Week 27

Cambios (Splits) with Hermana Josie

Hola mis corazones, (people call people here Corazon a lot, its very cute) 

Mom, I like when you speak spanish in your e-mails!!!

I had a spiritual experience this week during intercambios (splits) with Hermana Josie! That was super fun. So Hermana Josie and I were walking to an appointment that we had up this HUGE hill and I kinda forgot how fast Hermana Josie walks, and my body was hurting a little more than usual this day and I found myself complaining in my head. We got to the lesson and I was pooped. I just felt super exhausted. But then, a thought quickly came into my head. I was reminded of how on Broadway, you treat EVERY show like it's someone's first and last time seeing the show, so you give your absolute best every single time you perform. It's not about YOU, it's about the people who have paid to come see a quality show. I related that to missionary work, and how every person we meet, it could be their first time ever talking to Missionaries and hearing the gospel. So just because I am "more tired than usual" doesn't mean that I make someone's experience of hearing the gospel anything less than my best. Because it's not about me. It's not my time. It's the Lord's time. It's my time to open my mouth and share the gospel with every person I talk to, despite my own personal circumstances. I quickly thanked my Heavenly Father for this little parallel and taught a great lesson with Hermana Josie, they even accepted to be baptized! I love how the Lord performs miracles when we submit our will to His!

AHHHHH, I JUST LOVE MY INVESTIGATORS. 

ALEX: Oh mi madre Alex has made SO much progress. Thanks to many prayers here and from home, we had a wonderful lesson with him AND HE CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY! During our lesson with him last thursday, one of our planned appointments with him fell through, so we thought that we would just go drop in and visit Alex. We got to his house and yelled his name and he goes,"Hey! Guess what I'm doing!...Reading the Book of Mormon!" He came outside and told us," yeah so I finished all of the chapters you gave me to read, so I just asked God where He wanted me to read and I asked him to stop me when he wanted, and He stopped me in Mormon 9, this prophet talks a lot about Baptism, and I realize now.. it isn't enough to be just a good person. You need to get baptized AND be a good person...." and he really really related that to his own life. We taught Lesson 3, which is The gospel of Jesus Christ, (Faith, repentance, baptism, recieving the gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end). He realized in this lesson that he does have the faith to overcome the temptations Satan had been throwing at him throughout his life and that through Christ all things are possible. He also told us about how he has noticed himself trying to be a better person, and things that once seemed good to do, he doesn't have a desire to do them anymore. He has seen a change in himself, and has receieved his own witness of the truthfullness of the gospel. And we invited him to come to church (the previous week he said no, but we could see that he changed), and we asked him to come for at least one hour, (sacrament) to see if he liked it. A couple days pass.. Sunday comes, and he CAME! He really liked it, and the Bishop talked alot about baptism in his talk, and every time he mentioned a scripture reference in the Book of Mormon he would turn to us and say,"I read that one!". Once sacrament meeting ended, he turns to us and goes,"so, I was thinking.. I want to get baptized this Saturday. Yeah, can I do that?" We were in SHOCK! But, we were overjoyed at the same time!  SO... we're having a baptism this Saturday March 4th - WOO HOO!!!!!!!

Ivette and Nicole: We had felt like throughout the week that they had been ignoring us and we were really sad, and then we ran into them on Saturday night leaving a cafe that is owned by one of our new investigators Brian. We invited them to church and they said they would come. They didn't come, which was sad, and we thought that maybe they didn't want to see us anymore. But we thought we'd give it one last shot, so we went to pass by their house last night to see if they were home. And they were! We taught them the gospel of Jesus Christ and they were SUPER receptive. Nicole told us about how she prayed to know if the plan of salvation was true and she told us that she got a warm feeling in her heart, and she knew it was true. My heart almost burst of joy. Ivette had kinda been feeling so so about everything until we talked about how through the atonment and through repentance, we can truly be free of any guilt, problem, and weakness, and that through the Holy Ghost as our guide after baptism, we can become more and more like the Savior. The Spirit was super strong, and we reinvited them to be baptized, and they said YES! so their baptism is scheduled for the March 11th. ITS AMAZING, We are SO, SO, SO excited!

