This week I had transfers!! Well kind of but not really haha. I'm in the same area: Doleguita, David, Panama...but now I have a new companion. Her name is Hna R. and she´s from El Salvador. She's super tall. Maybe I feel that way because I'm short...and I think that Hna M. might have been the same height, but seeing as I have short dog syndrome and all, it's kind of hard to tell...haha jk but yeah she's tall. 

The work is progressing. I've gotten to know my area a lot better this week...seeing as I'm the one guiding us now. It's been really good for me so far. I'm hoping that I can really work on being a better leader. She wants me to help her become a better missionary...and I know that she will help me too. 

The bishop is having us focus on the leaders one by one...following the example of Jesus Christ in how he worked with the people. So this week we´re going to visit the Young Womens President and we´re going to share a message on the Personal Progress Program. I now have a Personal Progress book in Spanish!! Man I am building up sooo many books...the list of to-reads is getting longer and longer. I'm super excited about working on my Spanish after my mission as well. 

I was sick the other day. It was pretty awful...more so because I made the decision to call my big brother (the mission leader) to ask his advice on what I should do. So he told me to take a pill called "éscape" which basically stops the flow...so that I could go to some important lessons...and then to take another pill to start the flow up again. So on the way to the pharmacy, we came across the bishop. He asked where we were going and so I had to tell him the whole story which was super embarrassing. Then he told me, "Word of the wise, go to your house and go to the bathroom as many times as you have to, but don't take that pill." So I didn't listen and bought the pill and afterwards the other pill didn't really work so I had more problems. So this is a lesson on how we really need to listen to people that get put in our paths, but the right person haha. It also is an example about how Dads give better health advice than sons. But don't worry, I'm healthy and happy now.

I'm getting to know my companion. She's had a really hard life. Things will be interesting this change.

Lots of love, 

Hna Koehler

[I received this picture today from another missionary mom. Thank you Cindy!]

This is the final week of this transfer! We have transfers this Wednesday. Hna M. leaves Tuesday night. I'm sad that shes' leaving but I know that God has plans for us. I don't know who my companion will be...but I do know that God wants me to learn how to be a leader. This will be my third companion as a senior companion and I really need to learn more about really being the leader...guiding and making decisions. I've been doing well, but I know that God wants me to do so much better. He's got some plans for me and I need to step up to the plate (I guess the baseball fans here are rubbing off on me). 

So these next two days will be focused on winding things up and starting off on a running start. New transfer, new plans,  new goals...new companion eeeeeek...but I know that things will work out and I'm grateful for the support that I have here...between the bishop, the mission leader, the other sisters, and the members here...well we`re set up for success. 

Now for the weekly update: 

Monday: We had a zone activity. We went to one of the church buildings and played UNO, watched church videos, played volleyball, and had a good time talking and getting to know each other. Afterwards we had a family home evening with some of our recent converts (Hna S. that gives us lunch every day, her family, and someone who has been having a hard time lately). 

Tuesday: We taught F., the investigator that wanted to get baptized on Sunday. We talked to him about the Book of Mormon, which he has been reading, and the Word of Wisdom. After that we went with a member to visit some of his friends that aren't members...aka we got some recibidas and contactadas. They`re really nice people. They were really positive and we`re hopeful that they will progress. In the evening, we had a family home evening with a member family and one of our investigators. We were hoping that the investigator would bring all of her family, but it turned out that she had gotten her mom to watch her kids for her. But the family home evening was a success in the aspect that she got to know some members and the message was great and everything went really well. 

Wednesday: We taught F. again. We verified that he`s keeping his promise to not smoke or drink coffee. We went to visit an hermana that the bishop wants us to visit every week. She hasn't been able to go to church for a while because she needs to take care of her dad who is having health problems. It's really difficult to get to her house but I know that she needs our help and support. In the evening, we left with a member to visit some of her friends. 

Thursday: We had a zone conference in the morning...and afterwards I had to meet up with the assistants to the presidents because I had to go to Panama City to go to immigration. There were seven of us that went with the assitants. In the evening we slept in the apartment of the sisters that live close to the temple. Hna M. stayed working in our area. 

