Goooool! from Jenny!

March 23, 2015

Hola,

This week was super good.  Starting off with Monday, we played futbol after not having played for a while. It was super fun and I made a goal! Also today we played futbol in the morning and I made two goals, so I am improving.  Man I am going to miss this zone, because all the elders are so great and because we are so far away from everyone else, we are super united and I love it.  During the week we’ve been visiting a lot of people and having lots of lessons.  It was the birthday of Hermana B. on Tuesday. We went with la Presidenta de la Sociedad de Socorro, and another hermana who is friends with hermana B., and we brought a cake and surprised her. She was super happy.  We also had a super good lesson with her yesterday with el Presidente de la rama y su esposa. Her husband was there for the first time! We talked about the family and the importance of marriage. We encouraged them to get married, because that is the only thing that is impeding Hermana B. from getting baptized.  It went really well and they said they are going to talk and pray about it.  Please pray for them so they can make the decision to get married! We’ve also been visiting la familia M., and we have the baptism for el hijo menor D.  We’ve been trying to help the family come back to church, and they all came to church yesterday, so that made us really happy.  We also are visiting a hermana who is less active and recently opened up a salon in our area, so today we are going to go and she’s going to give us facials.  We’ve also been visiting an hermana converso, Hermana D., who is super poderosa, and it’s gracias a ella that we found Hermana B.  The work is going really well and I LOVE these people.

With the cambios coming up, I am scared that I will leave, but I really hope not.  I only have one transfer left and I hope I can finish my mission here in Cobija, but I will go where the Lord wants me to be.  Yesterday we had our Conferencia de Distrito, for all the members in Cobija. It was super good and I learned a lot.  It was all focused on the family and on the husband and wife and how much the husband needs to love and respect his wife and how much he needs to express his love to his wife.  They talked about how we need to establish our homes on the foundation and rock of Christ, (Helaman 5:12), and also how we need to prepare ourselves as families for eternal life.  Finally they talked about how Satan works with us and how sometimes he doesn’t tell us not to do the right thing, but sometimes he says we can do the right thing, tomorrow.  But we know that tomorrow never comes.  We need to decide to be righteous today.  Anyway, it was super powerful.  Also I got to see all the members from the Rama Cobija that I got to know when I was in the Rama, and I love them all so much.  There are so many people here in Cobija that I’ve come to love and I know it’s going to be hard to leave.  But I am so grateful for the time the Lord has given me to serve his children here.  My companion and I are doing really well and I love her so much and I hope I can finish my mission with her.  I only have one more transfer left and the time is going by so fast. It scares me that I don’t have much time left, but I’m going to keep working as hard as I can to help others come unto Christ.  

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.  Also I received a Valentine’s Day card from the Young Women I think. 

Thank you so much! Love you all,

Con 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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© Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia - 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material and posted photographs without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

This crazy tropical weather

March 16, 2015.

Hola,

This week was a pretty good normal week.  But I felt like it went by super fast!  And I’ve come to the conclusion that the weather here in Cobija is LOCO, or maybe just bipolar.  It goes from being super super hot to pouring rain in a matter of seconds.  It will be super hot all morning and then it will rain in the afternoon and then it will go back to super hot, and it’s just crazy!  But other than that, things are good here in Cobija.  I love it and I hope I can finish my mission here.  I only have about less than two months left!  It’s so hard to believe that the time has gone by so rapido.

