Vista Alegre #16 Feliz Navidad

Hola Familia!

First thing it was soooo fun to see you on Sunday! You are all so dang good looking haha. Well, I will see yall again in 6 months!

This past week was a little bit slow because it was just kinda like waiting for Christmas. Not very successful either cuz Panamanians just go crazy for holidays.

Cool Story! I had to deal with my infection again, but we had a miracle happen with that. On Tuesday I recieved a priesthood blessing and in it the Elder said if I prayed fervently, the Spirit would tell me what to do. After that blessing my infection got super bad. My comp told me it looked as bad as it probably felt, so I decided we would take a ten minute break at the house and see how I felt. We got home and I prayed pretty fervently. After that Hna Canedo was eating baby food that she likes (a little weird I know haha) and I had a strange prompting that we should put it on my face. She felt the same thing, so we put it all over. After about 5 minutes, we washed it off and my infection was gone! Just a little red, which was perfect timing because we had a mission activity the next day that I had to sing at. I am so blessed to be in the true Church that has the Priesthood power and the tons of bessings I can recieve from that power!

And that brings us to our mission activity. I sang with three other hermanas and I was sooo nervous, I just about pooped my pants. Well, dress. But it went well and it was actually fun practicing and stuff!

The rest of the week was just waiting for Sunday. I tried really hard not to think about how I was gonna see my family, but it was pretty hard. Especially becuase of the lack of success. My first Sunday without an investigator. Boo. But then I got to talk to you guys and it was great so I am ready to work now!

Things from talking with you guys:

Herm, I still think you were faking with your man voice. But I do believe the armpit hair tho lol.

Hannah you are just wayyy to smokin. Nothing else.

Brynn and Micah, didn't actually get to talk to you guys but hey watching you kiss was cool too. And nasty. What? No I'm kidding you're both beautiful.

Amanda and Quinn and also Derek I was so sad I didn't really get to talk with you guys, but thanks sooo much for singing to me in the car! You two make some cute babies, that's for sure.

Ammon looked way fashion in his sweater lolol

Breton get a haircut.

Mom looked smokin in your new glasses! My dear Hna Jessop saw you and was like, "that cannot be your mom. She is way to good looking" and I was just like "I knowwww right" haha

Dad, it was sooo good to talk to you!! Ugh I miss you so much! Oh and of course, you were smokin too :)

Welp I love you all to the moon and back (and let's be real a lot farther than that haha)!

Love,

Hermana Hallsted

Vista Alegre #15 “I'm dreaming of a rain-free Christmas!”

Hna Canedo making something Mexican. She looooves her food haha!

My last day with my mom in the mission Hna Vanini!

First Sunday with Hna Canedo! also shoutout to Christine for photobombing like a champ!

We got lost in these trees that some members sell and it was so funny that we couldn't find our way out, so we had to take a picture.

Our favorite recent converts, familia Perez

The cunitas labeled our glasses cuz we drink their chicha all the time haha!

Dear familia!

This week there was a giant parade in our area with a million people, and we thought we would go ahead and contact the crowds before it started. It was awesome. I was kinda nervous at first to start talking to everyone, but we just started somewhere and suddenly like a million people were listening! I felt like one of the missionaries of old on a street corner proclaiming the word! We got like a million contacts from doing that and a toooon of references. It was seriously one of the coolest experiences I've had on the mission.

This week was great in the mission, mostly because I have never worked harder before. Hna Canedo and I have been teaching, walking, working, and learning nonstop this week! She's so great! I also really love training. I think I am learning wayy more than she is, which is just great!

Hna Canedo is really great at helping me improve. I learned a lesson to always be positive in training because ayer I didn't feel too great (I got that infection on my face again, and I forgot how to say this is English, but I have sueno with it, so I was a little bit grumpy haha), and I was complaining. She was like, "where did my super mama go? Cmon, let's go to work!". That was super awesome to hear her enthusiasm and got me pumped up again. I know I have that responsibility to be more dedicated, but was so grateful that she was equally as dedicated even when I wasn't. Of course, that won't happen again!

We really are working so hard, and it is so incredible the miracles we have seen. What's hard is that we have investigators who are so positive and then just don’t show up on Sunday. But we did have one investigator there, Marta. She and her sister Minerva are the sweetest old ladies ever. And they loooove church, so I hope we'll be able to see them make the covenant with God soon! Also our convert Carlos is doing soooo well! I gave him a photo of his baptism and he was crying and stuff it was so awesome to see how far he has come! Our other convert, one eyed Satornino got lost again on his way to church. So we talked with the Bishop and someone will be helping him get there every week! Woohoo!

