The 4th Of July Isn't a Holiday Here

Woah!

I think seeing all those pictures from home just blew my mind. I am not going to recognize anyone when I get home. Except maybe Nathan...it is very clear to me that he has Latino blood in him because he is the only one that doesn't look odd to me...haha. But really it looks like it was a really fun weekend. Hearing about all the food made me really hungry haha.

Dad makes this Bootcamp sound crazy!  But I would love to try it when I get home. Actually, I think I am losing weight in this area...Walking Walking and more Walking.

Shelby has mentioned to me several times about the trip to Florida...and yes I will be looking forward to that. I love the Normandins!

This week was a really good one for us. We learned a new way of teaching and it is SO powerful...I can tell already that we are going to have alot of success with this. We found alot of new people to teach and are looking forward to visiting them next week. We are working with Lizzeth's family still. Her sister, Carolina, and niece and nephew, Jossiline and Bryan, are listening to us and have a baptismal date for the 27th of this month. They LOVE the church and have been going to all the activites. They even went to the temple with the ward just to see it. You can just feel the hunger they have for more.

We also had a mission activity where new converts were invited to share their testimonies. It was really cool. One convert, Carlos, shared his testimony about how much the Gospel has changed his life. He was a drunk who basically lived in the street and 8 months ago he quit drinking. People who knew him before where in the meeting (investigators) and they couldn't believed how much he had changed. A 16 year old convert also shared her testimony and invited her family of investigators to be baptized from the pulpit...that was pretty cool. This gospel is INCREDIBLE!

Personally, I have been studying about how to become a more consecrated missionary. Or how I can losee myself in the work more. I love this study topic given to all of us by the Glaziers. It is changing my mission and they way I work. I wish I could have started changing these things earlier. I really do love being a missionary and sharing this gospel. I think about the missioanries that helped us often and hope I can be a little bit like them.

I love you all so much and hope all is well at home. Miss you and always pray for you.

Love,

Hermana Victoria Giossi

Turning 22

Hola!

Well this has been the weirdest birthday i have ever had. It started with a trip to the city to accompany an Elder to an eye exam. I'm back with Hermana Bowers doing the nurse thing haha.  I don't have a whole lot of time to write. It is now 4:40 and we have to leave at 5:00 to work. Sorry if this is lame. 

Thank you for all my birthday love. I got my birthday package! Last Monday actually, after I finished writing. It was amazing...pretty much I have already worn all the clothes. Plus my companion Hermana  Sanchez went home and left me a bunch of clothes...basically I have a new wardrobe! BIG  thank you to the Normandins and their much needed gift...haha. Looking forward to the pics from the Patraikos! 

I cant believe this craziness about Daddy and this case. Dad is right it is sad what people do with their lives. Living in a country where gang activity is so prominent I have really come to realize how much our little decisions affect not only our lives but the lives of those around us. I have seen many mothers cry about how their young sons walk in bad paths. But it is also true that there is so much good in this world. I am literally seeing miracles here everyday. Like I said I am back with Hermana Bowers and we now have a list up on our desk titled "Our Miracles"...everyday we write one miracle that happened that day. It is amazing what we see. The gospel really does change lives! 

Dad, I am proud of you and all the hard work you do. I might have been sharing parts of your email with my zone...they are amazed. They don't believe your life is really that much like a Tv show...haha. Keep working hard. In the church too, your calling is so important. Mom, I am so proud of your new calling too (congratulate Aimee for me...next week I will email her). Now more than ever we need strong leaders in the programs for the youth. By the end of the year the church expects to have 90,000 full time missionaries (we're at 70,000 right now). We need strong leaders to guide these young people into the mission field so that they can serve in this amazing army. The mission changes lives...of the people we teach...but sometimes I think more than anything Heavenly Father has put us here to change our lives. I learn more from the people I teach than they do from me I think. 

