27 Jul 2010

Querido mi familia,

Wow. What a week it sure has been. It's drug on, but gone by so fast! I can't believe it's already Tuesday again. I have no idea where it goes. The week just starts and then it's gone. What's even more hard to believe is that it's almost August and in 3 weeks, I'll be at my halfway point. What the heck? I seriously don't know where I've been or where the time has gone. It makes me sad just thinking that this grand adventure is halfway over. Man, I love being a missionary. There's never been something that's been so rewarding or made me so happy than to be here in Washington. I love these people. They are amazing! I can't imagine leaving them. They've given me so much and I've learned more on my mission already than I ever thought I'd learn. And not only about the Gospel, and Spanish, but about myself. And just my future. I've never felt so much love for people I've known for such a short time. I especially love serving with the Hispanic people. They are great! I'm grateful every day for the decision I made to come on a mission. It's the best decision I've made in my life! There are so many things I would be missing out on. In the MTC, I met people and also here in the field that have changed my life. I can't believe there was a time that I didn't know them. For 21 years. It's nuts! I've learned so much love. Patience. Charity. Hope. Service. Values. Perseverance. Acceptance. Boldness. Knowledge. The meaning of commitment. And more of the Atonement. I'm SO grateful I have a loving Heavenly Father who knows exactly what I need.

Oh man. Last Monday, it was super awesome and so hard. It seems like it always happens like that. Both hard and awesome at the same time. I was so...frustrated cause we had all these appointments and no one was home. Lovely, right? Yeah, no. But, we decided to go street contacting. I don't know. It just didn't feel right that we were where we were. I was trying to listen to the Spirit. We just got in the car and I drove to a place where we normally park. After we parked, I got out and it just felt right. Well, we said a prayer in the car. But we walked across the street to the park to find someone to talk to. There was a man sitting on the ground and I went and asked him if we could talk to him. We started talking and found out his name was Woody. He's homeless and can yell really loud. He told me I had pretty eyes and tried to touch my face, but other than that, it was fun to talk to him. I gave him a pass along card since I didn't have anything else. We just started contacting all these people and oh man. We found lots of people to talk to. There was actually a woman that came up to us to have the missionaries come to her house and visit her. Wow. It was one of those days where I just love being a missionary. Sometimes, I feel like it's me vs. Vancouver and when that happens, I think about my Savior that KNOWS exactly how I feel and will never leave me by myself. He's always there for me and He knows how it feels to be so alone.

Everyday my testimony grows of how involved the Lord is in this work. We're just the little workers and He's the boss. Oh man. And I just think about how if we would have changed one single thing, stayed a little longer or left earlier, things would not have happened the same. I really can't wait to get home and share the Gospel at home with people I meet. I'm stoked to go out with the missionaries. I don't want to be on of those bum RM's that doesn't help the missionaries. Especially when I know how it feels to have no help from the members and to go teach lessons without that powerful member testimony and help.

Saturday, too, was an interesting day. It was the same story - no one home. We were trying to make an R.A. with a lady named Blanca. We get to the appointment and there's this lady with her door open. A little girl running in and out. We go in and I start talking to her. She wants to show me a picture or two, so I just kind of invited myself in. Haha. She didn't seem to care so much. But she's precious! She's old and her husband has been dead for 26 years. She has 11 kids. Her name is Sara and she's so tender! And answer to a prayer! She already knows so many things about the Gospel. But, I really feel like she's ready for it. I hope that we can teach to her needs and she will feel the Spirit through us. Man, I love prayer. I love the feelings I get when I pray. I pray a lot more fervently and I love to pray for everyone. I pray to be a better missionary.

It really is amazing for me to see the changes in myself. Sometimes, I feel like there wasn't a life or a world before my mission. I know there was and I know I still have friends because they write me. But it's SO different. I can't even explain it. Anyways.

