Wednesday, August 5, 2015

PETEN, COBAN, PETEN

Hello! I am writing from Coban City we had to come to the  Leader's Council Meeting. The Zone Leaders, Sister Leaders, Missionary couples travel from their areas to gather at the mission offices in Coban, we left this morning at 3 a.m.  I slept most of the way  but we had a pit stop and we ate a small breakfast I don't know what happened but I got car sick, and I NEVER get car sick,  my companion also got car sick and she never does either, it was weird but we didn't throw up just got queezy. We got here to coban safe and sound!! I feel like I never left (I was just transferred from here last week) Our meeting is tomorrow Tuesday so today it will be a normal p-day for us.

Things I am learning as a missionary:
I now know how to study my scriptures better and dive deep into them, I have found them WAY more interesting its awesome. I have developed better habits and overcoming my weaknesses such as my timing! :) I have learned things that make me want to be a better person when I get home, more friendly, outreaching to everyone, more obedient to the commandments, and being a true member missionary. But the thing that has changed the most is my testimony. It is a lot stronger and firmer now. I truly love the mission and will be one of the things i will never forget in my life and will always be eternally grateful! 

I am deeply grateful for the Atonement I have seen how it has really blessed the people that I have taught and gotten baptized, they are no longer weighed with heavy burdens and just have a brighter light in their lives. Also I have seen the Atonement with some less actives and even members, but some are still in the process :) I have learned a lot about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how to apply it in our daily lives, it's MARVELOUS! Everyone should study it more and understand it and then apply it daily in their lives, its what makes an unfair life seem better, that's a promise. 
 
So about my week: Everything is going great, I LOVE Peten! But it is sooooo hot there, literally sweating bullets it's crazy, but im getting used to that no biggy.  Last week, we did divisions in three areas, San Luis, Poptun and Dolores. We went to San Luis fisrt, the sisters are opening that area, it's the first time that sisters are going there, it usually has been elders. They have a lot of work to do to organize everything and help the branch out (because its not that strong) but I have faith in my sisters! excited to see their progress. I went to Poptun and my companion went to Dolores, I got to see my hija (Daughter) (they refer to the Greenie Missionaries as Daughters, and the trainers are the Mothers)  Hna. Perez! got to be with her, I'm such a proud mommy, she is such a determined hard worker, she is doing great things in Poptun. When I was there I got to learn some Mayan :D that was cool, we also went with a Q'eqchi family, I was practicing some of what I know (which is very little) and they were speaking to me full out thinking I knew it really well haha I kept telling them only poquito! but it was cool.  The rest of the week we were able to work in our area, things are going well in Santa Elena, we are teaching a lot of great people and excited to find more! 

We walk everywhere EVERYWHERE! but sadly here pedestrians never have the right of way, my companion and I think that we can educate this drivers and will show them that they have to wait for us, (we'll see how that goes) My comp came up with a quote:

Changing Guatemala one street at a time ~ Hna Andersen
hahah
I love you guys SUPER much!!!!!!
have a great week
love }
Hermana Riley


LAST SUPPER IN COBAN


NEW COMPANION ON THE WAY TO PETEN


NEW DISTRICT IN PETEN



NOT THE COT!!!!
During Splits (divisions) spending the night.



LOOK AT WHAT WE FOUND!!


HELLO LITTLE FRIEND!!



BYE LITTLE FRIEND!!


PIT STOP ON OUR WAY TO 
COUNCIL MEETING IN COBAN




OH THE THINGS SHE FINDS AMUSING!!


COBAN MISSION LEADERS


SISTER TRAINER LEADERS



PINATA TIME!!



PRESIDENT CURTISS AND SISTER CURTISS
MISSION PRESIDENT



GOING BACK TO PETEN!!




