Small and Simple

Buenas Tardes Familia! I hope you are all doing fantastically well :) It´s hard to believe that yet another week has passed, this week seemed to have gone by especially fast.

On Wednesday morning we went to the temple as a zone. Oh how I love the temple!! There really is no better way to brighten a day. The few hours that I got to spend in the temple made my whole week better. It truly is the house of the Lord and He blesses us with so much peace when we take the time to go.

I think I´ve officially learned Panamanian. Actually, I know that I still have a lot to learn, but I feel very comfortable with the language now. One of our investigators actually asked me if I have Latino ancestry the other day. And one of our contacts didn´t believe me when I told him that I was from the United States. It took about 5 minutes for my compa and I to convince him that I was telling the truth. Then he kept asking me to say stuff in Spanish because he was baffled at the fact that I didn´t have an American accent. That made me happy because my goal was to learn to speak Spanish like a native. Mission accomplished :)

I´m learning that the Lord communicates with us through such simple means. Yesterday Hermana Rodas and I found a family that seems SO prepared to receive this gospel simply because we decided to take a different route home. They seem really positive, and we´re both really excited about teaching them. The Lord is constantly speaking to us, but more often than not it is through something small and seemingly insignificant, so sometimes we don´t count it as much. The Lord´s hand in the small things is such a great testimony to me that He truly loves each of us and is aware of us. He frequently brightens my day through the tiniest of tender mercies. I love the scripture Alma 37:6-7 (I think) that explains that the Lord works through small and simple means to bring to pass great things, miracles. It´s so true and I´m learning it more and more every day. I know that the Lord loves me and is aware of me. He´s constantly speaking to me, I just need to take some time to listen :)

I love and miss you all. Thank you all for being so wonderful and supportive. I know that I´m extremely blessed to have each of you! Much love!

Go forward with faith!

Love,

Hermana Falslev :)

Mi Querida Familia!

 

Good morning family! I hope all is well and that you are all having a spectacular day! It's another beautiful day here in Santa Librada. We just got finished with lunch at Hermana Oda's house. Her food is delicious, and her chicha is absolutely divine. We actually have our P-Day on Wednesday this week because we're going to the temple, but President Carmack prefers that we still write on Mondays so that he doesn't get calls from concerned mamas and papas, so here I am :) It's been a good week. The Lord truly teaches me more and more every single day, I love it! :)

I want to share a scripture that I came across earlier this week--2 Nephi 25:26. It says, ''And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophecy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.'' I absolutely love this scripture! Nephi is not talking about a passive life here. He's talking about a life that is actively and completely built around our Savior, Jesus Christ. We've been promised in Helaman 5:12 that if we establish ourselves around Christ we will have a sure foundation and we WILL NOT fall. We CANNOT fall when Christ is our foundation, in any and every circumstance.

I want everything I do to be a result of my faith in and love for Christ. I know that by following, learning, believing, and trusting in Christ, I can become like Christ. That's so incredible! And how can I represent Christ if I am not like Him? As missionaries our objective is to ''invite people to COME unto Christ . . . '' The word 'come' implies that I have to already be where Christ is. I have to be with Christ before I can invite others to come unto Him. In other words, I cannot invite people to live this gospel unless I am first living it whole-heartedly myself.

I know that Jesus Christ established the way for us to live, and I know that His way is the only way that leads us to the joy that will come from living with our Heavenbly Father and our families for eternity. We've been promised eternal happiness and we've been shown the path that we need to follow to achieve it. We simply have to do it :)

I have such a love for this gospel and there is no doubt in my mind that it is true. I KNOW that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared before Joseph Smith, and I know that through Joseph Smith the plentitud of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored. We have this gospel in our lives because God loves us and wants nothing more than for us to return to live with Him. We're so blessed to have this gospel in our lives.

I love you all SO much and hope all is well. I've learned that if all else fails, count your blessings because it's hard to not be happy when we take the time to realize how blessed we truly are. Much love to each and every one of you!

