Ah Fruit Loops, an American Favorite

Ah!  The mission keeps going by faster and faster.  I feel like I just wrote.

We were teaching a couple that just got baptized and they asked me if I liked cereal.  I say yes and then they told me they had a surprise for me.  They brought out a bag of knock off  Fruit Loops from Malt O Meal.  They were all excited and said 'these are for you!'  They had gotten it, but don't eat much cereal so they decided to give it to me because it's an American company.  They were excited that I had heard of Malt o Meal before.  I do like Fruit Loops but it was just so funny that they thought to give something like that to me.  I'm going to make rice krispie treats out of them.  Everyone is going to go nuts.

It's always fun having companions from different countries.  I've had to teach Hna C how to use the microwave (I stopped her from putting a whole pan in there this week), how to make rice krispie treats, how to shop for groceries and what songs in English really mean.  She always asks what song titles mean because she listens to a lot of music in English like a lot of people here.  Its always funny to think about how different life is in the states.

Things are going really well.  We've found even more people who are getting ready to be baptized.  We even found someone on Wednesday that already met with missionaries and is going to be baptized with us this weekend!  Heavenly Father is always helping us meet our goals!  Thanks so much for all your prayers and support!



How to wash your clothes in the pila



First you fill the pila with water then you get
 your clothes wet




Then you rub soap all over it



then you stretch and pull the clothes and rub it
again the textured bottom of the
pila until its super bubbly

Then you rinse out all the bubbles.

And then ya hang it up to dry!

Weekend of Miracles

Ah!  I only have 10 minutes to write so I'll try to make this good still.  I hope the pictures make up for a short email.

This morning we had house inspections where President and his wife come to see how clean the house is.  We were stressing out and cleaning like crazy yesterday.  But the water got shut off in the morning and I was panicking!  I did not think we were going to be able to clean!  But I think we did okay.  President didn't really say anything. They just talked to us and looked around for a few minutes and seemed happy.  Ah!  I love seeing them.

They also brought me mail!  Thanks to mom, Gma and Gpa Haymond, and Aunt Jen for the letters!  Love you all!!!!!

This weekend was incredible.  We had the wedding Saturday and it was way less stressful than the last wedding.  It was so incredible to see them take that step!  And Sunday we had 4 baptisms!  Ah!  It was such a miracle.  I really don't know why Heavenly Father is blessing me so much.  Its just such a humbling experience to know that He lets me see these miracles and be a part of these conversions.  I was just bawling when I saw each of them get baptized because I thought about the first time I talked to them on the street or knocked their door.  I cant even explain how happy it makes me feel to see them taking a huge step towards Heavenly Father.  I read Alma 26 Monday and I think it explains my feelings a little better than I can.  I love Alma 26 verses 11, 12, 15, and 16.  I know where I'm supposed to be.  I'm so thankful that Heavenly Father is letting me see the fruits of my labors.  I love these people and I love sharing a message that will change their lives.

Thanks sooo much for all your prayers!  Look how it's helped these people!  Love you all!

Baptism of T from last week

Wedding of  K and M

The young single adults in the ward who came to T's baptism.

Baptisms of K, M, K &

M J

M J and K

Baptism of K

Baptism of M

K and her mother.  Her mother has a baptism goal for the end of this month.

Mini Mission

This week has been way different.  I received a mini missionary.  She isn't a full time missionary, but she's getting ready to go on a mission when she's 19.  It's been an adventure!  I have to teach her everything because she hasn't even been to the MTC or anything.  We're both learning a lot!  She's getting better every day.

We had a recent convert (a guy in his 70s who got baptized my first weekend here) with a taxi take Hna Vasquez and I to the change meeting where we switch companions.  On the way he picked up another guy who was going to that area too.  The second the guy got in the taxi the convert said 'Hey! Come on in!  These are my Sisters and we're the Mormons!  Here!  Read this!' and he pulled out a Book of Mormon from the glove box.  He went on and on about how he just got baptized and how it's changed his life and how he really ought to come to church with us.  It was so hilarious and so awesome!  The cool thing is that the guy is super pilas!  He knows some other members and read 1 Nefi 1 in the taxi.  We haven't been able to visit him yet though.  But it was so cool to see this new member giving his Book of Mormon to a stranger and sharing his experiences.  Ah!  I love moments like that!

Last week I learned that I'm not a fan of cow tongue.  We went to a members how for lunch like always.  And she usually cooks really good!  But I quickly realized that we were about to have a stew with chunks of cow tongue.  I tried a little bit and it just weirded me out.  The flavor wasn't bad, and the texture was survivable.  But I could not get over the fact that there were chunks of an animals tongue on my tongue.  So I strategically got it out of the soup and into the trash without anyone realizing.

