Semana (Week) 64: Feliz Navidad!!

Virginia's baptism

Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! In the mission it almost feels like any other day, just that we had to go home at 7 Christmas Eve and Day for all of there "partying" that was going on in the streets.  In other words, lots of drunk people.  But really good news!! We had a baptism this Saturday for Virginia. She has been listening to the missionaries for years, and finally took the step. I can see that she was very happy to do it. It was super special that she was able to be baptized on Christmas Day.

We hope to be having a baptism in the New Year of Esmerelda. We have been teaching her for 3 months, and have seen the biggest progress in her and her family. This family has been a miracle family for me and I honestly love them sooooo much!

I love this quote, "Christmas is not a day or a season, but it is a condition of heart and of mind".

We can always feel the spirit of Christmas when we are in the service of our brethren.  It's not about the presents, the lights, the songs, or the snow.  It's the service that we can show to others and the love of God that we can help others feel.  And it's something that we should do ALWAYS.

If you want to show grattitud to our Savior for giving us everything, do something for someone today, and not just today, every day.

I know that He Lives!

Love,

Hermana Boice

Christmas dinner withTamales y Atole!

Semana (Week) 63: Conference, Division, Division, Conference :D

President and Hermana Egginton

This has been a full week of divisions and Zone Conferences! All Tuesday was our Multi-Zone Conference in Chapala with Pres. Egginton and Hermana Egginton and we were there from 10am to 7pm.  Sounds like a lot of time, but when you are there and the spirit is present, the time will fly by.  Hermana S. and I taught for about 50 minutes about finding new investigators and referrals from members.  We did some fun activities with marbles (the investigators) to go with it.  Lots of things we learned this day.  Then, we ate a Christmas dinner and we did our own Christmas program.

Thursday, we traveled in the morning to Morelia to go on divisions with our Sister Training Leaders, and I was with Hermana S. again :) There was a Christmas program this night for the Stake, and they put on a cute program for all of the handicap children in the stake. On Friday, we went on divisions with our sisters from Uruapan.  So we traveled again in the morning and worked with them for the day.  Then, the next day they had their own Multi-Zone Conference in Lazaro Cardenas and we were invited to participate also.  The poor sisters would have been the only sisters out of about 40 elders...haha. It was a very interesting day, with a couple unplanned surprises, but all is well now.  

Elder and Hermana Anderson

We are going to be having a baptism this Saturday!!! Virginia is going to be baptized.  She is super excited and feels ready to make this covenant with the Lord.  Her interview is tomorrow, and we hope all with go well. She is going to have a Christmas baptism!!! Speaking of Christmas, we are going to be video calling our family this Sunday, which is the last one that I am going to be having :( 

I liked meditating 1Timothy 4:12 this week, 

ninguno tenga en poco tu juventud, sino sé ejemplo de los creyentes en palabra, en conducta, en amor, en espiritu, en fe y en pureza.

It doesn't matter who we are, where we come from, our past, our mistakes, our age, we all can be an example to everyone. As missionaries, we are proof of this, because we are a bunch of young adults, yet we work in the most important work in the world, missionary work :)  And this scripture applys to everyone.  We can be an example to every person.  Make this Christmas something special and serve others! Think of ways to be able to serve one person every day for the rest of this year.  This is the way that we can help the World Shine Brighter.  

Love, 

Hermana Boice

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año y Felicidad!!!

Zone Conference in Uruapan with our sisters!

I always seem to convince the sisters into letting me cut their hair...haha!

Semana (Week) 62: Doubt your Doubts before you Doubt your FAITH!

Look! I got to see Hermana C!! She is a Sister Training Leader now, too!

Don't know if any of you know it, but today is a very special holiday for the people here.  Its Virgin Guadalupe Day, and they really go alllll out.  We walk by so many alters that are as tall as houses, with the Virgin Idol up top. It's interesting. They really like to party here, so we have to be in our house by 7 tonight because it gets kinda crazy here.

