October 25, 2015

Hay muchos miembros en mi area. Yo estoy en un barrio. Aquí en Juárez, there are ward buildings and there is only one ward per building which is kind of weird. Haha. There is one family that we go to a lot because they are recent converts. It's a grandma and two of her grandkids. They have been super helpful, especially because the grandson can speak english! But they are awesome. All of the older people are concerned about my mosquito bites (I have like 50 of them). And they are pretty bad. But yeah. It's good. There are VERY few americans around. I've seen three. Haha.

Teresa was being taught before I arrived. She was walking with a menos activo when they met her. She is around 50 or 60 years old. 

I have a way to listen to music but my mission president doesn't want us to use USB's por la música. Entonces, si usted quiero enviar una CD con la música de navidad, you can do that. We have one CD that we listen to, so I would LOVE new CDs.

My companion was singing the other day the song Hi Ho Hi Ho from snow white. Only, when she was singing she sang it like "Hi Hope". haha. It's funny how the language differences manifest themselves. Also, inside out is intensa mente and I find that really funny. A lot of the fraccionamientos have gates and guards. and one of the guards looks like Strax from Dr. Who. And I love it. Haha. Also also, a lot of the people can't say Blackham and they ofter pronounce it like blanca. So I am Hermana Blanca (Hermana White). Haha. I love it.

This week I learned that as soon as you think you have something going good, the Lord will knock you back down and make sure you realize that you can't do anything without him. That is always a fun lesson to learn. Haha. Not really though. But it's good.

I love the Book of Mormon! I learned how aware of us God is. He is so aware that He will put things into play months beforehand to help us. At the beginning of my mission, I started reading the Book of Mormon starting from Words of Mormon. Don't ask me why because I don't know. Haha. But because I started there I have scriptures that I read that I need in the exact day that I need. And I wouldn't have them if I started reading at a different place. Or I wouldn't catch something new if I hadn't started where I did. I finished reading the whole Book of Mormon this week and have found new things in stories that I literally read a month ago, Revelation never ceases. 

I also learned that if you ask with sincerity, you receive. . My comp and I have been wanted hamburgers for like two weeks now. And we had hamburgers for four meals in a row with members. I am so sick of hamburgers now. Haha. 

I love you so much! And I really do feel your prayers. The mission is getting easier but at the same time, it is still hard. There are still times where I wonder what I am doing. And the prayers that I know are coming are always helpful. 

Hope everything is going well for everyone! I love you!

Hermana Blackham 

October 19, 2015

Health wise I am feeling fine. My asthma has bothered me a little bit but that is to be expected with the weather changes. My allergies are horrible. And I hate them. But they are only really bad in the mornings. Thankfully my stomach hasn't bothered me at all with the food. Thank goodness for tender mercies! We usually have lunch at 2 with members and the members feed us every day except for Monday. It is really rare for us to go a day without members feeding us. We are usually home right around 8:45.

So, this week I went on exchanges again!!! AGIAN! Haha. The first day I was with someone named Hermana Robles and the next day I was with Hermana Hale. Hna Robles is from Mexico and I still don't know how I am able to communicate with the Hermanas who don't speak english but somehow it works. Haha. Hermana Hale is from Utah and that was a really fun experience. In the casa that night there were 4 americans! That is crazy because there  are only like 10 American sisters in the whole mission!

This week I was able to go to a baptism and that was cool. And different than how I am used to it haha. But it was good. I could understand (basically) everything that was going on because it was pretty much the same! The only different thing is that I think we make a bigger deal out of baptisms in the US. Not sure though. I will get back to you on that in November because our next baptism is for Oct. 31! And that is for one of my investigators named Teresa! Yay!

I love you mom!

October 12, 2015

I don't even know what to say. This week, as you well know, has probably been the hardest freaking week of my life! Which is saying something, because I have had some hard weeks in my 20 years. On Monday I had made up my mind to go home. It didn't matter what people said. I was going home. I was searching for the answer to go home in all of my reading and praying and just searching. And I found the answer to go home. But among the answer to go home was a quieter answer to stay. An answer that I needed to hold on for just one more week. And I think I got that answer because Heavenly Father knew that by the end of the week I would be okay, or at least be feeling better. Mom, Heavenly Father is aware of us. And sometimes we can't see it. And that is hard.