Go Forward With Faith!

Hermana Falslev :)

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It's Raining, It's Pouring

 

Hope all is well back home! :) So last Monday we spent our P-Day in the city. First we went to Hard Rock.....Oh. My. Heavens. That food was so delicious, and the best part was that it wasn磘 chicken and rice! After lunch we went to see La Cinta Costera--a beautiful stretch of the ocean along the edge of the city. Even though the day started out nice and sunny we ended up getting caught in yet another torment because . . . well, that磗 just what Hna Rodas and I do :) We were already dripping as we were walking back to the bus stop, but we found comfort in the fact that at least our heads were dry. As we were pointing out this silver lining we were walking along a skinny little bridge on the side of the road. It磗 really skinny and long and once you磖e on it there磗 no way to get off until the other end. At that moment we saw one of the big city buses coming our way. Our fate was sealed and we knew it. As usual, there was a river of rain water next to us. When it rains as hard as it does here it literally creates rivers. We磖e talking like 3 feet deep with strong currents. We simply braced ourselves and did our best to cover ourselves with our umbrellas. After it passed we poked our heads out from under our umbrellas....let磗 just say that our heads weren磘 dry anymore. Another car passed shortly after the bus, but once you磖e already dripping it really doesn磘 matter.

So we eventually made it to the bus. We stood on the crowded bus, dripping, for 2 hours. We got home around 7:30 and were still wet and freezing. We changed into warm, dry clothes and started walking to our dinner appointment. As we were walking we were talking and laughing about our day. I began to say something along the lines of, 创If I get splashed by one more car today . . .创 Sure enough, at that exact moment, the only car around for blocks hit the only puddle in the all-but-dry street as I was standing next to it. Luckily it only got my feel wet, but it磗 experiences like that that remind me that Heavenly Father has a sense of humor too :)

On Friday night we got a call from the Hermana Leaders asking if I could come to their area and help them with an inactive couple that only speaks English. It was definitely an interesting experience. It took a while to get used to having a full conversation in English. It was also strange to be the only missionary out of 4 who could take part in the conversation. Hna Rodas could say a little bit, but I had to translate for the other Hermanas. I felt like I had stepped out of Panama for a while.

So there磗 almost always a lightning storm going on here but it磗 usually really far away, like behind the clouds, so you don磘 hear any thunder, you just see the whole sky light up. It磗 REALLY cool to see. However, yesterday the storm was right on top of us. There was a stretch of thunder that was ear-splittingly loud and lasted for a good 15 seconds. It was so loud that every single car alarm in the area started to go off. My comp wasn磘 a fan, but I found it fascinating.

Well, my time is running short. I know that this gospel is true. It磗 perfect. For any lack that we have or for any blessing that we want, there is a commandment and a corresponding blessing that the Lord has promised us. Obedience=Blessings It磗 simple, but the Lord has promised us that it磍l work every single time.

I love you all SO SO MUCH!

Go forward with faith,

Hermana Falslev :)

BUENOS DIAS FAMILIA!

Hope you´re all doing well! And I hope Alyssa had a wonderful birthday, sounds like you guys had a lot of fun :)

It´s been a good week here in Panama, full of lots of sun and rain. On Thursday we had a zone meeting and President Carmack came so that we could esach have a interview with him. He is so wonderful and perfect for this calling. After my interview him he offered a prayer. It was a very inspired prayer. I felt like every one of my concerns was mentioned, even if he wasn´t aware of them. When I opened my eyes after the prayer, I looked up to see him crying. Then he explained to me that there are angels guarding my companion and I. He said that maybe she and I can´t see them, but he knows that they´re around us. That was interesting because earlier in the week Hna Rodas and I had mentioned the same thing. There´s a part of our area that is especially dangerous called La Quinta. We have both felt that angels walk with us while in that area.

I walked out of my interview with President Carmack with an overwhelming awareness of the love that my Heavenly Father has for me. I could feel SO strongly of the love that He has for me, like He was next to me. I know that He is aware of me individually, as His daughter. I know that we can each have a very personal relationship with Him if we seek it.