I cannot believe Preeyanka is engaged! Shelby did tell me...my jaw fell to the floor. how did this happen?! Man, I wanted to go to her wedding but I imagine the plane ticket from El Salvador to India is pretty expensive...and I don't know if President would improve that trip. Haha. 

I am so proud of my little brother. I think about the strong young man he is becoming all the time. i don't want to pressure him or anything but I picture him as a missionary alot. I hope he has the desire to serve one day. I look forward to watching him play football at OC sometime in the not so distant future...like a year and a half. haha. Haven't heard about Bru in a while...how's my little guy? 

Well I love you lots! Until next week...

Hermana Victoria Giossi 

"Really the Service Never Ends"

Hola!

Good to hear that all is well at home...with the exception of the pulled hamstring...poor guy. So hurdle huh? Does Zach want to run track in high school? Or has this incident changed his mind? This trainer Liz sounds like a real trip...I think I am going to need her help after the mission...the pupusas don't make loosing weight very easy (but the good news is that I haven't gained any since my first area). I do miss Uncle Jared and his humor. I am teaching a family here and they are kinda crazy like ours. One of them reminds me of Uncle Jared alot with that understated humor.

This week was pretty amazing. Lizzeth was baptized! It was SO special. Her whole family came (we are teaching almost all of them) and her brother who is a recent convert baptized her. One of the relief society sisters let her borrow her temple dress so she didn't have to wear one of those less-than-amazing jumpers. She looked so beautiful and when she entered the font she had the biggest smile on her face. After the baptism we went into the bathroom with her to help with everything and she grabbed us in a hug (soaking wet) and thanked us for being her angels and then started crying. She was so happy. She kept saying in the days leading up to her baptism "I've been waiting so long for this. I just can't wait anymore." Oh man, she is so amazing and is sharing the gospel with her whole family. And her brother and sister-in-law, even though they aren't my convert I love them just the same. We spend alot of time with them and are really trying to help the entire family become members.

Also, last night, I don't know if you had the chance to see it but there was a World Leadership Training broadcast about missionary work...it was amazing! Elders Holland, Andersen, Perry, Packer, Nelson and the Prophet all spoke. There was also musical numbers accompanied by videos. One of them made me cry. It started with "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission" and showed all these primary aged children serving others, reading, and praying. Then "Army of Helaman" started playing and they were growing up. And in the end they filled their papers, received their call, opened it, got set apart and entered the MTC...oh man, so many emotions. Mom, I still feel bad that I didn't let you take a picture that first day. Sorry. Then the closing song, sung by a missionary choir, was "Called to Serve" it reminded me of being back in the MTC. This missionary army we have now (70, 000 currently serving in 405 missions) is incredible and I am so blessed to be a part of this great work during this incredible time. I know without a doubt that this is the work of the Lord. Mom, I know you were an incredible Relief Society President. And really the service never ends. Keep working hard in the vineyard of the Lord.

I love you and miss you. And pray for you everyday.

Love,

Hermana Victoria Giossi

1:Sweet view of what we believe is the Volcano of San Vicente/Chichontepec (but we are not entirely sure)

                                          2.)    With Lizzeth before her baptism-her brother David baptized her

P.S. This is a quote from President Monson that President sent us in his email this week. I really loved it and thought I would share:

in the interior of our consciousness, each of us has a private Hall of Fame reserved exclusively for the real leaders who have influenced the direction of our lives. Relatively few of the many men who exercise authority over us from childhood through adult life meet our test for entry to this roll of honor. That test has very little to do with the outward trappings of power or an abundance of this world's goods. The leaders whom we admit into this private sanctuary of our reflective meditation are usually those who set our hearts afire with devotion to the truth, who make obedience to duty seem the essence of manhood, who transform some ordinary routine occurrence so that it becomes a vista whence we see the person we aspire to be....


