Semana Santa

I cant believe Easters already here!  Easter here is a week long.  There aren't any bunnies or peeps or eggs.  It's more like Spring Break.  No one has school all week and everyones traveling.  The only Eastery thing is that there are lots of processions.  So thats interesting.  People love hearing about Easter in the States.  They think it's be so much cooler to have an Easter Bunny.

Speaking of Easter Bunnies...we've had a visitor at our house.  I went outside one morning and there was a HUGE bunny in our patio/backyard pila area.  Its really cute.  Definitely someone's pet.  We have no idea how it got there because there are huge solid walls on all sides of our patio and the ground is concrete.  But it got in somehow. When we got back that night it was gone.  No where to be found!  That same night when I was sleeping I woke up to thumping sounds on the roof, but went back asleep thinking it was the wind.  In the morning we were outside doing exercises and Hna V freaked out and noticed the bunny on our roof!  Ever since then we see it every once in a while on our patio.  We can't have pets so we don't know what to do!  We didn't invite it or anything.  We feed it corn flakes and bananas whenever we find it.  We have no idea where it came from or where it goes or how it gets around.  But I'm convinced it's the Easter Bunny visiting me from the States.

Lately we've been bringing our recent converts on visits with us more often.  It's been a really awesome experience.  Their testimonies are so fresh and strong!  And their stories really help the investigators realize that theyre not the only ones to go through the conversion process.  I cant explain the joy that I have felt hearing my converts share their testimonies.  It's so hard not to cry when I hear them tell about how the Gospel has changed their lives to someone who doesn't quite believe yet.  Hearing them say that the church is true is so powerful for me.  I really can't explain it.  But I wish everyone could experience that feeling.  I'm thankful that I was able to help them get to the point of knowing those things.

Things have been really good.  People are progressing and we see more and more miracles every day.  Heavenly Father is letting me recieve a lot of blessings and I'm so thankful for it!  I'm thankful that I get to represent Jesus Christ this week.  Remember what He did during this week.  Remember that you are the reason why He did it.  I know that He died for our sins.  But more importantly I know that He lives and loves us.

Happy Easter!

Hermana Haymond

making fruit loop rice krispie treats with hna v.  shes so cute

Y got baptized!!!!

The family of Faustino and Patty minus 2 kids.

This family is so cool.  The dad was a pro soccer player in Honduras.  Their kids are so cute!  Faustino and Patty are going to get married and baptized the last weekend of this month.

It's a Girl!

Hna V! my mini mini-missionary

Yesterday I found out I'm going to be training next change!  I'm going to have my first hija.  I guess the mini missionaries are my hijas too.  They're like daughters that I have to give up for adoption.  But this will be different.  I'm excited to be a trainer, but I still have no idea how to be a missionary.  I'm sure I'll be the one learning the most.

Things are going way better this week!  We got back into the swing of things really fast after my not so funny April Fools joke.  My new companion is a hard worker and I'm so thankful for that! It's hard to be happy when we're not working our hardest.

I just love the people in my area!  The other day it rained really hard and we didn't have umbrellas.  One of the sisters in our ward saw us and made us change into dry clothes from her daughter.  It was funny because she wouldn't leave with us to go on our visits until we were in dry clothes.  There are lots of nice people here that take care of me!

Conference was awesome!  I got to hear it in English, which is always so nice!  Hearing Elder Hollands voice is good enough reason for everyone in the world to learn English.  You can't not believe that the church is true when you hear the voices of prophets like him.  I love going and teaching after conference.  We teach A LOT about prophets and how the church of Jesus Christ HAS to have prophets and 12 apostles.  It's the coolest thing ever to testify about a living prophet and say that I just heard his voice. 

It was also really interesting to invite people to conference.  We found a guy outside of his house on Saturday and started teaching him.  To start off I asked him what he would give to listen to a prophet of Jesus Christ.  He told me he'd give up his job to go listen.  So we kept teaching and explained the Restoration.  Then we invited him to General Conference and he told us he'd love to but he couldn't come because he had to work.  People are just funny like that.  But it's interesting to ask them questions like that, questions that really make them think.

What have you all learned from Preach My Gospel lately?  Today I was reading about Patience.  I really like how it says that Patience is when we have hope and happiness even though there are problems.  A lot of times we expect to be rescued immediately from our problems, but we fail to see that we need to exercise Patience.  It reminded me of President Uchtdorfs talk.  We need to be thankful people.  We cant just be thankful for things when life is good.  We need to be patient and be grateful when things are rough too.  That way we can really trust in Gods will.

