Perfectly happy

I am perfectly happy with my setup for the next two transfers.  It looks like I am actually going to have some stability.  I think I will be here in Juncos for the next two transfers and I am perfectly content.  I love this area, I love this ward.  It is all looking great!  Not that I expect things will go seamlessly.  I have learned enough to know that there will be several significant obstacles an difficult weeks between now and then. But I will try to make the best of that and enjoy the fabulous blessing of being with the people that I love!

Tammy and Julio, Julian and Gabby

IHOP with Ilia

The sisters' conference went very well last week!  It was a lot of fun.  At first I was dreading it, but I really learned from it.  Sister Alvarado talked about how we as sisters can work better one with another and work better to help strengthen families.  I am so grateful that we were acknowledged and helped.  I learned several things that I think will help me to be a better trainer and teacher.  We got to watch that movie about the two sister missionaries in Germany, Errand of Angels. It is about two sister missionaries who at first have difficulty getting along but eventually learn to love one another.  I related so much to that movie.  I cried and smiled and laughed out loud at some parts.  It does a pretty good job of capturing the mission emotions, but unlike the actual mission, the trials only last two minutes instead of two transfers.  Mom, I know that you mentioned that movie before.  It was so funny and so great for me.
I love working with Sister Curl.  It is funny to see the energy and fire and innocence she has.  It really helps me to bolster up my spirit and encourage me to work harder and not to expect disappointment.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to train. Sister Curl is very calm and patient.  Although she is really struggling with Spanish she never becomes exasperated or frustrated as I did.  She knows it will only come with time and practice.  I really want to help her have a positive and stress-free experience.  I really try to help her talk and express herself and help her to find the words instead of translating for her.  I think she will do great.
I really like Sister Curl.  She is funny and relaxed.  I have changed so much from the beginning of my mission to now.  I am very relaxed and have learned how to go with the flow so much better now.
Our owners painted our house for Christmas.  It went from being peach and pink to being completely Fanta orange.  It is really bright, but fun. You can see it down the street as soon as you turn the corner.  I love it.  When else in my life can I live in a Fanta orange house and not worry about it?  that house has come to represent so much for me.  It is my house of healing.  Sister Curl freaked out when I told her that it was formerly inhabited by cockroaches.  Ha. If she only knew.
In the next few weeks I have made it my goal/focus/priority to help the family of Tammy and Julio.  They are a family that has been a little weak and I am going to do everything I can to take them on and help them become active and strong.  Wish me luck.  I know that I will have the help of President Alvarado and the stake President.  That family has so much potential.  I want to use every opportunity I can to help them.
Christina is doing great.  Learning lots and strengthening her testimony.  She is engaged to the Mormon boy she is dating and I can't wait to go to her temple wedding next year!  Hope everything keeps going smoothly.
We have been so blessed with investigators who are really interested.  They are doing their part and learning and I really, once again want to do everything I can to help them in my next few weeks with Hermana Curl.  I feel focused and driven.

TALK to you soon!

Hermana Palmer

training and transfers

This week is transfers and, of course, a lot has changed.  Big news:  I am training in Juncos!  I met my new companion today.  Her name is Sister Curl.  She is from Texas and seems really nice.  She graduated from BYU and has spent the last 3 years working as an events planner for the city of Freeport, Texas.  Good news is she likes to run!  I have really been lucking out in that area.  I am pretty excited to train.  It is funny to hear the questions she asks and the attitude she has about the mission.  I try to remember my first few days in Puerto Rico.  I was scared to death and very nervous, but determined and resolute at the same time.  She seems rather opposite.  She is not nervous at all and is very calm and easy going. It is going to be interesting to help her learn Spanish.  I want her to have a very positive experience learning Spanish.  I am so grateful for my friends in Chile who helped me to learn.