This Wednesday, we had our Leadership Counsel which was super special.  I really felt the spirit a lot lot lot.  At the beginning, President started to talk about the missionaries that leave in 2 more transfers and this might be their last meeting, because he will reassign them to train for the last of their mission.  I got a little teary eyed, because I feel like he was talking about me. Wanted to cry most of the meeting, because it felt really special.  Well, we will find out what will happen with me after New Years.

This Friday, we went on divisions with our sisters.  I have to say this day I was with her was the most special divisions I have had in all my mission or even maybe one of the best days in all my mission. I have been trying to focus on "where is my faith" right now. I thought I had a lot, but I find myself doubting sometimes. Not in God, but that I am worthy to ask for such miracles and that he will give them to me. So, we made a plan for an investigator, Yesenia, that had previously accepted a baptismal date, but later decided that she was not ready. We prepared ourselves and prayed much before hand that she would be able to receive her answer in the very moment that we were in the lesson. We arrived and started to teach. She told us that she wanted to truly know if the church was true. We felt the spirit so much and I asked her what she was willing to do to receive an answer from God. She said that she would do anything. So I told her, ¨Right now, we are going to kneel down and you are going to offer a prayer to ask God if this is true and what you should do.¨  So we knelt down and she began to pray.  She started to cry during the prayer, pleading to know what she needs to do, and what is right. Ending the prayer, I told her to open her book of Mormon and start to read out loud. She opened it and started to read. And right there, was her answer as plain as day, and she started to cry again, but feeling a joy very grand.  I really do testify that God answers our prayers if we only have the faith of a mustard seed.

Love,

Hermana Boice

Camacuaro

Semana (Week) 61: Light the World!

This week we were able to thankfully work.  I've been taking my medicine, so slowing getting better and better.  Evaded tonsilitis, I think. Before lunch, my throat started to swell and it hurt to talk, eat, swallow for the day.  But took some Doterra oil (love that stuff) and thankfully I didn't have anything the next day.  I think all of the sickness just want to attack me now that I'm weak....haha!

On Sunday, we went Christmas Caroling with our youth, which was fun. We went to go sing to less actives and investigators, and it was something beautiful to see the tear-filled eyes of the people that we went to visit.  We hope to see them this Sunday at church.  We saw Esmerelda once again at church this Sundays with her kids and very puntual.  We called them to see if they were going to chruch to find that they have left their house 30 minutes before, so that they would be able to make it on time walking.  I just love this family so much!! Seeing them on Sunday made me a little teary eyed.  Esme has a baptismal date for Christmas Eve and confirmation Christmas Day! It is going to be somehting super special.

Today, we went to Camacuaro, which has this really cool lake about 20 minutes from our area.  We went exploring and took lots of pics.  While we were there, this man stopped me and started to talk to me in English asking me where I was from and all that.  I gave him a card and started to explain everything but in English, which was really hard.  I have never talked with someone about the church in English in my mission before, I sounded like a total roukie...haha.  

I want you to all know that I am so very grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, and that He loves us so very much.  This is the time that we have to be grateful to Him, and show it through our actions.  Watch the video "Light the World" in https://www.mormon.org/spa/christmas and do what it invites us to do, serve a little every day up to Christmas.  This is the happiness that lasts, the service that we give to others.

Love,

Hermana Boice

PS. And if someone has been wanting to email me but hasn't been able to find it, here it is! chrissa.boice@myldsmail.net

Semana (Week) 60: Mom's always right....

Before anything, just trust in your parents when they tell you to wash your fruits and vegetables before eating them.  I had to learn my lesson the hard way.  Since last Saturday, we have been staying home because I got pretty sick.  We had to head to the center of the city to go to the doctor and he sent us to a lab to take some tests (like blood and other stuff).  We returned to him and he sent me to the lab again to take more tests, which took about 3 days.  Then, we returned again to him and finally we came to the conclusion that I have parasites reproducing in my stomach.  Pretty sure it was when we bought some strawberries and just washed them, but didn't disinfect them about a month ago.  Sooooooo, I learned my lesson very well.  You were right, Mom! 