Juan Carlos: He is this 40 year old war veteran who is super cool! he loves learning about the gospel. He has been visited by missionaries before and we've been teaching him for the last three weeks. We realized that he didn't believe that their was an apostasy, so we watched the first vision with him last week and he thought it was true. So we are going to continue working with him. 

Brian: Hermana Pichiule and Hermana Larsen found him near the plaza by our house on Friday night on their intercambio (exchange). We taught him our purpose as missionaries Saturday night with his girlfriend in their cafe business. He's 23 and has a lot of potential! 

 We live in a cute apartment. 

Hermana Pichuile or Hermana Green?

I CANNOT BELIEVE BERGEN (Kali's Cousin) IS GOING TO RUSSIA THAT IS SO SO SO SO SO COOL!! I TOTALLY GUESSED THAT IN MY HEAD. I AM SO PUMPED FOR HER. TELL HER THAT I LOVE HER.  WOW I AM SO PROUD OF HER! #nenosarmyforlife

I LOVE PRESIDENT BOUCHER (MISSION PRESIDENT) HE IS THE BEST. 

So this Friday we had an all Sister's Conference, and last night Hermana Boucher (President Boucher's wife) called us and asked if I could help gather some missionaries for a special musical number!!!! I am so honored that she would ask me to do this, and I am so excited and humbled to use the talent Heavenly Father gave me and sing. I love singing, it feels just like old times. 

WELL ITS BEEN 6 MONTHS THAT I HAVE BEEN SERVING AS A MISSIONARY, CRAZY, RIGHT? I am loving my mission. I love what I do. I never want to stop being a missionary. I love that this message we bring, changes lives. I love being a representative of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that I can stand as a witness of him in a world that is full of evil, difficulties and sorrow. I am very grateful and humbled for this path in my life. 

Last week was really rough in some ways. We faced a lot of rejection (but hey, thats life, right?) but more so, rude rejection. It really tested my patience and kindess (haha), but we represent the Savior and the work goes on! I am excited to see what this week brings. 

I am so grateful for all the people I have in my life who have helped get me to where I am today. I pray for the wellbeing of you all and I am especially grateful for my family. Words can not express or explain my love for you all. 

Till next time,

Hermana Green​

Week 26

Hermana Green and her Companion Hermana Pichiule

Hola Familia and Amigos,

A spiritual experience.. Wow there were a lot this week! I think one of them that was a huge highlight was last Friday, we had zone conference. Every zone conference we have is obviously super spiritual but one highlight was when President Boucher and I had our interview. I love that man so much. He reminds me a lot of Dad in some ways. He basically is my second Dad haha. But remember how I had been working this past week with trying to improve being a consecrated missionary, but not trying to go crazy at the same time? So, President Boucher and I talked about that. He said these cool things in his interview: he told me that my progress has been INCREDIBLE and that as he was listening to me participate in the zone conference he was so proud of how far I've come with learning the language and that he was really impressed. He also told Hermana Pichiule that I am a hard worker - #missioncomplete my life was MADE. He told me something super important that I had never thought of before. He said, Sister Green, I can tell that you are a perfectionist and can be very hard on yourself sometimes, and for people like you, you need someone to just take you by the shoulders at times and say, HEY look at all the progress you 've made, you're doing great! That way, you can realize all the good you have done. Then we started talking about how I want to keep progressing and that I was driving myself a little crazy in my pursuit of perfection, and he said, so what you're saying is you're trying to find BALANCE. I said, Yes, that is it actually. He said, Sister Green, you need to realize that perfect balance is impossible, but you need to figure out how to deal with not having a perfect balance of everything - NEVER before had I seen it in that perspective. It finally clicked. It has really helped me . He always says to; control what you can control. I love that!  I was BLOWN away by HOW COOL THE PRIESTHOOD AND REVELATION IS. Seriously it was EXACTLY what I needed to hear.

Investigators: so we had to drop a lot this last week, and our other investigators dropped us. But we have three progressing investigators! Ivette and Nicole are a mother and daughter who recently lost their father/husband in a car accident a couple months ago. They are very eager to learn and Nicole is 12 years old and asks the most PROFOUND questions. For example; can Satan be forgiven? and, who created God? She's very intelligent. We had a couple lessons with them, and one with a member (who was the KEY to getting them to come to church) and they came to church on Sunday! It was so, so, so great! They loved it and they said they are going to come every week. Their baptism is for the fourth of March and we're so looking forward to helping them get there. 