   As always, the changes in the mission have been chaotic and last-minute.  We got a call Tuesday saying that I and Hermana Aldana would need to be in the office That night at 7:30 to pick up my new companion and to bring a bag with two days worth of clothes?  I assumed that we would be staying the night in the office as I did previously for the last conference.  But unfortunately no one had really thought about where Sister Curl, Sister Aldana, and I we would stay the night.  We got there at 7:30 I had a brief interview with President and then a very long training meeting.  At 10:00 the meeting ended and we asked the AP's where we would be staying as it was decided all of the elders would be staying in the office.   Wow.  They had not thought of that.  They couldn't send us to any of the nearby sister apartments because they were all full and would not send us back to Juncos to only make a long drive to return for another meeting in the morning.  So after much discussion they decided to send us to the Punta Suela Apartment, which formerly belonged to elders and has been empty for the past six weeks.  Can I say disgusting.  We got there at 11:30 to realize that we had no sheets (we assumed we would use some from the office if we had stayed there), no pillows, no food, no nothing.  We luckily had 2 air mattresses and a pump.  It is not less gross to sleep on an air mattress with no sheets.  There was no hot water for a shower and it was a cold night.  I feel so bad for poor Hermana Curl.  What a welcome to the mission!  Dad would have been proud of me.  I used a skirt of mine for a pillow and my towel as a blanket. The house is right next to the freeway, so it was a noisy night.  I remember My first night in the mission seemed so long and endless.  I cannot imagine how it was for Sister Curl.

   Today we have been put with the sisters from Trujillo Alto to hang out until tonight, we will sleep in the office.  Tomorrow we will be having a Sisters conference.  I am actually really excited about this conference.  Normally, I would be very skeptical and assume that this was just a disguised modesty talk, but on Sunday I had the privilege of talking to President and he kind of cleared me up on several things.  I had been having several concerns with the mission, new rules, new ideas and frankly I was very upset.  I called President and asked him if we could talk.  Since his mother-in-law lives in our ward I had the pleasure of meeting with him at her house.  We had a very long interview and I feel so much better. We were both very honest and direct and I finally feel like I understand why President is the way he is and does things the way he does.  It was a relief.  That is when he told me that I would be training and expressed to me some of the concerns he has been having with the Sisters.  Personally I think it is just hard for sisters to be driven in such an elders world.  Sisters are not all about numbers and competition.  And it is hard not to be pushed into it by our leaders.  It was a fantastic heart-to -heart and I feel so much more relieved.

I am excited and calm about training.  My trainer, Sister Erekson, was practically perfect in every way and NEVER broke any rules.  She was perfect.  I know that I am not going to be perfect, but My past experience tells me that is perfectly OK!

I am getting kicked off early, ONCE AGAIN!

Love you so much

Aldana and I

Curl and I

Mom, thank you so much for your email.  It was a beautiful story.  I know exactly which grey squirrel you are talking about!

PS.  Pack whatever tops and jeans you can find.  Bigger jeans may be better.  Casual flats and please a pair of heels!

Thanksgiving week

December 1, 2010

Dinner with the Andersons

Our homemade Thanksgiving Dinner

Putting up the Christmas tree

Dear Family,

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
  Mom, I am glad to here you are making a trip up to the states.  Thanksgiving will be pretty strange this year with neither the Cranes nor the Allen's. I just realized that Last year, my first full day in the mission field was Thanksgiving.  I have tried to remember what I did last year, but I can't remember anything.  I guess it was all just one, big, happy blur. ; )  
  I am concerned to here about Sister McAllister.  I will definitely keep her in my prayers.  I often think of her as I serve here in Puerto Rico.  She is a big example to me and one of my heroes.  
I finished the roommate greeting cards and they turned out absolutely adorable.  It was kind of complicated to get it all printed out and trying to fit 6 pictures together, but it was definitely worth it.
  This weeks highlight was putting up the Christmas tree at the Andersons.  They asked us to come over and do service with them, to my surprise it was to help them put up the Christmas tree!!!  It was so much fun!  (This is the family of three girls)  I got to help Brother Anderson set up the tree and sort out the complicated tangle of Christmas lights.  It reminded me so much of Dad.  The way that they both kind of get frustrated.  I loved it though! I happily volunteered to be his assistant.   It was just like problem solving with my Dad.  
The Primary Program is next week and heavens the leaders are stressed out about it.  The Primary director is extremely strict and has been repeatedly telling me to practice more and harder because my piano playing did not reach her expectations.  It was a little tense, but yesterday at rehearsal I finally got the stamp of approval.  Wasn't sure if that would ever happen.
Two signs that I am turning into a Puerto Rican: 1) It used to really bother me when people would make a big deal about my blue eyes.  Now, I find myself doing the same thing. Whenever I see someone with blue eyes I can't stop looking at them.  I just want to exclaim "You have blue eyes!"  2)  It is now "cold" to me in the mornings.  I wore a sweater today while I studied and I have to sleep with two sheets at night. 
  Mom, here we live right behind a funeral home.  And we often hear the funeral processions driving by on the road. here, the hearse usually blast some sappy Christian rock in Spanish as the cars all drive by and create huge traffic jams.  This week though, we had a really interesting funeral procession.  We still had the loud music blaring, but this time everyone followed on horse or motorcycle.   There were certainly over 150 horses on the road and they were NOT obeying the traffic laws.  The horses and their riders would weave in and out of cars.  take over both lanes and stop even in the intersections.  It was ridiculous.  There was so much traffic and chaos!   We were walking by on the sidewalk and we just had to sit and wait about 20 minutes before we could even move for fear of being hit by a horse.  Ha.  Puerto Ricans!
  The work here is still pretty much the same. no real investigators, but lots of less-actives to work with.  I love the less-actives of this ward.  We are really making headway.  They are slowly starting to come back to work and bishop is doing great and giving them all callings and attention to keep them active.  For Thanksgiving we are going to my favorite couple, the Iannones from New York, to celebrate!  I can't wait.
Love you all!  Hope all of the cousins enjoy the Ranch.  Markie, hope you are having fun at school!

