Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Week 72 "Golden Investigators..."

From 5/25/15

Hola Family and Friends!!!

Hope you all have had a fun week! Time is flying right? Another week has come and gone. Lots happened this week! Conferences, meetings, more meetings and all of it was super awesome.

I'll start with the conference on Friday. It was President and Sister Kusch's last multi-zone conference for their missions, so it was a conference mixed with a little bit of sadness and excitement for new changes also. They both seemed super calm about saying goodbye. It is so clear to see that they have given everything of themselves during their missions. After THREE years of serving they have supervised about 600 missionaries in the mission. Crazy right? It's been such a blessing to have had such supportive leaders like them throughout the mission. They treat us like their own kids! And they do their best to show us their love and appreciation. I really do love them and am grateful for all they have taught me. I love how President Kusch started off the conference, he said "Cada misionero es un milagro" ["Every missionary is a miracle"]. He also explained to us that a truly successful missionary is one who has learned to feel, recognize, and act on the promptings of the Spirit. Then he repeated again, each missionary is a miracle. That is so cool. Success isn't always what we think it is.

Yesterday we went to visit an active family in our ward. Well, semi-active. the mom of the family doesn't come to church. We don't know why yet, but we felt like we needed to go by and get to know them better. What's more, we've felt like visiting them the past couple of days and yesterday morning at church the dad of the family gave a talk. So we definitely had to go by.

We spent some time in their home trying to connect a Mormon message video on their laptop. The one we wanted to watch didn't work...Awkward. So we watched the ultra sad video of the mommy blogger that learned to endure after being severely burned in a plane crash.....yeah... maybe not the first option for a family we don't really know well with little kids. But it was the only one that worked and it has a GREAT message about enduring challenges and trials. It even talks about the beauty of motherhood too. We tried to make it work. We asked the kids how they felt about the video afterward. Each one started off by saying, "Well, it was really sad but..."

Ha-ha.

They got it though. The mom was pretty quiet. We didn't want to have a lesson of "hi nice to meet you, why don't you go to church" because we didn't want her to feel pressured at all or to think that we were only there to get her to church. We felt like we just needed to get to know her. She told us, the video was really sad (haha) but it is true that when we trust God, our trials are bearable. Her husband then thanked us for coming and said, "It's interesting how without even knowing it, you shared exactly what we needed to hear."

:')

I'm content when plans fall through or when we do something accidently instead, because we move out of the way so that things can work out like they need to. Does that make any sense?

Well, before we left Hermana Q pulled out her nifty cootie catcher/inspired question generator to ask for references from the family. The kids picked random numbers which opened up to the question "Who do you know who LOVES enchiladas and is not a member of the church?"

(Super inspired right?)

Then the dad and kids shout out Brother E! The dad says, "One of my employees used to listen to the missionaries. He was about to get baptized but he has to get married first. He and his girlfriend have gone to church a bunch of times and want to get married and want to get baptized. My son will show you where they live okay?"

:O

OKAY!!

We went straight to their house and a young man and a familiar faced young woman come out.

"HEY YOU, we know you!"

We had met this young woman two days before in the conference with President, she helped serve the food to us after the conference. What the heck. The whole time we thought she was a member. They both almost immediately told us, "We want to be baptized but we know we have to get married first."

:O

"We just need to get our paperwork in order. We know the church is true. We also don't want to get baptized just to get baptized and then become less active. We want to do this right."

:O

They are so super awesome. They accepted the invitation to pray for God to open the way so that they can get married and baptized at the end of June. We are also praying for them! We know that for those who love God, all things work together for their good. It was such a miracle to meet them. They are ready! They want the gospel! I am so excited for them and to start teaching them.

Uhh...and talking about escogidos (or golden investigators), we met an awesome family who are sooo ready for the gospel. The biggest challenge will be for Brother A to find a new job so that he can rest on Sunday and go to church.

He is so super cool.

He is a reference from missionaries that met him a little while ago. When he said the prayer...

WOOOW. Just like a member!

We asked him if he could meet the Savior in that very moment what is the first thing he would say or ask him. His immediate response was, "I would ask for forgiveness."

He says that his past is a burden to him and weighs down on his conscience. When we talked about baptism, they loved the idea of being able to be cleansed from their sins. Brother A accepted, but his work will make it nearly impossible for him to come to church, but not impossible for him to keep learning about the gospel and gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. So we are excited to start teaching him and his family. We know that the Lord will prepare the way for him to keep each and every one of the commandments.

