It's a New Year

Yes there is a gremlin in the picture. 

So much to do and so little time. I wonder where this little blog will go this year. I haven't made the time for posting lately. We've had a very busy December - recitals, parties, crafting, quilting, and other sewing projects.  Boy's Group & Girl's Group along with our regular schooling routine - this year I will have 4 college students, 3 public highschoolers. 3 homeschoolers, and 1 private schooler.  Thats a heck of a lot of schoolers! Loving most of it, tolerating the times I don't love. 

Happy New Year from our family to yours!

Retrieving Hermana Roney part 3

We visited lots of families Hermana Roney had taught. They all loved her! Hugging and kissing her. *Oh Hermana Roney* they would say. Then they would get teary eyed when she said goodbye.  They liked to serve us drinks.  Kenzie told me I had to accept it. So I did.  But I didn't drink that yucky hot one. I did eat the crusty hard bread though.  It gave me a stomach ache. 








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Retrieving Hermana Roney part 2

We attended change meeting. Many bore testimony and Brooke and I were asked to give our testimonies too. Brooke did great with his Spanish. Of course, Kenzie did awesome. Kenzie translated for me. Oh man, I need to learn Spanish!






















We took some missionaries out to lunch. I asked, "where can we go?" and they talked about Taco Bell, Wendy's, etc. I was already so sick of fast food. I asked - where is a place that is nice and yummy, but you never go there because it's too expensive. One elder immediately chimed in with the name of a nice restaurant. So thats where we went. The food was delicious and I tried not to freak when a cockroach ran across the table.

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A Mama Who Loves to Quilt

One thing I've learned recently.  Find a good, quick, quilt pattern, make it, and repeat.  In anticipation for heading to Guatemala, I started a quilt for Kenzie's Mission President and his wife.  I used the same pattern as I did for President and Hermana Heaton.  Turning Twenty. I grabbed fat quarters I already owned and went for it.  When the top was done, I didn't really like it.  No time for starting again, so I just continued on.  I paid some else to do the quilting this time.  Not enough time for everything.  Kim had it quilted up in no time. 

The backing came from Corn Wagon and I had a different binding I was going to use, but decided I had enough prints going on, so I just used the same as the back.  I started calling this quilt the ugly quilt.  When I showed it to a few friends, they were honest enough to say *It's OK*.  Thanks girls for not lying to me, I would have never been able to trust you again :) When I had it completely finished I kept telling myself - It's not so bad.  But it really was.  The thing is, this quilt was going to Guatemala, where everything works there.  And when I got it there, it totally was fine.  Funny thing though, I carried it around and it was so stinkin' hot there, I just laughed to myself.  That quilt will never be cuddled with.  At best it will lay across a chair, but most likely will sit in a closet.  Oh well.  So much for the ugly quilt.  Karly loved it when I showed it to her.  Love that girl!

My favorite part?  My new LABELS!!!! 

They are the wrong color (I ordered gray & red), but I still love them.  I've used several on my latest sewing projects and I get giddy everytime I see one.

Brooke told me not to use labels because then people won't think I made it.  I still love them.

Don't you?

Retrieving Kenzie part 1

Our first stop in Guatemala was Guatemala City. We spent the night in a hotel where I enjoyed a warm shower. Little did I know that would be one of the few I would get. Our driver, Miguel, took us to see the Guatemala City Temple. Halfway across the country our daughter was waiting for us to come see her, we didn't even know. We thought pick up day was tomorrow.




Here she is waiting patiently for us. She waited 5 hours thanks to our driver who drove about 30 mph all the way there. Her companion wasn't so patient - Tearful and pacing.








Here I am surprising her. Funny thing is she thought she was surprising us. A mix up of communication I guess.




Happy (HOT) parents and daughter. Oh my, I really do still have a daughter named Kenzie.

The Last Missionary Mail from Hermana Roney

Hola! This week was wonderful. I cant not believe it is my last week to be a missionary. ever. It breaks my heart. Lots of things have happened this week and I have been trying to keep myself very busy. Tuesday and Thursday we spent in xela. I love it. On Tuesday we got our own private tour with an hermano and I have never felt the spirit so strong. I loved being able to be in the house of the Lord. Then after we got to talk to the people as they came out of the temple. That was an experience I will NEVER forget. Everyone came out so struck with the spirit it was incredible. People came out crying and describing to us the things they felt and asking us how they can know more. I cant even describe how amazing it was and i met so many awesome people. What better way could I finish my mission? I dont think there is a better way.

