This week has been a little better than last week. Sunday I felt rejuvenated and ever since then I've been doing a lot better. Sunday was super spiritual. The Saturday night before I was able to receive some advice and love from my fellow missionaries and friends. I know now that I can choose to be happy and help my companion. I know that God puts everything in our life for a reason. I am learning so much here and I am so grateful for that. The mission isn't all red roses but it's definitely worth it. Well I guess you could say that it's like a bouquet of roses....beautiful and with some thorns.
So I have some exciting news! Elder Amado, the Seventy for all of Central America...check that because I'm not exactly sure...[The church website says he's a counselor in the presidency of the Central America area] but I know that he`s a member of the Seventy...well he`s coming here to Panama, and specifically here to David! Well he`s not just coming here, he`s going to all different parts of Panama, but still really super exciting. We`ve been preparing for him for the last two weeks. We`re pretty sure that he`s going to put all the rebelious missionaries into place. I am really looking forward to being able to learn more. The conference is the 28th and it starts at 9 and ends at 4...and we have to get there thirty minutes early..or earlier. We have received really specific instructions from the President for what we need to do to prepare for his visit. We've had homework I guess you could say. I`ve been working hard to be able to complete it. I really want to be prepared for this visit. In the email from the President today he told us that President Amado wants to greet every one of us...and that when we greet him give him a firm handshake and look him in the eye so that we can see who he is and he can see who we are. I think that's extremely intimidating. I've always thought that if I had the opportunity to personally talk with the prophet I would be scared out of my mind...super intimidating. I`m guessing that I will be able to have a similar experience this Friday. I`m super excited and super nervous. I like the importance that he`s putting on meeting every single one of us. This Friday should be really interesting.
Okay now a quick update on this week:
Monday: We had our normal family home evening with Ana Maria. She is like our big sister. She is so knowledgeable and she has so much experience. She is also really down to earth. I absolutely love her. I'm going to give her my memory journal to write in it tonight. I'm not sure when she`ll be able to get it back to me but hopefully before this Friday so that my mission leader and bishop can write in it too.
Tuesday: This was a communication day with my companion.
Wednesday: Our progressing investigator had his interview. We talked about the temple and work for the dead. Everything went really well.
Thursday: I went to the hospital. The mission nurse was probably happy that I finally decided to go to the doctor. So I have to take medicine for something in the water and for parasites. Looks like Grandma and Grandpa knew what they were talking about.. I have been feeling a lot better but the medicine is making me really thirsty and it's giving me headaches....but that could also be the Panamanian summer weather. In the evening we had our regular group night activity and it was packed! Wow it was so wonderful to see so many people come.
Friday: In the morning my companion saw F. smoking...which was a really hard blow. So we had to talk to him. He decided that he doesn't want to wait to get baptized and that he wanted to talk to the bishop..and then in the evening he told us that he had to go somewhere...and he was angry. I had never seen him upset before.
Saturday: In the evening we attended the baptism of Dora, who is an investigator of the other sisters in our ward. Unfortunately we got there late because my companion had an emergency and then we had a lesson with an investigator that we've been visiting for a while. The appointment didn't go well...and we missed the ordinance, but we were able to be there to help clean up afterwards and to congratulate Dora. In the evening I had a bit of a breakdown...but some missionaries were inspired and called me and were able to help me see things the way I needed to. It was really a manifestation to me that God loves me and wants me to be happy. He has given me so many trials this change and he hasn't given me exactly what I needed to do...but in the end he gave me this night where I was able to feel his mercy and understanding. I really learned what it is that I need to do..which is try to help my companion, but not beat myself up when she uses her agency...and to love myself and be happy. So that's what I've decided to do.
Sunday: It was excellent. In the afternoon a high priest member took us and some members to visit a less active recent convert family. They were upset with me for not visiting them for so long. And I'm pretty sure that they`re still upset with me...but even though that happened I was able to smile and show them my love. We`re going to have a family home evening with them tomorrow.
I haven`t been able to do everything that I've felt like I needed to do...but through the scriptures and revelation I've learned for myself that God is not displeased with everything that I've done on my journey here in Panama.
I know that God lives and loves me and everyone. I know that things happen for a reason.
And I know that in the end everything will be okay. Everything.
Lots of love,
Hermana Koehler
I haven`t taken any photos this week..so I just took one in the internet. There's a mirror right next to me so that's how it was able to work out. The guy that was rapping next to me has left.
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