Remember Leandro and Maxima who got baptized about 2 weeks ago? Well we´ve been working with their family, which is huge and they almost all live in our area. They have 8 kids who all have multiple kids. We´re so excited to work with them all because this gospel is specifically meant to bring families back to our Heavenly Father. There is one granddaughter in particular who is interested. Her name is Jazi and she´s 13. She was almost always at Leandro and Maxima´s when we taught the lessons. We found out last week that she came specifically because we were there. She started asking her grandparents when the Hermanas would be there. I would be so happy if we could get their whole family into the church! :)

Also, we have an investigator named Margarita. We met her during my 2nd week here. We taught her a few lessons, but she wasn´t incredibly interested, so we didn´t visit her too often. Last week we were walking by and she told us that she wanted us to start visiting her again. She has changed a lot and seems to really be interested now. We taught her the Restoration again and she really has a desire to know if it´s true. And at the end of our lesson she asked about the after-life. She told us that if we get reincarnated she wants to pray that God changes her into a butterfly, because butterflies are always so happy :) We were more than happy to share with her that you don´t have to be a butterfly to be happy after this life haha :)

Well, we´re about to head off to a place called Cinta Costa near the city, which means we have a long bus ride ahead of us. I´ve seen pictures and it looks really pretty. We´re also going to go to Hard Rock for lunch.....that means I get to eat something other than chicken and rice WHOO HOO! :) I´ve learned to love it, but variety in life is nice :)

Know that I´m happy and doing well. Know that I know that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us more than we can comprehend. We´re so blessed to have this gospel in our lives. It provides us with so much joy and direction. Got has a plan of HAPPINESS for each and every one of us. I love you all so much and hope you´re all doing well! I send lots of love your way every day!

Go forward with faith!

Hermana Falslev :)

Photos Aug 2013

Just another week in Panama

How are all of you?! I hope you´ve all had a wonderful week! And . . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Alyssa on Friday! I hope it´s a fun day for all of you.

Well, I don´t have much to report this wekk, just another week in Panama. I suppose that merely being in Panama is exciting enough though :) Panama is such a beautiful place. The sky here is always so clear and vivid. Yesterday the sunset was so pretty. The entire sky was a magnificent mix of orange and pink. Then the moon came up and was a brilliant white sliver of white in the midst of it all. The word for sky is the same as the word for heaven in Spanish. I think that´s justified because the sky here truly is heavenly and spectacular.

Also, there´s a group of wild loros, parrots, that has decided to live in a group of trees along our running route, so we get to watch them fly over our heads every morning. It´s really cool, they´re such beautiful birds.

I´ve also had the chance to experience some new food this week. At the beginning of the week, one of our investigators gave us fish...the whole fish--the scales, the bones, the eyes--all of it. Also, yesterday at lunch I sat down to behold a huge bowl of almejas--clams. I´ve never been much of a fan of seafood, but they weren´t too bad. And it was pretty entertaining to watch one of the elders try and eat them. Also, the fruit here is delicious!!! I tried something called a mamòn the other day. It´s a little fruit that has a green cover that you bite softly to break it in half. Then you suck out the fruit in the middle, which is an oddly textured pinkish/clear thing. You chew on that for a while, then spit out the pit in the middle. It´s strange, but really good. I´m also becoming gifted in the art of eating mangos. It´s extremely messy, but that´s part of the fun. Mangos are definitely some of my favorite things to eat here. I also love papaya. Almost every house here sells things called duros. Duros are basically popsicles, but better. They put homemade chicha (fresh fruit juice) in a little plastic bag and freeze it. We found a house that has duros made out of fresh papaya, coconut, or pineapple. Oh Nely, those things are good!!! Hna Rodas and I get one every time we´re in the area. They´re perfect for the middle of the day, when the sun in strong. It´s been especially hot the last couple of days.