Anyways, other than that, the new initiative came out for Christmas!!! Light the World!! If you haven't seen the video, go right now to see it at mormon.org.  The 1st of december, it has a calendar of what we can do every day to serve others up to tht 25th of December.  If we all join together to do it, for sure we are going to be able to "Light the World". This is the perfect time to learn to forget about ourselves and serve our brothers and sisters, so they can feel the love of Christ through us. It really is the most wonderful time of the year!

In 2 days, I complete 14 months! Wow, not sure if I want to be counting the time anymore because the time is getting less and less....haha.  Well, not much else that is going on.  I started learning Portuguese! Tchau!

Love,

Hermana Boice

Semana (Week) 59: Cambios!!

Zone Meeting in Uruapan

Today is cambios! But thankfully we don't have any cambios, i am still with Hermana S. in Zamora.  I am super happy about that, and happy that I will be able to get to see the baptisms of our investigators here. 

We had lots of Meetings this week! Well, just two.  On Thursday we had our Zone Meeting in Zamora, I think it has been the one of the most spiritual meetings I have had in all of my mission. We talked about Obedience and Discipleship. Hermana S. and I have been preparing this for a while, and thinking about it. We also watch the video of Missionary Work and "The Atonement" by Elder Holland.  If you have not watched it, please do. It will make you reflect a lot. And then we made a trip to Uruapan and participated in their Zone Meeting also.

La Mariachi Missionaries!

Also something that I learned today in my study that I have never thought of before. I was reading in 2 Nefi 28 and how Satan tempts us little by little. Like the scripture says, yea, lie a little, dig a pit for thy neighbor, there is no harm in this. These are the things that the prideful churches preach, but it comes directly from Satan. And I thought about how sometimes the mission can be, disobeying the little rules like waking up, exercise, slang....that it is coming directly from Satan.  These little thoughts of nothing will happen, so that we disobey. And when he has success with these little things, then he tries with something a little bit bigger. It made me reflect a lot that we need to be very careful with our actions, because even though they might seen like small things, we know that by small things great things will come to pass. If we are almost obedient, then we will almost receive the blessings. Remember, to always be obedient. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hermana Boice

Zone Meeting Zamora

Semana (Week) 58: Just got Chilly...BRRRRrrrrrr

Divisions with Hermana R.

Whoo! This week got super cold! The cold came on all at once, one day burning in the sun, the next day it my thickest sweater, gloves, socks, and its been like that ever since.  It's also been raining.  Maybe it will get so cold that it will snow!!!! Who knows...I am getting super excited for Christmas!!!!!

Leaders from my generation.

This week we traveled to the Leadership Counsel in Guadalajara. It was really cool to see how many of the leaders now are from my generation and we were around 27 missionaries.  It's so cool to see the progress in all of them.   

We had an awesome lesson yesterday with Esmerelda!  She told us about all of her feelings and that she is so happy that we are helping her.  Yesterday, we started to teach her and her son how to read and write. I just loved seeing her smile as she was trying to write some letters from the alphabet.  We left that house with a lot of joy.  We have grown to love her so much.  We hope that in 3 weeks she will be baptized.  

My scripture that I have been meditating for this week is 2 Nephi 25:26.....

"y hablamos de Cristo, now regocijamos en Cristo, predicamos de Cristo, profetizamos do Cristo, y escribimos sefun nuestras profecias para que nuestros hijos sepan a que fuente han de acudir para la remision de sus pecados." (And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.)

Just a testimony builder to me that if we want our children to walk in the ways of righteousness, we need to do everything in Christ. Something that we see in the families that we teach, the change that happens when we center our focus in him.  They see the biggest difference in their lives, and its something that we have seen so much in Esmerelda, as she is going to church and teaching her children.  

Love, 

Hermana Boice

Elders from La Floresta Ward.

Leadership Counsel!

Semana (Week) 57: Day of the Dead=Feliz Cumpleaños Ambie!!

Been a craaaaaazy week.  We were only able to work 3 days this week in our area, so sad.  Well, on Wednesday was the Day of the Dead here in Mexico, twas also my sister Amberlee`s birthday, aaand we also had to travel to Morelia to have divisions with the Sister Assistants to the President.....Lots of stuff! 

