JINOTEGA (Hin-o-tegg-a) - A Time For A Change

Dearest Family and Friends. Hola!!

I had changes!! They were very much needed. I am now in an area called Jinotega! It is a beautiful Rainforest! There are monkeys here!
Yeah, The mission is pretty much amazing!!! Like i said, i am now in Jinotega with an amazing lady named Hermana Rodriguez. She entered the Guatemala MTC the same day i entered the Provo MTC. So we have the same time in the mission, but she has one change more than me in the field because she didnt have to learn spanish. She is from Panama! But they put me as senior companion. Its a bit different, but with a comp as amazing as Rodriquez, it will be cake! No worries!

Man, Jinotega is so incredibly different than Esteli. The church is so much stronger here. There is an adequate size branch, and the members are much stronger in the gospel. For example, our weekly attendance in Esteli was 45 people. Here it is 90! WOW! they actually do their visiting teaching and home teaching, and there are teachers and priesthood to bless the sacrament and everything! So far, I LOVE JINOTEGA!

The only thing that is a little different... I have to wash all my own clothes. I will send a picture of the washer and the drier. And the other thing is that the shower here is HORRIBLE!!! It is like legit cold here at night, and it gets really windy, and do we have hot water? WHAT IS THIS, AMERICA? Why no. No. we do not. Like the whole mission talks about the frigid showers in Jinotega. But being the headstrong person i am, i got here and said--how bad can it be? I totally screamed. It is a shower of death. There isnt a showerhead.. just like a pipe that comes out of the wall and you can just turn it on a little, to give yourself a little like dry mental preperation space, but then the water will just shoot out occasionally and get your hair and everything wet when you arent expecting it. its horrible!! It is a good thing the ward is awesome to make up for it. Sorry i am sending alot of pictures. I am just super excited to show you guys everything.

It is amazing how different the people are here too. In Esteli the people are very stubborn and dont want to change or accept fechas (a baptismal date, i am sick of translating that. way easier in spanish.) anyways, so far (the last 3 days) in Jinotega we have found 3 new families to teach, brought a family to church, and put fechas with 2 families. the people are just totally different and so far the field has been white and ready to harvest. :D We´re on it!

Just the last thing from Estelí though, Cesar and Dora were SO SAD when i left! But i promised them that i would come back with my family to meet them (I sure hope at least one of you are planning on coming!) but Cesar´s birthday was the day after i left, so the day before we brought him a cake and for a present I got him a white shirt and tie! He is so stinking cool! I would send a picture, but its full! Anyways, i cant wait to see them again, and i hope they seguir adelante en el evangelio. I am sure they will. They are pilas.

Anywho, I dont really have anything else to say. Just that it is so amazing to be a missionary. Just when you think it is cool, something happens to make it that much cooler. sure, sometimes (like the last change for me) are hard. But it is always worth it!! I love you guys, Keep the faith!! -Hermana Barrrrrrrt