Semana (Final Week) 75: A Part of Me Will Always Stay Here in Mexico......That's My Appendix

Still smiling even when scared or in pain!  What SUNSHINE!

Would have never imagined this is how I am going to end my last weeks here in the mission....

First Friday-Monday-- Starting to feel a bit of pain in my lower right abdomen.

Tuesday--Well, hey! lets go to the doctor to just see whats going on there! Doctor said to go to other place to get a ultrasound.  

Wednesday--Ate at 8:00am then we went to get the ultrasound.  At 3, we went to the hospital again to the Doc. Doc says, "Looks like it might be your appendix, We are going to hospitalize you!" So I'm hospitalized, needles being poked, a CAT scan, dying of hunger, because we didn't eat since the morning.  The Surgeon comes and says, "We are going to Operate in 30 min!" And I said, " okay"....30 minutes later, they rolled me to the surgery room, injected me, and I remember the last thing I asked was, "Did you inject chili in my arm? That hurts!"  Then I woke up at 11:30 as they finished everything, rolled me to my room, and from 12am-8am I was awake EVERY SINGLE SECOND with pain, and not being able to move myself at all.

Visit with President Egginton and Bro Anderson.

Thursday--President Egginton came to visit me in the hospital to see how I was, he took a couple pics. The Doc came to tell me that they were going to feed me at 4:00. I was sooo excited by 4:00, and all I ate was a small jello and a cup of herbal tea in 32 hours.  All day we just sat in the room, and my comp talked about her life story.

Friday-- Waiting, waiting, and waiting until 3:00 that we were able to leave.

And since then we've been in the house, me laying in my bed, sitting in my bed, then walking Veeeeerrryyyyy sllllloooooowwwwlllly to my desk, eating, then repeating the process like 3 times every day. The Doctor told me that I had to have at least one full week of rest, without doing anything.  Very interesting that they day that I complete one week is the day that I need to travel with all my luggage to Guadalajara.  

It's a bit disappointing, because I am not able to leave the house, or work at all. And that is how my mission ends! Not ideal, but I know that the Lord truly prepared everything so that this day I would need surgery, but everything has worked out around it. When we didn't have money to pay, magically we found what we needed, and I know that the Lord's hand has been in everything.  Maybe not how I wanted to end my last two weeks as a missionary, but I am glad that I was able to work hard before, so that I wouldn't have any regrets now that I am not able to do anything.

I can't explain how I feel.  The time just hasn't been enough, but I am So Very Grateful for this time that I have had to serve as a missionary.  I can never say that serving this mission was a sacrifice for me, because I have received so much from my Heavenly Father. I Know that this is the only true Church in all the face of the earth.  I have received testimony after testimony of it, and the Spirit has been at my side every moment for 18 months. I Love this Gospel, and I Know that only the True Gospel of Jesus Christ gives us True Joy.  I am a Witness that Heavenly Father Lives, and Jesus Christ Lives, and that they Walk with us, and Their Hands our in every aspect of our lives. I share these things, with all of your, In the Sacred Name of our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Hermana Boice

Semana (Week) 74: Pianist and Chopped Fingers...

This week was very eventful! About a week ago, we received a talk given about how people from ages 15-25 are the ones that are more likely to accept the gospel.  We decided to see if it was true or not, and talked with about 13 young people and EVERY SINGLE ONE gave us their directions to go visit them, IT WORKS!! 

We also had divisions on Tuesday and then on Friday.  There was the anniversary of the Relief Society on Saturday, and I was the pianist for the choir on Sunday. That was a lot of stress for me, because I have never been good to play in public.  The Lord also has helped me a lot on that, because I had to be the pianist ever Sunday for about 7 months of my mission.  So I've had to get over my fear.  

Refuge from the rain in the church.

Since Thursday its been raining tacos, haha.  Its been raining a bunch, thankfully we've only gotten caught one time in it.

Yesterday (Sunday) was probably the most eventful.  A sister in the ward had gotten her hand slammed in a car about 2 days ago (and cut about 1cm of her finger), and after the services (in the bathroom), my comp attended to her to clean it (shes a certified nurse thank goodness).  And I learned that I don't faint at the sight of a lot of blood! yay! The sister had covered it in cotton, and after two days, the cotton got stuck in her finger and dried up with the blood.  Yup, it was a very bloody task. Blood started gushing out as she was ripping away the cotton.  But anyway, I took it very well. The only reason I'm not a nurse is that I can't stand the smell. 

