Happy Thanksgiving!

This week was so awesome!!!!! I just love Thanksgiving!

I am going to tell you about this week by making a list of blessings:

1. My companion woke up in the middle of the night and heard a mosquito buzzing. She decided to get rid of it by spraying half a bottle of Raid all around our enclosed room where we were sleeping. She didn't know that you can't spray Raid in enclosed spaces. 

The blessing: We didn't die in our sleep. :) Haha!

2. A dog chased us all the way to our house one night. We were running super fast!!!!! Haha! 

The blessing: The dog didn't catch us and a dog that lives with our neighbors chased the bad dog away. Seriously though, we were shrieking and running so fast and when we got to our house we slammed the door and started laughing so hard. Evil dog. 

3. My companion and I were able to climb a mountain in 22 minutes (last week it took us about 40 minutes). We were dying when we got to our investigators house at the top though, haha!

4. It rained! We got soaking wet, but it was a blessing because it has been super dry here in Bolivia and they have had water shortages.

Thanksgiving lunch (I really don't know what this was...)  Haha!

On Thanksgiving we didn't do anything out of the ordinary but I made a list of all the blessings I have! I realize that I have so many blessings! One of the Hermanas we are in charge of went home this week for some serious health problems. I am so thankful for the health that I have! I take so many of my blessings for granted! I am so thankful for this time that I have in the mission to learn and recognize all of the blessings I have! Count your blessings! Love you all!

Love, 

Hermana Eaves

A HOT week in Bolivia!

Hello everyone! 

It has been a super hot week here in Bolivia! I don't know what the temperature is but it has been a sweat-dripping-down-your-back-as-you-contact week. 

   So this week we were contacting a cholita on the side of the road and a drunk guy walks by. He starts talking to us and asks us for a card (the cards we use to contact). So we gave him one (without our phone number written on it). He then ripped it up, threw it on the ground and tells us "The truth is in the heart, not on a card". Then he walked away. So that was cool. We picked up the card. I will send a pic next week, haha! He also gave me a fist bump because I spoke English. He told me that he spoke English too and asked "Wat eis yuur neim?" (What is your name)

    We were in a sita with a less active family and one of the little girls was eating raw egg out of an egg shell that she had found on the floor...and the mom didn't even say anything. Raw egg...at least she is getting her protein.  

   It was a great week though! Hey, I forgot that it is Thanksgiving!!!! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone (On Thursday). They don't celebrate Thanksgiving here but I am going to make a list of things that I am thankful for! I heard the best quote ever the other day "Live in such a way that the people that don't know Christ, want to know Him because they know you!" I think that is beautiful! We need to be a light to the world! We need to show others that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the best and most amazing thing in the world.  I am so grateful for each and every day that I have to be in the service of God! I know that this is His work and that He always helps us, His children. I know that He answers prayers. He has answered so many of mine! I love you all! Have a great week!

Love, 

Hermana Eaves

Photos

1. I didn't know water could be so green. Anyone want to swim?

2. Intercambios with the Hermanas of area Floresta. Hermana Villavicencio and Hermana Maclachlan

3. Breaking open a coconut using the rock outside

4. Exito!

5. My companion helping Ermunda, a cholita, braid her hair

6. Intercambios with the Hnas of Pagador-Hermana Kincaid and Hna Hoffman

7. How we feel after climbing up the mountain in our area...:)

I bought a coconut!

Okay, I don't have much time to write (y me da flojera) so I decided to put lots of pics. :) We are the Hermanas Capacitdoras (Sister Training Leaders) in Siglo XX. That means that we do tons of intercambios (I don't know if that is splits or divisions...I think it is splits in English) with the other hermanas. Splits are when my companion and I seperate and go with the different companions in different areas so that we can help them or train them a little bit. This week we had 5 different intercambios. So I was with LOTS of Hnas. I will use the pics to tell the story.
Pic #1-2 TODAY WE BOUGHT COCONUTS AND DRANK THE JUICE WITH A STRAW! Didn't know that was a thing but here it is. 


Pic #3 I found the worlds largest bananas here in Bolivia's Mercado Campesino. They weighed a ton. 

