December 1, 2014 - Late update.

December 1, 2014

Hola mis queridos hermanos y hermanas,

Ok, I am so in love with Cobija.  This area is really so beautiful! The internet is slow so you’ll have to excuse my lack of grammar but I love it here.  It’s just SUPER HOT!  It’s a kind of heat and humidity that I’ve never experienced before, and that makes it a little draining, but really it’s been good.  And in the little time I’ve been here I’ve gotten tan a lot.  

Last Monday we played football (soccer for those of you in the northern hemisphere) in a cancha that is literally surrounded by jungle and it’s GORGEOUS.  Then on Tuesday we went and did service in the area of the other hermanas. We helped clear out an area here where a family is going to build their house. It’s on a hill overlooking the rio and the green green jungle of Brazil and it’s so pretty! I really want to take pictures of everything! On Wednesday we did service as well in a different area. We burned piles of wood that we had cleared away also for another family that’s going to build their house there.  This is really what people do to live. They buy a lot of land that’s usually jungled and then they have to clear it away with machetes and then they burn it and level it out so they can construct their little wood house, porque ASI ES LA VIDA. People are so hard working and self sufficient and it really amazes me.  Thursday was Thanksgiving and the hermanas and I made the pumpkin cookies from the package my mom sent me. We brought them to our district meeting for the zona, and also the zone leaders bought us salteñas which were super good. So that is basically what I ate for Thanksgiving. For lunch we usually just eat rice and chicken, or noodles or potatoes, and some kind of meat.  Fruits and veggies here are really expensive and most people can’t afford them. 

On Thanksgiving we shared a message about gratitude to the people we visited that day. I was able to think and reflect about all of the things I am grateful for and the list is long! I am grateful for all of the luxuries that I had at home and for the experience I’ve been able to have to live among these amazing people here in Bolivia.  But more than anything I’ve realized that the material things don’t really matter so much. What is more importante is our families and loved ones and this glorious gospel that allows us to be happy and to know that we are children of God here on this earth to learn and to grow and to prepare to return to live with Him.   I’m so grateful for my mission and for everything I’m learning and for the people I’m meeting and serving and for what they have done for me. To see the faith of such humble people has changed me in ways I couldn’t have imagined and I know they will always be in my heart.  The people in this area are really great although we don’t have a lot of people that are progressing, but we have a family where the parents are less active and there’s a boy that is 9 years old that we have his baptism planned for Christmas.  He is honestly the cutest little boy ever and said the most sincere and precious prayer.  I’m also grateful for children and for the example they are to us of being so close to Christ. 

Saturday we also had another service project.  Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday morning we have service, which is awesome.  My companion and I have been working hard and trying to withstand the heat and everything’s good, just MUCHO CALOR. It’s been raining on and off, so you just have to be prepared.  Today I’m hoping that we can buy some things to be able to decorate for Christmas because oh my goodness it’s already December! Hope you are all doing well.

  

Thanks for everything.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Tijerino

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NOTE: In order to protect their privacy the names of my companions, members and investigators will be omitted and their name tags obfuscated.

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