Our other investigator is Alex: he is so COOL. He is probably in his late 40s, a dad with a cute family. His family isn't interested but he is really interested. He speaks perfect English so we teach him in English. (which is super weird sometimes because I am not used to it ahaha) but he reminds me a lot of Uncle Coco (Rico). He loves reading the Book of Mormon and loves learning. He loves the fact that we have a modern day Prophet who guides the Church. Our last lesson with him was SO POWERFUL. It was crazy. We were talking about the atonement, and we were really teaching based on what his needs are. He told us how he didn't feel worthy to talk to god, but we bore testimony about how there is NOTHING, no sin, no mistake, nothing that is too much for Heavenly Father not to love or accept him. The spirit was so, so, so strong. He told us that, he has listened to a lot of religions, but your religion has gotten him to melt and he is becoming closer to actually wanting to go to church. I almost melted when he said that! We have an appointment with him today and I am SO excited. We saw him the day after our last lesson and he said, I am still thinking about our lesson yesterday... it's still with me! I know the Spirit of the Lord is with him and we are really really trying to help him come to church. He really needs those prayers. So please pray for him! 

Exciting things: NEIL L ANDERSON IS COMING HERE ON MARCH 18TH. I AM DYING OF EXCITEMENT.

We have an all mission sister conference next friday! Also exciting!  President and Hermana Boucher has issued a new Book of Mormon reading challenge and gave us all Book of Mormons. We are to highlight every verse that talks about the Atonement in the Book of Mormon, and we are having a mission testimony meeting on Easter Sunday about it. I am already loving this challenge. You guys should do it too!

I learned a lot about truly loving people here, regardless on how they treat you. People really do feel a difference when you love them. We got a lot of people this last week telling us how, they may not agree with our beliefs, but one thing you know how to do is love everyone. That made a very big effect on me, because this last week I feel like we ran into a lot of situations where we had every right to get angry, or sad, but, instead, we turned the other cheek and prayed for love and remembered that we are all children of God. It really makes a huge difference. I can feel a difference when we truly love the people. I also read a talk this week (don't remember which one) but it mentions about how Heavenly Father, is NOT a comfortable God. He pushes us, gives us trials so we can progress. People these days want a comfortable, laid back God who is fine with sin and who will accept people just because they "believe in God", but it doesn't work that way. Our Heavenly Father TRULY is a Father, because like any parent, he will discipline his children because he knows what's best for us, but he loves us. He wants to see us progress, and if we keep His Commandments, we will see that progress and happiness. I have seen it in my life, and especially here as I serve the people. 

Hi best pal (Dad), I sure do love and miss you! I love love love your spiritual thought you sent me about; we are never alone, our loving Heavenly Father sends Angels from both sides of the veil to help us with the challenges we face. I always think of you, every time, when I read that verse you ended with: "I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left...My Spirit shall be in your heart, and mine Angels round about you, to bear you up" (D&C 84:88). 

On Sunday it POURED. So much. Hermana Pichiule and I just rubbed off our makeup right there in the middle of the street. Thankfully a member picked us up, fed us, and took us home to change.

 So I have 6 months in the mission in like 3 days?! that's crazy. But I really truly love being a servant of the Lord. I couldn't ask for anything better. I have changed so much and I am slowly seeing myself become the person I want to become. I love this journey of mine!

I love you all so, so, so much. I am grateful for your presence and support in my life. 

Valentines Zone Conference with Hermana Larsen & Josie

Week 25

Hermana Green and Her New Companion Hermana Pichiule

RIIIIISE AND SHIIIINE AND SING OUT TO GLORY GLORY 

RISEEE AND SHINEE AND SING OUT TO GLORY GLORY 

RISE AND SHINE AND *CLAP* SING OUT TO GLORY GLORY CHILDREN OF THE LORRRRD

Hope you enjoyed that song as much as I did, haha!

