Tuesday I got my package! Thanks Mom and Dad! It was very much appreciated. And I LOVE the shirt. I'll try to send a picture today, if I can figure out how. And then on Wednesday we had to go to the mission office to drop off some forms and and they gave my other package, which was the Loveland calendar! I love it. It's hanging on the wall where we study. :)

 

I know I've been slacking in telling you guys about our investigators, so I'll try to do better. We have been trying to improve in "talking to everyone," and last Monday we decided to contact a woman who was selling tamales, which was probably the best idea ever. :) She talked about how she is trying to improve and be better for her daughters, and strengthen her relationship with God, and was very happy to talk with us! Her name is S and she is sooo wonderful. We've had a few lessons with her this week and she is progressing so well. Also, sometimes she gives us tamales and they are REALLY good. :) On Saturday we taught about keeping the Sabbath day holy and she said "I´m not going to sell on Sundays anymore because I know that God will give me more than the money I would earn that day." She's just soo awesome! She understands that when we put God first, He takes care of us. She also has a daughter who is 16 and we taught her a couple times as well. She is also super awesome and they are both going to be baptized on February 20th! I am so excited for them! 

 

Today we had a "zone activity," which was actually just us and the zone leaders, and their companion since they are in a trio. We went to the Centro Cultural de Tijuana, or Cecut. Turns out it's closed on Mondays. Oops. The only thing that's open is the botanical garden, which was pretty unimpressive. haha oh well. It was still fun. We went to the nearby shopping center, where the Elders went into every men's formal store to look at ties. haha funny guys. And then we ate some tacos. :)

 

About our apartment, we do have hot water, so that's good. And it gets pretty cold at night, at least it did at first. Lately it's been pretty warm outside, even though it´s January. And I haven't has to turn on my electric blanket yet, mostly I just put on warms socks, sweatpants and use the sweatshirt you gave me, Mom, and I am perfectly warm. :) 

 

Well I have to go! I love you lots and lots! 

 

Have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Loveland 

Mom- Thanks for the pictures! I am glad you are having a great time in Wisconsin. Give everyone a big hug for me! Another thing I forgot to mention that I received in the Christmas package was the "Come what may and love it" plaque. :) I put it next to my bed and it's a great reminder to me every day. :)

Jan. 13, 2014

Hello family and friends!

Thanks again for the letters and support! I love you! 

 

You all might be interested to know, I had fish tacos last week! And they were actually pretty good! :) [Serena has NOT been a fish fan in the past, but as a missionary, she is ready for all adventures!]

 

Last week I was thinking about the miracles and tender mercies in mission life and I think one of the biggest miracles is the fact that I spend 24/7 with someone who doesn't speak English. That's insane. We plan, teach, talk, walk, spend all our time together and can communicate and sometimes it blows my mind. haha but I really love Spanish. It's still tough and I have soooo far to go in the language, but I am learning and getting lots of practice. :)

 

Another cool moment of the week, we went and visited somone who was baptized a few months ago I think. He hasn't been to church in a while and we went to visit him. He was very excited to see us and said he didn't really have a reason for not going to church, except that he didn't feel the "magic" anymore and also was worried sometimes what people would say. But when we invited him, he was super excited and very grateful. He volunteered to say the prayer before we left and expressed gratitude to Heavenly Father that we came and invited him back. He was so happy! And it made me so happy! He was just waiting for someone to invite him back, and I'm glad I had that opportunity to be an instrument in the Lord's hands.

 

Here's kinda a funny story- the other day we were talking to a man on the street and then he turns to my companion and says, referring to me, "She looks like a gringa." My companion told him I was from the United States and he said, "Oh! That's why!" haha it was pretty funny, though it might have funnier in Spanish...sorry. 

 

Well, sorry this letter is kinda short, I'll try to write more next week! I love you all and I hope you have an amazing week!

Dad- Thanks for the updates! And for everything you do! I love you!

Mom- In the Christmas package I received were the colorful pens, a bracelet, a fridge magnet, the apron, my green skirt, LEGOs, socks, lots of chocolate...that's all I can remember right now. You'll have to send me pictures of all the updates to the house- and more importantly, of Claire and Aoife and Tiegan!

Grandma J- Thanks for the letter! I also got your package and it was VERY much appreciated. Thank you! And Scarlett's engaged??? No one told me! haha Thanks for letting me know! And to answer your question, we mostly get around by walking, and taxis or buses for longer distances. Thanks again for the updates!

Love,

Serena

2014

Hello family and friends! 

 

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful week. It's crazy that it's 2014. It doesn't feel very different for me. Time is kinda weird on the mission! Plus it's sunny and warm and doesn't feel like January. For New Year's Eve we didn't do anything special. But on New Year's Day we went bowling. (Just like I did every p-day in Ogden!) It was pretty fun. I'll probably send a picture next week, because I forgot my camera today. There was another zone there as well and it was good to see other missionaries from my "generation" (who got here the same time as me) and see how they're doing. 