Everything is going good.  Heavenly Father is always blessing us with pilas investigators.  It's such a miracle!  We had high goals in March, and we can't lower them much for April.  We keep seeing the hand of God more and more in the work.  There's no reason to take a break.

Thanks for all your emails and love and prayers!

Hermana Haymond

Not An April Fools Joke!

All this week I was trying to think of something witty to send you guys on April Fools.  Something about me having dengue, or getting sent to another mission, or baptized 12 people last weekend.  But it's been a crazy enough day that I don't have to make anything up.  Today's been quite a day, but none of it has been a joke.

So Sunday Hna C said she got bit by something.  And from there her foot kept getting more and more swollen.  We had talked with the mission nurse and we couldn't figure anything out to help her.  This morning Hna C woke up and her foot was huge!  SO big and red.  And she said she couldn't feel anything up to her hip.  So we rushed to the hospital.  I didn't have time to bathe or read my scriptures or eat breakfast or anything.  So we go to the hospital and it turns out she has a really bad infection that somehow got triggered Sunday.  She has to be in the hospital a few days.  She won't be able to finish her mini mission, which is so sad!  Yesterday she was really scared that she'd get sent home, but she cant walk so its better that way.  Poor thing!  Its especially sad because we had become really good friends.  Things were rough at first but it was so sad to say goodbye!  The Senior missionaries came and got me from the hospital and took me to a members house in the ward until I could find another companion.  When I saw the mom of the family I just hugged her and bawled.  It had been such a stressful morning and being without a companion is scary.  I just needed a hug from a mom even if it wasn't my own mom.  But its nice to know I have people to take care of me all over the world.

My new companion is Hermana Valenzuela!  She is an 18 year old from our ward here.  She is also a mini missionary, as of 2 hours ago!  She called her mom and asked 'Hey can I be Hna Haymonds companion until April 16th.'  Her mom said yes and now she's a missionary! I'm excited!  She's very cute and really excited.  She's sitting next to me reading Preach My Gospel as we speak.   Woo!  It will be a good adventure.  Hopefully Hna Cucinatii gets better soon enough to go on her own mission.

Before I forget...SHOUT OUT TO CHASE WHO GOT HIS MISSION CALL TO WASHINGTON!!! AHHH!!!!!!!!  I'm way excited for you.  And shout out to Grandma Suzie who's 40th birthday is today!  (April Fools!  I think she's actually turning 25.  :)   )

This week was rough.  The people who were going to get baptized this weekend aren't quite ready yet, and we didn't reach our goal of 400.  But we saw so many miracles and we have to be thankful for all the success that Heavenly Father has given us.  Its just hard not to look back and wonder what I could have done better.

I'm always having funny experiences with English.  The other day we were in a lesson with 2 younger guys and we asked if we could help them with anything.  One asked me if I knew English (I always tell them no just because I think its funny.  Of course I know English.  I have a terrible accent and I'm the only canchita here.).  He told me he had one of those bears that talks when you squeeze its hand and he wanted me to translate what it said.  He thought it said bad things and wanted to get rid of it if it did.  So I nervously agreed, because they were convinced that it said bad things.  He brought out a normal teddy bear.  It started talking about Teddy Roosevelt and how the teddy bear had been invented.  It was a 100 anniversary teddy bear.  I just started laughing and tried to explain that it talks about presidents from the US.  I never thought I'd be asked to translate the history of where Teddy Bears come from. 

Sunday we had the 3rd hour of church with all the adults.  Everyone was all excited because that doesn't happen very often.  We all wondered what we'd be talking about.  Turns out we spent a good hour and a half talking about how to clean the church.  We watched a bunch of videos with not so great acting about how important it is to clean the chapel.  There was a lot of heated conversation about how everyone needs to be responsible and clean up after themselves.  I just laughed to myself.  I totally felt like I was in one of our Family Home Evenings where we learn how to keep the toilet clean or how to pull weeds or how to caulk the bath tub.  Good times.

I'm glad I get to write home today.  It's been really crazy.  But I will never forget my April Fools in Guatemala.

Thanks so much for all the prayers!

Love you all!

Hna Haymond

There is no such thing as a good pictures of me anymore.  I look so gross today.  There was no time to get ready.  but I was also there supporting my comp.  She really was happy at this point.  She looks more miserable than she was.  Oh! I forgot to tell you the best part of my day.  I got to eat lunch in the hospital because I was the person who accompanied hna c.  and it was sooo good!  There was chocolate cherry cake and steak and really good baked potatoes and sweet potatoes..  Holy cow.  I almost died.

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