cristmas and tomales

Christmas in Guatemala is done a little bit differently. Apparently nothing really happens christmas day, rather, people will party it up on the 24th in the night. Also, christmas is celebrated with tamales. I don't think I have seen anything baked, given to neighbors, christmas presents, or full-sized decorated trees in peoples' houses. 

Our sweet land lady gave us tomales...they were yummy. 

We had a ward christmas party thing where they had a dinner and a little bit of talents which was singing, singing, and ....a couple of white girls playing a duet on recorders. haha. Hermana Edwards was convinced of how fun it is to play a recorder, so she bought herself one and I have been helping her to learn how to play her very first wind instrument. cute. 

We went to an orphanage this morning and the mission had these presents in a big zip lock bag for each child there. They had stuffed animals, toy cars, lip gloss, mirrors, toothbrushes, candies, suckers, notebooks, nail polish etc. there were about 20 kids, and they just loved us. (only 6 people of my district went to this) it actually felt like christmas. These kids were sweet and appreciative and were not shy to hang all over us and give us hugs. It was a special experience. I am very grateful for the familys, wards and individuals who donated items for this gift to these children. 

We had a christmas zone activity/conference this week. our district went with another zone to a retirement place and talked to/at/with/only listened to some old people. sand them some hymns. It was fun. It was good to make some people happy. ...including us missionaries. It was also neat to see how there are so many sisters. In this group, there was probably a little less than half of us were sisters. 

pictures are of my district, my tomale (apparently I will be receiving more) and....recorders. 

playing a recorder duet in front of an audience in guatemala......check. 

Primary Program...Guatemala style

The primary program was so cute! They all had their parts and scriptures memorized, sang quite well, and even had coordinating red ties for the boys. It was so cute to see all of them up there in a row and to see them get so excited to give their parts. My little friend, Devora, rocked it out of the park. She was the last one to speak. she is 11 years old and gave like a 5 minute talk/speech. from memory (but I don't think it was scripted, just like, from her brain) of the restauracion (resteration, I don't know how to spell in english) with dates, back story, joseph smith, quoting scripture, quoting the first vision. pretty much lesson one from preach my gospel. The spirit was strong, she spoke with grace and eloquence. Hermana Edwards and I were about to hand over our mission tags at that point. That girl was fantastic! Maybe they used a cd for the music, maybe that one tiny boy has a voice of a man, maybe they have only been to primary twice in the past year, but they sure did blow that out of the water. Good job Puerto Barrios. 

This week has been an exciting week. 

We have worked really hard and had dats like never before, 12 lessons with a member present, 16 other lessons to investigators, 16 new investigators, 11 lessons to menos activos or recent converts. I invited people to baptism, 6 people said yes, 4 of them with a date. We were pretty excited. Finishing days with a new baptismal date is always fun, ....until it comes to sunday when only one investigator comes to church. yep. well, agency it is. We'll see what we can do to get these people to the chapel. 

also, Hermana Bender (from the CCM) is in my district now! It was so great to see her. She was with us for a part of a day and I got to go out and do divisions with her. So one of my mission dreams came true: to be companions with Hermana Bender. It was great. We taught this one family and I have never felt the spirit so strongly in one of my lessons. Good questions were asked and over all I just loved it. 

Being senor comp is still stressful, and it is still blazing hot especially in the late morning, /afternoons. Still doesn't feel like christmas, but that's OK. 

I am so appreciate for all of the support and prayers. When we were putting all of these baptismal dates I was asking my companion, "who do you think is praying for us?....they must be doing something right" 

We finally got our conference magazines! I read like 5 talks this morning. It was so good.

Well, here comes this time again when I have to leave and go back to the other world of Guatemala. Thank you all. and merry Christmas!

Tis the season for Peace

This week has been long. 

first week as senior comp

first week training

first week without Hermana Ramirez

first baptism without hna Ceballos

first wedding I organized

first week of December....christmas is coming, but it doesn't feel like it. 

Things are getting better. There is quite a bit of stress that comes with the things listed above, but there is also relief. 

Hna Edwards speaks english

I have a good district leader

I learn a bunch about training

Hna Ynjo is so sweet and positive

I saw the christmas devotional...in English. How beautiful that was!

I really like what was said about Peace. The prince of peace, and receiving His peace. 

There has been a lot of stress this week, weddings, papers, teaching all of the lessons in four days. more papers. Finding members to come out with us, a baptism to plan. But it is okay. Not everything worked out exactly as hoped. And the more I learn about dats, the worse they tend to get. 

But there will be peace. 

