So here I am, back in the United States. It's nice to be here. I've been back for a whole five days now. And really, it feels nice. But it's been hecka busy. If you don't know what hecka busy means, I'll fill you in. Hecka busy means I got home Thursday night at 7 p.m., spent the night at Kristi Brailsford's house. We fell asleep at 3:30 a.m. due to a spectacular night watching Tangled, hearing about her dating progression with Joaquin and giggling about stop-motion home movies.
The next day, we caravanned to Hannibal, Missouri, the birthplace of Mark Twain. We bought huckleberry jam and slept the whole rest of the drive. When we got to Nauvoo, the Disney channel occupied our attention. At the family dinner, I met a couple people who were all very friendly. I also received quite a few questions about how I'm still single. I just told them it was because I'd been in Guatemala for a year and a half.
That night I had the opportunity to help some little girls go to sleep, while their mom, Tami, Kristi's sister, emailed her husband Miles. I talked on the phone with siblings for a while and had some singing adventures with the girlitas. That's spanglish for little girls.
Saturday morning we ate cinnamon rolls and did Kristi's hair. Well, Caryn did Kristi's hair. I was a bystander and will testify it looked GOOD. Afterwards, I ran to the visitor's center in front of the Nauvoo temple to connect three babies with their eight babysitters. After talking with some visitor's center missionaries, the babysitter connection was made and I ran into the temple. The ceremony was beautiful.
As the designated bouquet getter, I ran to the hotel room as soon as I got my shoes back on. I tipped the kids off they should be changing into their fancy picture clothes and then ran outside into the windy Nauvoo climate. Outside, in the chilly achoo change of temperature, we all gathered, waiting for Kristi and Juaquin. They looked so happy. Awww.
We got some quality time standing around, waiting for picture time. During this waiting period, I also got set up on a date. Two days after I'd gotten home from an 18 month dating vacation and well, I was a little nervous, but excited. Apparently, he was the catch of his ward. And well, I was looking forward to a little time with a boy. With a man. But he never called me. Sooo, that just means I learned how to deal with a little dating disappointment.
On my ride home from Nauvoo with Tami, we discussed the roles of women and men in the home. I know it was an eye opening experience for me. After that experience, I realized how much excitement I've always put into my dating life. However, I am ready for that to change. I'm not going to stop getting excited, I am going to stop putting all my eggs in one basket. Which means I should probably look before I sit down, so I don't sit on any eggs. Or maybe I'll just find some hobbies.
Sunday I gave my mission recap and bore my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. After church, I went home and saw my nieces and nephews. We ate together, I got some hugs, we read some stories. It was nice.
Monday I packed all day and ate lunch with little brother at Poncho's. We ate delicious burritos together and bonded. Cookie got to the house with her little girl Allyson and we talked as I packed up my life for the next couple months. That night we went over to Neal and Emily's house to eat and for scripture study.
Tuesday I got to the airport a little bit late. Emily was her usual stellar self and cut me up some fruit, then drove me through some crazy traffic. The nutella my mom sent in my carry-on bag was taken from me the second time through the metal detector. I also almost missed my flight. Running toward the flight deck, bag open, dropping eye shadow in the aisle of the plane...that was not my favorite flight experience.
Right now, I am in San Francisco. What a treat. When I finally got off BART, talking along the way with strangers, I waited for about 10 minutes outside. I finally decided I didn't want to wait anymore and started walking to America's house with my suitcases. A block from her house, I saw her whiz by in her car. With an scoop of chagrin, I turned myself around with my two red bags, and walked back to the entrance of the BART station.
It's been a whirlwind. I can hardly believe I'm back in the United States. I am very blessed. I know my Heavenly Father loves me. I am looking at all the blessings I have received in the last couple days and well, I have not been forgotten. Not at any level.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Oct 3, 2011 Almost trunky
Regarding Grant's current girl interest..
Ohhh, I like her. She´s pretty. I´m sure she´s amazing and I´m glad you are spending lots of time with her and also studying. I will probably talk on the phone with her when I get home. And with you and with everyone else in the world. I just reset the forwarding on my email. Very nice. So all my gmail emails will be in their real home when I get home.
Be good and CTR and I hope you really enjoyed Conference as I also did. We ate a cake today and pizza and I had 500 quetzales eaten by the ATM. Lame. It just never gave me my money. Lame. And I thought I´d have money to give back to my mission pres. but looks like it´s going to be less than I thought. It´s raining. I have one more week in the mission. Que bendicion. Love you, can´t wait to see you, not super trunky, but getting there. Love, Hna Peterson
Dad,
My favorite was the quote about you being an older Brad Pitt. I guess I´ve been gone a while, I don´t remember ever making that connection, but I´m sure I´ll see it when I get home. I come home next week. I don´t know when, but next week...this week´s going to slip past.
