Week 12

The fishing didn't workout last week so I still have never been fishing but, I did learn some new Spanish worlds such as "ansuelo" which means fishing hook. I also learned that fish scales are dangerous which is why you grab them from the gills. I didn't know any of this which is probably why I didn't end up fishing last Monday. Heavenly Father knew I probably need to learn some beginner safety before I actually got to the fishing.... Thanks for having my back HF!

Today is my three month mark! Its hard to believe that I have been away from home for that long. I don't ever get tired of saying that I love being a missionary. I love my mission. I have never been as happy as I am now and I have never laughed so much as I do now. Some days my cheeks hurt because I just cant stop smiling. Missionary work is hard too though don't get me wrong but as I see it, all things worth wile take hard work.

We have been knocking doors a bunch (President Anderson asked us to knock doors for at least an hour every day). Last Tuesday we met a man who was very "machin". We talked to him for about 30 minuets and we could just tell that he had never washed a dirty dish in his life or done any kind of chore in the house. He was angry with God because his daughter had gotten papers and had "stolen his restaurant". His wife had gotten sick around that same time and had to go in for heart surgery and because of all that had happened she was "not right in the head" she needed "psychological help". Eventually his wife came outside and she talked to us a bit and the whole time this man kept asking us if we knew a cheep psychologist to "fix his wife". She was standing right there! She was this sweet lady and we felt so bad we just decided to come back some other time when he would be at work.

Another sad moment this week happened in Mayfield on Friday. One of the reasons why we go to Mayfield (not our original area) is to see this sweet old member named Irma. She is quite old and has a caretaker to help her at home. We go and try to se her every week but we haven't been able to see her for the past few weeks. Her care taker always tells us that she is sleeping or that she isn't feeling well. Hermana G has had a feeling that Irma gets miss treated by her caretaker. We finally see her this last week and she tells us that she can't walk anymore because her caretaker doesn't let her walk around. She has also lost a ton of weight and when we asked her about it she says that she doesn't like the food she eats so she doesn't eat most of the time. I felt sick to my stomach I just started to tear up and I promised her that I would bring her back some food and help her find someone else to help her (the caretaker was leaving anyways). I promised her that I would never leave my mother without proper care. The sad part was that she has 9 kids and most of them live in Mayfield.

Anyways, on a happier note we taught some solid lessons with Elena and Maribelle. We set a date with Elena and Maribelle said she honestly wanted to know if it was true. Ana, a lady we have been trying to teach for ages, randomly showed up in church yesterday. These are solid happy moments.

Also, I ate crème brulee for the first time in my life yesterday:) The Caldwells invited us for dinner again this week. They made us chicken tacos with the whole guacamole, pico de gallo, and salsa. And then Brother Caldwell topped it all off with a fantastic desert! He did the hole crusty sugar thing and the strawberry and and.... well ill just post a picture;)

This is the last week before transfers. I just realized that Sister Tenny is leaving this transfer, Elder Carlson is leaving next transfer and Hermana Garlitz, Sister Allphin, and Elder Bishop are all leaving the one after that. I need to start making some new friends or I will be friendless by August.

Much love,

    Hermana Orellana

Week 11

Its been raining a lot over here but it sure has been a great week! We have been working a lot with less actives this week. Less active work can sometimes be a little sad but we have seen some real miracles this week. I have never realized what a big problem less active work is. It's a big problem in Paducah so we try to reach out to those families with as much love as possible. This week we had the opportunity to have two very spiritual moments with less actives.

One of those families are the Garcias! Every since I got to Paducah Hermana Garlitz has been tiredlessly trying to get in the door. We would go over and knock as often as we could and their would never be an answer. Many of the times we went we knew that they were home but Hna. G never gave up. She had met them back in December and that one memory of them had haunted her.  A couple weeks ago while we were on exchanges I was in the area with Sis Stucki and decided to pass by real fast as we waited for a member to come home. I told Sis Stucki that they were never home but I told her that maybe this would be our lucky day; they answered the door! We showed Hermana Garcia and her son a short video and we left. Before we left though I set up a return appointment so that we would for sure be able to find them next time. Well it took us a could more weeks to get in the door again but we finally did this Satuday. We read the Title Page and the testimonies in the Book of Mormon. It was such a spiritual lesson and after reading both of them shared their testimonies with us of the Book of Mormon it was powerful. They agreed that we could come over the next week but as we were pulling out of the parking lot Hermana Garcia ran after us and invited us to come the next day for Lunch. It was a true miracle! 

That same Sunday we had dinner with another part less active family, the Caldwells. It was fantastic! Their are such an amazing family. Sister Caldwell is pretty active but her husband has completely left. They are both return missionaries! Brother Caldwell is downright by favorite person on my mission so far. He reminds me so much of my brothers its crazy! He is just so honest and down to earth. He knows that he is less active and he jokes around about it. We can see behind his hooligans though, he is just looking for someone to save him. We committed them to pray (for Bro. Caldwells sake cuz he stopped praying) and we committed them to read as a family. 