I really liked what was said in the closing prayer of the devotional. I want to share this gospel like the good news it is. I want to share it with love, and with more than just my love, but the love of Christ. I strive to have the spirit with me so that it can carry this message I have as a representative of Jesus Christ to the hearts and souls of all who accept to hear. 

I don't have a miraculous story to share of how I was wooshed with peace, but I do have the tender mercies in my life that help me gain a new and stronger desire to be better. I get this peace in all different ways. letters from friends, letters from hna edwards' dad to her, vynl quotes on tuc tucs (pretty much golf carts) prayers, songs, devotional, comments, quotes etc. 

I hope to apply this peace more and more into my life. I would love to feel an overwhelming peace come into my heart. 

is there really such a thing as just a normal week in Guatemala?

nothing super crazy happened this week. I had to spend a lot of time at members houses just resting and reading. They don't want me to over do it as I recover from pnemonia. Hermana Watts has me on a new diet of low sugar, lots of water, a bit extra sleep, and carefulness. I am feeling much better with the pnemonia stuff, just a bit of heaviness in my chest and a cough on occasion. I take some antibiotics and ibuprofen and just take things a bit easier, but sometimes it's hard to slow down my lead comp, she's a doer, but I love it!

We had a zone conference with presidente watts and hermana Watts. It was sooooo good! It was really neat to learn about how to use the baptismal question more effectively and how to explain and introduce it. It's pretty nice to have this training, I feel like we will be doing some good work and seeing some good improvement in our selves too. 

I have times of difficulty for me, as a missionary. I am learning more about emotional strength, and how to cope with times of sadness or struggle. Somehow, there are always those notes, letters, people, books, quotes, video clips, conferences, talks, etc. that seem to come at just the right moment. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for this support. I am grateful for the answered prayers and support. 

well, I wrote my mom a lot, so I don't have any more time here. ...a big thanks goes to elise bowen for writing me a dear elder! apparently it's free. yall should look into that. 

"Hermana Hutchins, spreading the gospel....and germs." -Hermana Ramirez

I Know my blood type now! 

O negative (sad I know) 

Well this weeks letter isn't gonna be as long because I spent quite a few days not doing too much this week. I can officially say that I have stayed in a Guatemalan hospital over night (two nights actually). 

The story goes down like this:

Wednesday morning, I wake up, jump rope, study, we go out to teach lessons. Almost all of the lessons fell through, which means that there is a lot of walking, not a lot of sitting, and a lot of time in the hot sun. My legs were really tired and I just assumed it was because I had exercised that morning, but I was still unsure as to why they were so tired. The chances I did get to sit I took them (there are usually not enough chairs for everyone to sit, and we don't have a bunch of inside lessons in the middle of the day because it is so hot inside).Later my head hurt, my body hurt, my ear hurt, I got a fever and by the end of the night I whispered to my comp to catch me if I pass out. 

I didn't pass out, but on the way home we stopped for flour tortilla. I figured if I was dying the last food I would want to eat is a flour tortilla.

I fell straight asleep once we got home around 8pm. The next day stayed at hermana Cucul's house as my other two comps went out and worked. I just slept and read "our search for happiness" all day. I had a bad nose run, and I was coughing a lot. Rough day, but kinda nice to get some time to read. 

The next day we went to planning in the morning, I felt pretty bad, and was not sure if I would be able to go out and work that afternoon. I ended up calling the nurse because I was concerned about my one eye that was all red and sick looking, as well as my piling up of health problems. The nurse had us go to the doctors to do some other stuff that my companions and I needed to do, but they warned us that they might try to keep me there over night, so to prepare for that.

well, it happened. It turns out I had Pneumonia. They gave me an IV and everything. I think I got a total of 7 shots in the behind....ouch. and a bunch of medicine. 

It is weird to be treated as a patient in a different language. People were surprised when I could speak and understand spanish. However, my medical vocab in spanish is not as large as my gospel vocab.

One of the doctors thought I was from Germany. 

Our land lady came by the hospital and brought us some food (she is so sweet) apparently she thought I was from Italy. 

So I was in a Guatemalan Hospital for a total of 48 hours. I think I had about 6 or 7 nurses/ doctors work on me during this time, none of whom used gloves....yeah, it's Guatie. 

I'm still kickin, but I am pretty weak. My companions are in the capitol right now doing Hermana Ynjo's visa work, and I'm chillin with the other sisters in the Puerto Barrios area. I feel better, but once I do stuff, I get tired fast. I hope I get better quick so I can get back to work. I don't really know what's gonna happen tomorrow. I'll just take it easy today, and go from there. 

Prayers are always appreciated. I'll be fine though, so don't get too worried or anything. 

a family tree...or more like a family grove

Reading true to the faith is sooooo good. It explains things well, simply, and bluntly. I recommend it to anyone and everyone. 