Ili agreed to a date to be baptized this week! And then went shopping instead of coming to church, so we'll have to work on that.

Enoc, still our super positive lil guy, broke his foot, so didn't come to church.

Our family Gomez told us they are for sure gonna be baptized, which is so awesome! But they told us they won't agree to any day until they feel ready. So we talked about what we can do to help them feel ready and they decided they would be super good at coming to church... And then they didn't come to church.

People are so funny. Just trying to get ya to the Celestial Kingdom.

But I know that it is all in the timing of the Lord and it isn't necessarily my decision cuz if it was, they would already be members haha! I am definitely learning to be like Ammon in the Book of Mormon and deal with all the afflictions with patience! (alma 26:27) And that through patience we are gonna see a ton of huge miracles! All in all I love working hard!

I love you all so much and I'll talk to you in 6 days!!!!

Love,

Hna Hallsted

Vista Alegre #14 “I had a daughter”

Hello Family!

This week was exciting!

On Tuesday I went to the city to get my "chichi" (which, don't freak out, is baby in Panama - some others may know a different translation)

(Baby = greenie)

My new companion, Hermana Canedo is awesome! Mexican, loooves her food and is gonna make me fat (her words, not mine haha). She has a really strong personality, but is really loving and friendly to everyone. She has already learned so much and is learning to be a great teacher. She's really good with sharing her ideas with me and her goals, including the awesome unrealistic ones from the MTC (her first question after planning was "why can't we teach 32 lessons a day?" :) ). She is super enthusiastic and super ready to work hard. I think we will get along just greatt!

And as for me I know a lot more than I thought I knew. It is really cool to see how I really do have the Spirit and I really can use it, especially with the gift of tongues. I only have 5 months of learning the language, but I can have conversations about the Gospel in Spanish. It really goes to show how this is the true Church.

As for la obra, we found the coolest 11 yr old named Enoch. He is a kid genuis. Like I'm serious. He's smarter than me. He's also graduating Highschool in 4 days. But he is suuper positive! I have high hopes for the lil dude! (actually he is pretty chubby haha).

We are still working with the familia Gomez, but they went to the beach this week, so didn't come to Church which kinda stinks. I am hoping we can put a date for their baptism this week!

Everyone a little reminder how much I freaking love you. Like a whole lot. And God loves you even more (not entirely conviced that's possible, but ya know). I will always be here for you even though I am in Panama!

Scripture of the Week (not a thing, but here ya go)

DyC 18:10

Love you all soooo much!

Hermana Hallsted

Vista Alegre #13 CAMBIOS CHANGES CAMBIOS

Dearest family, (sorry no pics this week)

This week I got a little sick (not surprising as we don't eat the greatest food here), but then I got better and so it's all good!

Oh and we had changes. Hna Vanini and I are still together, on for our fourth change together... Nah, I'm just kidding, Vanini went really far away to David and I.... (drum roll)..... Am training! And am super surprised! I will have two companions so far the mission, my trainer and my trainee. I'll be honest I'm a little nervous, BUT I know there is nothing better than being tossed in the refiner's fire, not know what you're doing for a while to really grow and really become a better missionary! So really I am so excited!

Really cool miracles this week...

We had 6 investigators at Church, all four of our recent converts and 2 menos activo families! How awesome is that??! I am soooo happy that we are having such great success! Just hope I can keep up with it all, haha.

One of the less actives is Stifen (15 yrs old). Stifen hasn't been to church since he was a kid, but I ran into him today and asked him how church was. I wasn't expecting his answer at all. He told he will be there every Sunday and he will be reactivating his family too and he wants to serve a mission! Haha all from yesterday! Well that was awesome.

Andddd then I visited Hna Dayre Gomez (mama of the Gomez Family) and asked her how church was. She told me it was amazing and then told me how grateful she was for me and for all my help to her and her family and for the Gospel and wow, it was awesome! That family is so darn special! I sure love them a lot, haha.

Soooo from all these cool experiences from this week, we can learn at least one simple truth. The church is true. All you need to do is go and feel that Spirit who will testify of the truthfullness of the Gospel in your heart, and you will find your way home to your Heavenly Father. I know  la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los santos de los ultimos dias is the church that has it all and it is God's church. I wish the whole world would come to church and feel that Spirit and take the steps to come to Heaven where our Father and His Son are waiting. I love the Gospel! and I love being a missionary!!!

