Day 196 (Week 27)- Poptun Peten

So, family this week was really CRAZY!!!!!

So, Monday after we wrote, we went to say goodbye to some members and investigators. It was really sad, but I was glad to talk to them one last time. We got home and started packing. We packed until 12 then we ate and then we went to bed at 1 in the morning. We are slackers so we slept in 15 minutes that day and started packing again. We had to be at the stake center at 2. So, we packed and cleaned our house. They were closing our area so we threw away a lot of stuff and made sure our area book was in tip top shape. Then we ate lunch and a member took us in her car to the stake center. There we met our new companions. My new companions name is Hermana Cardounel (Car-Doe-Nel) She is from Mexico and her city is actually really close to where we are now (like 6 hours in bus). I also found out that Hermana Sorensen my comp. from the CCM was going to Poptun in Peten also. So, we sat together on the bus. We got on the bus at about 4 and then we left for Poptun. They said that it would be like 5 or 6 hours to get to Santa Elena (I think that is how you spell it) which is one of the big main cities and then 2 more hours to Poptun. So we would be getting to our houses at like 11am. So we start to leave and all the Latinas are sitting together and me and Hermana Sorensen are talking and we are sitting by an Elder named Elder Loveland and he is super nice and we find out that he is going to Poptun also. We were on the bus for 9 hours and then finally reached Santa Elena. After being on a bus for that long Hna. Sorensen, Elder Loveland and I are best friends (not in a weird way) Which is good because we all work in the same branch. So when we got to Santa Elena at 1 in the morning we stayed at the sister trainer leaders house (the elders with the zone leaders) and got up at 6:30 to get on a bus again. We finally got to our area at about 1 that afternoon on Wednesday. It was crazy. 

 

When we entered the house, I was super excited because I had to use the bathroom so bad. I went into the bathroom, opened the toilet seat and HOLY FREAK, there was a rat inside trying desperately to get out. I called my companion in and she screamed too. We closed the toilet lid closed our eyes and flushed. Then we waited a minute. Didn't hear anything and thought it was safe. We lifted the lid and WHAT?!? The rat is still inside, just more wet. So, she got a trash bag and put her hand in it and lifted the rat out and took it outside to live in peace. We found so much rat poop in poor house. We have been sweeping and cleaning a lot. Thank goodness the food cupboards were closed and there was nothing inside. We bought food, had to pay for a light bill then a member came to meet us that night. Her name is Esperanza, she is super sweet.

 

Our house is pretty big and one of the nicest in the mission. We sleep with bug nets at night because the mosquitoes can get pretty bad and nobody wants dengue. Which reminds me, I definitely need MORE BUG SPRAY!!!!

 

It is beautiful here. Lots of trees. we live in a part, where it is hotter than Coban, but cooler than other parts of the mission. In our area, we have a ton of little streams in between the houses and streets because it basically rains daily and not just a little rain, but really pouring. 

 

Thursday, the senior couple missionaries that are in Peten came to take us to meet some of the members. Everyone is super nice. That night it poured. It rained so much we were soaked when we entered the house. Oh, they cleaned out Poptun. All six of the missionaries here in the Poptun branch are new to this area. So we wonder around a lot, search really hard for old investigators and look a lot for new investigators. This area that we are in is at least 3 times bigger than my old area. I am the senior companion in the companionship so she looks for me to kind of lead the way and to know everything we should do. 

 

Friday was Halloween and the members were getting ready for Dia de Los Muertos the next 2 days. They had an activity in the church building where the relief society made a traditional Guatemalan food and we got invited to help and eat. We went and so did Hna. Sorensen and her comp. and Elder Loveland and his comp. It was really fun and good to get to know the sister in our branch a little better. Saturday was good too. We contacted a lot of people and knocked on a lot of doors. Sunday was really nice it didn't rain a lot. We fasted for a baptism at the end of the month. We found out that our area hasn't had a baptism since April. Our are has a couple hundred less active and inactive members (hundreds is not an exaggeration). Also, the Bakes (the senior couple in Peten) told us 6 that pres. Curtiss thought and prayed really hard about who to send here to this area, because they are trying really hard to turn the branch into a ward so that San. Benito can be a stake, not a district and they are only lacking in Poptun. Everyone is looking at us six, like we are their only hope. we have already gotten a bunch a pep talks and have given a ton to the members. I hope I can be able to help them make the difference they want. I will just continue to work super duper hard. 

Also, I hear that the missionaries who get sent here are always here for a long time. That Poptun is a 3 or 4 change area. I am looking forward to the time I will have here. It is beautiful and the people are way nice. Also, our district leader is Elder Orosco. He was in my district from the CCM. (I will send a picture of me and Hna. Sorensen and Elder Orosco).

 

Today our district hiked a mountain called 3 crosses. It was really pretty. We also ate lunch together. 

About this being Mayan country. it is pretty developed (comparatively). A lot of people still cook with fire (but people did that in Coban) and almost none of the streets in our area are paved. but it is pretty good-. No one lives in hut and most almost everyone speaks Spanish. I won't learn Queqchi here. I had a better chance of Queqchi in Coban and I did learn a few phrases and words there (like numbers 1-5 there is no money, and thank you).

 

My companion is super nice. We like a ton of the same music. She is super funny and really relaxed. She is always happy and almost nothing bothers her. She is super strong in her testimony and prepared for all the lessons. She also is really good with directions which is really helpful for me.

 

 

 

The cool thing about our area is that we have an Aldea in our area. an Aldea is a village and on Saturday, we will go with a member to check it out. 

Once again, I am so excited for this new adventure.

 

Hey and I met a less active member this week. I almost had a heart attack when I saw that he had a Garth Brooks shirt.

So this week I will be quoting him when I say........ I just went blank.

I hope I don't get dengue, so that I don't have the ¨Fever¨(yeah, that is song by him).

 

Love you family.

 

Hermana Hansen