Transfers went well last week. I am adjusting to the new area just fine. My new companion, Hermana Pichiule (pee-chew-lei) is super cute and a wonderful missionary. We are getting along really well. She was born and raised in Peru for six years, and then has lived in Utah ever since. She knows fluent spanish and english so that's cool!  She is shorter than I am, and so so so adorable and funny. We have a good time together. I have already learned so much from her. I love our new mission house, It is SO CUTE. We live in the Pueblo here, which is like the center of the city, kinda reminds me of a New York kind vibe, and it is nice - well, it's nicer than my last house haha. I definitely could see myself living in an apartment like this after the mish in New York. I love Cabo Rojo! I am in the more campo (forest-y) area, It is beautiful. The people here are really nice. It is a lot different than Ponce. I actually feel like I am living on an island now.

I was sad to leave the people of Ponce. I cried when I was on the phone talking to Leunanni. We got our transfers late Monday and left first thing Tuesday, so I didn't have time to say goodbye to their family, Rafa, the bishop, Rivera Caliz, and other people who are dear to my heart, so that was sad, but I am happy to be in Cabo Rojo living this new adventure of mine. Cabo Rojo is great and I have recieved a warm welcome from the people and the members, including the super cool stake president I got to hear from at stake conference this past weekend.

Hermana Josie picked me up when I arrived in Cabo Rojo - IT WAS AMAZING! It was like seeing an old friend that you hadn't seen in years, being reunited. It is so so so fun having her here. Hermana Holton is also in my zone! I haven't seen her since the all mission conference in october, she was in my trio at the MTC. Hermana Larsen i met on the Puerto Rico San Juan mission page prior to going on my mission and now we finally have met in person and get to serve together.

Hermana Green & Josie Together in Service again!

Reunited with Hermana Josie, Holt and Finally Meeting Hermana Larsen & Pichiule

This week in Cabo Rojo, we were able to find a lot of new people with potential and were able to set three more fechas! One with a man named Francisco, and another with a mother and daughter named Ivette and Nicole. They are our next baptisms scheduled for March 4th. We want to help with our zone goal of 20 baptisms so we are really really trying to always invite our investigators and contacts to church, learn more, etc.  One thing I learned from the Spirit this week is that sometimes the impressions can be at lightening speed, and if we aren't paying attention, or acting on that impression right away, we can quickly lose that guide from the Spirit. I am trying to focus more on acting right when I receive inspiration, even if I don't fully understand why I am recieving it.

Mom, I was thinking about you and your talk bc Hermana Boucher spoke in Stake conference in SPANISH. I thought about how ironic it was that both of my "moms" were speaking on the same day. Hermana Boucher gets really scared too, but hey, you learned a valuable lesson in even in the worst circumstances, the Lord always provides a way for us to accomplish things! I am really proud of you Mom.

Thank you for that spiritual thought Dad on the significance of the Sacrament and utilizing the Atonement, I really needed it. Transfers can always be difficult in the beginning because there is a lot of adjusting, to a new home, a new companion (with that comes living with them, figuring out how to teach in unity together, and getting to know them), a new ward, and a new area to learn. I have to learn FAST bc Hermana Pichiule has been here for 5 transfers, A.K.A. she is probably gonna leave next transfer. Adjusting is hard, but I have learned that if you trust the Lord, it all works out.  But lately, I have been trying to progress and be better, but not seeing my progress as quick as I would like, oh the joy of learning how to be patient - when will I learn.  I've been reading a couple talks about becoming a consecrated missionary, and that is my goal. Just do everything I can everyday to be the best I can. I am doing this 40 day purification process that started out with a fast, to figure out what would be impeding you from having progress and becoming even closer to the Spirit, and then reviewing the list everyday, and praying for strength from the Lord. Hermana Pichiule and I are doing it and she said it has really helped her a lot. It's hard but I know I can do it. Extra prayers would be nice though.

Well my family and friends, I have to go, but just know I love you tons and that I really, really appreciate your support and love.

Hermana Green

Hermana Pichiule & Hermana Green

This Hermana knows my Cousin Avalon from the Chile CCM!! Small World

Week 24

Hermana Green & Pearce

Boy do I have some NEWS FOR YOU!

GUESS WHAT? I AM GETTING TRANSFERRED TO CABO ROJO IN MAYAGUEZ WHICH MEANS TWO THINGS:

1. HERMANA JOSIE AND I ARE GOING TO BE REUNITED! She's one of the sister trainer's there which means she gets to pick me up tomorrow! I am BEYOND excited! Cabo Rojo is one of the most gorgeous places on the island! Apparently everyone wants to go to Cabo Rojo because it is so beautiful. Some of the world's most beautiful beaches are there. A new area means a new companion, new ward, new house, new start, and I am so excited!  2. I am leaving ponce and i cannot believe it wow.

