THE COAST!

So, here I am in Patulul, Suchitepequez, part of the zone Tiquisate. And here it is HOT. I sweat aaaaaall the time. I've given up on looking attractive. It's just a dream from the past now... haha

My new companion is Hermana Alba. And I'm training her... They didn't exactly tell me I would be training again until 10 minutes before the change meeting started! haha Well, she's my 3rd daughter and I'm loving it! She has so much love for the mission! She has 1 month in the mission and is a nurse who used to own her own salon from Puebla, Mexico. So... she's giving me a haircut next week and she helps me when I'm sick, too. It's the best!

This week we had a baptism! It was such a relief because I haven't had a baptism in 6 months. And that's a looooooong time. But it just shows me that Heavenly Father wasn't punishing me, He just wanted me to work really hard and be grateful for the blessings when they came.

My area is amazing and I LOVE THE COAST! It's so hot that we have 2 fans in the house, 1 dusty blanket rolled up in the corner and there is no way to heat up the water to bathe with. And it doesn't matter! When it rains, we don't even use umbrellas. We just get wet and keep working!

I love you all sooooo much! Next week I will have more baptism pictures. This month we're going to baptize like crazy!

Love,

Hermana Weatherford

*Apparently there is a Facebook page for Patulul as well as a Wikipedia entry. The Wikipedia has about 2 sentences!

sorry folks, this is the email from last week that didn't want to send. but here it is!

well, I've been in this area (Calvario, Patzicia, Zone Solola) for 5 changes, or 7 months! I know all of the members and the investigators, my name is on all of the papers in the area book and I have the area memorized!

....and they still can't pronounce my last name. oh well.

haha but it's been a blast! i haven't really seen much success in the way of baptisms, but i know that I have changed completely from when I came into the area in April!

I haven't exactly baptized for the last 6 months... but soon! This next month is the month of miracles! Even though they're closing our area, the ovejas will find their pastor!

Keep me in your prayers tomorrow! Who knows where I'm going (could be to the coast)

Dear family of Sister Teigen Olivia Weatherford

Dear family of Sister Teigen Olivia Weatherford,

It is with love that we inform you that Sister Weatherford, has been called to serve as a Trainer in the Guatemala, Guatemala City Central Mission.  This is a tremendous responsibility to supervise the development of a new missionary.

The mission president´s manual says, 'One of the greatest expressions of trust that you can give a missionary is to assign him or her as a trainer of a new missionary. Choose only outstanding missionaries to serve as trainers'. That is the confidence that I have in Sister Weatherford.

We appreciate Sister Weatherford for the commitment that has been demonstrated to the Lords work. We thank you for your prayers and support.

Yours faithfully,

Melvin G. Markham
Mission President

changes in one week!

Well, I've been in this area for a long time (5 changes!) and on next Monday we'll see if I'm leaving. I only have 2 changes left, but I'm pretty sure that I'm not finishing off my mission here.... There are rumors that they're going to close our area, or combine it with a branch, but who knows! Only time shall tell...

This week was so great! We did so much crazy stuff. On Wednesday we learned to milk cows (truth be told, I have a hidden talent for milking cows...haha) for a member in the ward.

The next day we had a sister training leader come with us to have divisions in our area! We had a blast as a temporary trio for a day and I learned soooo much from her! One of the things that impacted me is that she said that she always looks for the connection. She looks into the peoples' eyes and watches as things just click for them! I started doing it and usually they just look back at me like I'm crazy, but some times it works :) She also said that we should teach so that when we get to heaven, that no one tells us "I didn't feel the spirit and I didn't feel your love!". That's the new focus: love, spirit.

Other fun tidbits from this week....

-I contacted a nun on a bus. She was waaaay nicer than anyone else on the bus that I talked to! She said that one day she might come to church ;)

-A member told me that I needed to start using a certain cream so that I could look cute. Being sassy, I responded "I'm already cute." and then she pointed to my companion and said "Not as cute as her." Sometimes the people here are just too honest... haha

-Yesterday was zone pday and we went to Sololá. It was really great! We had such a fun time and we got new zone shirts!