Hermana Palmer

PS.  For phone calls how will it work since you are in Peru?  Is it better if you call me  on a members cell phone or landline?  I don't want to member to have to pay for a long distance call.
  

Our trio is now 2.

Going out with Daniela Anderson and Valeri Izarry

November 17, 2010

Dear Family,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the pictures of the roomies!!!!  They are so cute.  I am going to look are my card options today in Walgreen's, but I'll hold off on printing until next week in case Ashley has a different picture she wants to send.  It's perfect!
Mom, your adventures in Peru are completely fascinating.  I am glad Juan Pablo is learning to keep his mouth shut.  I will pray that your shipment comes in soon. 
Well, our companionship is growing and changing constantly.  Hermana Turaga goes home tomorrow to Hawaii.  We are so sad to see her go.  She is a great and loving companion and a hard worker.  That leaves Hermana Aldana and I. Hermana Aldana will finish her mini mission in December, so at least we know we will be together until then. Hermana Aldana finally received her mission call this week and she will be leaving March 9 to serve in....Monterrey, Mexico!!!  She opened her call Monday night at family home evening at her mom's house.  We are all so excited for her.  I think it will be a great place for her to serve and she is already an amazing missionary!  Her family is very concerned that she will be serving in Mexico, but they are happy for her.
This morning for P-day we went and explored the Taino ruins.  It was a lot of fun exploring the little terrain which they have conserved.  There isn't a whole lot of artifacts there.  I would compare it to the size of Jhus hill, but we took a little hike through the jungle, which was a lot of fun.  We got to climb over rivers, under huge boulders and weave through vines and bamboo.   The tour was very well done and the guide really did a great job of livening things up.  It was especially funny to watch the lady who traversed the whole course in her precious heels.
We have started a project that we are working on for the ward.  We are filming all of the members sharing their testimonies to then compile it all onto one CD.  It is so amazing!  I love hearing the member's testimonies they are so distinct, and so interesting.  I have really developed a deep love for this ward and I love every minute I get to spend hearing the member's testimonies and insights.  It was especially sweet for me to hear my two recent converts, Christina and Nadia, share their testimony.  Both have progressed so much and in so little time.
We also started teaching the cutest family this week.  It is a young couple with one son.  They really seem interested.  The wife has a sister who is a member in Caguas and also a half sister who served her mission in Mesa, Arizona.  The wife, Xiomara, says that she has really been impressed by the changes she has seen in her sister's life since she joined the church.  I feel it is so rare that we ever have the opportunity to teach a complete family in Puerto Rico. And they are really reading and praying.  I am so excited for them to keep learning and I pray that they can continue to do their part to continue learning.
I really, really love the Juncos ward. There are so many members I love and identify with.  I love the Anderson family, who remind me so much of my cousins and friends.  I love the Iannones' who are my loving and typical New Yoricans. ( Hermana Iannone reminds me of Grandma when she gets the giggles.  She cannot stop laughing.  Hna Iannone laughs whenever she thinks about "skin heads".  If we ever come across a scripture about the Lamanites whose heads were shorn, forget it.  She will never quit laughing the rest of the night.) And I love the Gonzalez's the sweetest family of girls. They really remind me of my house growing up.  And Hermana Pinero, a single, older lady with the most kind and tender heart.  I felt the spirit so strongly as we visited her in her last evening.  She lives alone and I know that must be very difficult for her but I could feel the loving presence of Her Father in Heaven watching over her in home.