 

So a little bit about the daily life here as a missionary: every day we wake up at 6:30, pray, get ready for the day, eat breakfast. On a "normal" day (which happens about 3 times a week) we study for 4 hours - one hour personal study, then companionship study, then we have additional study because I'm new, and then language study- Spanish for me and English for Hermana Mendoza. Then we go out and WORK. We visit investigators, less actives, members, non-members, lots of people! And we do lots of walking. Luckily this area doesn't have many hills, so it's not too bad. We teach and visit and share scriptures, and help them come closer to Christ. Around 2 we eat some delicious Mexican food at a member's home. Even if it's not traditional Mexican food, there are ALWAYS tortillas. And then we get back to work, until 9 pm, when we return to our apartment and plan for the next day, and do it all over again! It's great! It can be super exhausting, but there are many moments of tender mercies and miracles and it's all worth it. :) 

 

This week we had interviews with Presidente Carreon. He said to tell you hello for him. :) It was good to visit with him and learn from his wisdom and advice. He said several times, "I know the Lord will bless you" referring to the language or whatever challenges and sacrifices. And he's right! I've seen it already in the short 2 months I've been out, and I continue to see God's hand in my life every single day. He is blessing me, and this is His work. There are so many things I need to improve, so many I fall short of being a "perfect" missionary and example of our Savior, but I am taking President Gordon B. Hinckley's advice every day to "Try a little harder to be a little better." We aren't expected to be perfect today, but we just keep doing our best to improve and learn.

 

Oh also when we had interviews the zone leaders gave me my package from Grandma! It was very much appreciated. :) Thanks Grandma! Thanks for the caramels and chex mix and See's candies and gifts and everything! :)

 

Another great thing about this week was Sunday. I love Sundays, even though as a missionary they aren't as restful as they used to be :P (no Sunday afternoon naps...) But I received a lot of strength from this fast Sunday, both from fasting and from hearing testimonies. I shared my testimony as well. We have a super great ward here and now, especially since people are all returning from their vacations and settling back into their routines, we just have to figure out how best to work together with them, and then we'll see even more miracles here.

 

I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you! Thanks again for all of your support and love. I cannot thank you enough. I love you and pray for you (even in Spanish :) ).

Dad- Thanks for your letters every week. Sorry I don't always respond, but please know they are VERY much appreciated. I love you! It sounds like you had a perfectly quiet New Year's. Thanks for everything!

 

Mom- Thanks for the updates and funny stories! I love reading your letters. Also I don't know if you got it or not, but a sister in our ward sent you a facebook message with a picture of my companion and I. It might have gone to your "other" inbox since you aren't facebook friends, I don't know. 

Thanks for everything Mom! I love you! 

 

Wally- Thanks for the letter! Sounds like you got some sweet Christmas presents. I'm glad you had a great Christmas break. I love you! Also I'm not sure why you signed your name "twit," since your name is Punk. :)

Have a WONDERFUL week!

Love,

Serena

Happy New Year!

My dear wonderful family!

I love you tons. It was sooo good to talk to you (and see your faces) on Tuesday! And don't worry, I didn't cry afterwards. :) I was very happy and grateful for my wonderful family. After we left Bishop's house, we went to the G family, who had invited us for dinner. We watched the Joy to the World video while we were waiting for the food to be done, which was never actually done...at least not before we had to be back in our apartment. They ate pretty late, but we had to be back in apartment at 9. Which actually was probably a good thing, because I wasn't super hungry and was worried about having to eat a bunch of food!

Christmas Day was definitely very different from past Christmases. Though I still built my LEGO set in the morning, which was great fun. Maybe my companion thinks I'm crazy. :P And then we didn't do much most of the day. We didn't end up having a zone activity, so we just stayed in our apartment until 5. We just kinda hung out, Hermana Mendoza made some delicious pasta, we took naps. haha but then we got to work in the evening. We visited a few people, investigators and members. A few even gave us little Christmas presents. :) I didn't end up eating any tamales though. Maybe next year!

 

Sounds like you had a super fun Christmas with the Hermanas! 

 

During our weekly planning session this week we were going through our area book and came across a less active family and at the top it said "Only speak English." We called them up and visited them. They are the J. family, a couple who say that they moved here to learn Spanish, and that it's not really working. haha but they are wonderful people. She travels a lot for work, which is usually the reason they aren't at church. It was great talking with them. We shared the message of the Restoration, and I actually had to translate in my mind from Spanish to English! It was kinda crazy. 

So, you want to know more about my first day...not much to tell. We flew into the San Diego airport, where we met President and Sister Carreon. Then we drove to the border, waited for a super long time to get passports/visas stamped and checked, then went to a stake center. After we ate dinner, we were assigned our companions, and started to go over important information, fill out forms, but then we had to leave because our ride was there, and then we went to our area! I feel like I don't know President Carreon super well, because we didn't have much time that day, but I know we'll get to know him more with time, and I know he cares about us and loves missionary work!

 

Oh, other important news: we had a baptism on Thursday! That was wonderful! J is really great and super excited. Afterwards, he told us that he felt really good. He wasn't sure if he was ready before, but afterwards he felt good and knew it was the right thing. I am very excited for him. I'll try to send pictures. 

 

Well I love you all! I can't believe 2013 is coming to end, but I am very excited to see what 2014 brings, the blessings and changes and everything. Have a great week, and a happy new year!

 

Love,

Hermana Loveland