Then, we returned and had divisions with the sisters of Uruapan in our area.  Was a super good day and we got to see lots of people.  On Saturday, we traveled in the morning to Zacapu to have divisions with other sisters.  At the end of the day, we got back to the house and Hermana S. and I crashed on their beds while they were planning and we ended up falling asleep.  They came in, saw us sprawled on their beds, me huddled up hugging a Pikachu pillow and they didn't want to wake us up.  Then, we traveled back Sunday morning and took a taxi to the church at 9 am.  We ended up leaving the church at 7:30 pm, because we had meetings, attended a baptism, ate after, and then we had to meet together to plan an activity..............

Also, super proud of my little sister for her baptism on Saturday! Love you sis! 

We have found some golden investigators.  Esmerelda is a single mom of 3 kids, and her life is super hard.  She sells candy outside of her house to stay afloat.  Her oldest son is 15 years old and has a couple mental problems. She is so desperate that she literally does everything that we tell her that helps, prays, goes to church.  Last Sunday, she didn't have money to take a bus to the church with her 2 kids, so they walked all the way there and 3 hours later they walked back.  Yesterday they were running late and she took a taxi so that they wouldn't be late to church.  It makes me want to cry to she that she is doing everything, so that she can change herself and help her family.

Have a great week everyone, Les Amo Mucho!

Hermana Boice

Found a baby lizard!

Its frozen yogurt, its healthy...

Semana (Week) 56: Happy Halloween/Chasing down the Ice-cream Man...

Happy Halloween!!!! And Happy (almost) Day of the Dead! But let us all remember amidst all of this talk of death, ghosts, that we all have the hope of the resurrection, and that we can focus in this joyful part.  And not a resurrection like Zombies, thankfully with a perfect body.  How wonderful is the Lord to have given us this great gift :)

Well, this week we had divisions with our sisters in Zamora Centro.  I was with Hermana O. from Honduras. We went to their area and were walking around searching for a house, when Hermana O. started to take off running because she saw an ice-cream man with that annoying music down the road.  So we started chasing after the ice-cream man, but he made a turn in a street and we lost him, so we calculated another route that we could cut him off.  Later, I found out it was not because she had a craving for ice-cream, but it was actually a less active that she wanted to talk to.

Sad story from yesterday.  We went to work in an area that is a bit far from our house and we headed there on a bus, got off, and went to a lesson (that was veeeery interesting.....) and in the lesson I realized that I didnt have my nametag.  Pretty sure I lost it in the bus, so I had to work the whole day without my nametag, and it was sooooo weird.  Pretty sure it does have some kind of power, because I felt off the whole day.  Thankfully, I have another.

This week I was studing Galatas 6:2:

Sobrellevad los unos las cargas de los otros y cumplid asì la ley de Cristo

I was meditating what could be the law of Christ? Christ gave us the example of service.  To give everything we have without expecting anything in return. Like Christ, he takes on all of our burdens, so that we can feel happy and light from our burdens. And as he does that for us, he also desires that we can do the same for our brethren. When we comfort someone that is in need, to the Lord, it's as if we comforted him when he was in need. 

Sorry, I don't have pics this week, totally forgot my camera haha, next week!

Love you all!

Hermana Boice

Semana (Week) 55: Clean house, Happy house, Happy Hermana Boice!

The New Zone of Zamora!

This week we had divisions with the Sisters in Zacapu, which are a threesome.  They stayed the night on Monday to be able to be in the District Meeting on Tuesday morning (because they live 2 hours away).  Then after the meeting, we had our divisions with them.   One sister had to go to a medical appointment on Thursday, so we did divisions on Wednesday and then also on Thursday.  And THEN, we had interviews with Pres. Egginton, so they stayed the night on Thursday, so they could have there interviews in the morning.  Let me just say that it was veeeery interesting having 5 sisters in our tiny apartment for 4 days.........  We cleaned last Monday our apartment and it was sooo beautiful and clean. But it didn't even last for a day that way. Today we did a maaaajor clean and we feel super tired now, but really satisfied.  We will see how long it stays clean this time.

Not a whole lot new other than that crazy week.  Interviews were really good.  Our mission president is literally the best there can be.  I can't imagine anyone better.  He gave me permission to start learning another language! I am going to start learning Portuguese!

