"This is tough but you raised a tough cookie!"

 

"Be strong" that's the thing I have been telling myself every day haha. Seriously, it's funny how my Patriarchal Blessing is everything! It tells me of my strengths and then it tells me of my feelings of inadequacy. Seriously....It's like right when I think I can't do this...I start doing it because I can and The Lord knows I can!! 
  

So, we found this taxi.... and it was the jankiest taxi we've ever ridden in. We were laughing the entire time. the seats were practically broken!

 

We are teaching an investigator who is so amazing. Her name is Maria and she is my Great Grandma Laguna here. She is a miracle investigator and everything we teach her, she knowingly believes and agrees with. I love her, and every time I am with her I think of gran! I am pretty much Mexicana now. People tell me that I speak like a Mexican because of Hermana Perez! Oh, I love chile! She gives me these lollipops that are chile flavored and they burn my mouth but are sooo good, haha! I put hot sauce on everything!

 Mom, everyone tells us it's dangerous here but honestly we don't do anything but pray for safety, be friends with everyone,  and walk fast. Holy heck the other day I pulled a tendon in my foot walking down a hill, and my bed here has springs that keep me from sleeping. Physically...life is a little rough hahah but its ok. Prayers!! So you know how missionaries in our ward have dinner with a member every night of the week, that doesn't exist here. We work all the way through dinner and don't eat until 9:30!

So I went to the office the other day, and one of my favorite elders, the secretary, told me that you called. He was so excited for me and was like YOU ARE HER! YOU HAVE THE SAME VOICE AND PERSONALITY: So I could've cried!! I just miss you a lot. I held back tears haha... 67 days until our Christmas Skype haha!!

 

Seriously for Christmas I just want things that remind me of home; notes or something, pics like of the Sacramento Temple or something. This is tough but you raised a tough cookie! 

This week was super great! It was the first official week of my 2nd cambio! It was really different but I had a bunch of great experiences. 

First, I got to see the setting apart of a missionary in our ward. It's different here. Everyone comes to the chapel to watch. It was really special and I was brought back to my setting apart. What a special privilege and responsibility this is. All of us hermanas couldn't hold back tears. We were happy to see one of our friends join us in this work. 

This past week Hermana Perez and I taught so many lessons. The more I teach, the more I am grateful that we have the only true restored gospel on the Earth. People surprisingly ask Hermana Perez and I all the time, "You two are from the same church?" Yes, she's from Mexico and I'm from California, but we are both members of the same church. I think its incredible that we are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and that there are members all over the world; Missionaries serving all over the world. My testimony is strengthened everyday of the restored gospel.

This past week I've had a few run ins with the boldness of this Latin culture. Ok I'm not overly self conscious but I'm from the States. People don't walk around calling you out on all of your flaws! One of our investigators told me that I looked Gordita! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I was speechless! Gordita is like telling someone that they are a little fat. Oh my gosh I don't want to touch another plate of arroz, haha! No, I had to take a deep breath and realize that some things are just not in my control here. I can go to the gym after my mission and The Lord will help me. And if I'm gordita...I don't know what to call everyone else:)

 

 

The bride and all of us with the mini missionary that returned home, Hermana Campos!

On Saturday I got to attend the wedding of one of the other Hermana's investigators. The woman is a member but her now husband is not. To be able to be baptised, they have to be married or live in separate houses. They want to be an eternal family and decided happily that they wanted to be married. It was so beautiful. I am so happy that I got to witness such a marriage. Not only is this man now able to be baptized but these two people and their family can be sealed for time and all eternity. What an incredible blessing and many more are waiting for them. 

Yesterday, we had testimony meeting and practically half of the testimonies were about missionary work. My heart was filled with love for not only this work that I'm doing, but for the members and their support. We are building Gods kingdom here. Im so grateful for this opportunity and for the miracles that I see everyday. That's  my invitation to you today and always. Share the gospel!! It will bless the lives of others and you too will recieve so many blessings. 

I love you all more than I can express. You make me want to be better. I think of you and pray for you everyday.

I love you! Pura Vida!

Hermana Zerilli