Suuuuure Love Ya!!

Love,

Hermana Hallsted

Vista Alegre #12 “duhduhduhdudhudh BAT TREE!!!!”

Bautismo de Satornino

Bautismo de Jose

Feliz Navidad!!

A perfect representation of the two seasons of Panama 1: rain or 2: sun

We got to go to the mall again and eat some icecream woohoo!

Hno Cesar and Christine!

Said goodbye to hna Hernandez today. She's going to Brazil! So we will be in a threesome for this week until changes!

hola familia!!

This week was excellent as we had 2 baptisms this week.  Yes one was the one-eyed Hermano Satornino. He isn't actually crazy at all, just super funny. Also I showed him a picture of our family and because of the background in the photo, he thinks we are all from San Blas hahahaha! So funny! After his baptism he was literally singing praises to God and was soooo darn happy! It was amazing! The second was Jose who is the brother of Eduardo who we baptized a few weeks ago! Jose's mom wants me to marry her son soooo bad haha and last week  he told us if he was to go anywhere in the world, he would go to Utah to my house. Uh oh! But nah, it was really funny, poor guy!

Also I gave my first talk in church. It was awful and in Spanish. Nah it really wasnt that bad and I wasnt even that nervous! The Spirit does work miracles!

We also had a miracle! Our amazing family Gomez lost their dad this week. SO Sad!!! Butttt, we retaught the Plan of Salvation and I got the opportunity to see firsthand the blessings of the Gospel and knowing a family is forever! So now this family is really progressing! The Lord just knew what they needed and I know He loves them very much and sent us to them at the perfect time right when they needed it!

Cool story that isnt really fun: We have to walk down a certain road to get to our house every night that has this tree. ANd like a million bats live in this tree. Now I don't know what their deal is, but I guess they think my blonde hair is like a luz or something cuz every single night, they attack my head. Vanini always walks in front or behind laughing as I run away from the stinking bats, screaming my head off. They don't ever attack her, just me. Well, whatever, I guess I'm just special!

Love you all sooo much!!

DyC 18 is an amazing chapter about repentance and how it applies to missionary work

Mosiah 5:2 is a verse so simple about repentance and how it really is the desire to stop doing bad and do the good... So simply put!

"It's not about what you've done, it's who you've become"

Elder Alonzo

Love,

Hna Hallsted

Vista Alegre #11 “I felt a chill”

Me with this Cuna family who make mola for me!

My two favorite Cunitas, Keyra and Dayra in their pollera outfits

Hna Vanini lol

Better pictues of the pollera timblekes... SOoo beautifuL!

My investigator Hna Osiris has this mola jacket sooo nice

In the city and it was windy so my hair is everywhere…

Normal day of two misioneras

This week was rain rain rain, and I even felt cold once! Crazy! I haven't felt cold in 5 months haha. Speaking of 5 months, tomorrow is my 5 month mark!! Isn't that weird how fast time flies? Just 13 more to go!

This week was amazing!!!

Elder Alonzo frome the 70 visited us, and I will tell you what, I have never been more inspired in my life. It was amazing! And in Spanish and I understood every word! I think the gift of tongues was really working for everybody in that special reunion. The entire meeting he had people stand up and share their testimonies about parts of the Gospel (faith, repentance, the atonement, baptism, gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end), but share our personal testimonies. We weren't allowed to talk about how it related to missionary work, or what "we" can do, just use to word "I". It was amazing. I learned a lot about what I really feel and how the Gospel really is such a huge part of my life. How I can repent of my own sins and that my Saviour, Jesus Christ, suffered for me.

Well after that amazing meeting, we were all super inspired...

We got on a crowded bus for the hour long ride to our area, and sat down separated. After sitting down and introducing myself, I discovered that I was sitting next to a member and her nonmember mother. I talked with them with a lot more confidence than I ever had before. I noticed two things, one, I could feel the power of the authority I have as a missionary, and two, I could understand their Spanish (and their needs) perfectly. The member has a beautiful story and a strong testimony of the Church and we talked about how she can use technology to be an everyday missionary. Her mother told me she wasn't interested in having lessons, but after that powerful reunion with Elder Alonzo, I wasn't intimidated. Instead I taught her the Plan of Salvation, while causually talking about families. I invited to have the missionaries visit her again, and she accepted! She thanked me for being nice and told me I was different than other missionaries and wasn't pushy, which I thought was funny, since she was a rejection, but became a reference haha! I learned that opening your mouth really is not that hard, especially when you do it with confidence. All you have to do is introduce yourself, and apply the gospel. Because the gospel isn't just a religion, or just 6 lessons. It's an entire life, and a it's a life that people are looking for, they just don't know where to look. I know that the church is true and that the gospel is for everyone!