Yesterday was a really good p-day.  We actually ended p-day 2 hours early as a mission.  We went to work at 3, because we are going to baptize 400 people.  Hay que trabajar!  But yesterday we went out to lunch and ate ALOT of really good food.  We got the family special...4 hamburgers, 2 pieces of chicken, a pizza, and pop.  We ate almost all of it and didn't think much of it.  Then the Elders came into the restaurant and order just 1 hamburger each.  Hna C and I just laughed.  I'm glad the love of food is consistent in all of my companionships.

Sunday was a great day!  We had our first baptism of March!  It was really amazing because she's the first person I've baptized that I've known from the first visit all the way until baptism.  Her sister got baptized last month and her brothers are already members.  It was really cool to see the gospel bless one more member of their family.  She is a really sweet girl and I'm so thankful to be part of her life.  Her testimony is so strong and she's so grateful for all she's learned.  It's such a privilege to be a small part of people's conversions.  It's so humbling to see how much they thank us and love us for what we do.  We don't do anything!  We teach a little in a language  we don't know.  The investigators put it in practice.  They change their lives, not us.  We just get the opportunity of seeing them receive those blessings.

Keep praying for 400 baptisms!  I'm excited to see it happen! Thanks for all your love!

Hermana Haymond

I got an email from someone probably from the ward Alexis is serving in with
 these pictures and a message saying this:
 Aquí esta hermana haymond sirviendo con todos los deseos de su corazón,
sin importar las condiciones. Del ambiente lo ara y lo seguirá haciendo porque en
 el mundo hay muchas almas de oro.
Google Translated it to say: 
Here Haymond sister serving with all the desires of your heart, no matter the conditions. What ara environment and will continue because in the world there are many souls gold.

I loved it and love the people there who are watching out for Alexis!

Hermana Haymond with her new companion Hermana C.  In an email to me she said they were not able to teach as many people because her new companion had not learned to walk fast yet!  I am sure it is hard for short Guatemalans to keep up with the Haymond long legs!

¿Dulce o Acido?

Good news...I don't have changes!  Which I'm so happy about!  I love this area so so much.  The people (members, nonmembers, everyone) are super awesome!  But Hna V is going.  Which is hard for her because it's her first area.  It's rough to leave.  We'll find out who my new companion is tomorrow.

This last week we figured out that a bakery right by our house sells the most delicious donuts!  I never would have guessed that the worlds best donuts are in Guatemala but it's true.  And they're only 1 Quet each!  That's only 4 tortillas (or 12 cents, for all of you gringos using the dollar)!  It's really a great deal!  This week we bought a total of 41 donuts.  It's just a nice little highlight in our day.  But it's a good thing there are a lot of pacas here, because I'm sure I'll need bigger skirts soon.

The other day I taught Hna V how to play 'Sweet or Sour', where you wave or say hi to someone and see if they're friendly or not.  She thought it was awesome!  She made us do a competition to see which one of us could get the most 'sweet' people the fastest.  It was just funny to see how excited a 20 year old got about Sweet or Sour. 

I also explained to her what 'creeper' means.  (There's not a word for that in Spanish, but there really should be.)  She was kinda starting to get it, but it wasn't clicking.  Later that day she was contacting and asking for the address, and it turned out she already knew exactly where he lived.  I then pointed out that as missionaries, we are the perfect example of creepers.  From that moment on she fully understood what a creeper is.

I forgot to mention that we went to the temple in my last email.  As always the temple was really good.  Its not in our mission but we have permission to go as zone activities every once in a while.  We can also go every 6 months on our own.  It was so nice.  Sitting in the celestial room is like the only place in the world where I as a missionary can feel calmed down.  We have to work work work sooo hard all the time and my brain can never rest.  But in the temple its nice because I know I'm allowed to sit down on a couch for a second and just enjoy it.

Oh and I'm feeling better by the way.  I figured mom would want to know that at least.

We are seeing so many miracles here.  The people we're teaching are progressing really well.  There are always challenges, but Heavenly Father is helping us know how to help them.  I could go on forever about how amazing the members here are.  They have really embraced President Monson's counsel about working together with the missionaries.  They visit investigators who didn't come to church.  They read the Book of Mormon with them.  They give us references.  If you haven't helped the missionaries in your ward this week, repent and go help them.  Not because I said so, but because the Prophet said so.  We cannot do this without you.  I know that the members are a huge part of the miracles we're seeing.

Love you all!  Thanks for all the amazing support and prayers!

Hermana Haymond