Hunucma - Week 5

Hello!

I Hope everyone enjoyed Easter/Conference weekend!

This week was definitely eventful! We did exchanges with the sister training leaders Wednesday. That morning we traveled to Merida, switched companions, and I came back to Hunucma with Sister Mejia. That same day we went to Sisal, our beach area, and had only 2 lessons, then had to come back for another lesson in Hunucma. In Sisal there were tonssss of people. A bunch of the youth in the ward were telling me that tons of Americans go and party there for spring break, and since its spring break here too, it gets really crowded. When Sister Mejia and I went, we saw the little carnival that was set up, and the booths, and it looked fun! We switched companions again Thursday after weekly planning, so those two days felt long, with all of the traveling!

Friday we did our special activity- The Easter Egg Hunt!
We took an idea from the Liahona on the page for kids, and hid pictures in the eggs that had to do with Easter.  The main "Sacrament Room" is where we all sat, and outside is where all the candy filled eggs were that we had hidden before we sat down.

I introduced everyone and explained the tradition we have in the US that the Easter Bunny comes and hides eggs the night before Easter.  We told them that we had invited the bunny to come that night, and he left us some eggs that they could find at the end of the activity. I don't think the kids quite grasped the concept until we actually did it, but they went with it!!! haha

To start, we called 2 kids up as volunteers, and one hid an egg with a picture inside and the other closed their eyes and had to find the egg.  Everyone in the audience was yelling "hot" or "cold" while they looked for the egg. Everyone caught on fast to the game so it was fun. Then after we saw what was on the picture, a missionary took a turn giving a mini lesson about the picture. I taught the second time around about what the sacrament has to do with Jesus and his sacrifice. Something funny, I had a volunteer read how the bread represents Jesus' body, and when I asked after, "What does the bread signify?" A little girl shouted out "food!"

For the actual egg hunt, we had maybe 20 kids there, so each got to find 2 eggs (they were all really  well hidden!).  We let the littler kids go first and find the easy ones, then after the bigger kids got to find the eggs that were left. We had the outside blocked off really well, so everyone was excited to see what was out there. Then after, we had ice cream and juice for everyone that the Bishop had arranged.

For Conference, we watched it in the prayer house. We thought originally that it wouldn't work because the internet and projector were giving us problems the night of the egg hunt activity, but it mostly worked Friday. The other sisters in the ward got there at 7am to get things arranged, but we didn't end up getting things working until like 45 min after conference started. To give people time to eat, we started the second session an hour late too. Sunday and the Priesthood session, however, were much smoother!

I enjoyed Conference, but this is the first year I've had to see it completely in Spanish- so I think I got less out of it than the last times. I did really like the talk about the relation of dance to the gospel and music to the spirit. It made me think how many times I've done things I ought to do as a member, but either don't look for or enjoy the spirit as part of that. Simple things like praying, or reading the scriptures are like parts of the "dance" as a member of the church, but without the "music" or the spirit, its just not the same. I feel like that motivated me to look for the spirit more and enjoy it.

Sunday night they notified us that we had a multi-zone meeting instead of regular district meeting Monday morning. It lasted until about 1pm and the president, his wife, and assistants talked to us about how to find new investigators and be more bold in opening our mouths. It was a really good meeting. After, we went contacting in parks nearby to practice. After that, since it’s the last P-day for one of the sisters in the ward (Hermana Hernandez), we talked the bishop into taking us to Sisal! We went and saw the beach and ate fish at a little restaurant nearby that a member owns. It was fun! :)

One of my favorite scriptures right now is in Luke 22:

31 ¶And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

I have it written in my Journal, but with my name where it says "Simon, Simon." One thing I've been struggling with is motivation because walking outside in this heat takes all my energy it feels like. I like those verses because to think that Jesus is praying for us, after all He has already done, is motivating. We have to be strong like He was and is, and help our brothers and sisters be strong too!

Have a great week!
Love,
Hermana Harper