FIRST WEEK IN PETEN

My first week back in Peten:
My new companion is Hna. Anderson she is from Utah, (first American companion on the mish!) I'm still a Sister Trainer Leader and yes we will have to travel back to Coban for Leadership council meetings on a regular basis, as a matter of fact we are scheduled to go next Monday but it will be ok Mom don't worry because we will be traveling with the Senior Missionary couple (The Bakes) and they take really good care of us.( MOM HERE: I expressed concerned because as a Sister Leader they have to travel to Coban 6 hour drive on a regular basis for meetings and the roads are not very good) ANYHOW, Hna. Riley continues>>. I LOVE Santa Elena, because I love Peten and we have seen a few members that live in San Benito which has been super exciting because I love San Benito too and yes, it is HOT as Hades! we are sweating bullets everyday here, but it doesn't bother me because I still LOVE Peten, it's my favorite place. There is downside here though....we are surrounded by a beautiful lake and being a swimmer by nature and with this heat it just makes me drool for a swim on that lake but for now I will have to stick with my semi cold showers haha.
And don't worry we only go to eat with hna blanca on Sundays, and with how much I am sweating I will probably get skinnier (fingers crossed hahaha)
We have some really good investigators here, and I am excited to find more! little by little we are getting to know the area more we are both new in the area but the sisters before us left us notes, and we have been pretty successful finding the people they left. During these days we have ran into members from San Benito which has been exciting!
On Saturday we had correlation (meeting with mission leader) as we were walking to the church, there was a whole on the ground my comp tried stepping over it but her skirt restricted her and her foot didn't get a good grip on the ground so she tripped and fell, in front of everyone (it was at a stop light) she was fine, just scraped her hand kind of badly. After our meeting we were heading back, as we were walking there was a man right on the side of the road who decided to go to the bathroom right then and there and my comp made a comment about it and I told her that's not anything new here, and as I was talking to her I see this odd looking woman on my right side she looked like she was crazy (literally) I noticed that on the corner of my eye she was bending down and we kept on walking when we heard the woman yell and one second later I felt something hit my ear, and I realized it was a rock! (she threw a rock at me) I looked at the woman, and she had an angry face and grunted, I was so surprised and I can't believe she hit me, that old lady had good aim! First my companion falls and then I get hit by a rock! It was actually pretty funny but crazy! Then later that day we went to part of our area and there is a detention center! that was scary, we even saw people outside chilling, and that's when i used the phrase "chilling like a villain" it was creepy, needless to say we didn't stay there too long So yeah that day was full of weird stuff.
On Sunday we had church, we had an investigator his name Jose Luis, he is pilas, he will get baptized soon I know it! and then for lunch went to Hna Blancas house to eat, that was amazing, that made my day! I was so happy to see her family! and at night we ate tamales with Fam Rodriquez another family from San Benito, that we would always eat with. it was the BEST DAY EVER!!!
so that was my week,so happy to be here in Peten!, I love you guys soooo much!!!!!!! Take care fam!!
love
hna riley
P.S. Did I mentioned how happy I am to be in Peten? hahaha



CORTE & HUIPIL
TRADITIONAL MAYAN DRESS
REPRESENTING COBAN



OUR SWEET INVERSTIGATOR
AND
MEMBER MISSIONARY



LOVELY FAMILY
WORKING ON BRINGING THEM 
BACK TO THE FOLD




VERY DEAR TO MY HEART (Hna. Riley)
Their Mother recently passed away and
now they were teaching them the
Plan of Salvation


A DEAR FRIEND


THE PATRIARCH AND HIS FAMILY


ANOTHER WONDERFUL FRIEND


A FABULOUS MEMBER MISSIONARY
SHE IS INSTRUMENTAL TO THE WORK
SHE IS AN INTERPRETER FOR THE MISSIONARIES
IN Q'EQCHI


COBAN 1ST WAR
RELIEF SOCIETY





MY SWEET PEQUES (Little ones)


AFTER A STREET GAME OF SOCCER

THIS IS THE ELDERLY WOMAN
THAT THREW THE ROCK AT HNA. RILEY