GRACIAS POR LAS ORACIONES!

Wow, what a week! Sorry for the really short letter last week. I was literally running from the CIBER down the street to a dentist´s office to use their bathroom. I'm okay now!!! I just can't eat a lot of chile, which is slightly impossible since EVERYTHING has chile in it. On Monday when we were running back to our house, I ran into another dentist office and the dentist asked, "Who are you?" And I - about to soil myself – said, "I'm a missionary (I point to my companion), and she is, too!" and I BOOKED it to their bathroom - hahaha! And the funny part of this story is, my companion contacted him and we taught him, hahaha! 

When I was in Zacatecas before I went to the medico...Hma. Rejon called a member to take us to the medico and apparently this member studied, like, telepathy/hypnosis. WELL, I couldn't walk or get out of the bed... and this member, se llama Hma. Mari, comes to the side of the bed and tells me to sleep. HAH, I think, "That's what I have been trying to do." So I close my eyes and, well, I do not remember ANYTHING else. Apparently as I was sleeping she was waving her hands above my body and when she would move her hand over my arm or leg and move her hand up, my arm or leg would move up too - she made no contact with my body. Hma. Calderon was there AND Hma. Rejon were there. There are witnesses!!! FREAKY! But she took away the pain enough for me to walk and go to the medico. Ohhhh the missionary life in Mexico is VERY interesting. It's kind of funny because the members in Barrio Alto know that I'm sick...so they feed us, well me, "comida de la hospital" hahaha! Sopa, sopa y MAS sopa! 

(Mom, I have not received your letter through dearelder.com. So, send handwritten letters through the mission home address and packages as well. If you want to send my iPod with church music/talks, that would be great. I just need a charger and the speakers - I miss music SO much!)

I had a pretty cool experience during study time. I was trying to find scriptures in The Bible that talk about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. WELL, all I need to say is, look at Isaiah 29:11 and JSH 1:63-65.... and I don't need to say ANYTHING else, except, the Gospel is, like, SUPER true - haha!

We also taught Manuel again and we watched, "The Testaments." Afterwards, we asked what he thought and, well, he wants his family to watch - AH! He SO knows this Gospel is true!!!

We received a referral from las otras hermanas, la familia Martinez. We taught them Leccion 1 y, pues, El Espíritu no fue allí. The mom gets super distracted VERY easily, the children were screaming and asking random questions and, well, they accepted to read El Libro de Mormon, but I don't think they understand the importance. And when there is A LOT of noise during a lesson, it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to speak Spanish. Literally, there is NO way.

We have reactivated a menos activa familia, la familia Garcia! And oh how I have been blessed by this family. Whenever I have been sick, I have been even more HOMESICK. But this family has always been there for me, always! I always feel like I am at home when we are at their house. I love la familia Garcia and I am going to miss them like CRAZY!

We have taught nuestra vecina, Maria, who is a SUPER catolica viajita. Oh boy, she is SO loving! When we taught her about El Evangelio/El Plan de Salvacion, she was SO excited and insisted we come back the next day. Her mother passed away, so she is really interested about EVERYTHING we talk about. And when we taught her again, we asked her what she thought about the folletos... and she cried as she described what she felt. Joy, happiness, warmth.... uhhhh, EL ESPÍRITU! She is feeling the Spirit!!!! She is SO close to bautismo!

Also, I CONTACTED!!!!!! One of my goals is to get over my fear of contacting and one day, we unfortunately had nothing to do, so we tried to contact and I saw a woman and, well, I walked toward her way and my chest was about to burst I was SO scared. When I passed in front of her, it was like a wall hit me and I heard STOP. And well, I contacted, and she accepted! Man, the Spirit in the mission is SO strong!!!!

Thank you so much for your prayers, really. This has been hard, REALLY hard. But I am SO grateful for the power of prayer and the power of the priesthood. I am grateful to be here and grateful for your support. I am so blessed and lucky to be here. Keep them prayers a-comin' so I can get rid of this infection COMPLETELY! :) I love you all and this week, 3 MONTHS!!!! What?! Loco. y ORALE! haha! Remember, you can do ALL through Christ! Nothing is impossible through Him, because He did it all! I know it. I have no doubt in my heart that Christ felt everything I have felt and will feel on my mission. I know I am NOT and NUNCA will I be alone. Familia, les amo MUCHISISMO, Y see y’all soon! :)

Con amor,

Hermana Winsor

 

"Domingo"

Beautiful Aguascalientes skies

We were walking to una cita en Zapata, and well, we found carcasses of RATAS!
I named them Romeo and Juliet, because they were laying next to each other. And, well,
EVERY thing needs to know about The Plan of Salvation!

