10 months!

the Colonia Juarez temple at sunset

Hola Todos!

This week was good. We had two baptisms! Two 10-year-old kids (who are cousins) Flor and Alexis got baptized! (My camera died so I don't have pics sorry). Also Hermana Monica Juarrez is going to get baptized tonight in a couple hours, so we´re pretty excited. 

Me and Hermana San Martin are very excited, because WE FINALLY HAVE PERMISSION TO GO TO MATA ORTIZ!!!! (Mata Ortiz is a small colony known for its pottery about 16 miles south of Colonia Juarez). We´re headed out tomorrow, and we already have three appointments set for tomorrow and a sister who told us she always used to accompany the missionaries there so is familiar with the houses and the people. We´re hoping for the best! 

Hermana San Martin

I´ve also gotten a bit sick, but am hoping to recover quickly so we can keep working without having to take breaks. I am glad it was today that I got sick so I could rest without having to take time off, and am hoping by tomorrow I´ll be good.

Love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Hermana Naatjes

sunset in the colony

New companion!

Bailey and friends

Hola todos!

This week was good! I was a little nervous (as I always am) to have a new companion, and at first it took a bit for her to open up, but I have now found that we have much in common! She is named Hermana San Martín and is from Vera Cruz, has been on the mission for 6 months, and is the only member in her family. She is very sweet and kind and tries to do better every day. I am excited for all of the energy that she will bring here to the colony. 

Me and Hermana San Martin (waiting for our ride after shopping)

Hermana Marillita

Also saw a black widow spider and a snake this week, so that's pre´y neat. 

Black widow! (Neature!)

Blurry black widow (because she was nervous to get any closer)

The internet connection has been going in and out so this letter is going to be pretty short, but I love you all and hope you have a great week! 


Hermana Naatjes

Hermana Machu

Bailey and friends

Cambios

The last district meeting

Hola Todos!

Latest news: I will be staying in Colonia Juarez for at least 6 more weeks! But my companion Hermana Cruz is heading out to Ciudad Juarez. My new companion is Hermana San Martín. I know nothing about her, just that she´s been on her mission for 6 months, but I am hoping for the best!

I am grateful for all the time I have been given here with Hermana Cruz. She is a great missionary, always looking to brighten people's day. She occasionally gets frustrated or stressed out, but is always ready to laugh, sing, and work hard. I am sad that Hermana Cruz is leaving, but excited to see what more I can learn from Hermana San Martin. I have never met or seen her, but know there is a reason she is coming. I´m hoping the colonia will get a new energy on her arrival. 

The work here is very different and at times difficult, but I know there are people here who are looking for the truth. Practically every week I have been surprised and blessed to be able to find someone who is looking for the truth, and though they don't always end up accepting the message (which I am aware is most likely my own fault), I have seen miracles here, and know that they will continue if we keep working and searching diligently.

On Sunday we were able to find a family who lives on a ranch that we didn't know existed. We were told this week (by a mother who we found walking to pick up her kids) that by the river, past some of the orchards, there are more houses (ranches that are spread out) that are still considered part of the colonia--it's about an hour's walk. We went and found her with her husband and her aunt and uncle. 

The uncle actually has a Book of Mormon that he was given in passing by some missionaries and he has been reading it. He isn't sure yet about changing religion or going to a different church, but didn't say that it would never happen, just said that he didn't know what the point would be (which we will happily explain to him this week when we go to our next appointment with them). 

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Hermana Naatjes

Happy Memorial Day!

Zone conference

Hola Todos!

This week we had our final zone conference with President Owen :(  I learned so much from him, and since this last conference I have come to the conclusion that I need to change a lot about myself and the way I work. Perhaps I wasn´t doing anything bad, but I have so much more potential which I can use. 

We have decided to set our sights high, even though at times we feel a little hopeless here in la colonia. I know we are here for a reason. I know there are people here waiting. We simply have to be more diligent in looking for them, in contacting, and especially in teaching. There is a power that I know I can reach if I become more diligent, if, like I was advised before coming on the mission, I pray like Enos, work like Nefi, and love like Christ. (Really the goal is to do it all as Christ did, but I thought at least I can start with the other examples that I´m a bit less far from, though still far). 

This week we were finally able to talk with a brother named Israel Renteria who lives in Mata Ortiz (an area we are no longer allowed to visit for safety reasons), but comes often to church with his almost 10 year old son, Alexis, who has yet to be baptized. We (actually Hermana Cruz) asked him right there in the church if he wanted his son to be baptized, and told him that we were preparing a baptismal service for this Saturday, and he told us ¨pues sí, ya quiero echarlo al agua.¨ So we're hoping we are going to have a baptism this Saturday!

