January, 19 2015

FAMILIA Y AMIGOS! 

I was determined to see miracles this week even though the work is hardly moving. So here are two baby stories that made me really happy this week:

Thursday night we went to a poorer area called rios, we had done all our citas and been through our plans like 3 times and no was receptive or wanted to listen to us. Its been like this for week, and I as really getting frusterated. We were with a member named Hermano Torres, and we started knocking doors, which is so inefficient, but we were doing it anyway. Hermano Torres said, we need to get into that house, I feel that the Lord wants us to get in that door. So we knocked on the door, and the lady comes to the door and starts yelling at us saying that she is busy. Yeah so we left, but I didnt feel like it was enough. So I told hermano Torres that I am going to knock one more time and tell her that I need to use the bathroom, and then we can get into the house and while I am "using the bathroom", he can talk to the lady. So we knock on the door again, I explain that I am about to pee my pants and that no one will let me in to use the bathroom, well she is yelling literally she doesnt want anything to do with us, but then she finally let me in to use the bathroom. So our plan worked. Turns out that there was a family inside, and the mom of the family is menos activos. Hermano torres talked a little bit about the plan de salvacion, and then i just waited in the bathroom until he made a return appointment. Our members really rock. 

Also on Friday, I was feeling pretty sick, but we went and worked anyways. I am so stubborn. But we went with another member, C, her dad passed away about a month ago. Well we went and met one of her dads friends. C said that she felt that he needed to meet the missionaries. The spirit was so strong in the lesson. It was amazing. I feel like he has potential to progress, but it might be a little slower! We will just see (: 

I have been thinking alot about the atonement these past couple days, there is a talk by Elder Holland that talks about how if we rely on the atonement, that it can carry us missionaries, even more than our invetigators. I think since I have been sick, its been pretty hard to look ahead, but I know that my Savior knows exactly how I feel when the work is moving slow, hard times with companions and even when your body is tired and you get sick! There are always testimony building moments! 

We had zone conference this week, and we watched meet the mormon! it was AWESOME, I loved it and cried through the whole thing. I cant even believe the last story, that is what missionary work is all about! If you havent seen it, seriously need to take time to watch it. 

Well I think this is enough for now (: I love you all, thanks for all the love and support!! This is the greatest work we could be doing, bringing souls unto Christ!!!  

Hermana Garces

photos: our mad dodgeball game we played last week, it was crazy fun! 

Hit week 4!

hello family and friends! 

i have hit week 4!!!! 

i have not a lot of time to write..again so if you don't get a personal email this week i am very sorry! keep on writing please and as soon as i get to the field i will write more and i have been sending letters i hope will get you all of you soon! 

the ccm life is the best. i am not going to lie this has been the best week i have had here yet the very hardest week as well! 

i am so happy for you sissy! representing at two proms this year woot woot. also good luck to both alex and erin running for stuco! you are all in my prayers every night! 

tuesday last week

after i emailed we went to this yummy burger place. we also had this encounter with a crazy russian who i am pretty sure was carrying a weapon... mom please dont worry we are all fine. it was more hilarious than scary bc he gave us this crazy story about how russia is going to blow up chile and we need to help him send a letter to the us ambassador so we all dont blow up..it was crazy and he didnt speak english or spanish so it was a lot of hand motions all in all the security gurds at the temple came and got him. 

also the best part of tuesday was that night hna doll made us cookies and we had ice cream! president doll gave us a little fhe in our family room after classes at like 10 pm. it was so nice to have a family setting once again. 

also study the difference between disappointment and discouragement! 

wednesday 

i saw hermana doll crying she was feeling super overwhelmed with all the new missionaries coming that day. it made me realize that we are all human bc i always thought that she was super women she is amazing!!! so i helped her out before class. she really has made my ccm experience amazing. i love her so much.

we also got new missionaries which was hard bc i miss our old latinos but they are a good group 

i scored a goal in our last grengo soccer game!!!!!! highlight of my week! in between getting latinos we play hardcore grengo ball either way its fun but i wish i was good oh well! its so fun!! 

thursday

we had a teacher name ruitor and it was his last time teaching us so he told us the real story about our invetigator we have been teaching. it was a girl named maybel and it was on a day when he didnt really feel adequate so be a missionary and there she was a 60 year old little lady just ready for the gospel!  the spirit was so strong and as he walked out the door he said forget yourself and go to work! 