Investigator MANUEL came to a baptism! (not his, haha!)

La líder misional y su esposa, Hmo. Avila y Hma. Avila!!

Needed Prayers

I am going to start this out kind of depressing...I am sick. I have been sick with something different every week and well, this week I have the opportunity to have a stomach infection, and I’m in a LOT of pain. I went on exchanges to Zacatecas for what was supposed to only be 24 hours, but was there for 72 hours because I woke up incredibly sick. And the funny thing is, I was on exchanges with Hermana Rejon and Hermana Calderon…and Hermana Calderon is sick with the EXACT SAME THING - true companionship!!! I drink only bottled water. [After the first time being sick], I got incredibly dehydrated and well, was sent to the medic while in Zacatecas and received a shot - in my rear. (Yep Danny, my bottom received an injection....I can HEAR you laughing from here.) It's funny now, but I felt incredibly violated - haha! 

I am on medication that makes me super nauseous y super tired... this whole "trials are for your benefit" kind of stinks right now. I am so done with being sick. I have never been so discouraged in my LIFE, I don’t know how much longer I can go. I am in so much pain, I can't work, I can't feel the Spirit. I literally feel like I can't do this anymore.

Please pray for me. I don't want to worry you but - I need your help.

Well, till next week...hopefully I am not sick!

-Hma Winsor

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your [Christmas] packages Mom, Mel and Danny!!!!!

 

Zacatecas

Un Mes en MEXICO!!!

Wow, I canNOT believe that tomorrow is ONE MONTH in Mexico. Orale!

 

Hermana Ortiz - She is the only member in her family,
has been a member for only 3 years and is on a mission - I love her!

So what? that our mission is a "walking mission."
(i.e. no cars or bikes) 

Well, wanna’ hear something hilarious? I can officially mark off, "Getting food poisoning in Mexico" from my list of, "Things that will probably happen on my mission." Yep, woke up at 4am one morning this week and, well, you can guess how the next couple hours went. Super divertido! But after hugging and becoming best friends with a Mexican toilet for 6 hours, I was able to get back on my feet and WORK! My district leader and his companion gave me a priesthood blessing and, well, I am still alive! I am incredibly grateful for priesthood holders!!! 

Elders Ortiz y Ibanez, THE funniest elders you'll EVER meet. Also, the kindest.
They're the elders who gave me the name, "Hermana Wera."

We taught Luz this week. I feel like we went to her house in the right momento because her grandchild just died from the FLU. In Mexico, the flu (or "gripe") is VERY dangerous because medicine is VERY expensive and so is hospital treatment. October-March is when the death rate goes up from the flu! Man, am I GRATEFUL for my health and the medicine I brought with me. And also, I am SO SO SO grateful for the knowledge that I can live with my family AGAIN - para siempre - forever! I love each and every one you - parents AND siblings! :)

9th de Enero, my zone leaders told me that I received, not one, but TWO packages!!! They will give them to me tomorrow during our district/zone meetings. I can´t wait to open them! Next Monday, I will send pictures of my “Opening Ceremony” J bahaha!!!

To send letters, this is my home address:

Hma. AubriAnna Winsor

Calle 2 del Catero #12

Colonia Centro

99049 Fresnillo, Zacatecas

MEXICO

(But continue to send packages to the Mission Home address now that we know it works.)

Well, we had ANOTHER zone conference in Zacatecas and I SAW HERMANA CALDERON!!! Oh how I miss my companion of the MTC, I love her SO much. Oh, and if you could pray for her - her family is struggling financially and they had to move to Georgia recently; she is from and has lived in California her WHOLE life. So please pray for her and her family. 