This week, I went on two different exchanges. (My companion is a STL: Sister Trainer Leader, ). And at the beginning of the exchanges, I thought: Why are you doing this to me, Heavenly Father? Why are you making me pack my bags for 24 hours and be with someone new when I am having a hard time just being with someone that I know! And you know what? That was exactly what I needed. I needed to go to a new area. The first time, I was able to go to the area with the temple. And I was able to go to the temple. Not inside, just be on temple grounds. There is something about the temple that is just different. There, we met one of the security guards who works there and wants to know just everything about the church. Absolutely everything. He showed me his Libro de Mormon and it was all marked up and written in. He saw the truth of it-just from a historical stand point and even a little on a spiritual stand point. He lived in the US for 16 years and talked to me in English about everything (he likes English more than Spanish-haha). And that opportunity helped me remember why I am here. It reminded me of the joy I feel when I talk about the gospel. 

For the second exchange I was able to be with an American Hermana and we talked in English a lot. I was able to talk about what I was feeling without worrying that she didn't understand what I was feeling. And that helped a lot. To be able to talk about my feelings in English and have the person understand it! With her, we were able to teach a family that we were not planning on teaching and that was cool. We had a member with us and the member was awesome. I needed her in my life this week. The exchanges were such a blessing for me. And now I realize that sometimes, it is those things that we think we cannot handle that end up being the best thing for us. In the short run, it was exchanges for me. In the long run, it is the mission.

So, as you can gather from my message so far, I am staying. And I know it is what I need to do. :)

Yesterday, I was fasting. And in Mexico we fast from lunch to lunch. So we started on Saturday. And by the time morning came around I was STARVING. Hungry enough that it reminded me of Trek. HAha. But anyway. As I was walking to church, I had a thought. Sometimes, the sacrament bread and water (however little it is) is the thing that makes fasting bearable and allows us to make it through. And that is the Atonement in our lives. The Atonement is what allows us to make it through the hard times. Even when you can't even see the difference that the Atonement is making in your life. It is what allows you, enables you, to make it through.

Love,

Hermana Blackham

September 28, 2015

This is a picture of my district that was taken back at the CCM. From left to right, the Elders are Elder Gardiner (he is with me in Ciduad Juarez), Elder Harrison, Elder Nicoll, Elder Gardner, Elder Greenwood,Elder Larsen, Elder Thompson, and Elder Jansson. And my companion, Hermana Banish

September 16, 2015

It is Mexican Independence day. Last night was crazy. Everyone was shooting off fireworks and guns and playing music and just partying. Getting to bed was a little hard. But this morning we went to the temple and that was super cool! All the streets were like empty and we got to the temple faster than we probably ever will. Haha. 

This week for me has been super awesome and full of spiritual experiences. We got to watch the Mexico City Temple cultural celebration and then also the temple dedication. I don´t have my notes on me but I´ll tell you more about that next week. I know that the Lord is always aware of us and is always helping us, even when we can´t see it. Sometimes it takes years before we see how His hand has been apart of our lives. 

I love my district! They are seriously so awesome. Every companionship has similar personalities and that is awesome. Haha. We all get along really well, and I hope we all stay in contact. My companion is going to Chihuahua, so the mission below mine. And I haven´t met any sisters going to Juarez yet. If there is another one, she will be a Latina.

Tell Nonnie that I am praying for her and that some other sisters in my zone are also praying for her. That sounds really painful and I wish I were there to help take care of her but I know I can do more good being on a mission than being home. :) 

I don´t have any pictures today because we literally spent all day at the temple. Sorry there isn´t much to say, but all my days kind of blend together and I do the same thing like every day. Tell everyone I love them!

Love,

Hermana Blackham