They say the worst is over

 

I´m not really even sure where to start right now. This past week has felt like a year. There are no words to describe what a mission is like. There are days that are almost miserable and really hard but there are also moments that are sweeter than anything you can imagine. 

We are the first sisters in my area and have no records so it´s like starting fresh. We contact a LOT and have been able to receive some references. Our area has some very, very nice houses and then the other extreme of shacks. One of our investigators, Leslie, is a Haitian man. Him and his family live in a shack about the size of our van. There is a bed and dresser in there with a grill on top to serve as their kitchen. It truly is humbling. The ward is very nice and ready to help. 

I think that the culture shock has been the hardest thing for me this week. Suddenly I´m in a place where no one speaks my language...and no one speaks Spanish for that matter. Whenever someone talks I have to translate from Dominican into Spanish and then into English to try and understand. Everywhere smells of sewage and trash (including my water), and the food is very different as well. The only meal that people eat here is lunch so I´ve had to try to do my best to find things to pack for dinner since my companion does not eat it. She doesn´t understand why I get hungry more than once a day. Luckily we are only allowed to eat with the members on Sunday. This Sunday we ate with a very nice lady. I did my best to dish up a small amount and avoid the chicken in the rice (without making it obvious). My mistake, however, was that I finished too fast and my companion noticed my plate was empty and loaded it with more. I was already full and did not like the food but since there was an entire plate in front of me and everyone was watching I silently prayed for my stomach to be bigger and I ate the plate with a smile. Hermana Thorpe said it looked like I had wanted more so I guess I succeeded in my acting. 

My companion is the sweetest girl and is so patient with me. More than half the time I have no clue what she is saying. There is also no such thing as personal space here and many times she´ll grab my hand while we´re walking and is always touching me. I know she does it out of kindness so I just smile and go along with it. She is also very good at standing by me. A lot of people here will yell at me in the street because I´m white and they´ll say stuff like ¨are you lost¨ or ask me what I´m doing here if I can´t speak the language. I had some lady make fun of me very openly in a lesson. My sweet companion told her that I´m really good for such a short time and we promptly left that house. Pretty much everything here is somehow different than the US. It is an adjustment but I know that it will get better and better with time. 

This week Hermana Thorpe was transfered to a different area because Hermana Stuber is really struggling and needs another American to help support her and try and keep her out on the mission. It was really sad at first but after having Hermana Stuber here for 2 days I realize that she really did need someone who was very familiar with her and needs to support to be able to stay out here. 

Despite the different culture and the sometimes very challenging days, I am still loving the mission. I will share a few awesome experiences I had this week with you. We are teaching a lady named Mariel. We met her contacting and her spirit is so strong! During our first visit I gave her a Book of Mormon. I explained what it was and how it could change her life. She is so prepared. She finishes our assignments and is very very intelligent about everything. I am very excited to see what happens with her. 

The coolest experience this week was with a reference named Elsa. This sister lives in a tiny house and when we arrived just seemed very, very depressed and you could physically see the burden she was carrying. She told us how she was been struggling and of the trials in her life. It broke my heart to see this poor woman struggling so much. We had the elders with us that night and each of the other missionaries all tried to share a message after she had finished talking. Each was very good but I could tell they weren´t having the desired effect. This poor woman was still so down trodden and despite the scriptures and words of encouragement was still crying. The whole time I knew that I HAD to share Alma 7 11'12. The spirit was pressing me so hard to share that scripture and some of my experiences working with mental illness. I hoped so badly that everything I tried to say would make sense. I turned to one of the elders who is from England and asked him to help me so that this message could get across. Then I started to talk. I told this woman that she was not alone. I worked with people with mental sickness before my mission and had experienced the hard effects with my own family. I validated that life is not easy, it is hard. Then I turned to Alma 7. I explained that Christ didn´t just suffer for our sins. He suffered for any affliction or infirmity, any pain or sadness. I told her she was loved by her Heavenly Father and that Christ understands. Then I told her that the atonement could and will help her. It wouldn´t make life easy, but it will make life easier. Then I told her that she had to have faith. None of this is possible unless she trusts that Christ will heal her and that she can be happy. After her faith, the hope would come. 

The spirit was so strong as I testified and tried to help this woman. I only turned to Elder Wilkinson 3 times for a word. The Spanish came to me and quickly. It doesn´t always just appear in my head and most days I am mentally exhausted by noon after trying to communicate and then have 9 more hours of very concentrated communication. But when it was most important, when my words were completely necessary, the spirit blessed me with the ability. It was incredible. 

After a few minutes one of the sisters on splits with us told this woman about the priesthood that the elders hold. She said that they could heal her through that power in a blessing if she had the faith. She said she did and sat down. As Elder Wilkinson laid his hands on her head it was incredible. After a beautiful blessing I watched as Elsa opened her eyes and sat up straight. Her entire countenance had changed. She was physically lighter. There are no words to describe what happened. I know it was a miracle of the priesthood. We visited her a few days ago and she is still doing much better and is so receptive to our message. 

While we walked home that night I thought about everything that had happened. Our God is a 4th watch God. After I had a hard day and had prayed and prayed for support and a reminder of why I am here...at the LAST appointment I received my answer. Just like I told Elsa, it is AFTER the trial of our faith that we see the miracle. After knocking doors and struggling with Spanish, when I was ready to leave...then came the blessing. That one experience made every struggle worth it. 

I know that our Heavenly Father loves us. I know that He is strengthening me every single day on my mission. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve. Sometimes it is hard but I realize that God is bending me and breaking me and molding me into the person He wants me to be. I know that with a good attitude and with much faith that everything is possible. They say the first week is the worst...if that is true then I am in for an AMAZING mission!

Much love,

Hermana Ewell