Pic #3 Tuesday's intercambios with Hna Beltran. A member gave us the most rotten bananas and we tried to eat them...but ended up putting them in our bags. 

Pic #4 Wednesday with Hna Oliveros. Someone gave us a watermelon, which we lugged around for about 3 hours.

Pic #5 Thursday with Hna Morales in my old area, Villa Moderna! Note the cow in the background. 

Pic #6 Friday with Hna Silvano here in Siglo XX (my area). She is happy...just her face doesn't show it. Haha!

Pic #7 Saturday with Hna Vilchez here in Siglo XX. Up on the mountain. 

It was a great and tiring week. All the Hnas are sooo great and loving! I learned a lot more from them than they learned from me! Ha! Anyway, I love the gospel and I love the mission. Yesterday we walked all day and knocked doors and it was sooo hot but it is WORTH IT! I wouldn't ever want to do anything else. This is the best work in the world because we are bringing people closer to Christ! I love you all! Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Eaves

Almost Thanksgiving!

Hello! 

This was a great week and it just flew by! This week was SWEET! Just like every week in missionary work!

Some fun things! 

1. I saw a little boy that was carrying around a bunny in his backpack. A live bunny. Poor bunny was super smushed...

2. In Relief Society yesterday we were all sharing what we had learned and a woman gets up, shares a little bit and then finished with "Viva las mujeres!" (Live the Women! -It makes more sense in Spanish). Haha, how exciting.

3. Our zone leaders showed us this scripture 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. Nice...

4. In one lesson we were given a cup of juice, a cup of blackberry smoothie, two cups of hot chocolate and two sandwiches...We were rather full when we finished...

We had a baptism this week! Her name was Soledad Caro and she was sooo happy after her baptism. Before she was baptized, she was sad because her father didn't support her in her decision but afterwards she was so happy and she cried as she bore her testimony of the Savior. :)

Also, a miracle happened. We were walking up a mountain in our area and three huge dogs came out of a house and cornered us. They were super mad and barking like crazy. I was so scared and I was SURE that I was going to be bit...But luckily a little girl came out of nowhere and threw a tiny little rock (we were throwing big rocks and the dogs were not scared) and the dogs went away. Heavenly Father watches out for his missionaries! I love you guys! Have a wonderful week! Never forget that the Savior died so that you can all feel the happiness and peace of repentance and forgiveness. Be grateful for all the little miracles in your lives! I love you!

Love,  

Hermana Eaves

Our boyfriend, Agusto :)

Hello a todos!

It has been a HOT week here in Cochabamba!!!! It is a LOT hotter here than in Tupiza! It's okay though-it's not real missionary work until sweat is dripping down your back as you talk to people in the streets, haha! 

     Here in Bolivia they don't celebrate Halloween. No free candy here...Instead they celebrate a holiday called "Todos Santos" (All saints) on November 2. This is when they put a bunch of bread and fruit and food on a table and leave it there so that during the night all their relatives that have died can come and eat the food. They all pray and go to the cemetery and leave flowers. It's interesting. 

     Someone gave us a watermelon this week. We carried it around the rest of the day, haha! Also, someone rejected us because they want to be with the Israelites.She told us "I don't care if the Israelites are the right church or not. I just know that when I find them then I will be happy". (She still hasn't found them yet). 

     This week we had a baptism. It was a 14 year old girl named Carla. Her mom and sister were baptized the week before but she didn't show up (she was supposed to be baptized too). I hadn't actually taught her before the baptism so I didn't know her. But I am going to get to know her more and let you know how she is doing. :) It is always so cool to see people enter the waters of baptism. 

     I love you all! I know that the church is true and that it can bring us more happiness than anything else in this life. I know that Heavenly Father loves everyone of you! I know that families can be together forever! Have a great, wonderful, happy week!

Love, 

Hermana Eaves

Leaving Tupiza :(

Hello everyone! 

I have bad news...I am leaving Tupiza!!!!! I will truly miss this place. But I have good news too...I am going to an area in Cochabamba that's called Siglo XX (Twentieth Century). I have heard super great things about it! And guess what? We are going to live in the house (well, in an apartment behind his house) of an Area Seventy, Elder Balderrama. I'm so excited!