We ate a cake for pday and the elders bought candles that were formed into an 18 for how many months I have in the mission. I cried. I gave them money for the cake, I didn´t know about the candles. I´m going to be sad to leave the wonderful people who live here. I´m serious. But it´s raining a lot right now. Like every day, so I probably won´t miss that.
Love you! Love, Hna Peterson
Ohhh, I like her. She´s pretty. I´m sure she´s amazing and I´m glad you are spending lots of time with her and also studying. I will probably talk on the phone with her when I get home. And with you and with everyone else in the world. I just reset the forwarding on my email. Very nice. So all my gmail emails will be in their real home when I get home.
Be good and CTR and I hope you really enjoyed Conference as I also did. We ate a cake today and pizza and I had 500 quetzales eaten by the ATM. Lame. It just never gave me my money. Lame. And I thought I´d have money to give back to my mission pres. but looks like it´s going to be less than I thought. It´s raining. I have one more week in the mission. Que bendicion. Love you, can´t wait to see you, not super trunky, but getting there. Love, Hna Peterson
Dad,
My favorite was the quote about you being an older Brad Pitt. I guess I´ve been gone a while, I don´t remember ever making that connection, but I´m sure I´ll see it when I get home. I come home next week. I don´t know when, but next week...this week´s going to slip past.
We ate a cake for pday and the elders bought candles that were formed into an 18 for how many months I have in the mission. I cried. I gave them money for the cake, I didn´t know about the candles. I´m going to be sad to leave the wonderful people who live here. I´m serious. But it´s raining a lot right now. Like every day, so I probably won´t miss that.
Love you! Love, Hna Peterson
Sept 26, 2011 allergies and hernias
Bonnie's old room is your "new" room...
Monday, September 26, 2011 3:06 PM
Sweet. I should be all set to work normally. My injury wasn{t from lifting I{m pretty sure, it was a vomit hernia, so I{m pretty sure I{ll be ok to work there again when I get home. The Fedex boxes aren{t huge, I just don{t know exactly how Hernias work with healing themselves etc.
Hey Neal and Cookie, how much is it to get an allergy test? I{d like to get one when I get home to find out what I{m allergic to. Do you know a good place to get it done and about how much it would cost me b-c I don{t have insurance? I{ll be home in about 3 weeks, so I{d like to set an appointment to get that. I know some times you have to make appointments a little in advance. Maybe not 3 weeks in advance, but I only check my emails once a week. Could you check that for me? Thanks a million. Love, Hna Peterson
Monday, September 26, 2011 3:06 PM
Sweet. I should be all set to work normally. My injury wasn{t from lifting I{m pretty sure, it was a vomit hernia, so I{m pretty sure I{ll be ok to work there again when I get home. The Fedex boxes aren{t huge, I just don{t know exactly how Hernias work with healing themselves etc.
Hey Neal and Cookie, how much is it to get an allergy test? I{d like to get one when I get home to find out what I{m allergic to. Do you know a good place to get it done and about how much it would cost me b-c I don{t have insurance? I{ll be home in about 3 weeks, so I{d like to set an appointment to get that. I know some times you have to make appointments a little in advance. Maybe not 3 weeks in advance, but I only check my emails once a week. Could you check that for me? Thanks a million. Love, Hna Peterson
Sept 12, 2011 Yaxha and Pizza Hut
Monday, September 12, 2011 6:15 PM
So I guess now I know Canute is going to be home before Thanksgiving.
That{s next change. That{s cool. This week I called the nurses too. I
called for cramps and feeling crappy too. I do eat lots of fruit and
drink lots of water though, so I{m not really sure what{s wrong with
me. So like Canute, if you don{t hear from me next week, I{ll be dead.
The Lord blesses us for serving Him though, so that{s the good news.
I found some hammocks today. So I{ll be bringing two home with
me...with the other stuff I{ve bought. Not too much, but some cool
stuff to make people glad I{m serving a mission.
I know the Lord wants us to share the gospel with infinite amounts of
people here in Guatemala and during our lives. So He will always give
us opportunities and the animo to do it.
It was a good week. We are having a hard time bringing people to
church, but we{re praying a lot and trying to do our part. We sure
love the people here. I also really love my companion Hna Bernardez.
