Great news – Megan is doing a bit better with her stomach
issues. Not 100% by any means but definitely better. So, please keep those
prayers headed her direction. I know she feels them and appreciates them and
all the good thoughts sent her way. She would love to hear from you if you want
to drop her a quick note at Megan.garner@myldsmail.net.
Thanks for your love and support!
Leslie
Hello family and friends!
First off, I just want to thank everyone for
all of the prayers from all of you! As I have been sick, it has been pretty
discouraging for me. It is hard to think that Heavenly Father wants me to work
and wants me to be doing my best but I physically can't. I had one pretty hard
day, emotionally this week when I was sick and had to stay home. Honestly, I
cried a lot. I wanted to go home. In the morning, President came to give me
more medicine for my stomach. But that morning when I woke up, my eyes were
bloodshot and the skin around my eyes were soooo itchy. It was so painful, we
figured out that I was allergic to the medicine that they gave me. So when
President came, when we opened the door, he just held his arms out and I just
cried while he held me. Cried and cried. I just kept thinking "why can't I
just get better??" "why is it taking this long??" but President
always knows what to do to make me feel better and comforted. He gave me the
sweetest blessing and hugged me a lot. It felt like my Dad was with me, I loved
it. During that day, I stayed home but still was pretty sad and having a hard
time. I texted President and asked him if there were any scriptures he knew of
that would help me in my situation. About 10 minutes later, Hermana Stutznegger
called me. She had four scriptures all ready for me. We talked for a long time
and now I have 4 new favorite scriptures. They helped me so much. I couldn’t
have a better mission president and wife! They are the best in the world! I am
SO lucky!
I have been praying really hard lately. I was homesick this
week a little bit when I was sick (because I am stuck in a tiny apartment so I
have a lot of time to think..haha). I was praying for that. I am always praying
for my little stomach (and getting smaller). I prayed for a lot of patience
this week too because I am the only one in my apartment that speaks English. I
have been praying for what to do with my health too. A lot of things! I will
write later why this matters..........
So Monday night I stayed at Presidents house. It was soooo
great, a good little break. It was nice to take a nice hot shower, eat a nice
breakfast, and not have to wear shoes around the house! It was super homey and
I’m grateful for that opportunity I had!
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| Showering at Presidents house was a dream! |
Tuesday night at 12:00, the people here in Latin America
celebrate their independence Day. They shout "Viva Mexico!" at
midnight. So we stayed up until midnight and shouted that from our roof. It was
fun. Our neighbors also burst through our door and sprayed this soap stuff
allllll over us and our apartment. (little girls like 8 and 12). It was super
fun, we are lucky that we live with fun people!
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| After our neighbors sprayed us with this soapy stuff. so fun! |
I didn't work a ton this week.....sick. still. but that's ok!
one day, I didn't work AT ALL. I stayed with the neighbors and studied! That was
the day that I was pretty discouraged and having a pretty rough time. The next
morning, I woke up and decided that I was going to work, no matter how I felt. I
started studying the Book of Mormon. As a mission, we have a challenge to read
the Book of Mormon in 90 days (my subject line). It has been the biggest
blessing. Reading the scriptures every morning, having a designated time to read
is so great. I learn sooo much every morning and I am so uplifted. every single
day. This day in particular when I told myself I was going to work, I was reading
the scriptures and I just felt so comforted. I knew that that day was going to
be a good day. And it was! it was sooo great! we taught a whopping 8 lessons
that day, we haven't done that in a while. And the best part about that day was
my body felt great. I expected my body to be weak and have nausea (like every
other day) but Heavenly Father knew that for some reason those people had to be
visited by us that day and he helped me work and not hurt. Miracles are real
and the scriptures can really change someones day! Read the scriptures
everyday!
Because Hermana C moved out of our apartment, I have been
missing English. Reeeaalllly missing it. I say the longest prayers at night
(God knows every language..haha.) But we teach this lady (the wife of the guy
that said "Dios vive" when his daughter came back from running
away). She wants to learn English but doesn't want to learn about the gospel. So
we teach her English and serve her that way! This day in particular, I prayed
for a chance to speak in English to someone. So we started this lesson with a
prayer and after she said "ok..what should i say in English?" I said
"tell me something you have never told anyone before". She started
telling me about her daughter running away and how it hurts her every time she
runs away from her. she told me that she doesn't know why God is putting this trial
in her life and what she should do....all in ENGLISH. It was very broken
English, but I understood. She asked for advice. So I spoke really slowly and
could express the feelings of my heart to her. She said she understood all of
it. She asked me to share scriptures in English and explain what I thought of
them after. (This day in the morning I had a feeling to bring my English Book
of Mormon and I didn't know why). We shared scriptures, experiences, laughs,
cries and everything in between. Definitely a tender mercy it was. So cool!
This week was definitely hard, but we have a few more
investigators that are progressing...but slowly. Their names are David and
Helidorio. (all old men...I don't know why..I can't wait to find a
family..hahaha). If you could pray for them, that would be great! We haven't
been able to contact Luis this week, either he doesn't answer his phone or it doesn't have service. Keep him in your prayers!
Hermana T’s birthday is
this week, excited to celebrate (as much as we can on a mission) with her! We
also have divisions this week too so I will probably be with Hermana V (from
Honduras), it will be interesting and fun!
I went downtown today...downtown Mexico City! Mexico City is
like the Washington D.C. of the U.S. Craaaazy busy. But it was super cool and
beautiful weather! We rode the metro there (it takes about an hour) and we
walked around a beautiful Cathedral (I will send pictures) and went shopping at
Forever 21. How many floors did it have?? FIIIIIVVVEEE. It was the most
beautiful thing I have seen in a while. We ate at a cute little Mexican
restaurant...I ordered pizza though...not very Mexican of me. It was a fun day!
Oh, and I also got interviewed by like 4 high schoolers because they somehow
knew that I didn't speak a lot of Spanish...don't know how ;)
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| Super good mango juice today from lunch! |
Thank you so much for the prayers and fasting on my behalf
with my health. I can feel your love all the way here in Mexico City! Love you
all and have a great week!
Hermana Garner
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| Downtown: Day of the dead is coming up and I was honestly so scared of this lady, but she was the nicest! |