1) The work is picking up here. We are trying to gain the confidence of the members. We are trying to serve them and love them and help in any way we can. And we keep seeing improvements with each day.

2) We were also warned a few minutes before conference by President that he 'might' call on my companion and I to share an experience that I shared last week (of the family we taught with the restoration video.)

Ahh... the nerve!!

He did call on us like he said he 'might'. I thought I was going to pass out. Ha-ha. But I guess hearing myself share that experience out loud was a tender mercy. I realize that compared to God, man is nothing...because we are not the reason why people feel the church is true. It's the Spirit's work, most of the time, we just get in the way. BUT at the same time, we are still everything to God.

3) I am in the same zone as one of my favorite former companions!!! WOO!! I just saw another of my favorites on Friday too...I just wanted to cry from so much happiness. It feels like seeing family whenever I run into old companions.

4) The latter companion informed me that one of our former investigators was given a calling in the Young Men's as a counselor and goes to the mutual activities each week. This is a big deal to us because before he was baptized Hermana C and I always talked about how we wanted him to be the Young Men's president after getting baptized -- Dream semi-realized!!-- ha-ha

5) After speaking Spanglish most of the mission, Pure English is practically impossible to speak. For real though, so during conference, one of the elders asked President a question but said in English "I have two questions, they are both docturnal". Like Doctrinal, but now doctrinal doesn't exist in his English vocabulary, so it's docturnal........ Life is real hard.

6) Yesterday there was another great talk given in church where he talked about not being afraid of living the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said, "No tengas temor de ofender el diablo." Or, "Don't be afraid of offending the devil."

Live like you believe, yo.

7) We are teaching a ridiculously cute little girl and her family. The mom, Sister A, can't read but wants her kids to have all the advantages in the world to be more successful than she has been in her life. She wants her kids to go to church and be good people. They are so great! The little girl came to church yesterday with another member and when she saw us, she bolted down the hallway and yelled "HERMANAS!" and gave us hugs! She came for primary!! Woo hoo! She tells us that she is going to be a doctor one day, that she is going to teach her mom how to read, and when we asked her what she likes to do, she said, "clean around the house and help my mom make tortillas by hand." CUTE!

8) We were given a very very special reference from a member who told us that she hates giving out references to missionaries because they never follow up with those people.

*gulp*

Besides, the reference is someone whose husband left her when she suffered from cancer, whose niece committed suicide, and then her own son committed suicide two months afterward. We went by to visit this woman, and she seemed so happy outwardly, but as we talked for a moment her eyes welled up with tears and everything came out. She is afraid of growing close to God because each time she has, she has experienced some tragedy in her life. We talked to her a little about the power of the Atonement and how the gospel will help her heal. She has a strong character, but she gave us hugs and thanked us for coming by and welcomed us to come by again this upcoming week. So we'll see what happens!

9) We went to a very quiet residential neighborhood and went looking for a few members and future investigators. As we went by, there was a lonely convenience store in the center of a cul-de-sac, and a woman was seated smiling at us. We asked her for directions and hurried off on our way. Then the Spirit stirred my soul. hahaha.

She was a little lady completely alone, just happened to be nice, just happened to be open to us and curious about what we were doing and I. DIDN'T. CONTACT. HER.

Then my companion says, well, she was super cute! Then we both stopped in our tracks and ran back. We talked with this woman, Sister C, and she said that she wasn't interested. We asked her about her family and made small talk. She told us that her husband left her and died in another country while she was in Mexico, and her children live somewhere close by in the state, but she doesn't know where because her children refuse to talk to her.

Whew.

She says, "I'm struggling with the pain of loneliness."

Then my super inspired comp offers her a Book of Mormon. We opened it to the back and taught her how to read it using the guide in the back. I was flipping through the pages trying to find a topic that might interest her or help her, then I flip open to the word paz, or peace. My companion and I said PAZ at the same time when we were trying to find a topic for her. Sister C had the biggest smile on her face and asked us if we could pass by her business every time we were there so we could talk and teach her about the Book of Mormon.

Woo!!

She is the perfect wife candidate for a recent convert in our ward too!! We are going to try to introduce them to each other this week. We are the sister missionary match makers.

10) Life is just good here. I love being a missionary.

Hope you all have a great week.
 