The last zone conference with Presidente Owen!

Also la Hermana Monica (who couldn't get baptized because she is not married to her "husband" who lives in Phoenix) is going to get baptized Monday in the afternoon! Her boyfriend comes in town this weekend and they plan to get married Monday in the morning. (The last time he came they tried but were told they had to take a class first, so they have now done that and everything else is in order).

There is still work to be done here. No matter how hard the work seems at times, there are children of God who are just waiting to hear His voice and come to His fold.

Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Hermana Naatjes

PEOPLE!!!!!

9 months on the mission! (Thanks for the socks mom!)

Hola Todos!

This week was good! We still don´t have a ton of lessons or people to teach, but this week we were able to talk to people!! 

Tour buses have started coming here to the colony so we've been able to talk to the people who visit from Ciudad Juarez! They even have a stop outside of the temple, so we were very happily explaining to the people about the eternal family they can have thanks to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. That His power and authority are here again on the face of the earth. 

Hump day celebration with milk shakes

This week we are going to have our last zone conference with our mission president, so that's pretty sad. I have been blessed to have President Owen here. I have learned much about obedience, hard work, and love, and how it is that we can find a balance. I will be sad to have him leave, but am excited to get to meet our new president Presidente Henke, and learn all I can from him as well.

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

Hermana Naatjes

A week in a Western European Mission

Korean Ramen for breakfast (thanks for the package mom!)

Hola Todos!

This week was especially slow. We had a lot of appointments that fell through, along with a baptismal date, people avoiding us in the streets, even got in a couple of fights! (Well, more of people just yelling at us, but ya know).

This week we had intercambios (I think they're called exchanges) and I went to Casas Grandes for a day. We talked to a few people, 2 of which didn't believe in God (one of which fought us for an hour about how it wasn't possible that God exists and the other who just walked away). 

We also went to a lesson that was planned with a family, but when we got there, a man was standing quietly in the corner. When we started the lesson, we quickly realized he was a  preacher from a different church. He spent the following hour yelling at us, even shaking, as he told us that we were condemning the people, teaching them false doctrine and that we ourselves were going to go to Hell for what we were doing. 

We calmly tried to explain our purpose and our message, but he wouldn't let us speak. At the end, my companion for the day finally had the chance to say something and bore her testimony. She told him, with tears in her eyes,  that she would never leave her family, change her life, sacrifice and leave everything that she had ever known to share a lie. And that she was certain of everything that we share.  At the end she, one of the girls (15) and I were all crying, while the man continued to shout and the other girl (18) laughed. 

Got my ears pierced!

The mission is full of many different types of experiences. Many beautiful, some funny, others hard, and others even unbearable. But the thing that I have felt more than anything else in these 9 months (Yes, tomorrow I will officially have been on my mission for 9 months), is love. This love is often heart warming, soul filling, full of hope and joy, but at times creates a lump in my throat, a painful desperation that the people will open their hearts, will understand the joy that God has waiting for them. That they can know there is an answer to each of these questions that torment their minds, that in this dark and desperate world there is hope and light. God is there. He is real. He knows us all, by name. He feels our pain, mourns with us and rejoices with us, and hopes with all of His perfect love that we will return to Him and let Him heal us.

I love you all, and thank you for all of your love and support.

Have a fantastic week!

Hermana Naatjes

¿Mamá dónde está Barbie?

cute family

Hola Todos!

This week wasn't super eventful, but the members here are starting to trust us! Usually, when we offer our help (every day like 50 times) the people would always tell us no, but this week they started saying yes! We have appointments scheduled to clean some windows, plant flowers, and to clean and organize books! So we're trying to do all we can to make the most of the time we've got!  

Story of the week: We had exchanges with two of the other hermanas here in our area, which means that I went to a  different area with one of them, while the other took my spot here in la colonia. Here, they had an appointment with a little family that we have been teaching. When they entered the home, the little 5-year-old girl, Marely (featured in the picture above), came running out, stopped cold, looked at them, and then ran back the other way. When she returned with her mom, her mom, Diana, explained that Marely had run to her and asked her, "Mamá dónde está Barbie?" (mom where is Barbie)  😂  I've never been referred to as that before--hilarious!

Bailey's oddly worn soles
*They walk on the left side of slanted streets 8+ hours a day. 
(She noticed the crookedness only while walking on her flat floor at home).  

Have a great week!

Hermana Naatjes

Feeling like I'm at home with a pantry stocked with cereal (I've converted my companion to the joy of cold cereal)