Friday: I went to the temple after immigration...with other sister missionaries of course. I saw four members from my old area. So many miracles happened this day. I traveled with Hna T. She was such a great example to me. She is such a happy person...super optimistic and stress-free. It was a good experience. Hna M. worked in another sisters area. 

Saturday: We saw F. smoking in the morning. We changed his baptismal date and made a new plan to work with him. 

Sunday: Was full of meetings and inspiration. 

Sorry I'm running out of time. 

But send my love to everyone!

Hna Koehler

I´m sorry about my email last week...I was kind of distracted. But I don't feel discouraged...the opposite really...I feel like I´m ready to make some new steps. I´m starting to see progress. We´re improving (my companion and I). I´m learning things that God has been telling me for sooo long and I am only just now starting to really get it. 

After I finished with the internet, I went to the counter to print out some emails like I always do. The internet lady put my usb into her computer and...her computer kind of freaked out. But with a little bit of time everything was okay and she was able to print what I needed...butttt...it turns out that my usb has a bunch of viruses on it. This is the usb that has a lot of photos...scratch that...almost ALL of my photos from my mission. So an Elder had the same thing happen to him and he was able to save almost all of his photos through a member that helped him out. So I gave him my usb to save. I´m pretty sure he´s a trustworthy person. Maybe you can pray that my pictures will be saved. 

How'd your interview go with the president? 

Wow it was so great. It was short and sweet and to the point. He asked me some short questions, gave me lots of advice, and told me, "Thank you for being faithful." This is a really disobedient mission and he was saying thank you for being one of those people that try to do the best they can. The advice that he gave was aimed at helping me learn how to improve and have patience with myself. He congratulated me on being able to recognize my weaknesses.  

How are your health and stress levels? 

Health...I've had a bit of a cold this week but it hasn't been too bad. My feet are a bit torn up...the only shoes that didn't hurt my feet broke last week. I started trying to use the expensive shoes that we bought but they hurttttt sooo badddd. I started using moleskin...but things weren't improving and I had already broken in these shoes! So I bought some new crocs last week that are a lot better for my feet. As far as stress goes I´m realllllly anxious about cambios that are coming up aka it's nearing the end of this change and it's looking like my companion is going to leave. I´m super nervous about that because 1. she's one of the best companions I've ever had 2. the whole ward is going to fall apart with out her...well not really that dramatic but everyone loves her and has so much confidence in her and 3. I´m still lost in my area. But I have confidence in the Lord and I know things will work out in the end. 

This week...we´ve been working more with members which has been a huge blessing. Tonight we have two family home evenings at the same time...sooooo...we´re going to divide our companionerismo and work with two sisters in the ward....woohoooo two places at the same time!! It will be interesting. I´m super excited because they´re both with investigators. 

The work is moving forward! 

We have a progressing investigator! His name is Fabian and he´s 78 years old (but he definitely doesn´t look like it) and he really wants to know that the church is true. We gave him a Book of Mormon on Sunday because last lesson he asked us about it. We invited him to read 2 Nephi 28. 

I´m excited about lots of other positive investigators. 

We´ll see what happens! 

Lots of love, 

Hermana Koehler

I`m going to write my weekly email in a different email and I`m going to print out what you wrote to read it later so that I have time to write. There's a cockroach climbing by my computer and it's really distracting...it's really big and ugly...eww...
....


So I officially only have nine minutes to write this letter. 

This week has been really...well really WOW...I've learned so much. I am especially learning about humility, obedience, directness, faith, and unity...haha well I guess I`m learning a little of everything. 

I am so grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve a mission. 

I`m sorry this email is so short this week... 

I`ll include two interesting stories: 

1. A flying cockroach entered our room at about 10 at night...my companion killed it...but it ended up on my bed. She took care of it, but in the middle of the night I had a nightmare that it was coming right at me and I jumped out of my bed and onto my companion's bed. The whole night I was like hyperventilating..cockroaches = evil ;p 

2. Now for a report on how the work is going. Well like I said, we`re learning A LOT. We`re working on finding more investigators because we had to drop lots this week...people that haven`t been progressing and don't have a sincere desire. But my companion and I are working towards obedience with exactness and we`re working to have unity. 

This week I get to have an interview with the mission President! I`m super excited about that.