Week #1 in Colonia Juarez

Dos Hermanas on a suspension bridge

Hola Todos!

This week was good! This has been super weird to be here in the colonies, where we go to church in English, and there aren't people walking out in the streets, but I'm starting to learn the ways of the colony. It feels tiny, but I'm liking getting to know everyone and seeing a bit more what it's like in other missions. The work is very different and a bit more difficult but I'm working on trying to get the hang of teaching people who have heard the gospel their whole lives and chose not to accept it, but we're working on it!

My companion, Hermana Cruz, is from Vera Cruz, Mexico and is awesome. We also have a third companion, a dog who we have named Bobbi or Negra (see the picture below) who follows us all day, every day, and even tries to walk into our house with us at night. 

"Bobbi", the third companion (who has managed to scare away a couple of investigators)

Hope you all have a great week!

Hermana Naatjes

Suspension bridge that Bailey crosses many times a day.

Peace Out Juarez!!!

Karen :)

  Hola Todos!

This week was fantastic! Me and my companion feel like we've gotten in a good rhythm of work, always having fun and finding joy along the way. I have loved this time that I've been here in Frontera, but the Lord has decided that it's time for me to move on, and I'm headed to Colonia Juarez! It's a little pueblo close to Casas Grandes. I'm leaving the "big city" and headed to the country! I've been told that it feels like a completely different world out there, and I'm excited to see what it's like :)

This week we also had a baptism! Hermano Javier Mena decided this week that he was ready to leave his old life behind and follow Christ. He was incredibly happy and relieved to have this opportunity to start his life over in Christ. 

Baptism!!

This week we were also able to find a man who we were teaching a while back but lost contact with, but when we found him he was excited and ready to make the changes that before scared him. He is preparing to be baptized this Saturday :) Though I won't be able to be here, I am super excited for him :)

Los Miede Bueno

Things I learned in Frontera:

1) Spanglish is a real language

2) I love Mexican people (and food)

3) Really who God is, who Christ is, and in turn who I am :)

Love and miss you all like crazy and hope you have a great week!

Hermana Naatjes

Familia Longoria

Time flies

 sunset in Juarez

Hola Todos,

This week flew by. I have less than a year left on my mission, which is nuts. But time is truly starting to fly. I am starting to feel like a missionary. My companion and I are super similar, we both love to eat and do exercise, and work hard. We love to laugh and don't let a day pass without laughter of some sort. 

Cringy pics with the comp (orange peel smiles)

This week we had Zone Conference and our mission president gave us examples of good missionaries and different standards of excellence we could achieve. One of the examples he gave was of a sister who had her daily plans full to the brim. They had an appointment every half an hour, and when asked she said that 70% of the people were there for the appointments. That is a crazy high percentage for our area.

Her example gave me a new vision for what I can accomplish in each day, and me and my companion have started setting our goals higher. We spend the day occasionally running (literally) between the appointments, but I can honestly say that I couldn't be happier doing it. There is so much joy in the feeling of accomplishment, especially when we know it is the work of the Lord. We will always experience disappointment and rejection, but if we are doing all that we can, all that is in our power to do, we can find joy nonetheless.

 sunset in Juarez

Love you all!

Hermana Naatjes