Sweating in Chinandega

Hermanas Oliphant and Arias

Hey everyone! This week was very hot, and very new, but it was very great. :)

My new companion is awesome! Even though she`s going home this change, she`s determined to finish with a bang. And she says she was worried that a gringa would be her last comp, because she normally doesn`t get along with them. But we get along great, so that`s a bonus :)

We`ve had a couple earthquakes here...which scared me a bit, but they happen relatively often. Nothing to worry about for now ;) And it`s very very hot here in Chinandega. I`ve sweat off a few pounds just in this past week. Not that I`m complaining, but it`s very hot. Lots of water. If you`ve ever thought of Nicaragua and pictured hot, tropical, palm trees, humidity, etc...you`ve thought of Chinandega. There are actually LOTS of gringos who live here. It`s kind of strange, actually.

We had a fun miracle this week. On Saturday night, we stopped at a nacatamale stand and decided to buy some for Sunday lunch. And it made me really want to by un fresco de calala. Or, a homemade passionfruit juice. It`s definitely my favorite kind of fresco here. Sooo good. I remembered seeing a house that sold them a ways back, so we headed back down the road, and saw a couple of guys sitting down and decided to talk to them. They were super interested, and we were able to commit them to a baptismal date right there in the contact! We haven`t been able to go back with them yet, but it was a tiny little miracle that keeps me and my comp laughing. #buscandocalala. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Something I`ve been thinking very strongly about is how important it is not just to go to church on Sunday, but to sanctify it, like Pte Nelson said. To keep all of our actions on this holy day in accordance with the respect and love with have for our Heavenly Father. Study the scriptures. Do visiting teaching. Do family history work. Go help the missionaries teach a lesson ;) The tv can wait. YouTube and Facebook and Pinterest can wait. Even the cleaning and the laundry can wait. Sometimes you can`t help it, but sometimes you can. And I know we`ll be super blessed if we do all we can to sanctify the dia de reposo :)

As part of my scripture study this week, I read in 2 Nephi 4, and it`s so beautiful. I just saw it as a plead for mercy and forgiveness to the Lord, and how all of us need that sometimes. Verses that really stuck out to me are:

 26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

 27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh?Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

 28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
 29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
 30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.
 31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
 32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me,because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite!O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley,that I may be strict in the plain road!

The Lord will redeem us of our sins, if we are ready to give them up. I know that the atonement is so real, and if we apply the repentance process in our lives, even for the little things, we will be so much happier. I love you all so much, and thanks always for the support and prayers. I`m nearing the halfway mark, and the thought of coming home is a little scary. But I`m ready to enjoy every second I have left in this little time of service to the Lord :) Feliz Semana!!

Att. Hermana Oliphant