Also we met the one-eyed guy on our way to church again this week, and he came with us again haha! Our most active investigator! And he actually really wants to be baptized, so I think we actually will be doing that next week. You never know who the Lord has prepared! Oh and something super funny! He brought his umbrella to church and we had forgotten ours and after church we were walking down in the rain, and he opens up his umbrella, and it's not just an umbrella, it's one of those giant, colorful picnic umbrellas. He's a really tiny guy too, so it just looked hilarious. So we were walking on the side of him and his giant umbrella getting soaked, and laughing our heads off.

Anyways, Suuuuuure Love ya!

Love,

Hna Hallsted

Vista Alegre #10 ""Yes, I would love to get baptized in that church of yours""

Haha remember at the beginning I said nah the mosquitos aren't that bad? Welp, that was a lie. My legs are hideous! The thing that looks like a dog bite is especially ridiculous. We rode for an hour on a bus and when we came off, we found that the mosquitos had a little buffet on my leg. Just great.

Happy (late) Birthday to my Angel Mother!!! I love you soooo much!

Us with our third little missionary, Christin. She is so stinking cute!!

This spot of nature was just begging for a picture, so we obliged.

Caught in action, using my favorite weapon: deet! (ps, mom could you send me more haha)

Us with some Panamenian Polleras! This is their "typical" dress that everyone wears for celebrations

I started drinking this drink, thinking it was just some juice of something, and it was delicios! Then a member walks by and asks, "ahh, the Fula (that's gringa in Panama) likes rice and pineapple". I was like, wait, what? Yup, I am drinking rice in pineapple juice and it is actually really good! It is a Panamanian specialty!

A traditional dance of Panama. Also the hat the joven is wearing is the Panama Sombraro. Haha, I'm gonna get one for dad, they are so funny!

We live with a family, and their little girl Christin loves for us to put her to bed! Sooo stinkin cute!

Hola familia!

This week was great! And still rainy! (surprise, surprise)

We go on field trips to the city almost everyday for Vanini's therapy, so I am like basically a pro at the city life now, haha. No, it's actually kinda tough not being able to work hard, but I am learning a lot in a different way! So when we can start working hard again, I will be extra prepared!

This week we taught familia Gomez. They are Evangelicos, which usually means if they invite in your house, they just want to fight you. Like really Evangelicos are crazy. But this family we found by offering to bless their home, and after, they were so happy because the Spirit was so strong. The mama said, "That prayer was beautiful and there wasn't anything different about it than I would have said". So we went back and visited with them and found that the mama's sister has alzheimer's and her grandson is handicap, so life at home is a 24/7 job. But we had a lesson with the whole family, showing all the evidence in the scriptures, and at the end they just were so excited saying, "everything really makes sense now!". Anyways, we are really excited for them.

Oh and we visited with Magali twice this week, but we still aren't sure if she is crazy or not haha.

This week we also found a guy with one eye on our way to church and invited him to join us. Well, he did indeed join us, and at the end of church he told us he wants to be baptized in this church of ours. It is really cool to see how really everyone can feel the spirit at the church!

This past week me and Vanin talked a lot about how we can put in a lot more effort into being better missionaries. And because we are working together as a companionship, I have noticed how much better we are at following the Spirit. Because we are trying harder to be more obedient, we are also focusing a lot more on our investigators. We discuss their needs and plan for them. I have started to realize how focused missionary work is on the Atonement. When we talk about needs of investigators, I can feel the Spirit helping us know how the Savior can help them. Because really we are just doing His work. We are only here to invite others to come closer to Him, to feel His love through the Atonement, and to be cleansed through baptism. And not only are we helping others when we preach His gospel, but we also are bringing ourselves closer to Him. I love the Gospel!

Love  you all!,

Love Hna Hallsted

Vista Alegre #9 “And the rain rain rain came down down down”

There's this pole that says no hay agua "there's no water", which I think is pretty funny cuz it rains 24/7 over here.

Baptism de Hno Carlos!!

Divisions with my fav Tongan Hna Langi!!

Hola familia!

This week it rained. Surprise!

