There Was A Melody Locked Deep Inside of Me But Now It´s Free!!

Email from November 4, 2014:

FAMILY & FRIENDS!

I love you all so much! Last week we had an awesome devo from Elder Don R Clark and he chastised us a bit for sending home dumb stuff to our families so this week, I´m repenting so that you guys can benefit spiritually from my mission too. 

First, I love the spirit here. The best way I can describe it is "I can feel the powers of heaven as I stand on holy ground and the spirit whispers what I long to know" because that´s seriously how it is. The Holy Ghost is my CONSTANT COMPANION and it is INCREDIBLE! My thoughts are more than my thoughts and I am learning and growing in ways that I didn´t even know I needed to or could. In lessons, my testimony is strengthened each time I say "Yo se que este mensaje es verdadero" BECAUSE IT IS!

Second, I forgot to mention last week that there are 6 other elders here headed to my mission. Yet I´m in a district where everyone else is headed to Osorno, Chile. To anyone who reads this or sees this message, I testify to you that HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS EACH OF US PERSONALLY AND INDIVIDUALLY. He sent me here to the Mexico CCM, with my companion, with this district because HE KNOWS ME and He knew that I would need what these people have to help me to become an effective representative of Jesus Christ. If you don´t know this for yourself, please pray and ask. He is your Father and He wants to hear you. 

CONFESSION TIME: I had my first emotional breakdown this Sunday and you´ll never believe why. I started thinking about leaving my district and the CCM and I SOBBED! Like I cried harder than I´ve cried in a while because I just can´t tell you how great these people are and how much I love them. Elder Clark said we become happy when we care about the people more than we care about ourselves and I testify that that is true. I am so happy here because I think about everyone else before me. Yeah, I take time in the morning and evening for me but every other second, I´m thinking about and praying for my companion, my district, my teachers, and my investigators (Jose and Juanis, pray for them too please!) 

Third, I have discovered a new talent. 6/8 members of my district joined the choir this Sunday and we decided to practice together last night and something beautiful and marvelous happened. Me and Hna. Segura are perfectly blended sopranos, Hna. Rhees is a strong alto, Hna. Cheadle is an incredible tenor and Elders Schmidt and Christiansen are phenomenal basses. So we spent a half hour singing together and it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. We sang Secret Prayer in Spanish over and over and the spirit was so strong while we just smiled and sang together in PERFECT harmony! So apparently I can sing and now I can´t stop because I love it so much!

I want to also share my testimony in español.

Yo se que Jesucristo es mi Salvador y Su Expiacion puede cambiar vidas.

Yo se que Dios es nuestro amoroso Padre Celestial.

Yo se que a traves Jose Smith el evangelio fue restaurado.

Yo se que lea iglesia de Jesucristo de los santos de los ultimas dias es verdadera.

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!

Also fun things, Elder Schmidt reminds me of Ryan Pace so Ryan, please know that I think of you every single day and miss your awesome awesome self. Also, I have been thinking a lot about Christina Aitkins so if she sees this, please contact me because I miss you. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FAVORITE 29-YEAR-OLD! Shanna, this is the age everyone lies and says they are so it must be a good one. Sorry I´m going to miss all of it but I think we both know that I´m exactly where I´m supposed to be. I love and miss you!! Go party it up and listen to T-Swift for me! (Actually I hope all of you are listening to T-Swift for me....) 

Can you please pray for Hermana Rhees, she´s the most hardworking and diligent hermana I know and yet, she´s struggling so much with Spanish and self-doubt. Please pray for her whenever you pray for me, it would mean so much to me.

I had a dream about my family last week and when I woke up, I´ll admit it was tough but I know why I´m here and that I´m absolutely supposed to be here so even though I miss you, you´re better off without me for these next 17 and a half months. ALSO EVERYONE LIED TO ME! The days do not feel like weeks, they go by so fast and then the weeks go by even faster and I am going to be home before I know it and I don´t know how I feel about that.

One more funny story, this one´s for Mom. I´ve been trying to wear my retainer at night but guess what happens every time...the first night, I woke up the next morning with my retainer OUT OF MY MOUTH and under my rib and so for the next 4 nights I tried to wear it, I would put it in my mouth, go to bed, and wake up with it out of my mouth! I never remember doing this though so apparently I can remove my retainer in my sleep. How weird, I know. But I´m going to keep trying because I want nice teeth. 

Anyway, I love you all! Don´t forget to look for your own missionary opportunities this week and HELP THE MISSIONARIES! 

All my love,

Hermana Gauger

 

 

My Room:

 

If i wasn't so tired all the time, i would never be able to sleep on that rock they call a bed

 The laundry situation:

JUST KIDDING!

 My favorite accessories:

We have a nutella/peanut butter bar at meals and they give us a small oar to spread it on the bread, (also we get COSTCO PIZZA ON TUESDAYS! so we call p-day pizza-day)