Bananas, baby birds, bonding and blessings...

With Martin and Fatima. We teach them in this little tienda and it takes awhile because we have to pause when people come in, but it’s worth it! They are super great.

Jose Juan Santos de Dios.  He is the convert that got baptized in May.

A baby bird! He's just a tiny thing!

I got to cut down bananas from a banana tree the other day!

Que honda Fam?

I’m learning some pretty good "slang" from my new companion.

So this week lots of good things happened! As a mission we are trying to focus more and more on the menus activos in the areas. I really like working with them a lot! We found some menus activos this week and they have a lot of need for help, but they are wanting to come back so this is good! 

My new companion and I are still doing really well together! She is teaching me lots and I hope I’m doing the same for her! I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m out to get her though. In this week I hit her in the face with a door, jammed her hand in a desk, and here’s the bad one: sprayed perfume in her eyes -- directly into her eyes. It just came out and I felt soooo bad! She just went screaming to the bathroom “Mi ojos! mi ojos!” She came out and couldn’t open her eyes for like 5 minutes. I just sat there in silence staring at here. I felt so bad! Afterwards she just laughed about it so we’re all good! 

We had a good lesson with Martin and Fatima this last week. We taught them about the plan of salvation. Hermana Fatima got a little freaked out by it and was saying that she thinks that she won’t get to go to the reina celestial. We calmed her down and she accepted it! Martin is pretty great; every time we go he says. “So when I’m a Mormon....” or “when I go on my mission...” It’s pretty great! He’s a golden boy. His dad is catolico and doesn’t really like the missionaries very much, but he will come around! I love teaching them so much. I can always feel the spirit so much in the lessons with them. They are always so interested in what we have to tell them, and are just progressing so well! People like them just make me love being a missionary! 

We also went and contacted this reference and she was a lady with about 80 or more years and she was kinda crazy, but the sweetest thing ever. She was telling us how she had visions and would start talking in other languages. She called it the gift of tongues. After she told us that, she started to pretend like something was talking through her to us in a different language, and then her daughter came out and was like “mom, why are you doing this again?” With an annoyed look on her face, like her mom does this all the time to people or something...  She just looked at her daughter then at us and just smiled with shrugged shoulders. I just started laughing, ha-ha! 

Yesterday we had this member come out with us. We went looking for a reference for like an hour, cuz this lady was so determined that we were going to find this reference. She was like “okay, chicas, let’s go find this person.” She would go up to people and ask them if they knew this direction (the direction we had was really bad and it wasn’t complete so it was impossible to find them) and then if they didn’t know she would just walk away super-fast and go find a different person to ask, then that person would tell us a street, we would go to that street, then it ended up being the wrong street. We then went to this tienda to ask someone. There was a table and chair where the person was sitting. She pulls up another seat and sits with him and asks the direction and if he knows where it is. He didn’t know either, so she got up, but I wanted to contact him. We started contacting him and telling him about the church, then she just says with her strong voice “oh my gosh, you girls are so cute -- you’re contacting him -- that is so funny.” We all just kinda looked at her and then she felt a little awkward, ha-ha - it was all fun and funny. She was a great help to us, and she would make a good determined missionary! Ha-ha! 

This week was great and we are working hard here, and I am just loving it all so much! I hope you are all doing so great and are enjoying summer! I love you all so much and hope you can all continue to feel the love that the Savior has for you! Thanks for the letters! 

Love, Hermana Velasquez

July 13, 2015 One of the hardest, but best at the same time...

My zone with Elder Valenzuela, one of the Seventy that came at last transfer.

My 4th of July popsicle!

Me with Hermana Vera... she feeds every Monday. She's great!

Hermana Vera buys us pizza!

Me and my companion, Hermana Diaz!

We ate with the bishop and he and his family made us dress up and they took our pictures.
On Septemer 15 they have all the kids here dress us like little war Mexicans
 with fake bullets across their chests and guns, and the little girls have it too!
Ha-ha, it's pretty funny! 

I got burnt pretty bad...

My agenda.

I am not going to lie; this week was one of the hardest, but the best at the same time. I really felt the love of my Savior and the prayers from you all! In the beginning of the week I was on a high level of stress. I was sick, and tired all the time because of the bugs in my stomach, and I was stressed about having a new companion. This was the first time for me to be with someone who has less time than I do. With Hermana Hoggan we have the same time and we knew the same things and all. If one of us didn’t know something the other one did. With my new companion, she depends on me to know everything and really that’s how it should be. I was nervous because 1: she is Latina and 2: she is newer to the mission. I was nervous that I wouldn’t understand everything she said, and 2: that I was going to have to do everything with the lessons and all. After the first two days of being stressed I realized that’s not how it is at all. 