"Some may question, 'But what is the value of such an illustrious list of heroes and heroines, even a private Hall of Fame?' I answer. When we obey, as did Adam, endure as did Job, teach as did Paul, testify as did Peter, serve as did Nephi, give ourselves as did the prophet Joseph, respond as did Ruth, honor as did Mary, and live as did Christ, we are born anew. All power becomes ours. Cast off forever is the old self and with it defeat, despair, doubt, and disbelief. To a newness of life we come--a life of faith, hope, courage, and joy. No task looms too large. No responsibility weighs too heavily. No duty is a burden. All things become possible."

Feliz Dia Papa!

Hola!

First and foremost a very "Feliz Dia Papa!" to Daddy. I love you with todo mi corazon! And I really miss you. Today we went to the Air Museum and I kept thinking about how much you would have loved it. I shall attach a photo even though they are ugly. But I hope you had an amazing Father's Day! And also, I want to wish Pop-pop a Happy Fathers Day (we'll skip the Spanish for him) and thank him for all he is doing to support me in my mission. 

I'm sorry if this email isn't going to be super great but I have about 20 minutes to write because of our activities today. Anyway, there are a whole bunch of missionaries here right now and I was looking at some photos from the tough mudder. I was stopped on one of Daddy and an Elder asked me "Who is that?!" and he didn't believe it was my Dad because he is "bien cholo" which I think i have explained means like muscular or stocky. Then he wanted to see Mom so I showed him the picture of the two of you...he couldn't believe how athletic you were! So congrats...you both look great!

The pictures with the girls are precious. I love the first one where you can see Bary looking on very cautiously...I know he was just freaking out. Haha. I miss Somerset Cremery...so delicious. I can't believe the Pats signed Tim Tebow...that's so weird. My little brother is growing up and I don't even know what is happening...I have to tell you I often think about Zach when I am with the Elders.I hope he has the desire to serve a mission one day. The Elders have such amazing faith. 

 

My big accomplishment this week...I finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish! It only took me 3 months! I also finished the New Testament inEnglish and started the Old Testament yesterday. I love the scriptures. We can learn so much from them. Sometimes I feel like the time I have in the day to study them just isn't enough. They really do have power. We have a new investigator (niece of Lisset) who is 15 years old and in 4 days read through 1 Nephi 8. She says she just feels so good reading it and doesn't want to stop. And she has already come to church twice. I love watching the Holy Spirit work in the lives of others. 

Thank you so much for all that you do for me. And to all my friends and ward family for the love I feel. I love you all. 

Hermana Victoria Giossi

I Love to see the Temple

Hola!

The pictures are amazing from your triathlon, who needs those pictures they charge an arm and a leg for...you've got Jen. Although I couldn't help but notice that you have BRIGHT GREEN finger nails! What is that?! Haha. One of the sisters in my zone saw me looking at the pictures and told me that her mom also does triathlons and did the tough mudder a couple weeks ago, I thought that was pretty cool. 

This week was another one full of small miracles. We had 7 investigators in church this week (that is the most I have ever had). It always amazes me when an investigator comes to church for the first time. Here, almost everyone is a member of some church or another and have been for a long time. When they come to church with us , it is a true act of faith. They leave what they are comfortable with to follow what they have felt the Spirit saying to them. I t amazes me. 

My investigator Lisset came and brought her niece and nephew and we are going to start teaching them now (we are already teaching their mom). Her family is absolutely amazing...The Giron Family. Her brother and his wife joined the church in October in a different ward but have since moved here. They are so powerful, I have never heard such a strong testimony develop so quickly, they have really allowed their faith the be tried and received the blessings of it. I have big dreams for this family.