Love you all - you are in my thoughts and prayers.
 
Con MUCHO amor,
 
Hermana Fernelius
Monday, May 18, 2015

Week 71! "Cuer-Vah-Na-Ca"

From 5/18/15

Hola Family and Friends!!
 
HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING?! :D We had a great week!!
 
It’s been fun getting to know a ‘new’ area. We are in the same ward we’ve been in the past couple of months, but because we’ve switched sides with the elders here—it feels like a new place. We are meeting LOTS of members who we only waved hi and goodbye to before and we are meeting great new investigators!
 
We had really important visits this week with less active members. There are about 75-120 members that come to church weekly—and that 120 is on a good Sunday. When just last year or a few years ago it was 3 or 4 times that many. Many members have become less active because someone offended someone else or said something and never came back. There are little trouble makers in our ward that treat others badly and just about send them away. Rude, right ? So, we are on a mission to rescue these members.
 
There are so many miracles we’ve already seen !!!
 
One thing is sure. Sometimes our personal struggles prepare us to help others in a more significant and genuine way. We understand them because we’ve been there. I have personally had many emotional challenges the past few years and it’s always left me wondering why. Sometimes I just feel bad without a reason why. I get discouraged, expect too much, give too little, get over concerned, or a little too apathetic. And it’s just plain hard. Along with other challenges, I can’t ever really pinpoint why I am prone to depression and other emotional disorders. But this week, I’ve seen a little clearer on one of the "why’s"...
 
Heavenly Father loves me, and He loves each one of His children on the earth. He loves us so much that He has permitted us to go through refining trials that will help us be better than we were. And because we go through our personal Gethsemanes, we can share Heavenly Father’s love with others as they go through theirs—because in some ways we’ve been there and we understand. I am not saying that we understand because we made it out to the other side on our own and now have a secret formula for success…but rather, and eternally more significant, we understand our dependency on the Savior a little better. Because our hearts have been broken, the Savior can mold us, expand our hearts, and increase our capacity to love and serve and be patient with others, and to be more like Him.
 
I forget how merciful trials are. Trials or moments of stretching in our lives is a witness that God trusts us! He knows that we’ll make the best of it! Maybe our trials won’t disappear in an instant…or maybe they will. What I do know is that the timing, the intensity, and the duration of our challenges is up to the Lord. And His plan is perfect. I want to be more grateful and more patient at every turn and blow in life. It’s giving me a chance to grow. President Monson said:
 
"Our Heavenly Father, who gives us so much to delight in, also knows that we learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass. We know that there are times when we will experience heartbreaking sorrow, when we will grieve, and when we may be tested to our limits. However, such difficulties allow us to change for the better, to rebuild our lives in the way our Heavenly Father teaches us, and to become something different from what we were—better than we were, more understanding than we were, more empathetic than we were, with stronger testimonies than we had before.
 
"This should be our purpose—to persevere and endure, yes, but also to become more spiritually refined as we make our way through sunshine and sorrow. Were it not for challenges to overcome and problems to solve, we would remain much as we are, with little or no progress toward our goal of eternal life. We truly need Him every hour, whether they be hours of sunshine or of rain.’"
 
I hope that in sharing a personal challenge of mine, it can help someone else. I still don’t have all the answers, and it’s still very hard some days. But this week, I’ve seen clearer that this is something given me to help me to help others. I can’t tell you how many people we’ve met who describe to us the same exact emotions that I feel and have felt. And we’ve seen many find the fountain of peace and personal strength through the Atonement of Christ...
 
One investigator told us that when she learned about prayer and began relying on her Savior more, one morning she woke up and finally had the strength to get out of bed. Then she realized that she felt good enough to clean her home… and make her kids food…. And get dressed for the day.. and smile. She was able to sleep well for the first night.. and the next day came and she had even more desire and strength to get out of bed, and clean, and make food, and get dressed and smile. She cried as she told us that it was the first time in years that she had been able to get her head out of the water just enough to find joy and feel happy again.
 
That’s a miracle to me! It’s such a joy to help others find faith in Jesus Christ. It’s so incredible to see them as they take their first steps towards Him and give up what keeps them from Him. There is nothing like it in all the world.
 
We’ve met many more families like that this week and we’ve been able to bear our testimonies to them of the strengthening and cleansing power of the Savior’s sacrifice. You could definitely say that it was a great week for us!
 