The Lord is not going to let me fail, I am here to do His work and He will ALWAYS be right here along with me. I was given my companion for a reason in this area and boy, do I love my companion! She is so great! At first I didn’t know what to think about it all, I was just mostly scared. Everything is great and she is funny and makes me laugh so we get along good. She talks like George Lopez and it’s really funny and she knows how to do the Mexican laugh and is currently teaching me how to do it. She is from Acapulco, Guerrero Mexico and has 22 years. We work together really well in the lessons and everything. I learned that I can rely on her for things and I don’t have to do it all on my own and it shouldn’t be that way. Companions do things 50/50 that’s why there’s two of them (that can also apply for marriages -- remember that) She is learning a lot and so am I. She has been helping me on my Spanish lots and to better my accent! 

This week we had LOTS of work and we saw lots of success from our hard work. We found a new family and they accepted us really well and they came to church this week and loved it! We have also been teaching this boy and his mom who work in a tienda in our area but live in a different area and they are super great and are getting baptized in the next few weeks! They will be getting baptized in a different ward, but we are the ones who have been teaching them because they are never in their house. So we teach them and the other elders in the other ward are teaching them on Sundays. They are both really great and I just love teaching them! I always just feel super happy after every lesson! 

Thank you all for the prayers and the support always! I really can feel the love from you all! I am doing well and my health is back to normal! I love you all and hope you can continue to feel the love that our heavenly father has for you and for your families! Look for those blessings in your life -- always look for chances to share them with others! 

Love you all and have a great, safe, fun week! 

Love Hermana Velasquez

July 6, 2015 Bugs in my stomach...

Daniel's baptism!

Daniel is such a great kid!

My new companion is Hermana Diaz.

When Hermana Hoggan left  : (

Well this week has been quite the week. 

This week I got sick...I got a parasite. I don’t know how to spell that, but I just have little bugs in my stomach right now. I’m okay, I’m not in any kind of pain I just have a little rash and I’m just dead tired! I have pills to get rid of them and all will be good! Don’t worry mom; Hermana Garcia has the down-low on what’s going on! We went to the doctor with a member and she helped me a TON! She was asking good questions and making sure I was fine! 

I wasn’t able to go out much this past week because of it, but I’m all good now and ready to go! 

On Saturday Daniel got baptized and it was so great! He was so happy and I have never seen a bigger smile on anyone! He was so filled with the spirit! We had a little party for him after and it was just so great seeing him so happy and to really see his personality! He is really, really shy; we got him to open up with us really well, but this was the first time I saw him interacting with other kids! Ha-ha!

We had combios yesterday and Hermana Hoggan left and she was heartbroken and so was I! I didn’t think we were going to change at all! We both thought we were going to be together at least one more time, but no. I am here with Hermana Diaz, she is from Mexico, and she has about 6 months in the mission. I’m kind of nervous to not be with an American again, but it will be really good I’m sure! We still have lots and lots of work ahead of us here in Alameda. I’m excited to get working with her, it will be a lot different, but we are both going to learn a lot together. 

I loved seeing all of your pictures and all from your trip to Cali! Looks like you all had so much fun! I hope you all have a great week and keep loving your families and your lives! This mission is going crazy fast and I’m really trying to cherish EVERY minute here! I love it with all of my heart! It’s the hardest, but best thing I have ever done! 

Love you all so, so, so much! 

Con Amor,

Hermana Velasquez

June 29, 2015 A jam-packed church for Stake conference

We ate some dragon fruit on Saturday with the familial Torres. It was super good and they made some juice for us too.
I have an addiction to natural juice. It's super good here!

Hermana Beti and Daniel.

Us and some members that are getting ready to leave for the mission. Arely and Iris.

At stake conference. With Corazon and a random Elder in the back!

 With Hermana Garcia, the wife of President while we were waiting for interviews.

We found this cool painting in Los Flores.

Yep. We make a good companionship!

Hola familia!

Hope those of you who are in Cali are having a great time and are safe! Don’t get burnt too bad! This week we had rain like crazy! It’s pretty nice because it cools things off, but when the rain ends it just gets humid and hot again, but for the most part it’s cooled down a little.

Yesterday we had our stake conference and it was really good! The whole church was just jam packed with people. All of the rooms in the stake center were full with people that were watching it on tv's. I have never seen a church so full. They talked about the same themes that they did for you, mom (councils). Our president came with his wife and spoke; they did a good job too. After that we had interviews with President Garcia and that went well.