The meeting was about filling out baptismal registros correctly, because if they aren't correct, then the people aren't members - literally. Also, we were told that the goal of the misión is to have 40-60 lessons EACH WEEK and 7 lessons each DAY and one baptism EACH week. Holy heavens - what? Well, pray for us, hahaha! I know it is possible. I have seen miracles and I know we can do this! Pray that I can have confidence in the language and that I can just open my mouth and SPEAK.

Elder Moncur y Elder Velasco had a baptism on Saturday and MIGUEL AND MARIA DOLORES CAME - ahhhhh!!! I was SO flippin' happy! And Miguel's reaction when the person was immersed in the water was priceless! He said that he is even more excited to be baptized. Now if he would just attend Church, gosh dangit - hahaha! Also, a little niña sang, "I Like to Look for Rainbows" (in Spanish…duh), and Maria cried - so did I J It was powerful...and it was amazing. I love Maria Dolores. She is a perfect example of how we should be Christlike. She does NOT discriminate other religions, she listens and she serves without complaint - I love her! Her son, Jose Manuel, is 20 years old and he has a God-given talent - he can draw, and is flippin' amazing!!! He drew an owl and, wow, I was blown away! I had to take a foto of it for you, Dad - Go Paideia!!!

Ok, Manuel - we have no idea what happened with him. He tells us every time we call him to schedule a lesson,"Hermanas, I want to learn!! I promise!" But then, he can't or he bails out on us. Like the day of the Elders’ baptism, he said he could go - we were SO excited! We called him and he said he had to take a shower since he just got home from work. Well, that's fine. So we wait outside his house...5 minutes...10 minutes....we're officially late to the baptism and our other investigators are calling us asking where the heck we are. We knock on the door and his mom answers saying, "Oh, he is sleeping." WHHHAAATTT?!?!?! Oh man, I was not very Christlike after she closed the door on our face. I wasn't terrible, but I was not happy! So, I don't know what happened with Manuel. I think we might have to end it with him L  Que triste.

So, we ran to the stake center (which is literally 3 miles away from our house. I am not kidding when I say "I have lost A LOT of weight").  We were stopped by a sweet old lady, named Maria, our next door neighbor. The first thing she tells us, "I want you Hermanas to come over and teach me with the Bible." Whhhaaatt? Contacts are NEVER that easy, haha! We said, “Of course,” and, well, we went to her house yesterday and taught her! She is a STRONG Catholic woman who loves her Savior and God. She also told us after our lesson, "If you ever need anything - blankets, food, hot water to shower with, a bed, I am always here for you." I could have hugged her. I love her so much.

 

   For P-day, our zone played HOCKEY in the capilla with broomsticks and a wooden whiteboard eraser. I made a GOAL!!! And of COURSE I screamed (with quiet dignity)..."GOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!"

I learned that my zone is REALLY competitive... but not Elder Lambert and
 Elder Carr...pure love. Bahaha!

1

The crazy happy family (some of them): Elders Lambert and Risueño go home in 2 weeks,
Elders Romero, Carr and Moncur go home in 7 days, my district leader, Elder Aguilar, Hermana Hernández, Hermana Moreno, YO, Hermana Ortiz, Hermana Morales, Hermana Lugo.

This is what I mean by competitive...we broke 5 BROOMS.

Hermana Ortiz and yo had red broomsticks and our hands were stained ROJO!

Ok, remember the BOOOOM we heard in the middle of the night a couple weeks ago during the rain? Well, we heard it AGAIN! It wasn't the exact same, but it was pretty dang similar. It got me thinking, "Híjole, was that a bomb?" Well, I woke up to ANOTHER BOOM 12 de Enero during a rainstorm and the misión leader told us THAT was thunder. The other boom, people have NO idea what that was. The thunder here is NUTS, it literally sounds like a bomb!!!

Yesterday in Sunday School, we were taught about how we were PREORDAINED before we were born. We were chosen, we are given talents for a reason! I was preordained to be a missionary in Aguascalientes Mexico, I was preordained to play the piano, I was preordained to speak Spanish…life has a reason! I know each and every one of us were preordained. Our Heavenly Father knows us and has given us gifts - USE YOUR GIFTS! Your gifts are not for yourself, they are to be shared with others.