Been having a couple health issues for the past 6 months and just went to the doctor today.  She told me that I have Colon Syndrome or something like that.  I am not going to be able to get rid of it.... or so the doctor told me. I just need to start eating healthier.  It's not the easiest thing to do on a mission, but I am going to start on that.  Pretty much I can't eat anything that they give us to eat here haha. Just a quick scripture-thought, from Proverbs 16:20.  

20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso 

trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

Trust in Him that everything that happens is for our good, and part of his plan to help us become like him. 

Love you all!

Hermana Boice

It's not what it looks like! I didn't kill someone I promise, I convinced my comp to dye her hair.

Semana (Week) 54: The Book of Hermana Boice

                                                                   CHAPTER 54

The missionaries are exhorted to walk uprightly and preach.  Salvation comes through Christ.  

God comforts and cares for his saints.  The saints are given assurance by the spirit in their hearts.

And it came to pass that I, Hermana Boice, having been born of goodly parents, and having received instruction from the Church, which is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which is the true church, and having been called of God to serve as his servant in a mission, I write, therefore, the history of my time as a servant of the Lord.

  2 Yea, and I write in the language of my fathers and the language of my people.  Which is composed of English. But in some times, Spanglish.

  3 And behold, I write in few words for the lack I have of time.  

  4 And it came to pass that 2 years have passed away from the reign of Presidente Egginton in the Mexico Guadalajara East Mission.  And the people have hardened their hearts and have rejected the words of the missionaries.  But behold, The people of the church have strengthened their faith and their desire to bring these people to the truth.

  5 And it came to pass that my companion Hermana Cantarero, ended her time as a servant called of God, and returned to the land of Belize. And behold, having need for a companion, the Lord called Hermana Sagahon to be mine companion.  

  6 And behold, seven days have passed from this day.  And therefore, having need for new investigators to preach the gospel, we have been guided by the spirit to find those that have been chosen by the Lord to receive this glad message.  

  7 Wherefore it came to pass that as we listened to the guidance of the Spirit, we were lead to the people that have accepted to hear of this message.

  8 And it came to pass that one women, being named Esmerelda, listened to our message, and behold, she felt a feeling of hope in her heart.  For behold, she hath felt despair for many years because of her three children, who have not followed the ways of the Lord.

  9 And it came to pass that she assisted the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and felt the Spirit of the Lord, and desired to have a mighty change of heart.

  10 And it came to pass that the third day of the week, we visited family of Mendoza.  Yea, we did talk and preach and did make ourselves merry.  And behold they did give us to eat and to drink until we were filled.  

  11 And it came to pass that after we were filled in the belly, they did giveth us a treat of strange form.  The name of this treat is Chungos, yea, what is known in Zamora. And we tasted of this treat, and behold it was sweet to the taste. 

  12 Wherefore, we did ask of how one maketh such a thing.  

  13 And it came to pass that they did begin to explain to us how one maketh such a thing. One putteth milk out until it stinketh, yea, until it beginneth to make clumps.  And behold, one mixeth the clumps with sugar and other things, until it maketh sweet to the taste.

  14 And behold, I write not all of the things that have come to pass, for behold, they are many.

  15 Behold, I delighteth in the words of the prophets, and in the scriptures.  And delighteth in the words of the prophet John when he sayeth: Hijitos mios, no amemos de palabra ni de lengua, sino de hecho y en verdad.(1 John 3:18)

  16 Yea, may that we always love with our actions, and not by our tongue. And these things I leave with you, Amen.

Leadership meeting

A new really weird fruit called Higo...doesn't taste bad.

Beautiful Zamora!

Semana (Week) 53: Cambios (Transfers) !!! And first time working in a threesome!

New companion

Well, this week I haven't worked at all in my area, and hardy the last week, because we were in Guadalajara a lot. Very very sadly, my comp finished her mission :( Our last day together was on Wednesday, and then I had to travel back to Zamora and she needed to stay until Monday.  Truly awful saying goodbye.  I traveled back to Zamora with my Zone Leaders, which was a bit weird at first.  First time in a year, I have been alone and with 2 men...but it was all good.  Then, I went to stay with our sisters in Nueva Luneta and we were a threesome until today when I received my new comp Hermana S.  She is super awesome and cute, and we are going to have a really great transfer together.  She is from my generation, we came in the mission at the same time. 