Last night we had a very, very good lesson with Lizethe, and she said that she has so many desires to get baptized and go to church!  After the lesson, she gave us hot chocolate (suuuuper hot) but we had to gulp it down super fast because we had 10 minutes to get to our house.  We went running from there to the house and made it in 15 minutes.  I'm in better shape than I thought, although my comp almost threw up her hot chocolate.

Other side note, about 3 weeks ago the Brother that is in charge of all the missionaries health in Mexico came to teach us some things, and he is the dad of Napolian dynamite! Well, the actor haha. That was interesting.

Can't really believe it, but this is my second to last email that I am going to be sending as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and what a privilege it is to hold that name still, for as long as I can.  I love this gospel so much, and I know without a doubt that it is true and pure.

Love,Hermana Boice

The first time I have drank a root beer in 18 months!

Our mission funeral for me and Elder Toledo

Our Zone activity today!

Picnic in the house!

Semana (Week) 73: 17 months in the Mission!/ I am addicted to eating!

Me and my companion Hermana M.

This week, I think, was a week of trying our faith. Pretty much all of our numbers were zero, even when we really felt we were giving it all we had. We walked and walked and waaaaaaalked like the pioneers all day long. But even though we might not have had a very successful week in numbers, we had a successful week in trying. But we do have a good number of future investigators that we are going to be visiting this week.

I think this is the week that I have gotten lost the most than any other week haha, my poor comp.  But we always arrive where we need to go :)  We actually had a wonderful blessing happen to us on such an occasion that we got a bit lost.  We had divisions with our Sister Training Leaders and we ended them with 14 pesos to my name and 2 pesos to my comp, which is exactly the amount to take a bus for the two of us.  So we took a bus to go to the bank to take out some money, without really knowing where it was going to go, or when we needed to get off.  After a while, we started to recognize where we were, but about 5 minutes after, we had no idea at all, and we kept going farther and farther, until we asked the driver if he was going to pass by the Center.  I said a little prayer that the Lord would help us get to where we needed to go. He said, We already passed it! You are going to have to pay again to head back! 

......And we had ZERO money left.  But before we said anything else, he said, But its okay! I'll take you without charging.  Honestly, sometimes I wonder how is it that He loves us so much and blesses us always!  So he took us back to where we needed to go to take out money, and we gave him a card with our number on it.  After we took without money, we headed back to our house and received a call from a man that was interested in what we believe, and said that his friend that drives a bus gave our card to him. I just love the Lord so much.

Sometimes I try to count my many blessings, but I just cant, because there are so many!

Love,
Hermana Boice

My face is ugly, but vasolotes are so beautiful! Corn+Mayonesa+cheese

Crepes from the Crepe Man!!!!!

Semana (Week) 72: Cambios...Otra Vez!

I really enjoyed getting to know my new companion this week Hermana D.  She's got about the biggest heart that I know.  We had some really spiritual lessons together and we were really able to enjoy this week.  

Sadly, it didn't last.  Yesterday, President Egginton called us to tell us that we are having special transfers, and that Hermana D. needed to go to Guadalajara to be comps with a sister that is struggling a lot. Her comp, Hermana R. is going to be comps with Hermana U., a sister in this zone, and my new comp is Hermana M. (haha, another Hermana M.) that was comps with Hermana U. Ya, it kinda seems like a big puzzle...haha.  This morning we both headed to Guadalajara (4 hours),  I dropped Hermana D. off and picked up Hermana R., and again we headed back to Morelia (4 hours).  Was a fun morning...haha, but here we are and tomorrow in our Zone Meeting we are going to do the switch and I will be with my new comp! 

I have made the decision to focus on one attribute of a consecrated missionary every week, this week I was focusing on the part of strict obedience:

D&C 130:21

"y cuando recibimos una bendicion de Dios, es porque se obedece aquella ley sobre la cual se basa"

I have learned that in every act of obedience that we do, there is always a blessing although sometimes its difficult to see.  And sometimes, he gives us these blessings later, but we should always trust that every act we do, to do what is right, will have its reward :)

Les amo a todos!

Hermana Boice

Semana (Week) 71: Cambios!!

Hola!!!! 