The pathetic state of a sisters apartment

I am trying really hard to keep this area progressing.  I love it so much and President says that if we reach our zone goals this month for the area of Juncos I can stay.  I feel a bit overwhelmed, a bit manipulated, but I really really want to stay.  I am praying very hard that I can give everything I have got to this area.
I love you all so much. Mom, you and Dad are always in my prayers and in my mind.  I know that the Lord has a purpose and things for us all to learn.  Markie, keep having fun.  I love you and can't wait to see how much you have grown up and changed recently!

Con Amor,
Hermana Palmer

Here is Mr. President

November 10, 2010

Oh my heavens.  Your letters are interesting.  It is funny to see some of the same Latino culture in Peru, but at the same time, so very very different.  It sounds like the church is way more advanced in Peru.  We are still all 1st generational in Peru because all of the older members have gone inactive.  
As far as the phone call to Peru, I have no idea what will work the best.  I will start asking around.  As far as returning to Peru or Mesa, my reasons for wanting to return to AZ would be 1) to talk to President Ostler and 2) be with Ashley Vidal.  If I return to AZ how long would I be there?  A week, the whole summer?  How would that all work out? 
I am loving being in a trio.  There is good and bad, but over-all I like it alot.  My comps are good. (Two whites.  It is forcing me to be a leader, which I have not been for a long time.  It is stressful at times, but both of my comps are amazing).  Sister Turaga is a work horse.  I swear she never sleeps and is always doing something.  Whether it is contacting, cleaning, planning she is always silently working.  Sister Aldana is definitely a peace maker  she is very sweet and subtle and quiet.  She is very mature and she is excellent on the phone.  She can actually understand people on the phone (she is Puerto Rican) and loves making calls.  She is an answer to prayer for me. 
It has been raining a ton the past week, which means that no one is there for appointments.  The days consist in being shown-up all day and trying to find productive things to do. 

This computer has a 30 minute time limit, so I am out of time.  

Mom where can I send mail to you?  I printed some pictures for you?

Also can you help me with a project?  I want to do a Christmas card with all the roommates in all the different parts of the world?  Can you email Ashley, Keri, Emily, Chelsea, and Anne (or there moms) to get a picture of them to use in a Christmas card?  You can facebook Ashley for help as well?

Elder Mason and I

Love you tons
Hermana Palmer

I am in a trio!

November 3, 2010

Deisha, Me, Nadia, and Turaga

Yep.  I am now a part of a trio here in Juncos.  I am still with Hermana Turaga, who will be finishing on the 18th. And now we have a mini-missionary from our ward, Hermana Aldana (Ilia).  It is great.  I had a great relationship with Hermana Aldana when she was still in the ward and really missed here while she was serving in Cayey.  I am glad to be back with her.  We have so much fun together and we can really get a lot of work done.  I definitely feel a lot more pressure since I am the one who knows the area and has to do most of the planning.  After Turaga leaves I might be getting another mini-missionary to train, so that will be another bigger responsibility.  But, my motto with President is "I will believe it when I see it" so we'll see if the mini-missionary ends up over here in Juncos.
Things are really different without Krout, but I feel really good about this next transfer.  And I feel GREAT about staying in Juncos.  I was nervous that I would have to be the leader and talk a lot more and direct the lessons, but the Lord has really blessed me and everything has gone very well.  
We are working on the Primary program and I have been enlisted to play the piano.  I cannot express how poor the piano etiquette is here.  The chorister is a Nazi and if I ever mess up, she stops the song and makes me practice the measure until I get it right.  Keep in mind I am sight reading.  She also tries to come over to me and whisper in my ear while I am playing and expects me to answer back.  It is really hard to concentrate when she does that.  But I love being in the Primary, it is certainly much more fun than RS.
We had the most amazing ward activity ever.  One that Sister Barnhusrt and I had begun planning and Krout and I finished.  We did a life-size game board which we laid out with tape on the floor. The game was even complete with a jumbo dice. The members loved it!  Each time you landed on a yellow square the two teams would have to do a competition to advance 2 spaces.  We balloon popping contests, cracker whistling, and my favorite "Chubby bunny" (trying to see how many marshmallows you could put in your mouth and still audibly say "chubby bunny".  It was a huge success and I was so happy it went so well.  I was nervous because Sister Krout had already left which meant that I had to direct nearly all of it.  I had so much fun.
I love the members here in Juncos.  I really feel very close to them and so comfortable.  It has been such a blessing that I have been able to actually stay put in an area this long.  I feel like I can actually build long term relationships.  
Mom and Dad, it sounds like you really have had a lot of adventures in Peru already.  I am so glad that you could reminiscence the Halloween traditions of old.  The members here are so proud of my family when I tell them that I will be going home to Peru.  The are so impressed that my family speaks Spanish too.  
I have loved the recent letters from my roommates and friends.  I was thinking about how different our mission experiences are.  Each of us is dealing with a completely different culture and different sets of strengths and weaknesses.  Emily's letter just blew me away.  I can't imagine being in such a small town and also working with member referrals.  All of our missions are so different.
I am happy and excited the this next month.  Christmas is on it's way!  I can't believe we are already in November.  That means Rice con Gandules, Pasteles, Pavo, Flan and Tembleque for me.  And maybe cooler weather?  