i am skipping to sat and sunday bc they were the best days so far! and i am running out of time lolz. 

saturday i started a 24 hour fast and i literally thought i wasnt going to make it bc i have been super sick with a sore throat cold thing going on but i did it! saturday night instead of having class we were able to watch the district...which is a huge deal when we get to watch a few hours of movies instead of teaching! after we watched it out district leader stood up and bore his testimony and asked us all to share what it took for us to get out here... and what we left behind at home. each of shared our experiences and even just writing this i feel the same spirit i did on saturday night. we eneded by singing god be with you till we meet again. all in all saturday was the best day i have had here thus far. 

on sat we also played kickbase  (kickball) with the latinos and pres and hermana doll! i love it so much! 

oh and we got chocolate milk..huge bonus. 

oh and we got to talk to the people on the temple grounds!!! 

also we read the bom as a district on the temple grounds that afternoon, read alma 32 this week!

now for sunday 

i taught a lesson in spanish for relief society! i have never taught let alone in spanish for 15 min! i was so happy! it was on hope and faith!! 

also the members in my district decided to give me a blessing sunday night bc i am still not getting better! another huge spiritual night here at the ccm! i am still not 100 but i am not getting any worse which is good! 

yesterday we went to the temple and it was the best experience i have had at the temple. my heart and mind were in the right place and i just felt so at peace! 

i love the temple! 

i met a man outside with my companera last night and we taught him with his kids. he reminded me of you dad and it made me miss you so much! he spoke english and spanish and was laughing so hard bc i used embarazado which means pregnant in spanish....yikes. but i am learning!!! 

also read 2 nephi 2 this week!

well i am out of time! i love all of you so much! thank you for your prayers and support! keep praying for me to learn spanish! 

i love you all to the moon and back!!! 

xoxoxxoxo

hermana garces

Price Above Rubies

hello all my family and friends!! 

this week  has flown by and i love being a missionary!!!!! its the greatest thing i have even done! i have a lot to cover in like no time! erin did you make student council!? how did your dance go!?

oh before i forget we dont have a set p day so email me before monday plz bc its either tuesday or wednesday and we dont know until the night before!!! 

pray for me please with all your faith that i can increase my learning in spanish! I was doing really well but lately i have no been increasing and i am getting super frustrated! your prayers would mean so much to me! i pray for each and everyone of you every night! 

its been a rollercoaster this week. an elder in my districts grandfather passed away and another elder went home. we have been able to sit in a lot of blessings this week. nothing like a bunch of worthy 19 year old boys bringing that type of spirit. it has been a huge learning experience for me. 

also mom can i buy speakers down here or did you send mine?

last week after we emailed we went to the grocery store and the adiadas store to buy my comp running shoes. then we got completos, which were nasty but my ecuador skills are coming to use bc i was the only one able to get around in a taxi and order from the menu!! we also got fresh raspberries and strawberries. they were delicious. 

the latinos we came with left this morning. it was so hard to say goodbye bc we all became such great friends. last night an elder from mexico took my scarf off and said i am going to keep this and give it to my wife haha in his broken english and then he took his tie off and said for the lucky man who gets to marry you. i about died laughing!! the latinos are so funny. so now i have a black tie instead of a really cute scarf but hey #MEMORIES

please tell martha thank you for the music! It literally saves me, i love the artists on the ipod! It keeps me sane. 

my highlights included being served pizza and watermelon. god really does love us. 

sundays are my favorite days in the ccm bc we dont have to learn spanish and the classes are in english. we had a member of the 70s elder barros speak to us in spanish...luckily i understood about 95 % of it. i love sitting in front of the temple on sundays and reading my scriptures. 

oh also read elder hollands mtc 2011 provo address sometime this week! Its similar to the one he read in 2012 fall general conference. i loved the part where he said, how dare you teach others the gospel if you dont know for yourself that it is true. that hit me really hard this week. so i have began to read the bom in spanish this week and i am trying to finish before i leave. its kind of hard bc we dont have alot of extra time but i know it will bless me if i can complete it! 

the things the elders say are hilarious! its like a little family! I love it so much. 

i am really running out of time and once again i know this email was all over the place. however i have sent out a ton of letters that you should be getting in the next 3 weeks or so! 

i love this gospel with all my heart. i feel the spirit constantly. the lord is always mindful of us. i cant believe its only been 2 weeks bc i have learned so much! I love the people of chile. 

gods plan is perfect. 

i love you all!
give elijah and jacob a big hug for me! also i said this in my letter but someone take them to hearts this week and buy them icees! bc i miss our treat runs! I love you to the moon and back! 

hermana garces

oh and one more thing. the garces family really are foodies bc i am pretty sure that is all i talk about, food places i miss. lolz. momma g you taught us well! 