Soooo, today was transfers!! I am staying here in Estadio 6 more weeks and then I am ending my mission. AHH! My new companion is Hna Diaz, shes a sweatheart!  I am going to be training her to be a sister training leader :)

Baptism of Salvador!!

Salvador got baptized this week!!! AHHHH!!! It was probably the most beautiful baptism that I have ever had.  We started out with not a whole lot of people present, maybe 8 people, and at the very end, he turned around in his seat to see about 30 people that came to see him get baptized, including his family to support him!! He told us that he felt so at peace and so happy this day.

This last week, Hermana M. and I had a goal that we would talk with 100 people in streets, in buses, everywhere. We made a promise to each other to do it, and we were really happy to see that we were able to do it, and everything else we needed to do. Something that I have really been able to learn in the misión, is that if you really desire to reach a goal, you will reach it. Many times maybe we will try hard, but we don't always achieve the goals because we don't really have 100% faith that we are going to be able to reach it. But with faith and confidence in also ourselves, we can start to see the potential that we have.

Love you all so much!!!

Hermana Boice

My new addiction!! Salchitaquesos!

Semana (Week) 70: Baby Jesus Dolls........

Hola!!!

This week has been a bit busy (I feel like I say that every week), but we have been able visit very consistently with our investigator Salvador who is going to be baptized this week on Friday. We have really tried focusing on repentance with him, and I can see that he really has had a conversion to the gospel.  He is so excited and can't wait to be baptized. Yesterday, we taught him about Family History and we started on his tree.  He was like a little kid in a candy store. It been an amazing and beautiful experience to see his progress and his testimony grow.

We were teaching a lesson and she feel asleep on me.  ;)

On Wednesday, we had a Capacitacion with Elder Valensuela (70 de area).  It was really good and I always learn lots of things. After, all of our zone went to the house of a awesome sister of the ward and we all ate.  Haha, something really interesting that happened on Thursday. We were going to appointments in the afternoon, and all at once, we started to see everyone we were passing carrying baby Gods, as they call them here.  But they are Jesus dolls, like a regular sized doll. And people of all ages were carrying, kids, adults, and old people, with their dolls in there arms with expensive looking dresses and clothes.....It's really easy to pick out those who are Catholic. Honestly, I thought this nigh was going to turn into one of these Doll Horror Movies...

Friday, we traveled to Guadalajara and Saturday we had our Leadership Counsel, but with Elder Valensuela.  We are going to be going to Guadalajara next Wednesday again for another one.......and its going to be my last one in the mission.  

This week is the last week of this transfer, so next week we will know where and with who I am going to be ending the rest of my mission! Ahhhh! Where is the time going??

Love,

Hermana Boice

The Baby Jesus`s

My face when I wake up in the mornin`

Semana (Week) 69: Semana Loca! 16 Meses! (Crazy week 16 months!)

So we started out this week with Divisions on Tuesday with our sisters of Acueducto.  I got to go to their area and oh boy! I got a good workout there with all of their hills.  Next day, we went to the Stake, because it was our Worldwide Capasitation from the 12 apostles about missionary work.  Some interesting changes in our schedule for the day.  Then, we went straight to do divisions with the Sister Assistants.  I was with Hermana U. and we were in the MTC together.  We got to talk a lot about the mission, and our progress and everything :)

On Friday, we had our Interviews with President in the Stake.  My next interview with him will be my last.  Neither of us liked the sound of that. In the evening, we had to go back to the Stake for the choir for Stake Conference on Saturday and Sunday.  That all went very well.  Elder Belus (70), was invited to our conference, and it was very very special.  He brought the spirit so strong with all of his experiences of sharing the gospel.  On Sunday at 9, was a little meeting for all of the Ex Missionaries.  We thought ¨Hey, in like 2 months ill be one, lets go!¨  So we went and they talked about what are the most important things we need to do when we end the mission. One thing that stayed in my mind, was when they said, if we look back in the past, we are not worthy of God (scripture somewhere in the Bible).  So when we end the mission, we don't need to always think back on it and miss it, we need to continue moving forward. And that can be with any thing that we think ¨If only I could have done this¨ ¨what would have happened if I...¨  We can't stay in the past, we have to look to the future, because the past doesn't bring us happiness, but the future does.  :)

Love,

Hermana Boice

Zone Activity!!!

All the hills we walked.