On Monday we had a noche de hogar with Hermana S. and her family, who are recent converts, and they are really great.  We drank jugo de coco, the juice that comes straight from the coconut, and it was really gross.  But then she made a drink from the fruit of the coco and it was really good.  On Tuesday we visited Hermana B., and she is doing really well and progressing a lot. We’re just praying that her esposo can listen to us too.  Then we had a noche de hogar with la familia V., and it was super good.  On Wednesday we visited a converso named Deydi, and she is the best.  That night we went to visit la familia M. We have a baptism planned for their son who is about to turn 9 and hasn’t been baptized yet, because his parents are less active.  We had a really good lesson with them, but then it started to rain really hard.  Where they live it’s all dirt roads and hills so they gave us their ponchos and their flashlight because it’s also really dark in this area.  We walked home sliding all over the place in the mud and trying to light our dim pathway with this flashlight, and it was really funny.  On Thursday we had a really good district meeting, and we visited the family that had to evacuate their home and that we helped move into the church building. They are still there because their house isn’t safe to live in.  They have 3 kids, and I love them so much.  That afternoon we visited an Hermana from la rama Cobija who just had a baby. She has such a powerful testimony and is such an amazing example to me of someone who is truly converted to the gospel.  The weekend was pretty good as well.  

On Saturday we had our English class that we taught in la capilla, and noche de hermanamiento which was pretty fun.  Yesterday we went to go pick up Hermana B. to go to church and as we were walking it starting pouring rain out of nowhere. We had to wait a little until it calmed down, and then we kept walking until we made it to church.  Not a lot of people came because of the rain.  It really just goes to show that the people who have a testimony and who are faithful and strong will come to church no matter the circumstances.  I love this gospel so much and I love these people de Cobija.  And I also love my companion so much. We talk so much and have so much fun and we are learning a lot from one another and I honestly love being with her.  Anyway, that’s all I have for now. 

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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© Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia - 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material and posted photographs without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Leave me alone mosquitoes.

March 09, 2015

Hola!

Today there’s finally Internet access! This week was really good and has returned to normal pretty much.  My companion and I have been doing well, just being eaten alive by mosquitoes! But other than that it’s been good and we’ve been having a lot of lessons and have a lot of people we’re teaching.  We’re still teaching our investigadora Hermana B. who is amazing and has now come to church 5 or 6 times. Her testimony is growing and she is really great, but.... she needs to get married and we still haven’t been able to teach her esposo. So that’s the challenge right now, to be able to convince and help them get married. She has 3 little girls who are THE CUTEST.  I love her and her family so much.  We also have a less active family, la familia M.  La hija Paola is active, and her little brother who is 8 about to turn 9 is starting to come to church with her, also her other brother who is less active. We had a really good lesson with their family last night and we have planned the baptism for the little boy for the 11th of April.  

This week we also helped the Young Women with their activity. We made cake, and it was really fun because I felt like I was back in Young Women again. These girls are so great.  That’s pretty much all that’s been going on this week.  But there was a sad occurrence. Because of the floods and everything, it affected pretty much all of the area of the other sisters, Hermana B. and Hermana C. They talked to President, and he decided that it would be best if they left and were put in another area because they really can’t work in their area.  The water has gone down and everything but a lot of the people still haven’t returned to their homes, because there is supposedly another flood that will come again this month.  So on Wednesday they packed their stuff and on Thursday they left for Santa Cruz, and I don’t think they’ll be coming back.  So that was really sad to say goodbye to them because they’re so great and I know they both love Cobija, just as much as I do.  Cobija is such a special place and the people are amazing and I love them.  

Also, yesterday we had a really good class en la capilla about our Savior Jesus Christ and it made me think a lot about how He really is our savior and he paid for our debt and he made such a big sacrifice for us because he loves us. I’m so grateful for Him and for everything he did for us and for the privilege I have to be His servant and help people come unto Him.  

I love my Savior and I love this gospel and I love Cobija.

Con 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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© Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia - 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material and posted photographs without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Floods in Cobija

                                                                                                                        March 2, 2015

Hola hola!

Ok I have to make this email quick.

The week before from Sunday until Wednesday we were home because it was Carnaval and it was pretty chill. We just studied and talked and got to know each other, my companion and I, because I’m training and my companion is super great.  The rest of the week was a little hard but it was good.  On Saturday the floods came.  Cobija is on the border of Brazil and it’s divided by a river. It’s been raining a lot here and in Brazil and so it flooded. There are a lot of parts of Cobija that are flooded.  It’s mostly the area of the elders and of the other hermanas, and we spent all that weekend helping people evacuate their homes.  I’ve never seen anything like this.  The water is literally up to the roofs of some houses.  There are a lot of families affected and they’re all staying in the school buildings here or also in a big park that is in front of where we live.  A lot of members were affected and it’s amazing to see the church come together to help those in need. There wasn’t internet in all of Cobija last Monday so that’s why we weren’t able to write. 