Here's something exciting! So, on Sunday night, we're driving home from our appointment and we have like 3 new voicemails. So check them, right? And one is from President Greer. And he's all like Sister Pleshek, call me back. I've got some things to talk to you about. So I call him back and I'm kind of freaking cause what's going on? He answers and tells me that I've been picked from the sister missionaries [along with 5 other sisters] to spend 4 days in the Tri-Cities, doing some training. Part of all the changes going on in the missionary program is the 8 new lessons for the missionaries to learn. We had training on 1 lesson already on Friday when we had interviews. But I'm spending 4 days along with 70 other missionaries, doing some intense training. I'll end up having to teach missionaries in zone conferences or other special training meetings. So, I'm pretty stoked and at the same time, I feel really special. I feel like I'm doing something right. And p.s. I really love the Greers! I love the Belnaps, but I feel a really special connection with the Greers. They are amazing people and I'm so lucky that they are my mission president and wife! I was lucky, I get 2! They really are awesome!

We had our interviews on Friday and it went really well. President and Sister Greer were so sweet! Hna. Rico was in first with President, so Sister Greer and I were just having a blast talking. She's so precious! We talked about medical things and then she asked me to tell her a story. President Greer and I just shot the breeze. He thanked me for my service and for training. It was really nice of him to tell me that. It's what I needed to hear. From July to November, the mission is losing 67 missionaries. Crazy, huh? I couldn't believe it! He said that means we're going to need 67 trainers. Haha. I just laughed.

Oh, so, I have this GIANT favor to ask. There's a family here and their names are the Beltrans. And they are awesome! They were sealed in October in the Salt Lake temple. And they told Hna. Kendell and I when the missionaries leave, they give them something to remember them by. It's been random things. One left a dollar, another left a name tag. One elder left a rap, and one left a reflector. Just random things. These people are amazing missionaries and are willing to help out with anything they can. They don't have a lot, but they still make sacrifices for us missionaries. So many! So, I was wondering if you could make me a SLC beaded temple? I want to give them something that's specific to me, but will also mean something to them. I'll just need it before I get tranferred...which I don't know what that is. I really think I'll stay here in Vancouver for a while. But that's all up to the Lord. And I don't remember if Amy has a large Nauvoo. I know she has a baby one, so I wouldn't think she has a large. But I for real don't remember. I want to see her wedding invite, so don't throw it away. Man, I think it's insane that all these people are getting married and having babies. It almost makes me wonder what I was doing with my life after high school. Eh, who knows. I'm here and that's what important.

We had our district meeting this week at a park. That was really exciting! Haha, the only reason we did it is cause the elders have only 100 miles left for the month. Well, about 80 or so now. But, we have like 500. Which okay, I don't know how. All 3 or so months I've been driving, I've had extra miles left over. In June, we went to Kennewick. 600 miles round trip. They gave us an extra 250 miles, but we didn't use them. This month, we've come and gone a lot of far away places. But now, we've got miles left over. I always explain it as a tithing principle. If you try and stay within your miles and are always planning with them in mind, they'll be there at the end of the month. I don't know how, but they are.

My hija has a swollen eye. It's been getting worse every day. We called Sister Greer last night and we did what she said [she thinks it's allergies], but it's just gotten worse. I haven't ever had a companion that didn't have an eye/swelling problem. All my comps have had that and allergies. I'm the only allergy free, normal eyed one. Haha. Cool, huh? Poor thing. She's miserable though.

I've been having trouble sleeping for the last little while. I'm not bothered by anything and I don't think its stress. I don't know. But, I took a Benedryl last night to help and I was knocked out by 10:15. I woke up this morning to find my pajama pants in the bathroom on the floor. I don't remember leaving the room, but it happened somehow. But I do remember thinking "I'm so tired. I'm just too tired to dream." I was dreaming in Spanish too, so I don't know. I really, this is like physically and emotionally and spiritually exhausting. I love it. Not that I'm exhausted, but that I'm a missionary and doing the Lord's work.

I've started reading the Book of Mormon over again. Little by little, it's becoming more and more real to me each day. Not that it wasn't real before, but it was just stories to me. I love the Book of Mormon and the Bible. I've come to a better appreciation for the Bible on my mission.

Man, so I played with the elders today. We played basketball and I was really good. Haha. I won't lie. I was pulling things out of places I didn't even know existed. But, it helped that there weren't a lot of people there. Yeah, today was zone p-day and no one told my district. Lovely, huh? Yeah, we were excluded, but oh well. We were still together as a district.

Anyways, I love you. The Gospel is true, the book is blue. Thanks for your love and I sure do miss you all.

Con amor,

Hna. Pleshek