Arlington; Sunnyside Branch - Week 3

YO FAM. What's good?

These past couple of weeks have been rough, but I'm finally getting the hang of this mission thing. Finding has been hard, but I'm learning a lot!!

This past Tuesday, we were trying to visit some interested people in a certain area and I just felt super impressed to go knock on a certain door, so I just started walking and my companion chased after me. Haha. I pounded on the guy's door because he was listening to music super loud, and he opened up after I explained that we were missionaries he said that we were a sign from God and that he had been praying for someone. I know. I KNOW. Freaking dope. I love this gospel. Revelation is lit. I had a couple more experiences like that these past couple days and it has been awesome. God answers prayers.

This week I had to teach the restoration in Spanish at a baptism and I did it!!! So that was awesome. I got a lot of compliments on my Spanish even though I'm pretty sure it was 10/10 not great. I'm starting to really understand the Spanish though and I'm really glad for that. Pray for my Spanish!!! I can feel your prayers and they mean the world.

So far the mission has taught me a lot about things I never thought the mission would teach me about. All in all, I guess I'm just learning about how to deal with crappy situations in adult ways.

There are also great things, too though!!! Like this week I got to help some members with their garage sale/bake sale. We helped them make cupcakes and it was super fun. God is good. Washington is a great place to be. 

Today we went to the beach so that was super fun. Washington is really pretty, so I'm thankful for that.

I love you guys and I'm so thankful for all you guys. I pray for all of you guys siempre. God loves you!!! Because Christ suffered for us, he perfectly understands us. He knows your limits, he knows your trials. Trust in him. Bring all of your trials to his feet and he will lift you up. He will edify you as you humble yourself before him. You can do hard things!!! Keep on keepin' on, fam.

Love you all,
Hermana Jimenez

It's also my 2 month so YAY!!!

And a flashback to week 1... the alpaca farm!!!

And the Tunnel of Trees she talks about...

Arlington; Sunnyside Branch - Week 2

Alright, I promised a good email this week so that's what you're going to get. (;

Okay. So the area I'm in is named Sunnyside, so that's really happy. (; My area is 3 English areas put together and our Zone has big areas because it's a lot of country out here, so there's lots of driving. My branch is great, they're all really nice and extremely patient with my bad Spanish.

You can't see any mountains in my area, but there are lots of trees and hills and the occasional lake. I give it a 9/10 on the pretty scale. It's REALLY green out here like REALLY green. When you drive, both sides of the road have huge trees on either side, people here call them "green tunnels" I'll try and grab a pic today if I can.

Finding is really hard in my area because people actually, literally hide from us in the forest. So there's that. Most of the people in my area speak English so we can't just "tract" and find effectively. I've been coming up with finding ideas, but if anyone has ideas that they used in their missions lmk.

We live in the basement of a member, her name is Augga and the other day we came home and she said, "your guys' fridge just looked so empty so I got you guys some snacks." We were like, "lit!" So we go downstairs to find a whole case of rootbeer, Chinese snacks, pie, cream puffs, ice cream, chips and salsa. It was an Abuela moment. I was shook. Haha.

It's been stake conference and so we've done a lot with the English wards lately and we show up to stake conference on Saturday and they fed us pizza and cookies and all the things, and then they sent us home with a WHOLE Costco pizza and a package of Costco cookies. So don't worry, Momma, I'm being fed.

That same day we went to a friend's house to buy some tamales and she fed us tamales there. Get recked. So much food. SO. MUCH. FOOD.

Other than that THIS WEEK I GOT TO SEE HNA BILLINGS AND HNA NILSSON!!!! We had new missionary training together and let me just say there were many tears to be had between the three of us. Mostly happy. I love those guys. I probably won't see them for 10 weeks now.);

We're only teaching one person. His name is Jose and he's my favorite person in all of Washington. He's so ready. Like so ready. Whenever we ask him to do something he says "Claro que yes" and it's always funny.

In the MTC we would always laugh about the time during service that they drove us to the middle of nowhere and just had us rake grass for an hour. Hna Billings and I were like ¿what? BUT. We got called by a very kind old Abuelita to come help her with her yard and I raked grass for an hour so I guess it's a thing everywhere but Utah. Hahahahaha.

Last week everyone kept telling me to "prepare for the dark months" and I was like "what are you talking about!?!?!?" It's been so temperate lately, like sunny and nice and I decided that everyone that ever told me Washington was rainy was a lightweight.

And then it started to rain.

So yeah. We are entering the dark months and it pours every day. 10/10 will take getting used to. Haha. It's chill. Washington is pretty alright.

I'm learning a lot here and I'm excited for all the new adventures!!! I love you guys and I'm so thankful for all of the prayers!!

Love you all,
Hermana Jimenez

Sofia was happy to do her service this week raking grass 

(much easier on her allergies than packing Alpaca hair).

Arlington; Sunnyside Branch - Week 1

Sofia would LOVE if you would send her emails during the week... she can read them any day, but only respond on Monday. She says they really boost her spirit. Her email address is: sofia.jimenez@missionary.org

YO once again I'm out here with 0 time. That will change very soon. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH.

Washington was nothing I ever expected. Missionary work is not what I thought it was. But I know that this is where I need to be and I'm doing what I need to be doing. Even if that includes alpacas (not fun).

Hahaha. All in all, I'm going to be okay. I love how green it is here and I have a really awesome trainer Hermana Chatfield.

There will be more next week, but I'm out here in Washington and my hair isn't a bush yet so we 10/10 GUCCI.

I love you guys so much, you can do hard things.
Hermana Jimenez

Sofia with Hna Chatfield and a branch member named Dawn. 

Sofia said Dawn is from Puerto Rico and reminds her of Madivette.

We got to chat with Sofia today, and she seems to be doing really well. She has had to adjust to being back in the states. She is assigned to the Arlington, WA area (about an hour north of Seattle). Her Spanish area overlaps 3 English speaking areas. The branch she is assigned to also has a set of Spanish Elders in it. She already had to publicly pray and give a talk in Spanish. The alpaca experience was a service project, and she was just about ready to come home by the time they finished :) She has a car in her area, and probably will for her entire mission. Her trainer has 10 months in the mission and is also a Sister Training Leader, so Sofia will be going on splits with other sisters while Hna Chatfield takes care of her leadership duties.

The group who arrived with Sofia to the Washington Everett Mission. She told us that there were 2 additional Spanish speaking sisters who came from Provo (they were in Hna. Otuafi's district in Provo.)