Missionaries that I am going to miss a lot!
Now they have returned home. 

It was certainly interesting being in a threesome, a bit hard, but we did it!  And I was able to survive with the money that I had during this time, since I didn't have anything else because we used everything on travel.  Finally, got home today with only 2 pesos left.  There is something that lots of people here like to eat called Chicharrón (literally, the fatty skin of a pig).  If its cooked right, it doesn't actually taste too bad.  We ate that with a member this week.  

We had a really awesome experience when I was in divisions with Hermana M.  We didn't have any more plans left, so we decided to tract a bit.  I remembered the talk of Elder Uchtdorf during the Women's Conference about the missionaries that knocked on every single door of a building.  Literally, the last one ended up accepting them and they were baptized.  So, we sat down and said a pray, to help us to know what street that we should knock on doors.  After, I felt the impression to knock on the doors in the street behind us.  We started at the end and no one accepted us inside. We got to the 2nd to last door, and opened up to a girl.  She recognized us, told us that she has gone to our church, and has a friend that is member.  And she lives in my area!  She was just visiting a friend.  So we taught her and are going to visit her some time this coming week.  Then, we knocked on the last door and the man also recognized us. About 10 years ago, he listened to the missionaries.  So, we also were able to teach him.  It makes me marvel every time when we have the amazing opportunity to have the influence of the Spirit.

Super ready to start this transfer and work super hard! Thank you all for your prayers, they really do help! :)

Love,

Hermana Boice

Our Leadership Counsel....we have our goofy side too.

Biggest zucchini I have ever seen!

Semana (Week) 52: 1 YEAR!!!

I still can't comprehend it yet, but I HAVE ONE YEAR IN THE MISSION! I really have no idea what happened, I think there had to be some type of time warp involved or something.  But now I only have 4 more transfers left.  Next Monday is transfers, so we will see what will be happening.  For sure I am going to have a different companion because Hermana C. is going to finish her mission next Monday.  It's hard for me to imagine that the day will eventually come, haha.  Better that I don't think of that....

Well, this week was a tiny bit CRAZY.  Really we were not able to work well this week.  We had to leave on Wednesday to head to Guadalajara so that I could go renew my visa on Thursday.  Got to see my sisters that came with me in the mission, and then we had to head with the Sister AP`s (Assistants to the President) because we had divisions with them in Morelia. I was so happy to return to my Aeropuerto Stake! On Friday, I was with Hermana S. which was special, because we both completed a year that day, and our comps threw us a little party.  One tradition here is that you need to take a huge bite out of the cake if its your birthday.  So we had to take a bite of our cake.  I went first, and Hermana S. didn't want to.  So I bent down and started smelling the cake, saying that it smelled weird.  Poor Hermana S. fell for it and bent down to smell it and I smashed her face into the cake.  It was soooooo funny.  We wanted to take a bus to return to our area before the Saturday sessions, but we found out that they were not sending any buses to Zamora until Sunday...something about safety.  So we stayed there for Saturday and returned on Sunday to our area to watch Conference.  

One of my favorite talks was given by Russell M. Nelson when he talked about joy.  That our afflictions and trials actually help us to feel real joy.  I love that joy does not depend of our difficult situations, but our own perspective of things. We choose to feel joy.  It was really interesting, because after the Women's Conference, I told my comp, "Why don't they ever put missionaries in the choir to sing during conference? It would be so awesome!" And then it happened during conference! It was a prophecy.  When they started to sing "I'll go Where you Want me to Go", my comp and I were crying so much, because she is ending her mission next week.  In this moment, I never wanted to end my mission.  It was all a beautiful experience.

Let you all know what happens next week! Love you!

Hermana Boice

I tried talking to the horse in giving us a ride because we don't have cars or bikes, but he wasn't up for it.

Our Zone Activity Today.