Speaking of weather, here´s my funny experience for the week: Last monday we were waiting for the elders to call about changes., so we left to wash our clothes a bit later than usual. When we walked out the door it was really hot and really sunny. About 30 seconds after leaving our house, a huge storm hit. The wind started really strongly, then the buckets of rain followed shortly after. Everybody was running into their houses, then there were the crazy missionaries who had their laundry swung over their shoulders. It´s a 10-15 minute walk to the laundromat, so we were completely drenched by the time we got there. We rung out our skirts as well as we could, then went about washing our already wet clothes. We just sat and laughed at ourselves . . . we do that a lot. And we´re pretty sure Heavenly Father got a good chuckle out of it too :)

I´m loving the memories that I´m making here in Panama, even the simplest ones will remain with me for a lifetime. I´m so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here.

I love and miss you all so much! Hope you´re all happy and healthy and happy :) MUCH LOVE!

Go forward with faith,

Hermana Falslev :)

Bautismo . . . otra vez!

First things first, I hope Chris had a spectacular birthday yesterday! I sent lots of good wishes your way. Also, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to mom and dad tomorrow. I hope you guys have a wonderful day and are able to do something special because being sealed in the temple for eternity truly is something to celebrate. I'm so grateful that we have an eternal family, thank you!

I've finished my first change out in the field. I just found out that I'll be staying in the same area for my next change as well, and with Hermana Rodas again also. I was very pleased to hear that. I feel like there's so much more that we can still do in the are of Santa Librada.

Also, I'm very happy to report that Hna Rodas and I had 3 more baptisms yesterday. Leandro and Maxima, who are now happily married, are also members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! They have plans to enter the temple on August 4th of next year.

Robert Carrazco was also baptized yesterday. Robert is a 28 year old who had a very difficult start in life. In the school that he attended as a child, the children were forced to traffic drugs, with frequent death threats if they didn't. Obviously that doesn't exactly provide a wholesome environment to grow up in. He got involved in a lot of bad things. His brother was baptized about 7 years ago and is actually serving an LDS mission in Nicaragua right now. His mom was baptized about 6 months ago. We visited his mom often, but he was never interested in joining the discussion. One day, about 4 weeks ago, he came into the room holding a hymn book, and sat down, ready for us to begin the lesson. That Sunday, he came to church and he's been to church every Sunday since. About 2 weeks ago, they called me up to the pulpit in the middle of Sacrament meeting. I don't even remember what I said, but I know it was simple. When we went to visit him later that week, he said that I had said something that made him decide to be baptized. We were shocked! To give you a picture of Robert--his hair is longer than mine, he is covered in tattoos, and has more piercings than I can count. We've been working really hard with him, and he was finally baptized on Sunday! Whoo-hoo!

So this week I've been studying 'hope' a lot. I think hope is such an interesting concept. In the world, hope is something abstract, intangible, and uncertain. However, in the gospel, hope is an extremely powerful, positive feeling of CERTAINTY and trust in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. The combination of faith, hope, and charity is mentioned frequently in the scriptures. When we have faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we have a concrete hope in the promise of exaltation and eternal life with God and our families. Faith and hope are both motivating forces. When we have them, we are inclined to act--or in better terms--to serve, to have charity towards others. When we act on the faith and hope that we have, the Lord blesses us with more. It's a continuous cycle of progress and learning. It's wonderful! Also, everybody has enough faith to start this cycle. It all begins with a sincere desire, that's all the Lord asks. And, if we want more faith, we can ask for it! The Lord will help and bless us.

I love Ether 12>4 which says,''Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with a surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.'' Isn't that a beautiful scripture! It basically sums it all up.

I know that this gospel is true. I know that faith in Jesus Christ and hope through His Atonement are spectacular gifts from God that come through studying and living His word and His gospel. With those principles comes happiness, which is really what this gospel is all about!

I love you all TTHHIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSS much *imagine me stretching my arms out as far as I can*

Go forward with faith (and hope and charity)