So just so everyone knows...in case they haven´t figured it out yet...I´m still in Colon!! I didn't have transfers!! I´m really grateful that I get to celebrate my birthday here with people that I know and love! Sooo much better than if I had to go to a new area with a new companion and people that I don´t know.
I got letters this week!! It made me super happy. I hope to be able to write letters today and send them tomorrow since the post office is really close to where we have our district meetings. So today I´m going to give a little summary of what I've been up to this week.
Monday- We had our studies in the morning. At the internet [place] we met up with the other two hermanas in Puerto Pilon. As we left the internet, A., one of our new investigators, shouted out to us "Hermanas!"and ran over to shake our hands. He was super happy and he had his Book of Mormon in his hand. I took a look at his Book of Mormon. On the inside it said in Spanish, "My precious book." I thought that was really sweet. It was really a neat experience for me. He has such an excitement for the Book of Mormon. Sometimes I feel like members kind of lose this excitement with time. I hope that we can all redevelop that kind of faith and excitement.
The other hermanas, my companion, and I all went to McDonald's and then later we went to Colon Centro to a place that's called "zona libre" where they sell things for super cheap. To get in you have to pass through security. We had to go to a little office where they let us just walk right in since we´re missionaries and we´re foreigners. So basically things are cheap because there's no tax! It's for people that aren't from Panama. The people from Panama have to pay a little something to get in. I bought a mp3 player for ten bucks. It works really well! I´m grateful to be able to listen to church music.
Tuesday- We had a service project in the morning. Through the church they were donating wheelchairs. The stake asked us to be there. The idea was that us missionaries would give out the wheelchairs...it was a contact idea...it didn't really work out that way, but we helped serve food. Later, we went to a member's house that gave us lunch...us meaning almost all of the zone. She invited us over because of transfers as a little going away party. She gave us fried dough and fried dough with meat inside...and a side of meat. I was happy because we got to serve ourselves so I didn't feel like I had to eat too much....but my companion helped out another hermana and so she felt wayyyy overfull. I had to say goodbye to one of my good friends...one of the hermanas that was here in Pilon. Her name is Hermana Chavez and she´s a doll. I´m going to miss that girl. In the bus I met a guy from Alaska....okay he´s from Panama but he lived in Alaska for 20 years. I invited him to come to church...we´ll see what happens.
At night we had a phone call from immigration...aka the mission office. We found out that I had to make a copy of my immigration card...soo....we ran to the internet...literally. The whole way we were trying to call taxis that passed us by and there wasn't a single one that wanted to stop!! But we made it to the internet in time....like five minutes before it closed. My companion and I were laughing and feeling silly.
Wednesday- We had our studies in the morning, we had lunch with our mission leader's wife, and then I had a piano lesson with her. I´m hoping that by the time I have changes she´ll be ready to use the simple hymn book to play the piano in church. I've been playing the piano on Sundays. Then in the afternoon we took a bus to Villa Alondra...well that was the plan...but on the bus with us we found Hermano P., who is a less active member. We've been visiting his family and the ward has been focused on helping them. So we ended up passing the bus stop where we needed to get off...but then he told us that his wife is at his house...which was an absolute miracle because she works 24/7...so we decided to cancel our plans and go pay them a visit. It is soooo good that we did. We learned so much more about their situation and how to help them. They invited me to come to their house to celebrate my birthday on Tuesday aka tomorrow. We´re going to start teaching them all of the lessons starting with the restoration since it's been so long since they've been active.
Afterwards we went to visit another member that's having a hard time. We understand her situation better too. She´s one of the counselors of the young women so we've decided that we´re going to pay her a surprise visit with the young women. Then we had dinner with a member. She gave us lasagna. It was super delicious!!!
Thursday- We had our district meeting. We met lots of new missionaries and some of my friends from other areas came here!! Hermana Wilson...the hermana that hurt her foot...came back to Colon!! and Hermana Bennet...my friend from San Mig...came back too!! She had the transfer that I didn't want. Her birthday is today also! She and her companion are opening an area. I got her phone number today. I want to give her a call to see how she´s doing. We had some appointments and then we had dinner with Hermana E. Then we had a meeting with our mission leader.
Friday- We had our weekly planning and studies. Then we went to find a member...we planned to visit a less active family with her..but the family wasn't there...but we were able to serve this sister by letting her borrow some DVDs about missionary work. Then we went to visit the C. family...a less active family. Then in the evening we had English classes and our group night that we have every Friday. It was a lot of fun. We played lots of games...we played duck duck goose in the English class...but I didn't know how to tell people what a goose is...so instead I changed it to rat rat cat...it was fun. Then we had a lesson where we shared the scripture of Peter walking on the water. Then we played more games!
Saturday- We had our normal studies in the morning, lunch with Hermana C...our abuelita..she's a recent convert that can now go to the temple!! We´re helping her prepare to enter the temple...she doesn't want to ask the bishop for an interview so we're going to surprise invite him to her house. Then we did some contacting and then went to teach more investigators.
Sunday- In the morning we went to find an investigator to get him to church but he didn't answer the door. At church the hermano P. was there and his brother in law was there and a whole bunch of other people showed up. I was really happy to see so many people in the church. After church we had lunch in the house. Then we had a lesson with A....we taught him in the street by his cousin's house because we can´t go to his house. He lives in a really dangerous area that we can only visit if we have two men with us. He´s the man that had the Book of Mormon outside the internet on Monday. He hasn't accepted a baptismal date yet, but he says that he wants to get baptized.
Sunday was a spiritual day with lots of spiritual lessons. We have two new investigators that we had our first lesson with them on Sunday. The Spirit was so strong. The words were just coming from my mouth...just like flowing...and it was really wonderful. Then we had dinner with the Hermano y Hermana D...they´re the cute couple that I sent a picture of a while ago.
Today- I woke up at at 6:30...there was water in the back so I started washing my hair and then the water stopped working..so I finished washing my hair with the water from the bucket...then I went out to the living room area and there I found signs and balloons that my companion put up. She said that she had to open my happy birthday bag to get the balloons. I´m glad that she did because I didn't want to blow up balloons for my birthday...haha.
Today is a national holiday and so the internet by our house is closed. So we took an express to Panama. We had to stand up because there weren't any seats but there was air conditioning! Right now we´re in Albrook which is a huge terminal/mall. Lots of people have been wishing me happy birthday. While I've been here some interesting things have happened....the girls from Puerto Pilon called but I couldn't hear anything so I hung up....a young man called saying that he's the young man that told us that he wants to give us fish...long story...and a random stranger came up to me...he asked me if I´m a missionary and asked what he can do to have the missionaries come to his house to teach him about the gospel...it's a fun day.
I hope that everyone's doing excellent! I love you all!!
If you´re having a hard day buy some cake and celebrate my birthday!! haha I don´t mind. Remember that you are never alone! God lives and loves everyone the good and the bad...why? Because he´s our father!
I´m living and learning and growing and forever grateful to be part of this church. And I'm so grateful that I have this opportunity to be a missionary here in Panama.
Love always,
Hermana Hannah
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