I thought a lot about Danny and Melanie, the best rock climbers IN THE WORLD. And how whenever they are with someone, they invite them to go rock climbing with them...or they show them pictures of their rock climbing adventures...or when they ARE rock climbing, they encourage and show an amazing amount of support. They constantly share their amazing talent. And remember, talents are just actions...your personality and characteristics are talents as well -Share your talents!

I love you all, and I pray for you each morning, evening, night. I hope you are all doing well and you are safe! Remember, "Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece." Vida es difícil pero no es imposible. Para Cristo, nunca lo fue fácil, NUNCA. El conóce nuestros dolores, enfermedades, tentaciones, de todas las clases. No estamos solo en esa vida. Estoy muy agradecida por mi Salvador, no soy perfecta, pero puedo ser perfecta como Dios. Recuerde, tenemos el mismo potencial a llegar a ser como Dios, solamente por medio de Cristo. Les amo muchísimo! No puedo esperar por el dia cuando puedo verles otra vez! Les amo!!!

Con amor,

Hermana Winsor 

P.S. The packages came just in time because tomorrow marks 1 month in Mexico!!! AH! Crazy!! Haha, oh and Mom, don't worry.... if I have learned anything in Mexico, it is to eat EVERYTHING, no matter how weird it tastes :) haha. Oh and also, I FOUND PEANUT BUTTER!!! It's very rare here; my (Mexican) companion asked, "What is that?" But I found it! It was in a teeny tiny corner, bottom shelf, not touched, waiting for me to buy it J hahaha! But I almost cried when I saw it....

Well, milagros milagros y MAS MILAGROS!

Wow, WHAT A WEEK! Feliz Año!!!! I hope all of you had a GREAT week and start to your new year!!! I am grateful for 2013 but man, 2014 is MY year! :) haha. My goals:

At a church activity with Hermanas Albornoz
y Wiggenhauser, both from Argentina.

-Be more patient

 -Be more positive

 -Be more obedient

 -Serve EVERY day

 -Read El Libro de Mormon

 -UNDERSTAND Spanish

 -Memorize a scripture in Spanish every month.

   Escritura de Enero: “Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece.” (Filipenses 4:13)

Know that goals are amazing and possible! Make goals and pray for strength to accomplish them!!

Well, we taught Manuel the first lesson and guess who quoted “The First Vision” in Spanish to a REAL investigator.......THIS GIRL!!!! It was kind of a difficult lesson because he had family over and yadadada, BUT we watched “The Restoracion” video and, MAN - was the Spirit there!!! We promised him that if he read and prayed, he would receive and answer. I told him that we have testimonies of El Libro de Mormon but we can´t give him a testimony just like how we weren´t given a testimony... and he replies, Wait...Why? ... bahaha! We explained and he understood and is REALLY excited to learn more. PLEASE pray for Manuel. I know he FEELS the Spirit, and he has read and prayed and feels good about it. Please pray for him because also, he has a job that keeps him working INCLUDING Sundays... NOOOO. But he wants to learn more, so we stop by his work (he is a referee for kid’s soccer games) and give him scriptures to read and folletos.

So sad to see Hma. Morinigo (from Paraguay) transferred.
I love her so much!

We started out 1st de Enero with transfers :(  So we traveled to the bus station and said adios to some amazing hermanas. And when we got back to our house, someone stole our lock and chain to our front gate!!!! My heart DROPPED, "My camera is inside....everything is inside." But luckily, everything was still there, THANK GOODNESS!!!

Well the second day of Enero, I woke up terribly sick. I literally could not get up, it was terrible and I did not want to go to the hospital (we're told to call [mission president’s wife] Hermana Villarreal FIRST). We call her and then the medic, and he diagnoses me with the flu! YAY MORE TRIALS. With the change in climate, mixed in with the

Transfers - Saying tearful goodbyes at the bus station.
(Missionaries from Argentina and Paraguay.)

rain, having drenched feet, being in the cold, everyone in Fresnillo is sick...I got sick! Hma. Moreno went on changes so she could buy a new lock and chain and get my prescriptions. I was companions with one of the new Hermanas transferred to our area, Hermana Ortiz! She was baptized at 20 years old and she is 23 years old now. She has been a convert for 3 years and is on a MISSION. Wow, what FAITH. She is also the only member AND woman of her family, and she is on a mission. Faith, courage...the WHOLE shabang!