Another family also came to church, the Garcia Family. We had a lesson with them Saturday night and the spirit was so strong. We taught about the Book of Mormon and then invited them to church. The wife just started to open up and talk about how she loves how she feels when we visit and wants to see what the church is like. The husband was a little bit more difficult and he had his reasons for not wanting to keep church hopping. While he was talking I got the strong impression to share my experience of going to church for the first time. I know that I was guided by the Spirit in that moment because even though I always bear the most sincere testimony I can I don't always share very personal experiences with whatever investigator we're teaching but I just felt like I had to do it. They agreed to come to church just to try it out. We promised them that they would be blessed and they would learn something that would help them to become stronger as a family...the sacrament meeting theme this week: Eternal Marriage :)

I also got to go to a different area for 24 hours on exchanges and my companion was Hermana Hale (Elder Millet's cousin who's blog I was reading). I had such an amazing time. She taught me so much in such a short amount of time, and it was all by her example. Plus I was reminded of how easy it is to love people in only moments. I had met all these investigators she had for the first time and within minutes I was completely focused in what we could say to help them understand how the gospel could bless their lives. 

And as if all this wasn't enough to have an amazing week, the icing on the cake was the chance to go to the temple (see photos). I had really been missing going to the temple these last couple weeks so the trip was much needed. I just love the peace you feel the second you walk in to that sacred building. And sitting in the celestial room I was filled with a feeling of love that I can't really describe. 

I have never felt closer to my Heavenly Father than I do right now. I am learning more about myself and my relationship with him than I ever thought I would. IKNOW that He loves us and that He always knows what is best for us. I just want to strive everyday to be worthy of this calling and to become an instrument in His hands. I know that this is His work. I know that this church is His kingdom on the earth and that there is now faster way to happiness than through the principles of the Gospel.

I love you and I pray for you always.

Hermana Victoria Giossi

photos:  

1-Me in front of the temple

2-My zone, Ilopango and the zone Los Heroes after our temple trip

3- My companions and I. Hermana Gonzalez in green and Hermana Sanchez in pink

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Small Miracles

Well Hi There!

I'm glad that you managed to get an email out, sounds like you almost died a couple times there. I'm very impressed, I think I want to do this Tough Mudder thing one day. I am very proud of you. The photos are great, quite funny. You look pretty happy considering the electroshock therapy. I'd like to hear Dad's point of view of all this. So, do you think you'll do it again? 

Hermana Bowers and I worked really hard this week and we saw ALOT of small miracles. We really focused on having a prayer in our heart all day so that we could be guided by the Spirit exactly where to go. We made quite a few decisions that we hadn't planned on that lead us to find new families to teach. One night we were coming to the end of our proselyting time and we hadn't accomplished our goal for finding new people, we stopped and said a quick prayer and within 10 minutes we had found 2 new families that said we could come by and visit them. Little things like that. 

Oh, and then there is last night. Our area is divided in two parts and our half is farther from the house where we live so we always have to leave kind early to get home on time. Well, last night we were with a member visiting some of our investigators, we left one of the houses late and missed the final bus to take us home. The member we were with started to get a little concerned because it was dark and she didn't want to walk really late. And we were concerned because the rule is we have to be in the house by 8:30, no later. There was no way we could drop her off at her house and then get back to ours on time, and we weren't going to let her walk home alone...but we also knew that we had to be obedient. We didn't know what else to do so we just started walking toward her house as fast as we could and I started praying that somehow we could get home on time. When suddenly a red car pulled up beside us and I heard a very happy "Hola Hermanas!" I looked over to see Celso and Irene!  I freaked out, I could not believe that they were there. I've been thinking and praying about Celso and Irene alot. They offered us a ride and we quickly got in the car. We made it home on time and I got to visit with them for a little while. Heavenly Father answered two of my prayers at once. Also, Irene is pregnant with their second baby! 

And you know the week is an interesting one when you receive a call from president during companionship study (or at any time really). Hermana Bowers got transferred back to the city this morning. She is going to stay there for the next 3 weeks to help work things out for the mission nurse of the new mission. I am going to  stay here in Monte Cristo with Hermana Sanchez (Mexico) and Hermana Gonzalez (Guatemala)...my first Latina companions, hopefully my Spanish will get better (and my English will probably get worse...sorry). Then in 3 weeks Hermana Bowers will come back and we'll be companions again. President said he is pretty sure and happy with that decision. So it looks like I will be staying in President Glazier's mission after all. Being in a tri should be interesting...fun I think. Hermana Sanchez and Hermana Gonzalez are both really good missionaries and I have alot to learn from them in this short amount of time. 