 Soooo...that means that I will go in a flota (like a giant tour bus) for 8 hours to Sucre. Then tomorrow I will fly in to Cochabamba.

     I really will miss Tupiza, though. I am truly leaving a part of my heart here. The memebrs here are sooo amazing. They have more problems than any other group of members that I have met but they are STRONG in their testimonies. The whole branch (with a few exceptions) are converts to the church. Many of them are recent converts (were baptized in this last year). I have learned so much in the four months that I have been here. I feel like I have become more of the missionary that God wants me to be. I feel such love for the people here and never want to lose contact with them. It is a little bit sad because some of my favorite investigators live in a little pueblo called Charaja. They don't have any way to communicate except for a cell phone that sometimes breaks. I truly hope that they get baptized one day!!!!! I want them to be an eternal family! 

My favorite investigators from Charaja!!!! Family Martinez!  

In our ward activity-a Futsol Championship!

     Anyway, I want to tell you about a MIRACLE that we have seen this cambio. We found a less active member about 9 weeks ago. When we first talked to her she told us that she had gone back to her other church, didn't believe anything about Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon and was super closed off. She always pretended not to be home. We finally found her and had a Family Home Evening. She felt the Spirit and we were able to go back and help her wash her clothes (everyone washes by hand). Through little lessons and service we were able to come to church and she CAME TO CHURCH last week with her kids! We didn't even go to pick her up! And this Saturday she came to our ward activity and had so much fun!!!! Then she came to church AGAIN yesterday! Isn't that soooooo cool! It is a miracle! I have seen a great change in her and I can't wait to hear more of her progress from my companion (I won't be able to s

ee it happen). 

Carmen and her kids, Ana, Juan and Genesis

     Man, I am so happy! I just love being a missionary. It is sad to leave people that I have come to love soooo much but I am soooo excited to come to love other people and help them in their lives. If anyone is wondering whether they should serve a mission, just do it. It is the best thing that I have ever done! I never want it to end! Love you all! Have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Eaves

A great week in good 'ol Bolivia!

It has been a SUPER AWESOME WEEK! 

All the members here in Tupiza are the BEST! They are so great and willing to come with us when we go and teach people. We have about 35 active women and young women in our ward and this week 7 of them came with us to visit people! They are so amazing and their testimonies really touch our investigators and the less-actives that we visit. 

     We had a MIRACLE this week! We have been teaching a woman named Carmen. We found her when we were knocking doors and found out that she is a member of the church but had been completely inactive for several years. She really didn't want to listen to us at all and told us that she had gone back to her old religion. But we began doing service-helping her wash her clothes and having Family Home Evenings with her and her family. And this Sunday she CAME TO CHURCH! With her kids! They called us as church was starting and were like "We are coming!" It was such a miracle! I was SOOO happy to see them there! 

     We also had a zone conference and it was SOOOO SWEET! We went to Quiriza, which is a tiny pueblo where the church began in Bolivia.

 In the middle of the conference we took a little walk to a shady spot under a tree. 

President Hansen told us that this was the place that an apostle, Spencer W. Kimball had prayed and felt that Bolivia should be opened for missionary work. It was such a great experience and we felt a special spirit there. It really was a great week! I LOVE MISSIONARY WORK! I love you all! Have a great week! 

Love, 

Hermana Eaves

Another Amazing Week!

