Changes in Puerto Rico

February 3, 2010

Well the big news of this week is that as of July 2010, the Puerto Rico, San Juan East Mission will be dissolved. The two missions of Puerto Rico, San Juan East and West will basically be combined and under one Mission President. We are also, however, losing a few islands. Barbados (in our mission) will be going to the West Indies Mission. And the West mission will be loosing the A,B,C islands (Aruba and those other two that I can't remember) which will go to the Dominican Republic Mission. President Dewsnup called us in for a special conference to announce this change. We still don't know all of the details but we are allowed to talk about it and tell the fam at home. You should be able to read all about it in the Church news in March. Pretty exciting changes. That means that the PRSJ East mission lasted for only 3 years. Presidente Dewsnup was the first and last president of that mission. Pretty crazy. So, I am excited for the changes in July to see what they will all bring. I am certain there is going to be quite the adjustment phase. And the best news of all: Hermana Miller is going to be in my mission! Yeah!

Yesterday was Ricardo's Birthday! He didn't know that we knew it, but we have access to a lot of paperwork and I happened to notice that his birthday was coming up. He is so amazing. Hermana Erekson and I made him a cake and invited the Familia Nieves to come to a birthday party. Ricardo thought we were just coming over to teach a lesson and we completely surprised him when we came out of the car with two cakes complete with birthday candles and the Puerto Rican Birthday song. For his gift, we gave him his own copy of the Triple combination and a picture of his baptism. He was super excited since he has been asking a lot about the D&;C lately. He is so great. We taught him about missionary work last night and invited him to come teach a lesson with us on Sunday evening. He had no problems with that idea and wanted to know what we would be teaching and how he could study for it. I love Ricardo, and of course, the Familia Nieves!

So this week we have been doing a lot of "Menos Activo hunting". We have been having a lot of success with less actives and I am beginning to see how important it is to work with them also. Here are a few stats on the less active situation in our ward. Of the 58 families on our side of the ward boundaries 11 are active, or a least semi-active. That is ridiculous. I think in my ward at home there is one less active family. But I can see how easy it is for recent converts to fall away. It is really depressing to see how easily they just forget the things they once knew and rationalize it all away on one doubt. But, anyway we are working a lot with the less-active I mentioned before who fell away because she would not pay her tithing, Carmen . She has been less active for many many years so it is hard, but she is really showing a desire to return to church. We had an amazing lesson with her in which we listed all of the blessings we can receive when we come to church. At the end she went through the list and said that she was missing out on a lot of blessings that she wanted. (She also asked us what are names were, which considering all the other missionaries she has mindlessly called "Hermana” is a huge compliment). Tomorrow we are going to help her write her own plan to come back to church. We have asked her to prayerfully select a date that she will come back and start to pay her tithing. Then she is going to write all of the steps that she will need to take; leading up to that date. We can really feel the spirit when we are with her. I know that Hermana Erekson and I have been inspired in the things we should say and teach her.

BAHHH! Sometimes missionary work is so hard, but it is times like that when it is worth it.

District Meeting:  Hermana Erekson and Palmer, Elder Patton and Periera Do Carmo

I have also seen a lot in that past weeks that the Lord is trying to teach me balance in my life. I am the type of person that likes to make plans on a large scale. If I did things my way, we would be dedicating one week to some huge finding activity, then another to some big "get people to church activity". But I can clearly see that the Lords wants us to work with moderation in all things. I have really been making an effort to find balance in our day, within working with members, finding investigators, less-actives, church attendance, etc. It is a big adjustment, but I have faith that the Lord will bless our area if we are working his way.

Oh, every day is an adventure here, but it is all trying to teach me something.

I love you so much!!
Hermana Palmer

Wow I wish I could be there for the AJM affair. That would be the complete fulfillment of my dreams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really. Oh, mom when I come back you have to find someone frilly that I can sew a prom dress for.

Please send me all the headbands you can!!! My motto here is kind of "just don't ask". It is better to ask for forgiveness that to ask for permission. ;D I love the skirt you sent me and the read shirt!!! The black plaid one was too big, but it fits Hermana Erekson perfectly. If you can find a solid skirt that will kind of match everything and isn't too hot it would be greatly appreciated. But I know how hard it is to find skirts so no rush.

Also, can you burn me some CD's of the Spanish Book of Mormon we have on Itunes. There are a lot of illiterate people here and it makes things really hard. If you could include: the Intro, 2 nefi 31, 3 nefi 1, alma 32, moroni 10, and witht he extra space the begingin chapters of 1 nefi. If you want to send me like 3 CD's we can see if it works out.

Also can you send me some conference talks on the spirit of discernment for me to read. I would like to study that.

Thank you for the Valentines! I am so excited! Also thank you for the non-cheesy music you sent me for Christmas. Anything non-cheesy is greatly appreciated.