So it's June 3rd...I entered the MTC 8 months ago today, yet I still feel like I am brand new in the mission. Sometimes when I'm walking down the street looking at the abundance of fruit trees (Mango, avacado, olive, banana, cashew, almond) or sitting in a house with a family that I have come to love or laughing with the other missionaries on P-day, I get lost in my thoughts for a second because I realize that this can't last forever. Sometimes I wish it would never end. I do miss home of course, I'm not saying I don't, but sometimes a year and a half just doesn't seem long enough. My companion Hermana Sanchez only has 3 weeks left of her mission, when I got here she had less than a year. Time does go fast here. 

I love you. I miss you. I pray for you. 

Love, 

Hermana Giossi

Gone Swimming!

When I decided to go on a mission and become a "fisher of men" I didn't think it would include me having to actually cross rivers to find the fish. But this week I basically swam home a couple times. The rainy season is now in full effect. The other night we got caught in a torrential downpour. We were on our way home when it started to rain ALOT. We sought shelter in a little ice cream shop and waited for it to slow down, when it did we RAN for it. But we didn't quite make it home before it got heavy again. We again sought shelter this time in the mercado.  We watched as the water filled the streets up to the point where cars couldn't even drive...it was nuts. We were soaked. the water was flowing down the streets like they were rivers. I wish I could have taken a picture. We didn't want to be out too late so we decided to go for it. We ran into a couple of members and the 4 of us worked as a team to cross the street while protecting our bags and their food. The water was above my knees at some points, it was CRAZY. My books stayed dry so no harm was done. Actually it was a lot of fun, I was just laughing the whole time. (The attached picture is of Hermana Bowers and I with the hermanas we live with, Hermana Sanchez and Hermana Gonzalez after this crazy storm...the other hermanas had quite the adventure getting home 
too). 

Things are going well here in Monte Cristo. Its hard work and this week wasn't easy but we are seeing small miracles. We are teaching a woman named Lisset. She is preparing for her Baptism next month and has a real desire that her whole family can learn about the gospel. In fact we are now teaching her niece and sister. They are all amazing and are applying faith and repentance in their lives like I have never seen. So many changes in them. I love this gospel so much. Lisset also told us that she loves the way Hermana Bowers and I teach. She said she feels like we really care about her concerns and really use the doctrine of the lessons to answer her questions. That made us super happy. 

We had a multi-zone conference this week with President and Hermana Glazier. That's also a fun experience. Hermana Glazier taught a great principle. She said something that really hit me, "It doesn't matter where you are, it matters where you are going." It's so true. We were sent here to this earth to learn and to progress. If we aren't doing that it doesn't matter how great of a person we are; we are not fulfilling our potential or our purpose here on earth. 

I was wondering if you could do me a favor and go on my facebook and get me Irene (Celso's wife's email). Just send her a quick message that says 

" Hola. Yo soy la mama de Hermana Giossi. A ella le gustaria enviarles un mensage pero necessita su correro electronico. Si prodria enviarlo a mi, seria bueno. Muchas Gracias. Rhonda Giossi." Thanks mom!

While we're talking about business I was wondering if maybe you could pick me up a cheap watch. Something simple. And also in a future package some MIO (it's the drink mix stuff). Thanks.

Sounds like you will all be having alot of fun today. I fully expect pictures. And make sure you let Zach know I say FELIZ CUMPLIAÑOS! I miss Nana's cooking alot by the way...I was thinking about it last night haha. 

Love you and Miss you!

Hermana Victoria Giossi

P.S.

Take care of Pop-Pop sounds like all this exercise and being rejected is taking it's toll :/