Yesterday we had a stake conference by sattelite. Which was also incredible. Elder uchtdorf, elder clarke, hna cook, and holland all gave amazing talks. I will be honest I was expecting a boring stake conferemce but I was blown away. Elder holland amazingly spoke in spanish. When he first started everyone laughed cause his spanish was horrible but he finished by bearing his testimony in spanish and I was blown away. It came out so powerful and so perfectly the spirit was definitely talking right through him.

Also yesterday a hna we have been teaching and her son got baptized. Unfortunately her husband didnt join in, but he says he is going to get baptized next year. we told him that means in about a month and he said ok. At first the little kid was terrified of the water and I will be honest I was really frustrated cause he wouldnt come so i told him to come but he didnt have to get baptized. He walked in the room with the batismal font and told me all by himself that he changed his mind and was going to do it. cool.

The other family we are teaching are really close to baptism. they will be getting baptized the 26th. too bad I wont be here. We have spent a lot of time at their tortilleria this week helping them make tortillas. they teach us quiche and we attempt to talk with the hna. She mostly just pees her pants laughing at us the whole time.

Last night I couldnt sleep i was so nervous. I stared at the ceiling, read the book of mormon, and even filmed a video of my comp snoring up a storm. she was not happy when I showed it to her when she woke up. Oh and the reason I am so late writing today is cause i got to spend my last pday in a training meeting for my comp. lucky me. a dream come true for my last pday. no but i had fun cause we snuck away with hna nelson when nobody was looking. I have been filled with lots of emotions this week but it has mostly just come down to being terrified. Goodbye Hermana Roney. I will miss you. Its a hard knock life for me.

I love you all and thank you so much for all the love and support you have given me the last 18 months. I couldnt have done it without all your emails, letters and prayers. I have learned and grown so much I feel like I am a new person. For all of you thinking about serving missions.... do it. you will NEVER regret it. and It will change your life forever. I know I could never pay him back for all he did but I hope I have given the Lord my all and he is happy with my work. I did my best.

I know with all my heart that the church is true and that miracles exist. I have lived through several in the last 18 months. I know the book of Mormon is true and its the most perfect book that exists in the whole world. I also know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and through his giant faith and his tiny prayer we have the gospel on the earth again. I know God loves us and that he listens to our prayers and wants us all to be happy. Your example is the most important thing for the gospel. SMILE and be happy and you will change peoples lives.

I LOVE YOU ALL AND I AM SO EXCITED I WILL BE SEEING YOU ALL SO SOON!

Happy Thanksgiving. I am very greatful for a lot of things this year and I am excited to be spending my thanksgiving with FAMILY :)

con mucho cariño,

Hermana Roney



Panes con pollo



Fiesta


Fiesta #2


Hooligans


I love to see the temple


Child labor


This way please


Templo



Bautismo






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Missionary Mail from Kenzie

Hola!! This week was super great. thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! Lots happened this week. But my favorite was that on saturday we went to the temple!! It was so pretty and I loved being able to be in the house of the Lord. my bday was pretty awesome. got my face smashed in cake two times by the elders. thanks guys. great tradition. im definitely bringing it home with me. I have some awesome pics but this computer is not cooperating with my memory card.

We have some great and not so great investigators. We had an awesome family that was supposed to get baptized saturday but unfortunately satan knocked on their door the night before their baptism and when we went to pick them up on saturday they said we arent going to get baptized thank you so much for everything because thanks to you guys we are going to start going back to our catholic church. oh... you're welcome.

But the good news is- one of our investigators actually went to church with his whole family and actually liked it. even though the bishop stopped everyone from singing in the middle of the opening hymn and pretty much yelled at everyone for singing the hymn bad in sacrament meeting they still liked it.

turns out no one in our ward knows how to sing so i pretty much got elected as the primary music director for the primary program. apparently I am really talented cause now the primary can sing the song.

this week we had interviews. I received a temple recommend for the open house. too bad I wont be here.

The most crazy thing is I will see you NEXT WEEK!!!!! YIPEE!! I can hardly believe it. But its gonna be rough.

Proverbs 17:22 a merry heart doeth good like a medicine but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

I love you lots and lots.

couldnt be more excited, nervous, happy, scared, sad.

Love,

Hermana Roney

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