One experience I wanted to share last week was a super awesome lesson we had with a new family in our now old area:
 
We found Sister T while knocking on doors, looking for a different reference. We were so impressed by her receptivity to the gospel. She let us set up an appointment to return and chat with her and her family. She was especially interested in us talking with her husband. He had taken lessons with elders many years before. He has read quite a bit of the Book of Mormon and has a lot of questions.
 
We were excited for our appointment!
 
We arrived the next night and were pleasantly surprised by how well we were received by the family. Then the husband walked in and began with all of his questions. What’s this? What’s that? What about him, or her and what do you do, and a million other questions. Although his questions were great, I was afraid that we might not be able to teach, and that it would just be a Q&A session for the father of this family. We were both praying hard for guidance on what we could possibly teach, especially because the discussion had opened a thousand doors for us to talk about.
 
Then we had a gentle impression to pray.
 
Almost in the same moment, I visualized in my mind the whole family sitting on the sofa watching the video of the Restoration and the father was crying as he watched the part of Joseph Smith’s first vision. I didn’t say anything to my companion. After this thought came to mind, I wondered how it would be possible, or if it was right, especially not knowing hardly anything about the needs of this family. How would I know?
 
I almost interrupted the father’s next question, and asked if we could say a prayer to invite the Spirit before sharing a message. As we prayed, I had the same impression come to mind, and I was praying hard for my companion to know what to do. As we said amen, there was a second of silence and my companion blurted out to the family, "Can we watch a video ??"
 
She pulled out a disc with the video of the restoration on it, and within a few moments the video was up and ready to go. The family had all sat on the sofa to watch the video, and a powerful Spirit entered into their home.
 
I still hadn’t said anything to my companion - it was such an insignificant thing, but a miracle to me how that lesson transpired.
 
Although we felt the Spirit so strongly, outwardly the father still seemed hardened. We invited him to be baptized with his family. Everyone accepted—except for him. My companion felt impressed to persist in extending an invitation for him to be baptized. After offering so many defensive responses, he looked away from us for a moment in silence, then looked back and said, "It would be nice if I could receive an answer to know it if is all true. If I did know, I would be baptized. Without a doubt."
 
:O DING DING DING.
 
That’s the point sir, you can know if it’s true you just have to ask seek and knock!
 
It was such a difference to hear an honest inquiry….."can I really know that it’s true?" We ended the lesson in a kneeling prayer with the whole family. It was super duper cool.
 
As we left the house, we talked about the experience we just had. I told my companion what I saw and that she did exactly what she was supposed to even though we didn’t know why. She told me, "I don’t know why but I felt like I had to be persistent with the father even after he said no. But after all his doubts and fears were out of the way, his faith said yes."
 
Ahhhh. It was the best. The Elders are going to start teaching them now. And we are excited to see where they go from here.
 
And wooo, I think that I’m running out of time for today, but I just want you all to know that I love each and every one of you. Maybe someone reads this who I don’t know, but I hope that above everything you know that your Heavenly Father loves you, needs you, and knows what you need. He concerns Himself over you, He rejoices over you. You are His greatest work and glory.
 
There is so much more that I want to share, but this will have to do for today.
 
Love ya’ll.
 
HAVE A GREAT WEEK! AND SMILE!
 
Con Amor,
 
Hermana Fernelius
 
P.S. A man from Boston just walked into the cyber and started talking to us. We helped him get oriented and all, seeing that he’s a newbie to Cuernavaca. How did we know this? Well for one thing he calls the city—CUER VAH NA CA.
 
I like it. It sounds more exotic like that. Haha.

Sister M and her family on Hermana "Quack's" birthday.

Me and missionaries from Barrio G.

This picture describes our relationship.

Monday, May 11, 2015

Week 70! "Happy Mother's Day"

From 5/11/15

Hola Family and Friends!!!

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the absolute best companion, HERMANA Q!! Happy 21st!

Happy Mother's day to all the wonderful mothers out there, especially to my own mom :) haha.
I greatly admire parents because of all the selfless sacrifices they make for their children. I love it. I look up to my parents so much. They have taught me so so much that I will always thank them for....
 