First letter from Hermana Garces

FAMILIA!!!!

I love you all so much!! I think you will have to send this to mom and everyone else bc I dont think I will have time to reply to everyone individually. I love you all very much and can feel your prayers constantly.

I love it here so much I cant even begin to explain the feeling you feel here. I eat so much and sleep so well bc the spirit in the mtc is exhausting!!!

We got here on wednesday and worked all day long it was the longest day of my life. I was so tired I was splashing water on my face and walking around just to memorize the my purpose in spanish on the very first day and also d and c section 4 which all of you should take a minuet to read this week. 

the day before while traveling i was able to travel down with my companera Hermana Cook from pg and our district leader Elder Passay from midway. we went to 5 guys in the Atlanta airport for our last supper and we found a lady who asked us why we were dressed up for a wedding bc we were all in sunday clothes we began to explain that it was bc of church... and then she said she liked my nails bc she does nails. Anyway we were talking and we felt inspired to give her a bom. I literally sang I am on top of the world by imagine dragons throughout the airport after that. 

my spanish is really improving. i am ahead from most kids here. our district is 8 of us and i love them all so much. its like a little family. we joke around but get serious work done. most the missionaries in the ccm are Latinos and i am the only one going to Concepcion. the rest are going to vina and i am so jealous. anyway i am just going to give you key points about what has happened this week

The food is nasty literally its like pasta rice or potatoes everyday with a different sauce and fanta. there isn't usually fruit and always a pastry so lets just say I cant go to the bathroom at all. So mom did you give me any medicine for that...just curious. 

The breakfast is even worse so I have been getting creative and make no bake cookies with the oatmeal hot milk,,,,yes its hot!!! And the cocoa. It makes do I guess. But I eat so much here bc I am always hungry they work you so hard that I am eating sunday dinner like 3 times a week. Its rough. 

Yesterday we went to the temple and I was able to do it in spanish. I felt really accomplished but it was mas dificil. walking into the celestial room was probably the highlight of my week. It was so bright I couldn't see for a few second when I walked in and the spirit was stronger than I have ever felt it before. I know without a doubt that god is real. 

also i am so mad i didn't listen to mom and bring that dress literally kicking myself take the dress make a friend bc i have roommates from Argentina who came with one skirt and shirt and both are the youngest of 9 kids. it makes me soooo sad. they couldn't even go through the temple before they came out here bc they didnt have the means so this morning i was able to get both of them ready and let them borrow my clothes so they could feel beautiful on their special day. 

I miss Elijah and Jacob so much I see little kids around here and I just hug them bc I miss my little brothers. 

Another funny story we have a lot of missionaries from brazil here and one of them was having problems with constipation but no one could understand him so the american elder thought he needed anti diarrhea medicine then he couldn't poop and cried all night long and we could all here him but the funniest part is no one could understand him bc he doesn't speak spanish or english he speaks portuguese. 

I am sorry for sharing that but it was soooo funny. 

I literally love it here. 

I want you all to know that god is our savior and I believe that with every fiber in my bones. being here is literally the hardest thing ever. I pray constantly but I know what I am doing is right. 

President Doll and Hermana Doll treat me like their child. its really nice to have someone give me mom hugs bc I miss mom sooo much!! 

Erin and Alex practice your spanish so when I get home we can all talk together. 

what a blessing it will be to come home and be able talk to abuela in spanish. i look forward to that day

I am sorry the english is bad I literally think in spanish and its hard for me to transfer over. 

i love all of you so much!! They literally have a clock timing us so I don't have enough time to say everything I want to but just to let you know I am doing better than I have in years. I cant wait for erin especially to have the blessing to go on a mission. It is the greatest feeling in the world. 

Also I hate chilean spanish it's so odd. 