A spiritual sidenote: When I was thinking about this area and what miracles I've seen, I thought to myself  "Well, I've only had one baptism here in my whole 5 changes." But then Heavenly Father gave me many opportunities during the week to see much I as a person have changed and been perfected. I'm not saying I'm perfect (nooooo waaaaaay.)

love you all soooo much!

Hermana Weatherford

the mouse hunt continues....

this week was crazy and fuuuull of pictures! too bad my camera doesn't really want to send any, though... haha oops.

This monday we went to put on corte, the typical clothes from around here. we then went and took about 3297593487 pictures.. haha ;) here are some!

This week we also had interviews with President Markham. We had to get up at 4 am, but it was soooo worth it! He said something really great though "If we want to be like Christ, we don't just walk WHERE he walked, but also HOW he walked." It reminded me that we don't just need to suffer, but suffer with LOVE!

love you all!

Hermana Weatherford

Mother's Note: I received instruction from the mission home regarding packages. Because of the coming holiday and the inconsistency of international mailing they say:

Christmas time is drawing nearer as the days go on. For this, we know that there are packages being made and organized to send to your missionary children. We want to avoid confusión with packages that are sent to your missionaries. Some packages are urgently important others should be held until Christmas. We are going to have a Keyword to write on the box in more or less big letters to signify Christmas. The keyword will be “Bulldogs”. When we receive a package that has “Bulldogs” written on it, we will reserve it until Christmas. If you would like your missionary to receive his package before Christmas, write “Cougars”. When we receive a package that has "Cougars” written on it, we will not reserve it until Christmas- we will deliver it as soon as we can.

October 7, 2014

Pictures and this time with Words:

somebunny sent us a package. happiest day of our mission lives. I might have given myself a minor stomach infection with all of the candy. SO WORTH IT.

Also, we're loving being mother and daughter twins. So cuuuute! I printed out this picture and we both have a copy of it!

Note from Mom: I sent a Mother/Daughter package, playing on the titles they give each other. Matching pj pants (Tee does love her pajama pants + pretty American, right? + matching!) Also included were the usual pens and post it notes, a bottle of hot sauce (apparently Guatemalans don't eat spicy), and a HUGE bag of American candy. Including Uno bars, Tee's favorite. Plenty to share. 

General Conference:

this week was soooo great! i learned so much!

sorry that i don't have any time, but know that i love you and that things here are great in Patzicia!

i know christ lives and loves us!

Hermana Weatherford

seeing miracles and mice!

This week we had a day where we saw a total of 5 mice during lessons. In one occasion we were teaching and the mouse climbed into a mug. So the investigator put a lid over the mug and then the 3 friends of the poor trapped mouse came to try and get it out! Another one was just stealing corn kernels. 

Another one we saw was in our house. oops....

Onto the week! This week we went to visit one of the little villages of our area! It was really strange, because just by travelling a few minutes in a bus, the people change SO MUCH. They are soooo nice. We need to work more out there! Or at least have a branch out there! The picture is of Hermana Cornelison and I looking out at the good view!

General Conference is coming up this weekend! This will be my 3rd time and I'm even more excited than the times in the past! I looooove being able to hear the prophet and get my investigators to do so as well! It's such a good time to receive revelation and get answers to our questions and doubts! Everyone watch it! It's sooooo good :D

Hermana Cornelison and I are having a blast. She helps me to be a better missionary and even though I'm technically the trainer in this companionship, she's the one who is training me! She's so so pilas and is going to do such great things in the mission. And she's hysterical. We pass all of our time walking talking about random stuff and quoting The District, a miniseries thing about missionaries!

Things are great! This change has ended, but in only 4 more weeks we'll end the next one! So, I have 4 weeks to enjoy my time here in freezing Patzicia and then we'll see where the Lord sends me!

Love you all sooooo much!

Hermana Weatherford

us eating the best ice cream ever!