Beti and her son Daniel came and they were all dressed up so nice and pretty! We have him all set to be baptized on Saturday and he is so excited. We have both learned a lot of patience with him over these past 4 weeks! He has gotten to like us because we give him a reward every time he answers things. Last night for example, to get him to talk we did pushups or jumping jacks or squats for every word he said. I think the most I had to do was 10, ha-ha! He really is such a great kid and his mom is super great. They have both been through a lot, but they are now making their way back. The biggest thing I learned this week was how important it is to work with those less active members, because it really is worse for them if they knew and were baptized than if they didn’t know anything at all. I made that my Meta when I go back home and for the rest of my life. To visit those people who really do need the help for them get the Spirit back into their lives.

I love ya bunches! Hope you all have a great week in all of your endeavors! Keep up on your reading and have a great time with your families tonight for family home evening. And if you weren’t planning on having it, you can repent now and get something planned! :) Love you all!

Hermana Velasquez

June 22, 2015 HAPPY FATHERS DAY! DIA DE PADRE!

Hey dad! I just want to wish you a HAPPY FATHERS DAY to the best dad in the whole world! I love you so much and I am so happy that you are my dad and for all that you have done and supported me in! I sent you a letter awhile ago and you should get it this week or the next I hope! I sent it with some people that live in texas and they should send it to you this week! I love you so much and hope you had a great day yesterday! Mom told me all about how you guys shared about the gospel with your coworker! Thats super great! Without fear dad! 

Happy fathers day! Love you bunches! 



We took a trip to Walmart! It was quite the experience! We didn't buy really anything; we just wanted to be there!
It was so great!

Hermana Hoggan and me with a member.



This is Daniel. He is going to get baptized on the 4TH OF JULY!
He was supposed to get baptized last week but he just wasn't ready yet, but he is so great! 

We were supposed to do a funny face but they didn't all exactly follow me on that one but it's okay! These kids are just the cutest! We sing with them and all, and we taught the family but the parents are just not into it and never listen to us when we are teaching. They only like us to sing with their kids and teach them. The biggest little girl has been reading in the Book of Mormon and she is at the end of Alma! So Halle, Kyson, Easton, and Ethan, I challenge you all to start reading the Book of Mormon and see what new things you can learn from the Book of Mormon! 

Hey Family! 

So this week was a pretty good one, but went really, really slow! Which I really don’t mind because this mission is going sooo fast and it really feels like I’m still one of the new missionaries! It’s crazy how fast these 10 1/2 months have gone! Yesterday we spoke in church. I was given the topic of Father’s Day and also the word of wisdom. I didn’t really know how to apply them together very well, but it all worked out well. I just spoke about how dad was always a good example to us with not drinking or smoking or any kind of drugs. You too mom - don’t worry! It worked out good!

On Saturday Daniel and his mom Beti went to the temple with the ward in Merida and they LOVED it! It was so great, they came off the bus just smiling. I am really excited for them. We are working with Beti to get married to the guy she’s living with. And her son Daniel is just doing great! They have had a lot of hard times though, but they’re doing great with the gospel in their lives! 

So this last week we found this kinda crazy investigator lady but she is pretty cool at the same time. She told us this cool story though of when she was little. She told us her birthdays - of her and her siblings - we just the best. She talked about how they were all so excited when someone’s birthday came. We asked “oh was it the cake?” She said “no”, we asked “was it the presents?” She said “no”, that every time her mom would make rice with milk and they would all get to eat some together and they were just the happiest children for it! It was cool to see her tell the story. She said that it’s a lot different now and her kids aren’t as humble as she was when she was younger, but that she was always so happy when she was younger, because her mom taught them how to be humble. 

Okay, last story for the road. Yesterday we were walking down this hill that we NEVER have gone down before. As we were walking we passed this house with these two bull dogs outside. They started barking at us and I just started walking on the other side of the road and I thought they were tied up, but NOPE! They both lunged at me, and Hermana Hoggan was out of there! I didn’t run because if you run they just chase you. So I was trying to walk away and then 3 more came out and they all surrounded me and were barking and I just did this really girly high-pitched scream and Hermana Hoggan turned back and was in a panic and didn’t know what to do and neither did I, so I grabbed my water bottle and was swingin’ at ‘em, and that just made them more mad. And all of a sudden I just felt their mouths all over my legs. I was trying to walk away this whole time. So I just stopped, turned around at them and somehow got away. It was the scariest 15 seconds of my life. I don’t know how, but somehow I got away without a bite on my legs because their mouths were all over them. I was shaking so bad after that and we just started laughing really hard so we wouldn’t cry! Ha-ha, I just ended up with a bunch of slime all over my legs. That was a pretty good blessing from the Lord! Once again he protects his missionaries from the crazy Mexican dogs! 

I hope you all have a great time in Cali those of you who are all going! Be safe. Don’t do stupid things! Love you all and have a great week! 

Love Hermana Velasquez!