Greetings from the hottest place in the planet. I can’t believe the temp is 14 degrees at home. That’s simply not possible (as I sip my fresh squeezed totally natural fruit juice as the sun beats upon my brow). Crazy! I am sweating everywhere!!!!! Seriously I’m in the hottest part of the country. Imagine St George in August plus being constantly wet because it’s so humid. But I really am getting used to it.

I’m happy I’m healthy. I sent ya’ll a package. SUUUper expensive. I wish I would’ve just waited haha I really hope you get it. Nobody has boxes here so that was interesting to find. But I love you!   (I cannot wait for my new shoes!!!!!!) I’m well watched over. I’m eating the food! Our cook is absolutely amazing. I’ve never had food this good before. Calm down Chad, you’re still the best cook out there. But this lady comes in pretty close.  She makes beans and rice every meal. (and some...mysterious...meat). That being said, I accidently bit into some tuna and about threw up. The tuna here is brown and has carrots. Yeah, not really my favorite thing anyway.  The cook has learned to give me smaller portions; I’ll eat all my beans and a lot of my rice though. She keeps trying to give me soda, coke because "gringas love coke" but nah. Not me. Only water please. The milk comes in a powder and it’s not refrigerated. So I eat my trix with water or just dry. I do eat trix and peanut butter every day. Also I found Mac and cheeeeeese!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now...how to cook it is the next chapter. haha

I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOUR TEMPLE TRIPS!!! What powerful women! You are defiantly putting on that armor to protect your families! So awesome! The message of the temple is why I’m here. Families are eternal. How amazing! Keep it up! Thank you for the fast. I know that prayers were answered. Fasting is tough, but what a blessing! I love letting my spirit take over. I could feel the majority of my burdens being lifted up. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for your faith. Honestly, thank you.

So far I’ve only read one or two sentences from Ash and it was about her frozen eyelashes. I couldn’t help but laugh. I literally have sweat sitting everywhere on my body that on hers is frozen. I’ve teared up after what I just read. It’s only a few words but it was like I could hear her. Man I’m starting to tear up again. This is the weirdest thing ever. I don’t have time to really email her this week, but pass along that I think of her constantly. I pray for her nightly. I pray for her to find success, to be warm, and comforted during trials.

Congrats to Aubrey! How wonderful that she’s found her prince charming. Every night before I go to bed, I think of all the things this mission is equipping me with. All the struggles with companions, investigators, etc. are preparing me to be a better student, wife, mother, neighbor, member, sister, daughter, etc. etc. She’s a good example to me to keep enduring. Keep treckin.

I taught English. Actually I teach English every week. The people here are so ready that a lot of them will approach us. One young man, Sandy age 21, in particular came up to us and said: “I would like to learn English”. My comp said, “Perfect. Thursday at the church across from the hospital”. I said, “Bring your friends”. He brought his whole family. All of them look like movie stars, even though they live in what we would consider poverty. That’s something I find interesting. Everyone dresses so nice here. Their hair is always gorgeous. How do they do it?? I try to do my hair nice, but one hour in and it’s in a pony tail. It’s just too hot. Anyway, I taught my first class. It was kind of crazy. Turns out, English is whacko. We have so many different ways to pronounce our vowels. Maybe that’s why Spanish is so hard for me; because it’s actually simple. I just have to change my mind. I HAVE to change my attitude and mindset about it. I remember learning ASL. I loved it and loved learning new words. I was super scared to use them incorrectly, but I only got better by putting it all on the line and trying. I’m trying. I promise. Anyways, I know that we’re planting a seed. We’re gaining trust. I know that Sandy was prepared for us. For me specifically! I know Heavenly Father was working on him, and will continue to do so. (Just like he’s working on me). This week, you should all read Elder Christofferson’s conference talk about As Many as I love, I Rebuke and Chasten. I know my Heavenly Father is my gardener. “Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to hurt me”. Read it, it’ll make more sense! smiley face,  (Copy n paste from here: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/as-many-as-i-love-i-rebuke-and-chasten?lang=eng&query=%22the+gardener%22+(name%3a%22D.+Todd+Christofferson%22)

We had a baptism Saturday! He is 8. Jose Daniel. The coolest part was when he bore his testimony. He said about 2 or 3 words (I only understood thank you) and then he started to cry. The spirit was absolutely amazing. He reminded me of Ryley in that moment. Just so tender and full of the spirit. This kid was 8!!! It was amazing to me, a testimony builder, to see someone so young so full of the spirit. He’s inspired me to work harder. It was amazing!  Each day I am BEGGING my Heavenly Father for charity. Charity to love these people. To learn the language. I want soooooooooo badly to look into their eyes and communicate the glad message of the gospel. The people are very loving and sweet. We’ve baptitized one other person with another 12 on the way. The work here is amazing.

My mom is so good! Here, it’s the responsibility of the missionaries to make the invites. There’s no grand party after, and that’s foreign to me. I think my mom would go nuts if she couldn’t make invites. It helped me realize that she really really REALLY ROCKS. She’s always the life of the party and can transform any situation into a good one. Man I miss her!

I found a super talented painter. He’s the guy who helped us move. He wants to paint for me.

Pahoran is my scripture hero for a reason. Go find out why!

Mindi Meadows Ward Family, is it weird that I miss all of you too? Nah. you are my ward family. I hope you know I think about all of you at the most random of places. I hear the words you’ve taught me as I’ve grown up. I see your faces and families and remember all of your goodness. Thank you for your prayers. I sincerely desire for you to know that you are on my mind and in my prayers. Thank you for being the best ward family I’ve ever experiences. We have a new family in our ward here! They’re from LINDON Utah. Don’t know why that capitalized. Weird. Anyway, they are so nice! They have a daughter serving in...El Salvador? Another son in...New York? And a returned missionary. And also 3 other kids. they’re living here just to learn the language I think. It was kind of awesome to help them translate and realize that I do know more Spanish then I thought I did. Still a ways to go, but yeah. I went to give the mom and handshake and she grabbed me in a hug. How did she know I needed a hug from a mother? A tender mercy. That’s how. I told her to email you our photo. I hope she does.

For everybody. Happy 2013! I read President Uchtdorf’s Of Regrets and Resolutions Oct. 2012 conf talk again and it really motivated me. It’s perfect for New Years. So far in the field, I’ve had the mindset, (and I promise I’m trying to get rid of it) that man if I could just learn this language everything would be better. Or if…, I’d be happier, etc. but no! LIVE IN THE NOW! Life is not a race, it’s a journey. ENJOY THE RIDE! What great advice! So what if it’s one zillion degrees outside. Love it. Be like an iguana and gain energy from the sun. I promise that if you read that talk, you will receive personal revelation on how to be happier.  To everyone whose eyes may wonder across my writing. I know that Heavenly Father hears and answerers prayers. I know He knows me individually by name. I choke up thinking about that. He loves us too much to just take away our pains, burdens, trials, etc. He has given us our agency. It’s up to us to ask. And He will answer in His own time. I know that families can live together forever. There are so many people in this world who are afraid and who hurt. But I testify of our Savior’s divine plan for each of us. He will ease our burdens. What a comfort to know that my family and I will be together forever. Do all you can to enter the house of the Lord. My advice to you; start studying your bible now. Prepare for the tough questions. READ PREACH MY GOSPEL EVERY DAY. Mark the scriptures. Study and pray. I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love always,

Hermana workman.

PS many people tell me that my last name sounds like Wal-Mart....hmmm.