Día de los Difuntos

{Miranda's vehicle she drove in high school was a red Jeep Cherokee that she named Rocky}



Ok this week was crazy! To start, we have transfers! Hermana Pastillo is leaving me behind in Jaihuayco and I am getting a new companion named Hermana Retamal! I am super super sad that Hna Pastillo is leaving. She has come to be one of the best friends I have ever had. But I know that even the best things come to an end during this life. I also know that she is a friend I will have for eternity=)

So the title is because of Halloween. Fun Fact: Halloween still isn't very big here in Bolivia. What is big is what they call Día de los difuntos. It is the 1st and 2nd of November. They say that it is 24 hours when all the spirits are released and can come visit the earth again.  So to prepare for their visit, they set up tables with pictures of their dead loved ones, and put flowers, breads, cakes, drinks, candies, etc. to give them when they come. Then at night, the kids all go around with their backpacks from house to house to collect the treats from the tables. But to receive something from the table, you have to pray the Catholic prayers a certain amount of times. Super cool and SUPER different from our culture=)

My week was filled with miracles every single day. The biggest miracle for me was meeting Maribel. We contacted her mom a few days before, and when we went back for our appointment, she told us that she was busy because she was taking care of her daughter who had gotten in an accident. We asked if we could bring her an ice cream to cheer her up, and she accepted! When we met Maribel, I just wanted to cry. She had an accident on her motorcycle that left half of her face completely disfigured. We taught her the Plan of Salvation and let her know that it was not the end, that God gives us really hard trials to test us and to help us draw closer to him.  I know that she really might have gone through the accident just to find the gospel. She may have been too busy to ever listen to us. But now she has more reason to believe there may be something better after this life.

We also went to the temple this week. I absolutely love the temple, and I know it is the house of the Lord. I know that it is the only place the adversary cannot enter. I know I am safe there, and that I am so blessed to have a place where I can be closer to God.

I love you all and I hope you have a successful week!

Fun Fact: There is a sweet lady here that always sits outside her house all day, but when we turn onto her street, she runs as fast as she can to hide inside her house, or if she doesn't notice us in time she covers herself up with her shawl and won't say hello to us even when we greet her hahaha!

-- Don't count the days, make the days count!

~Hermana Madsen