Love you all

Hermana Palmer

Drama, Drama, Drama

October 27, 2010
Ok, this transfers has been drama.  Drama, drama, drama.  

As you all know Sister Krout has gone home.  I dropped her off this morning.  It was a sad goodbye, but it was very comforting to know that I will see her again soon.  She is going to school at BYUI and the road between BYU and BYUIdo is well traveled.  She is excited.  I am sad to see her go.

Ok, so with Sister Krout gone the question is what do we do with Sister Palmer.  Logically, it would make sense for me to stay in Juncos right?  We had just white-washed Juncos so it would only make sense for me to stay.  We defitnitely planned on that. So this past week we have gone around saying goodbye to members for Sister Krout.  I knew  that I would be the constant, the one who would be returning.  Wrong.  Tuesday night while we were at the Anderson's house I got a call from the ZL's. "Hermana Palmer, we aren't supposed to tell you, but you might want to know that you will also be leaving Juncos."  I started bawling.  I love the Juncos ward.  I love the members, we have sorked so hard, and we are starting to finally see the fruits of our labor.  The poor Anderson family, they had two very weepy sisters on their hands and only a pan of burned cupcakes to comfort them.   So with only a days notice I packed up everything I own and hurriedly said goodbye to a few people.  I cried on and off all day long.  

Late last night I found out I would be companions with my MTC comp, Sister Miller, in Guaynabo.  Something to really look forward to.

Kitia making cupcakes with the Andersons

This morning Sister Krout and I threw everything in the car and drove over to the transfer meeting point. The arrangements were insane.  I was leaving Juncos to be whitewashed by two sister missionaries.  One of which is actually a mini-missionary from the Juncos ward.  It was very crazy and illogical.  As I was unloading my bags the ZL's come up to me and ask, "Sister Palmer, would you feel better staying in Juncos?"  I love Juncos.  I few phone calls later President Alvarado had "received a new revelation" and I am now staying in Juncos with Sister Turaga.  Can I just say chaos?  And did I mention that Turaga finishes her mission in 3 week, so who know what will happen to me then!

Saying Goodbye at the Anderson's

Sister Krout and I have deduced that there are only 5 rules with President Alvarado:

1. Expect the unexpected

2. Expected the unexpected to change

3. Expect not to know what is going on

4.  Expect your leaders not to know what is going on

5.  Expect everything to change again

So that is the mission update.  I am so grateful that I can stay in Juncos.  Hopefully it will be a bit longer than 3 weeks.  Only time will tell.  It will be funny to show up at the 3 people's house that I did have time to say goodbye to.

Turaga seems like she will be a great comp.  She is from Hawaii and I have heard only wonderful things about her. She was once Sister Krout's companion and she loved her. I am sure that we will have a great time.

Hermana Palmer

Don't call me babe breakdown

October 27, 2010

show details Oct 27

Dear Family,

Mom, it has been a roller coaster week for you.  Interesting how tears seem to get things done.  I think that may be part of the reason I stayed in Juncos.  Tears freak President Alvarado out.

I thank Heavenly Father for Jake and for the other tender mercies the Lord has sent you.

Last night I bore my testimony at a member's home.  We were there with 4 other missionaries the spirit was really strong.  The member asked me to share about my family.  I love you all so much.  I thought about all the hard things we have each been through.  Yet I feel the closest to my family I have ever been.

I have to go. Don't have much computer time.  I love you and pray for you every day.  Everything is going well here in Juncos.  The Lord has taken care of me.

Jenga during planning session

Morgan