The next day we visited Maria Dolores – oh, I love her. We taught her “El Libro de Mormon” while she made a PIÑATA!!!! And, oh dang, is she GOOD! When she finishes it, I will send pictures! :) We then visited Hermana Luz (menos activo) and we taught “La Expiacion” [The Atonement]. I shared Filipenses 4:13 "Todo lo puedo en Cristo que me fortalece" and I asked what that meant to her. She said that through Christ, she had been given a gift to NOT feel fear. She has had gun after gun pointed in her face, but she said she never has felt fear especially when she sticks up for someone. And when she is in danger, she feels as if there is someone standing between HER and danger. And she knows it is Christ. I looked at her and said, "You have faith, Hermana. And the thing about faith is, it continually grows. And through Christ and obedience, we can receive MORE." I am grateful for her testimony and her faith. Please pray for the menos actives also. We have experienced milagros [miracles] with them and we have had a less active family come to church TWICE (Family Garcia). I am grateful and I love the less actives.

We then ended this day with the daughter of an investigator Cesar Lopez, Gladys. She asked us, "What is the difference between your religion and others? You all teach the same thing." She has a good point. We bore testimony that we have the plenitud del Evangelio [fullness of the Gospel], and we have prophets and el sacerdocio [priesthood]. The other religions aren't evil... and they aren't necessarily wrong...they just don't have it all. They all teach good things, we just have the PLENITUD! We gave her El Libro de Mormon and she was actually excited!!! Haha!

The next day is called "El Dia De Barrachos" or "The Day of the DRUNKS." We were walking to a member’s house to eat and there was a young man walking in front of us with a small bottle of something. We walk a little slower and he turns around. My companion and I thought "HIJOLE!" He asks, "What do I need to do to enter your church?" Hma. Moreno replies, "Your attention?" We then give him a pamphlet of “The Restoration” with the directions and time for church. He replies, "QUE CHIDO!" And la palabra, "chido" means, like, "oh, cool....oh, SUAVE. " Bahaha! Yes.... que chido! 

[Aubri explained that most houses look very poor
from the outside; some are more luxurious indoors.]

Before the meal with the member family, we taught, well, kind of taught Josefina who is menos active, but she can talk for HOURS. We said maybe 13 words and we were in her house for 2 hours and she just talked - and we let her. She lives with her daughter and her grandson (3 years old, Miguel Angel). 

At members' home Christmas Eve. Karen is 8
 and flippin' hilarious!

Members' cat hopped into my lap and, well,
made me feel right at home.

When we left, Miguel Angel followed us outside and when he reached where the sun shined, he flinched because he is inside his house with his mom and grandma 24/7. My heart BROKE. He is NOT used to the sun! 

The next day was EL DIA DE AYUNA (Fast Sunday)! We fasted for all of our investigators, for a baptismal date, and I fasted for the gift of tongues. Church started at 9am and it was only members...which is great buuuuut, we wanted to see our menos activos and investigadores. After the sacrament was passed, in walks Hma. Garcia and her husband!!!!!! La Familia Garcia is a GOLDEN family. I was SO happy!! Also, I bore my testimony in Spanish!!! Oh man, I was SO nervous before, but I did it!

Then, in Gospel Principles class we started The Antiguo Testamento... in [the book of] Moíses! We talked about how we are children of God, ALL of us. No one is exempt from this. And I really like verse 6 in chapter 1, “I have a work for you [AUBRI]." This is my work... to struggle and work hard...but also to grow and bring those souls to Christ and bring the good news that the power of the expiacion is REAL.

Hma. Moreno, a member, MIGUEL, y yo en la capilla.

Later that day we FINALLY taught Miguel and we taught obedience! Miguel committed to being baptized 7th de Deciembre, but it fell through. We talked about this commitment and how he felt. He said he doesn't feel ready, but we told him, "Miguel, you are SO ready!" He told us he feels the Spirit and that he feels the Evangelio es verdadero. Well, to keep things short, HE IS GETTING BAPTIZED 15th OF FEBRUARY!!!!!! Now, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for Miguel!!!!!!!!! Pray that he will attend church and prepare for the 15th!!! PLEASE!!!! He is SO ready!!!!