My new companion is Hermana Pichuli (that is probably spelled wrong.) she speaks perfect Spanish and English and Hermana bird and Hermana Santamaria say that she's SUPER fun and that she went to BYU-I too! And that we are going to have so much fun together. (: Hermana Pearce is training and staying in Ponce. 

Two more baptisms in the HB YSA Ward last week, that's amazing! That is seriously incredible that you have had 6 baptisms in the past 5 months. Wow. bravo to those elders!

So that is actually really interesting that two catholic missionaries came to your door. I personally, am really excited for those experiences to come in my life. I am going to treat them just like any missionary from our church. Ask them how they are, if they need water, if they want to sit for a couple minutes, who knows, maybe they've been walking all day too, and show them christ-like love. I hope they weren't attacking your beliefs in a stern way (because, that happened to us last night. That's a story I will share later.) I think if you ever feel pressured or scared, realize that there are going to be differences between the two religions, always respect them (which I know you do) and bear your testimony of what you know to be true. Share with them that through the book of mormon, you have read, prayed, and have had your own conversion process, and that through the invitation of Moroni (which you could totally whip it out and ask them to read it with you right then and there) you can explain that you have looked, and you have receieved a personal witness from the Holy Ghost testifying that these things are true. Testify that Christ lives. If nothing else, testify of the Savior. No one can deny a personal, heartfelt, testimony. There is so much power in sharing your testimony of what you know to be true. Those moments can turn into missionary moments! And it's good to share our beliefs with those of other faiths. We run into a lot of Catholics here, or Jehovah's Witnesses and they'll say,"oh I'm catholic" or "I'm (insert religion here)" and we'll say," Oh! How cool. We're not here to take you away from your beliefs, your religion or anything like that. We are here to add onto the faith that you already have." One thing that I've seen and learned is that most people are looking for, or believe in God. So if you mention that we are all children of God, a loving heavenly Father, they will see (most of the time) common ground and realize that The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints has more in common with their religion than they realized.

I am blown away by your spiritual thought Dad you shared with me, because I WAS going to talk about the Atonement too! This week was rough for me at points. One night I just felt super stressed, and down, and kind of broke down, because I was stressed. There was a lot weighing on me in my mind, and I just finally decided to let it out and cry about it. While receiving comfort from Hermana Pearce, Bird and Santamaria, I was calmed by the power of the Atonement. Hermana Bird shared with me one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. It's Mosiah 24, when Alma and his people are taken into captivity and bondage and are told that if they pray out loud, that they would be killed. And that these cargas (or trials) that were on their shoulders was too much, and that they were praying in their hearts to God for help. (I recommend reading the whole chapter but I am going to highlight a few.) Hermana Bird, seeing I was in a similair state shared with me these scriptures: In 13 it says," And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort...v 14 " And I will also ease the burdens which are put on your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of surety that I, The Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions."  I kept bawling because of how spiritually beautiful that was. As soon as she read that, it was as if all of my fears, burdens, worries, cargas, got lifted off MY shoulders. And I knew that it was the healing power of the Atonement. I love, love, love the Book of Mormon. No need to worry about me now, I am much better. Dad, thank you for teaching me the power of the Atonement. I couldn't have done it without you.

Mom, I've been thinking about you a lot lately. You've been in a lot of my dreams lately. I just want to say thanks for being my best friend. I love you a lot and we will continue to pray for you, so don’t worry!  You are going to do AMAZING mom on your talk! You're my mom, so like, of course you're going to do a good job. I believe in you! I really love you lot! 

Thank you for all you do, continue to do, I hope you know that I testify about the truthfulness of eternal families every chance I get. I've put the picture of my call letter and of us three on the inside of my Book of Mormon in Spanish and a lot of random people know what you two look like. Cool right? I love you!

Love,

Hermana Green

Hermana Pearce & Hermana Green (Hermana Pearce is Staying in Ponce)

Beautiful Ponce Puerto Rico

Hermana Green & Hermana Bird

I'm Going to Miss Ponce

I have Loved Serving in Ponce my First area of my Mission.

Celebrating Rafaels Birthday. He is our Ward Mission Leader