Today we went to Yaxha and ate at Pizza Hut. It was my 3rd time to
Yaxha, but it{s a beautiful place, so I don{t mind going back every
couple months. The elders sitting in front of me asked what I was
doing when I came home and I started crying. It was a mini panic
attack. B-c a month isn{t a lot of time and it{s starting to hit me I
don{t have much time until I go back into the real time.
We always have guidance and blessings, so I shouldn{t be worried about
it. But you know how I am, a little dramatic at times but it usually
passes pretty fast. But yeah, I cried for a good 5 minutes in the
Pizza Hut bathroom. I feel good about my choice to be a missionary. I
had the same crying experience in Canada, right before I went on my
mission and look, I{m still alive and happy.
There are millions of mosquitos here. It rains a lot right now. Cool
that Canute{s on an island with a beach. I met a missionary new in our
zone whose sister is serving in the Liberty Jail visitor{s center. His
name{s Elder Nelson.
CTR and invite your friends to church.
Monday, September 12, 2011 6:21 PM
I didn{t get the pictures, but maybe they{re in another email. I am
glad to know Sarah is feeling better and that Bonnie got a sweet new
job. Maybe I{ll find the email about that a little further down in my
emails. Sickness is never good.
Good luck on your primary program. HEYEYEY! I got your package last
week. Thank you very much. We ate the chocolate and passed out the
child toys and I put up the notes from Aunt Pam and Uncle Gary on my
wall of love.
I also got a letter from Grant and from my comp from the CCM in Guate
that went home Sept 1. Very crazy to hear that she{s already in her
house. I{m glad I got to have a little more time on my mission.
So that{s the news in a nutshell. I hope Joshy finds time to study and
get his 36 on the ACT so he can get some sweet scholarships too. Love,
Hna Peterson
So I guess now I know Canute is going to be home before Thanksgiving.
That{s next change. That{s cool. This week I called the nurses too. I
called for cramps and feeling crappy too. I do eat lots of fruit and
drink lots of water though, so I{m not really sure what{s wrong with
me. So like Canute, if you don{t hear from me next week, I{ll be dead.
The Lord blesses us for serving Him though, so that{s the good news.
I found some hammocks today. So I{ll be bringing two home with
me...with the other stuff I{ve bought. Not too much, but some cool
stuff to make people glad I{m serving a mission.
I know the Lord wants us to share the gospel with infinite amounts of
people here in Guatemala and during our lives. So He will always give
us opportunities and the animo to do it.
It was a good week. We are having a hard time bringing people to
church, but we{re praying a lot and trying to do our part. We sure
love the people here. I also really love my companion Hna Bernardez.
Today we went to Yaxha and ate at Pizza Hut. It was my 3rd time to
Yaxha, but it{s a beautiful place, so I don{t mind going back every
couple months. The elders sitting in front of me asked what I was
doing when I came home and I started crying. It was a mini panic
attack. B-c a month isn{t a lot of time and it{s starting to hit me I
don{t have much time until I go back into the real time.
We always have guidance and blessings, so I shouldn{t be worried about
it. But you know how I am, a little dramatic at times but it usually
passes pretty fast. But yeah, I cried for a good 5 minutes in the
Pizza Hut bathroom. I feel good about my choice to be a missionary. I
had the same crying experience in Canada, right before I went on my
mission and look, I{m still alive and happy.
There are millions of mosquitos here. It rains a lot right now. Cool
that Canute{s on an island with a beach. I met a missionary new in our
zone whose sister is serving in the Liberty Jail visitor{s center. His
name{s Elder Nelson.
CTR and invite your friends to church.
Monday, September 12, 2011 6:21 PM
I didn{t get the pictures, but maybe they{re in another email. I am
glad to know Sarah is feeling better and that Bonnie got a sweet new
job. Maybe I{ll find the email about that a little further down in my
emails. Sickness is never good.
Good luck on your primary program. HEYEYEY! I got your package last
week. Thank you very much. We ate the chocolate and passed out the
child toys and I put up the notes from Aunt Pam and Uncle Gary on my
wall of love.
I also got a letter from Grant and from my comp from the CCM in Guate
that went home Sept 1. Very crazy to hear that she{s already in her
house. I{m glad I got to have a little more time on my mission.
So that{s the news in a nutshell. I hope Joshy finds time to study and
get his 36 on the ACT so he can get some sweet scholarships too. Love,
Hna Peterson
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