Like learning how to clean for example. We moved into a new apartment this past week, and oh my....it was super sick nasty gross eww. And it only took us three hours to clean the bathroom and the kitchen. Not too bad right? o_o But what can I say, after 5 years of elders living in this place, it could be worse. I don't know how, but I think that it's possible. At least the elders left behind cookies, yo! That's one way of saying sorry. :)
 
This week was wonderful!! We had to say goodbye to many of our investigators because we changed area with the elders, but they are in good hands! It's funny because a lot of the ward members on our side of town kept telling us all this week that they felt we were both leaving...and lo and behold, there were no mission changes, but our working areas did! We are excited to start in a new area together and the benefit is that the members are really willing to help us out and show us around. Woo!
 
I have so much to say, but AGAIN, I don't have any more time. I'm really sorry. :O
 
Thank you for your emails and support. It means a lot to me! :) Until next week.
 
Con Amor,
 
Hermana Fernelius
 
[NOTE from Ashley's dad]:
 
We had the opportunity to speak with Ashley via Skype yesterday for a little over half an hour, and although the connection wasn't very good, it was very nice to see and hear her - she looks well.

As those of you that have spent any time on her blog know, she has served diligently and has touched many lives.  Nevertheless, by her own admission, it has not been easy for her.  So, if you are willing, please join with me and my family in specifically supporting her in your daily prayers, at least for the immediate future.

Thank you so much.

Tracy Fernelius
Monday, May 4, 2015

Week 69! "Blessed Non-Baptism..."

From 5/4/15

Hola Family and Friends!

Good week. Like Tiffany mentioned in her email last week, we've been running into people with some seriously heavy duty problems. It's a little daunting sometimes because I feel like they want us to have the answers. We realize that it's a great trust we've been given to know them, and to be trusted to help them help themselves. It's been amazing to see the progression of one investigator in particular:

Her name is Sister M. I think I mentioned something about her a couple weeks ago. She confided in us some devastating events that have occurred in her life involving her marriage also. We've been trying to teach carefully to invite her to find the answers herself through obedience to the commandments and prayer. With each visit we have with her, she is doing better and better. She told us that her marriage is so much better, she's learning to forgive, she's learning to listen to the Spirit and she even points it out when she feels His promptings.

Sister M is so special.

She is progressing because she ACTS. She doesn't sit around and wait for blessings to fall from the sky, she asks, seeks, and knocks....and she gets answers. I LOVE THAT. We taught her yesterday, and we realized that she is basically a member already. She and a few of her kids. You wouldn't know that they were investigating the church. It's so awesome. I love seeing how the Atonement, forgiving and receiving forgiveness heals hearts.

One of my favorite General conference talks was from President Packer. He said:

"Through His Atonement and the power of the priesthood, families which are begun in mortality can be together through the eternities. The Atonement, which can reclaim each one of us, bears no scars. That means that no matter what we have done or where we have been or how something happened, if we truly repent, He has promised that He would atone. And when He atoned, that settled that. There are so many of us who are thrashing around, as it were, with feelings of guilt, not knowing quite how to escape. You escape by accepting the Atonement of Christ, and all that was heartache can turn to beauty and love and eternity"

It's so true! Sister M bore her testimony to us yesterday by saying how the Atonement and prayer has really helped her to change, to seek forgiveness and to forgive others.

Ahhh...I love being a missionary!

We are teaching another woman named Hermana M also. She is having major problems with her 15 year old son, Boy J. He is getting involved with the wrong crowds and is becoming, for lack of a better term, a problem child.

We were excited to meet him for the first time and try to teach him. But, like his mom warned us, he was rude, tried to act disinterested, and wouldn't respond, but my comp and I acted like we were best friends with him. As we left the appointment with him still pouting and shrugging his shoulders, we both said, I think he totally loved the lesson. Well, the eye rolling kind of gave it away right? The next time we saw his mom, she was super excited and told us, HE LOVED the lesson!!

O.o (really?)

Boy J said he was glad that we weren't pushy or obnoxious about teaching him, and he got lots of attention! SUPER. :) We're on to something. Our goal is to be "bffs" with him. We invited him to watch a movie (Meet the Mormons) in the stake center with his mom. Hermana Q said, "You like movies right?"

J literally grumbled/mumbled an idon'tknow/idon'tcare/imightbehatingyourightnow response. :3

We invited his mom also. And guess who showed up to the movie later that night at the church? BOY J and his mother, Hermana M! GLORIA hallelujah. We also bribed him to be our friend by giving him snacks for the movie. This little guy soaked it all up. He loved it, his mom loved it. They finally were able to come to church. It was such a miracle. We gave them an hour notice to come to the movie and they came.