Hello everyone!
It's been another AMAZING (although hot) week here in good 'ol Tupiza Bolivia. Tupiza truly is a wonderful, beautiful place! The members here are so good and pure, even though they pass through some of the hardest trials. The people here are so humble and we are seeing lots of progress! We have many investigators that are beginning to learn and to desire to make sacred covenants with Heavenly Father. I love seeing people change and progress and become who God wants them to be.
     Anyway, yesterday we had a Family Home Evening with the Branch President and his family and another family of recent converts. It was a super great noche de hogar. The family of recent converts are having a really hard time in their marriage and with work. They are struggling a little. So the Branch President and his wife gave a great lesson on how to overcome anger and what to do to combat the anger we sometimes feel in our families. All went well until the Branch President's little son bit President SUPER hard on the finger. President shrieked like a little girl and gestured for his wife (who was giving her part of the lesson) to help him. She just looked at him like "What is your finger doing in our son's mouth?" Haha! It was super funny!
    Anyway, many people sent me letters this week that were full of wonderfull messages. One of those said, "the thought came that if the Church wasn’t true, Satan wouldn’t work so hard to oppose it.  The fact that there is opposition to the Church is evidence of the fact that the Church is true.  Satan would not waste his time and effort fighting against something that is false.  His efforts are laser focused on opposing and leading people away from truth.  So, when we encounter opposition from the adversary in our efforts to live and share the gospel, we can have increased confidence that we are actually doing what God wants us to do and that we are on His errand."  I LOVED that! Sometimes I feel like it is super hard to share the gospel or super hard to work and help the branch here in Tupiza. The problems sometimes seem so big and I am just so small! But I know that if it is hard to do the work of God, then it must be true. Satan would not fight against something that is already wrong. Saints have always had opposition and that's not going to change. We just need to CONTINUE FIRM IN THE FAITH! I love you guys! Be faithful! Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Eaves

Hello!

It has been a great week! We were traveling the whole week to get to Cochabamba, have a meeting and come back to Tupiza so not a lothappened.
     Something funny happened today. One of our neighbors started to talk to us and they literally can see into our house (because it is so close). He was talking about how we just moved in and we tried to end the conversation (because we were super late and he was asking prying questions :) like all people here) and he did not want to stop. So then we told him that we were missionaries. He was like "Oh...have a great day, bye!" #howtogetridofsomeoneinlessthan5words  We thought it was pretty funny.
     Anyway, the conference was sooooo awesome! For those of you who don't know what General Conference is, it is a big meeting that we have every 6 months where the living Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and his apostles speak to us. It is suuuper great because we receive counsel and help with the problems and trials in our lives. Anyone can watch the conference on lds.org. I encourage all of you to watch at least part of it!!! I loved many of the talks but some of my favorites were by J. Devin Cornish on how Christ is helping each one of us. I also loved the talk by Kazuhiko Yamashita. He talked about a missionary that had some health problems and I felt the Spirit sooo strongly. Also, I loved the talk by Russel M Nelson. He talked about always being JOYFUL! It was the best conference ever. I have come to
appreciate conference so much more here in the mission! I hope you all loved it too! I love you guys! Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Eaves

We found an apartment

Hello!!!
Wow, it's been a great week. So starting with a funny story. Tuesday night at 7 PM the Elders called us and were like "We found you an apartment" (they have been helping us look). We went and saw it and approved and the Elders were like "Okay, we are going to move you in tomorrow morning at 9AM". What??? So we raced home and started throwing everything in suitcases and bags and buckets. It was rather hectic. So we moved and our new house is so great!! The shower is actually warm (no more bucket showers!!), the paint is not falling off the walls, there is light in the house, and there isn't mold growing on the windowsill!!! It is awesome! So until the end of the month we are the proud renters of two apartments. Hah!
     Anyway, I talked to a lady in a Rapidito on the way to Charaja. She was highly opposed to the Book of Mormon because she felt that we were "Trying to add more to God's word". I asked her, "If God wanted to add more to His word, do you think He could?" She replied "Yes, obviously". I asked her, "If God gave you more of His word, would you accept it?" She was like "Yes". I explained that God had given us more of His word through the Book of Mormon. She told me "Well, I don't believe that". I was so sad for her because I know that the Book of Mormon is more of God's word! The Book of Mormon and the Bible work together to convince us that God lives and loves us enough to send Jesus Christ to the world.
     We had a super cool lesson with an investigator named Mario. He loves to listen to us and in the lesson we taught him about the Plan of Salvation. We invited him to pray at the end and as he prayed he felt the Spirit so strongly that he began to cry! We explained to him that he had been feeling the Spirit and in our last lesson with him he told us that he wants to be baptized. It was so amazing! I know that there are such prepared people here in Tupiza! Anyway, I love you all!
Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Eaves