Both families have made big progress but of course there are some that still wont answer their door or that wont let us in the door. It can be hard, depressing work sometimes like for example there is a family out in the outskirts of town who after being an active temple going family suddenly sent in their letters to have their names removed from the records. It was a big scandal over here because no one expected it. Its been many years now and Hermana Garlitz and I ran into them while we were trying to find their daughter who's name was on our less active list. You can just see the light that is missing in their lives.

Oh a happier note the missionaries and I came to the rescue of a 12 year old girl and made her birthday pool party happen. We spent all morning on Saturday with buckets trying to get the water out so that we could fix the lining. Doing service is extremely rewarding however, I am still quite sore from it.

Summer is coming and a lot of the field workers who are mostly Hispanic are coming back into town!!! YAY!

We have an extremely talented missionary in our area names Elder Alarcon. He is practically a musical genius and is putting together a choir... I don't sing but we sure have fun trying.

I am going fishing today for the first time in my life! Finally! I am supper exited:) Ill tell y'all all about it next week.

Love,

  Hermana Orellana

PS Hermana Garlitz saved a turtle this week!

week 10

This week was just full of exiting events. It started off with 5 de Mayo, which was a total hit by the way, there was more than 70 people there. Not to pat myself on the back but many of the members said that it was the best turnout they have had in a long time if not ever! The food was great, the music was authentic, and the piñata was super riotous.

Yesterday was Humberto's baptism. I was so happy and everything turned out great! Humberto was just glowing. His sister came and the Pastors (another Guatemalan family brought their friends who aren't members). Humberto has been waiting for this for a long time and the day finally came and I will never forget it:) 

Yesterday was also mothers day which meant that I got to see my beautiful mothers face!  It was great to talk to her and for her to see my happiness. I cannot believe the blessings that have come from this experience! There has just been so much and I am so grateful but the opportunity that I have to be on this mission and to bless the life of my family. I was talking to Hermana Garlitz at the end of the day and how much I wished that my dad could have just one day a year to talk to us. How cool would it be for him to share with us all the work he is doing in the spirit world and for us to talk about our mission experiences. But I know that the day will come when we will be able to talk and talk about all of these things, for all eternity.

Of course I think about my dad all the time and as I share my experience people ask me how I did it and how I cope with it when other people in my situation have such a difficult time. And all I can think of is that I know exactly where he is and I know that I will be able to see him again. There has never, for a single moment, been doubt in my mind about the plan that my father in heaven has for us. There is more to this life than worldly things. There is a purpose in life.

I love you all!

Hermana Orellana

P.S. Missionaries have swag too

Pictures from Week 9

Week 9

Hello from Paducah, Kentucky! I am getting to that point on my mission were everything starts to blend together... I can remember what I ate this morning but there are quite a bit of exiting things happening this week. Today as you might have all figured out is Cinco de Mayo, a day not very celebrated in Mexico, but that has now become an excuse to bring anyone and everyone we know into the church building and teach them about the gospel! It will be tons of fun we even bought a donkey piñata! His name is Pinto:)

Humberto is getting baptized this week! Whoo! A year from sunday he will be on his way to a mission:D That kid is great! Also there was a miracle this week! Maira and Alredo, the cool family from Mayfield are progressing towards baptism quite well. The Spanish Elders went by last week and Maira told them how much she loved us coming over because she always felt such peace. The elders taught her that it was the spirit and that it testified of truth. They were like, " Hey Maira so I guess you know that this is all true so will you be baptized?" and she said yes! They are a fantastic family and they are going to do wonders in our little Spanish twig.

So... because I am so forgetful I have started to keep what my companion calls her "twitter notebook". It is just a small composition notebook where I write my impressions throughout the day and little memories that I don't want to forget. It is fantastic and although you might need to background to understand them I'll write some of the cool things I have written down:

- I live in Kentucky... huh? #whathappened

- I am a daughter of the most creative being in the universe!

- Yoho yoho the Hermana life for me.

- Sitting in Guadalupe's kitchen... my bag is hanging from my chair and it falls... Luis says, "your bag committed suicide" #rollingwithlaughter #Luishasnevercrackedajoke #Luisisfunny #what?

- The Book of Mormon answers question of the soul. #allineedistheBOM

- All I can think of is "There is a God!" Those who don't believe don't want to.

I hope everyone is doing well! I sure love you and miss you. Here's a shout out to Michelle Nguyen for sending me a fabulous email. Michelle aren't you glad? I'm practicing my tweets for when I get back:) Also a shout out to Ludovica who's Birthday is on Sunday! I hope you have a wonderful day and I will be sending mental hugs throughout the day:)

Finally I want to give a shout out to all the mommies! We wouldn't know what to do without you! Happy Mother's Day:)

Until next week,

         Hermana Orellana