Ahhh...I love being a missionary.

J feels a like a little brother to us, or someone who needs EXTRA attention. Sometimes the most unlovable need the MOST love. He really is a good kid, he just needs someone to care about his well being and what he likes, and thinks, and needs, and feels. He comes from a broken home and a lot of difficult trials. But the Lord works in mysterious ways, and we can see part of His beautiful plan to help J and his mom to be better people.

Also, this past Saturday was interesting. Friday Hermana Q (quack) and I went to the church to clean out the font, fill it up and get everything ready for the baptism on Saturday. Well Saturday morning, whodduthunk that the water drained out of the font overnight, so we starting filling it up again with an hour before the service---and then we ran out of water in the building when it was knee high filled. Well, the baptizee was not showing up, three members were there including a less active young man (who we threatened to go to the baptism just kidding) and a half filled font. Then Brother D was about to be baptized, but oh yeah......he never showed up.

AWKWARD.

So that happened.

BUT...here's the silver lining for this whole story:

One of the three people who showed up to the baptism was Hermano J, who hasn't gone to church in about 2 or three years; the others were a Stake missionary and our ward mission leader. And they are basically the closest you could be to being exalted or translated but they are still on the earth to help baptize, retain and reactivate people. SO. While my comp and I disappointedly shut down the church, Elder A and M talked to Hermano J: Men to Man. We informed them that the baptism would be postponed, then randomly J said, "You know what, I'll be here at church tomorrow"...Then he left.

Yesterday at church, guess who came........ HERMANO J!! We were so so happy to see him. He sat quietly on the back row with Elder M and his family. I thought of how he's letting the Atonement help him change his life. He did it. He came. And now his good choice will help him to make better choices today and tomorrow that will help him to repent and to progress.

Sometimes (usually all the time) we see how the Lord works in mysterious ways. The baptism (that didn't happen) was not an earth shattering devastating experience. Of course it was a little disappointing, but not discouraging. We felt peace about it. The baptism was for Hermano J. It was really cool to see that. Picturing him in church makes us hopeful and happy each time we talk about it.

I love it!

And in other news, we are teaching a few recent converts reviewing the missionary lessons...aaaand we taught someone who is 65 years old but acts like he's 85. His memory is that of a goldfish. Not to insult the fish out there. We taught him about the Godhead this past week. When I say that we taught him about the Godhead for FORTY MINUTES, I mean that we literally wrote out the words, Padre Celestial, Jesucristo, and el Espiritu Santo on a piece of paper--had him repeat it out loud and tell us who they are. That's when the funniest things went down. Super quoteables:

Espiritu Santo Celestial
El Espiritu Jesuscristo, No?
El Espiritu nuestro Señor
Nuestro Padre Señor
Dios, Nuestro Señor
Jesus Nuestro Padre Celestial
Cristo nuestro Señor
 
Voy bien? "NO!!!!" (He asked my companion halfway through, am I doing well? Then through a laugh, she shouts NO!!)
 
We asked a different question to see the level of his comprehension and memory retainment.
 
"Who gave his life for us and died on the cross?"
 
..........................................Jose Miss, no? O no.................... TOMAS!!  (Joseph Smith, then he said Thomas S Monson)
 
"Uhh, have you ever heard of Jesus?"
 
Yeahhhh....
 
Last quotable comment of the lesson--then we knew we had to cut the cord:
 
"Padre........nuestro santooooooo.....ssss......AMEN."
 
What a little gem that guy is! He goes to over 5 hours of church on Sundays. He goes to the ward before ours, and then goes to our services. He gets to church about an hour early too. In Principios del Evangelio he shared a comment by swearing or saying the equivalent of the F-word in Spanish. He also does not know what the name of the church is. He is the funniest guy around--we love him.
 
Also, the children here call us Hermana Quack and Hermana Fer. It's great. No one can pronounce our names. This is our new alias.
 
What other random things should you know?
 
Our bathroom in our house is outside. The shower is in one room outside and the toilet in the other. There are lizards everywhere. Everywhere.
 
I think that's all, but I'm going to remember everything I wanted to say when I'm laying in bed tonight at 10:30 pm. :) Love you all. Have a great week!!!!!!
 
Con Amor,
 
Hermana Fernelius