Rain kinda stinks when you are a missionary, because, first of all, you get soaked and it's not super comfy, but also because rain in Panama means nap time. Everyone goes to sleep. And the people who aren't sleeping can't hear when you call on them because it rains so hard. But other than that it's fun! Oh and also it was festival week in panama! It says in the Missionary Handbook that holidays are a really good opportunity for teaching because you can find families. Haha, this doesn't apply here in Panama. A holiday means everybody either leaves to visit family and gets drunk. This festival was this entire week, it's like their Independance from all these different countries celebration, so the entire week was just pretty difficult. What we did was focus on the less actives and recent converts a lot instead which is always great!

Oh on Wednesday, it rained so hard and also it was a lightning and thunder storm, which we found out after we started walking to an area especially far. Well, let me just tell ya, it was crazy. The lightning came down silent and was breaking telephone poles and cars all around us and then the thunder would come so loud it hurt our ears! I'm not kidding, both of our legs and arms were bright red after because the lightning had burned all of our hair off. Good news was I didn't have to shave the next day. It was so scary, we ran right out of the street and into a chino for protection (with a whole bunch of drunk guys, cuz you know, it's festival week) for about an hour. I know God sure loves us, cuz we almost died, but He really protected us in that moment.

We found an old blind lady who has two teeth and sings like an angel. She is the cutest thing ever. I can't remember her name, but I'll tell you when I see her again. She is really positive and loves us. I think we can really help her!

We met Osiris and her mama this week too, and they also came to church! They are super sweet and like to talk a whole lot, but I think we can really progress with them too!

Miracle of the week, we were walking home one night and saw a lady sitting on the ground crying. We thought Perfect, she's either crazy or needs help. Either way, the Gospel can help! We introduced ourselves but telling her we know that God has a plan for her and if she knew what that was. She just started bawling. Majali (her name) is from Nicuragua and has no job or money to get back home. She told us she was sitting out here thinking about the purpose of life and was praying God would send her some sign that He loves her and she has purpose. Well I am thinking that is cool, cuz we just happen to be missionaries with the fulness of the Gospel and a message about our purpose here on Earth. I'll tell you more of what happens when we see her again!

Love you!

Hna Hallsted

Vista Alegre #8 “Apostles are always pretty cool…”

familia Perez, my fav Cunas!

I finally found Hna Campbell after 3 months!!

We got to listen to Dallin H. Oaks at the church in Cardenas, which is where the temple is... So beautiful! And my first time seeing the temple!

Just proselyting in Panama

We found this cool tree that is actually just completely covered in spikes giant spiders and webs. Like Giant spiders. Terrifying, but too cool to not take a picture with it.

My fav Mama Cuna! She's teaching me to speak Cuna. Na is the only word I really got down (hola haha)

Hola Familia!

Happy Halloween! I am thinking of dressing up as a missionary this year. And I'll even do some proselyting to make it really realistic lol. Panama also has halloween, and I think it is the same thing! We'll find out tonight!

The really amazing part of this week was having the opportunity to listen to Elder Oaks! I absolutely looooved him and his wife! I loved how he started off his talk by telling us his authority. And then later told us, he was actually also describing our authority as missionaries, hermanas included. I felt the Spirit confirm that authority in my heart, and testified of the importance of missionary work. Just the thing to get me really motivated. He also talked a lot about the Plan of Salvation. He said talked about repentance and related it to our investigators and how literally our whole lives are focused on Christ. He also asked us to pray to know if the things he testified are true. With that challenge, I realized I had never prayed to know if the Plan of Salvation really is a plan of God, a plan for me, and what I chose before this life. I did do as he asked and prayed to have that confirmation in my heart. To be honest I was expecting some kind of spiritual burning or awed realization and was slightly disappointed when I didn't feel that. Later I was reading my Patriarchal Blessing and read how I was a very valiant daughter and had a strong desire to come to this Earth and gain a body. I realized that I didn't need some magical awakening of the soul... I already knew it was true!  I offered up a prayer of gratitude that I know the Plan of Salvation is for me and that I knew it in the life before. I can hardly believe how blessed I am to have had the companionship of the Spirit since I was 8 yrs old and that I can feel his peace everytime I pray.

We also had a baptism!!! Hna Carlos Rodriguez, who you haven't heard about because I only taught him Chastity last week, which was also my first time meeting him. Everytime we tried to meet with him together, he wasn't home. Vanini only ever met with him whenver we were on divisions. For three weeks and I only met him a week before his baptism! Welp, he's actually awesome, so that's cool!

Annd I think that is about all! I love you all!

Love,

Hna Hallsted!