My recorder playing skills are growing where now I can play pretty much any song (mas or menos) on request (as long as I am familiar with it) including.....lady gaga, backstreet boys, hymns, ada,  little ...and the list goes on. 

Last week we celebrated my companion, Hermana Ramirez's birthday. We (hermana Ynjo and I) had bought her some presents and I made her a gluten-free, oven-free, birthday cake. It turned out really well and consisted of stacked pancake like things with sweet and condensed milk and frosting. It was a big hit. 

My gluten-free oven-free cooking is actually pretty good if you asked me. I made a pretty mean peach cobler today. I am glad that I can help my companion eat something that she can enjoy and know that there is not any gluten in it. I really like cooking and know about food. I think food science is a cool major to have that knowledge. 

Answered prayers through others. President Monson repeats his feelings of that the sweetest thing that he can feel is knowing that God has answered somebody's prayer through you. It is so special to get to be the instrument for somebody else's blessing. I have been on the receiving end of this grace, and I am very grateful for that. 

We had a meeting with one of our recent converts, Carlos. He is so adorable. He just turned 19 and is considering a mission! He shared with us some sad news that his brother in law was killed the other day (we heard about this and prayed for the family of whoever got killed, not know it was carlos' family) Carlos said that he was able to explain to his sister and family about the spirit world, and how he is able to learn about the gospel now, and that we will see our families again. He explained how Heavenly Father has a plan for all of us. Him sharing this experience was so touching. We had planned to teach him a lesson about family history and baptisms for the dead, which turned out to be perfect! He was so excited to hear that he can do these saving ordinances for his deceased family. He said how he has hundreds of pepole he could do. Apparently he has quite the family tree. His enthusiasm for missionary and temple work inspires me. I am greatful for his example. This guy is bien chilero (way awesome). 

Changes were declared sunday night that hna. Ramirez would be going to the capitol and I would end up finishing the second half of hna. Ynjo's training. It was really sad to hear that hna. ramirez had changes, but it wasn't too shocking since she has been here for 5 months or so. However, this morning we got a call from the APs saying that there were changes in the changes and that hna. Ramirez will be staying here for this transferr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yay!!!!!!!!!! We are super good friends and our companionship as a whole is really good. I was very happy to receive this news. 

I am learning more and more of who I want to be as a missionary. I am excited for my little sister to join me in the field almost exactly 6 months after I entered. We will literally be sister sisters. 

Thank you for all of the prayers and support! 

Love, Hermana Hutchins

The weird looks you get for being white

I think the weirdest look I have ever received I received today. In a bathroom, from this guatemalen boy while I was playing a recorder (those flute things) and talking in english as well. I have never seen someone's face so confused. But what I have to say to that is....Why was a boy in the GIRLS bathroom?

Halloween was like nothing here. but they do do this dia de santos for the 1 and 2 of november where ´people go to the cementary and decorate the graves and repaint them if they need it and eat lunch or something there. We bought some pretty good dulce de leche that they were selling out side of the cementary. 

Our extent of halloween celebrations was that there was this rag up to dry on our line that has holes in it that looked like a gost face and there are some pretty big spiders and wicked webs in our celing rafters. We're legit here. 

I saw Ashley Whitten and Avery Skinner on the devocional on sunday...It was cool to think that there they were right then... a little sense of connection. It was good to see my friends, but at the same time, it was a little heart tugging. I really did like that devocional though, we listened to it in spanish, but I could really understand almost all of it. It is hard to keep the focus for so long though, but it is always great to hear from a church authority, it was so inspiring and filled with the spirit. 

I am overall happier this week than I was last week. I am figuring one of the biggest lessons I hope to learn on my mission is how to be happy continually. I know sad things will happen, and I won't  always be happy, but I want to always have a good attitude filled with hope and enthusiasm. 

Oh, I had this touching experience this week with one of the members we go out with for divisions. We were crossing this muddy muddy area and my foot pretty much got plastered with mud, and I was slipping around in my shoes and it was a bit dangerous as we crossed this sketchy bridge. Well, what happened is she got some water had me rinse my feet and she dried my shoes (crocs...the best) with her towel and had me dry my feet. I felt so served and really humble. Someone washed my feet. ...it was touching. 

I am enjoying studying and learning. I have learned so much from my companions and I hope to be able to share more time with them by making it through the next transferr together. let's hope! We are really good friends and have a lot of love for eachother. 

I would like to say to all of the members reading this.....please volunteer to go out with the missionaries. They need your help. The investigators need friends and support. Just reach out to someone...and great shall be their joy [for those that bring souls unto christ].