This week has been really good though.  My companion and I are working really hard and finding a lot of people to teach and we have a few investigadores progressing and I have really been able to feel the joy of working hard and being obedient and sharing the gospel and testifying to people of the truth.  My companion is a sweetheart and we talk a lot and have a lot of fun and we both love these people.  Please pray for Hermana Beatriz who is mas progresando. Also please pray for Cobija and for all the affected families.  I’m doing really well, I love this work so much, and I love Cobija.  It breaks my heart to see the flooding here that’s the worst it’s ever been before, but I know that in a way it’s helping the people come together and help one another, and it’s helping us to be able to be more Christ like and serve those around us.  That’s all I have time to write. Now I’m going to try to send pictures also because I finally have my camera fixed!

Love you all!

Con 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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© Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia - 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material and posted photographs without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Viva El Carnaval de Bolivia!

                                                                                                February 14, 2015

Hola! So surprise, I’m on the Internet!

                                   

They told us at first that we wouldn’t be able to write until next Monday, but I think President decided to be nice and let us all write, today Saturday, so here I am!

Well I will take this opportunity to write and tell you how this week has gone by so far.  Monday we took Hermana N. to the airport, and from then on I was with Hermana C. and Hermana B.  We went to Internet Café and then we had to make the arrangements for the two of them to come and stay in our house because it’s bigger. Then we also got together with the elders to play soccer at the chapel for a little bit.  That night we had a noche de hogar with a family in the other area that I had visited before. We made tacos with them, and it was super good.  Then on Tuesday we were mostly in the area of Cobija visiting people. It was super good for me to be able to see these people again that I love.  Especially because we were able to visit Hermana E., and I love her so much!

On Wednesday we cooked lunch with la Familia P. and that was really fun.  It was raining all day, but we put on our boots and our ponchos, and we went out. We visited people from both areas, and it was fun although we weren’t able to have many lessons.  We also got the call of the cambios, and it turns out that we’re all staying.   Everyone in our zone is staying the same, just that 3 new ones would come to replace the 3 that finished their missions.  And.... I’m a mama! In other words, I’m training a new hermana.  So on Thursday morning she arrived, and we had a big welcome sign for her.  My companion is Hermana V., and she’s from Ecuador, and she is such a sweetheart.  I love her.  This is my first time training, so it’s a little different, but I love it. It’s a great experience for me to have to go back to the basics and to be able to be an example for someone, and to be able to get to know my companion and to love and serve her.  She really is so sweet and has such a sweet testimony.  Her mom has passed away, and Hermana Zambrano had called me just before she came to tell me that and that I just have to love and take care of her, and that’s what I’m planning on doing.  I wish I could send a picture of us, but I still don’t have my camera, but I hope it will arrive safe and fixed from Santa Cruz, and then I will finally be able to take pictures.

  

These past two days we’ve been working hard and visiting people and have had many good lessons.  Starting today at 4:00 we have to be en casa until Wednesday, because ya empieza las fiestas de Carnaval.  So we’re going to go shopping and get the things we need because we won’t be able to leave for 3 days.  We will pretty much be continuing our studies and be able to work on my companion’s training and watch movies and stuff, and also presidente has asked us to read the Book of Mormon, so that’s what we’ll be doing.  Hope everyone has a good week and a Happy Valentine’s Day! In regards to love, I want you all to know that I love this gospel with all my corazon, and I love missionary work, and I love Bolivia and the people of Cobija, and I love the time I’ve been able to be here and how much I’ve been able to strengthen my testimony. 

And I love you all! Until next Monday...

Con 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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© Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia - 2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material and posted photographs without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jennifer Tijerino and Mission Adventures in Bolivia with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.