They pulled the missionaries out of Venezuela so we have missionaries from their and its been awesome to talk to them. 

Tell everyone I love them and I say hello. 

If I have time I will send some pictures.

Thanks tell mom and dad for being the greatest examples to me and helping me serve a mission. It is the beset decision I have ever made. 

oh and one more thing

the other night i was able to read elder Holland's address to the ctm Brazil in 2000 go look the talk up!!! but i read it to the elders in front of the temple. i couldn't make it through it without sobbing bc the talk is so inspirational. it talks about how missionaries do the same work as the prophet but he does it for his whole life and he expects us to only give 2 years. i dont want to spoil it but it was another highlight. 

xoxxoxoxo

hermana garces

So the connotation of almost white girl (halfsies) (1) who was born & raised in American Fork, Utah; (2) currently attending Brigham Young University; (3) serving a mission at 19 & a half. In fact is entirely true. Can I despise myself just a little bit?

A couple months ago nearing my 19 1/2 year mark of life I felt the need to write a hoodrat list of things to accomplish before I headed out on a mission. I have this fear when I arrive home, I will have the crazy sense of adulthood & I am not going to lie that it kind of freaks me out.

More importantly I have felt the need to ponder all of which the number 19 brought to me. I am solely convinced with each passing years numbers hold the deepest significance & its the numbers that make up a life full of memories. Or maybe it's a shocking realization that I am the only one who associates numbers with importance.  But whate'er.  A condensed list of what nineteen brought to me.. included a birthday spent countries away from my family & finding this 'new' person in me. One who has become more free to the world, a little less timid & more outspoken. For the most part I like this new version of myself because I feel that I have connected with who I was really meant to be. Nineteen brought me a new group of friends & being able to sing to the radio once again. It brought me the realization that I am smart. 19 brought distance between older friends on missions & looking forward to handwritten letters. I learned to love being alone & that was my cure to a broken heart. I can look at myself in the mirror, flaws & all, I have finally began to understand that I like the way 19 looks on me. I like the way 19 feels on me. For the first time in a long time I have felt that I was in the right place and the right time. But what 19 brought to me will never be triumphed by anything number or birthday because 19 brought me closer to Christ. No matter what 23, 45, 64 brings me to I will be able to get through it because 19 brought me closer to understanding my love for my Savior. If only I was able to figure that out earlier... duh. Isn't that the greatest gift of all? God is good, I tell ya. God is good.

"When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about." -Haruki Murakami

because Wednesday ended 19 minuets ago.

 + Tonight made me grateful for real conversations that make you feel alive, bffs & food. I caught up with one of my oldest friends. I have been packing my room the last couple days, I found letters we had written back & forth over the years. Little pen pals since the 5th grade. We have never lived in the same state but have kept in touch over the years. I had found some letters that I never sent & she made me read them to her in the car after dinner. There are certain people that you don't see very often but when you do, both of you can pick up right where you left off. I think that is one of the best feelings in the world. She is still 'emmamysoulsisterbrink' in my phone. She gives me reassurance that I have the faith to go on a mission & I will be okay. She said something along the lines, 'god has given us so much that giving him 18 months is the least we can do'. Then I thought duh 'Elizabeth you can do this, you have the faith to do this'. 

+ ideally red box & ice cream could happen every night.

+ Monday emails are carried throughout the week. "please listen to ellie goulding & bon iver today.

adele came on in the store today and I almost started crying I was so happy". just for you here & here. 

+ Ellie Goulding is coming in concert in May & everyone should attend in my place. 

+ I finally feel myself getting out of this funk I have been in the past couple of weeks & I literally want to jump for joy. Maybe it has to do with the fact January is almost over, thank the heavens.
+ The Fault in Our Stars just released the trailer. I don't know if I cried because I have to wait 2 years or because the trailer was just that good.
+ 'getting loco 'till the lights out'. Fav lyric of the week.
+ Rainy days make for good days.

xx. 

the beginning.

it's been a long time since I have put things in writing & I didn't think I would be able to write again especially on a blog so bare with me if things are a little rocky & I can't promise anything great. But I am oh so excited with the new journey ahead of me. In 43 short days I will be heading out to Chile to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Never in a million years did I picture myself on a mission but I am taking this new adventure head on. Cheers to taking leaps of faith.

xx.