Well, know that miracles HAPPEN! We just need to have an EYE of faith, and trust in the Lord! It can be hard...but it's possible!!!! 

I love you all! Thank you for your prayers and support! I feel them EVERY DAY! And please pray that I can be hit with the gift of tongues! I love you all!!!!! :)

Con Amor, 

Hermana Winsor

Happy 2 Months on my mission!

To celebrate 2 Meses, my companion made me a card, some hot chocolate, and this :)

The last meal of 2013 we made ourselves - chicken, lettuce, onions and
I made my FIRST salsa and made the mistake of using a WHOLE jalapeno.
Holy heck, I couldn't breathe it was so spicy!

En los calles de Fresnillo,
"Street Without Name" ...Bahaha!

[Mom requested photos of the area - landscape of Fresnillo.]

RAIN!!! y FELIZ DOS MESES EN LA MISION!!!

So, when it rains in Mexico.... IT POURS...for 2 weeks! There are literally RIVERS in the street!!!That is why I didn’t email yesterday.... all the cibers were closed!!! Lo siento! I am safe! I have VERY little time! But I will try my best... and I don’t have my camera with me... so no pictures but NEXT week there will be A LOT of pictures :)

FIRST!!! Jose Manuel... CONTACT!! :) He has NO idea who Mormons are and we had a lesson with him where he just asked questions and we answered! We also taught Dios es nuestro Padre Celestial and when we talked about the Atonement he asked, “Why?” ...and then I truly experienced the gift of tongues, I know it is real!!! OH and we taught him one lesson, invited him to church and HE CAME - to all 3 hours - Oh it was a MILAGRO!!!!

Next investigator is a former investigator, Maria Dolores. She is a LOVING and wonderful woman who has a STRONG testimony in Jesus Christ. Her daughter passed away a couple years ago and when she did pass away (in her mother’s arms at the hospital), Maria said she thanked God for the time He gave her with her daughter and the gift he gave her to bare children....WOW. I testified to her, I know you will see your daughter again... and she won’t be sick and you will be able to live with her FOR FOREVER after this Earthly life. And Maria replied, “Yes.... I know, and I cannot wait for that day to live with my daughter and my Savior Jesus.” OH MY GOSH. What faith!! I love Hermana Dolores.

Next, one night in Mexico (during the crazy rain) we woke up to a LOUD BOOM! I almost thought it was thunder, but it was too quick and too loud. Ohhhh the life of being a missionary, haha! Oh and today (New Year’s Eve) we have to be back at our house at 8pm instead of 8:30 because once 12am comes, gunshots.... MANY gunshots - hahahaha! I don’t know why but being on a mission cracks me up. The danger, the insanity.... it’s all worth it because I know I am safe because I have the LORD. Boom. Done.

OH! I GAVE MY FIRST TALK IN MY WARD - IN SPANISH!!!!!!! It was 3 pages long - I was SOOO nervous! I never gave a talk in la CCM but right after I talked with Mom & Dad on Skype, el Obispo asked, “Hermana, will you give a talk? ‘ Pues.... I can’t say no, haha! But it went well! And it was another testament that the gift of tongues is REAL!!!

Navidad.... oh man. Navidad in Mexico is BEAUTIFUL! Tamales, tamales, ponche y MAS COMIDA! We received bags and bags of candy from the members. And man, I love the hospitality here.... the members are SO kind. After the Skype session, mom and dad, I still cried like a baby! Man, being a woman/missionary...my emotions are crazy! But I love you mom and dad, thank you for your support and love.... I miss you like crazy!

Oh and MOM! Mexico has a SECOND NAVIDAD! El Dia de Reyes! 6th de Enero... and the funny thing is, I will most likely receive your package on that day... PERFECT!!!!

Please pray for Manuel and for Hma Dolores. Please pray their hearts will be open to the gospel and especially God’s love for them. PLEASE pray.

Please know that I love you all. I feel your prayers and your support... and it is CRAZY hard here. Know that Jesus Christ died for each and every one of us... I am SO grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

 I love you ALL!!! 

-Hermana Winsor

PS. Happy 2 months on the mission to me!!!!! :)