Trials Make You Stronger

This week was probably the hardest week I have yet had on my mission. On wednesday I think I got into my head too much that everyone was going to be in St. George for Connor's homecoming and Wednesday was a hard day for me. I missed home and I missed family - My wonderful MTC teacher, Hermana Martinez, told me she wanted to talk to me because she said she could tell something was wrong so we talked and I just told her what was going on and she only speaks spanish, like she's going to school right now to learn English. She told me when she was talking to me, "You know my English isn't good right? Your Spanish is better than my English, but I feel like I should tell you something that HF wants you to know, so i know that he will help me know what to say in English to you" She continues on to say "I know you can serve a successful mission. I have been watching you as you teach in class and there are so many things you do that I wish I would have done as a missionary and Heavenly Father knows that you're trying your hardest and He will provide ways for you that you probably don't know yet" Anyways, she talked to me for a while and it was really comforting to know that she was there for me and let me just tell you how amazing she is. She is frfom Mexico and used to teach at the Mexico MTC and moved here because they needed her awesome expertise here :)

Yesterday I went to infield orientation!!! If  I had one word to describe that: OHMYHECK. okay I cheated that was 2 words. wait no 3. I'm losing it! Anyways, It was the longest day ever! We sat in classes and the only thing that got me through was Hermanas Morris, Pukahi and Woolley. I'll have to tell you more details on MOnday on the phone but oh my heck we had the best time I have so much to tell you but Im chatting with yall right now and I'll tell you more on the phone on monday :) I love you all!! Have fun with Connor on SUNDAY! give him a hig for me! :) Sorry for the shorter email, my mind is totally scattered with trying to pack everything today!!!!

I love you all so much, I think the world of you :)

Hermana Romeril

Temple Day!

Our Elders

Before Hermana T left

Shawn!...a BYU friend

Sisters in my zone

Hermanas for Life

Just Enjoy the Breeze...

SO. This week was full of spiritual upliftment - is that a word? Probably not, but I'm forgetting how to speak English! It's way more natural for me to speak Spanish and I have to think about it to speak English, YIKES. Anyways, the week started off great! On Monday, Hermana T started feeling sick because she got a back surgery a year and a half ago and she said she felt like the infection was coming back so we went to the doctor at like 10:30 am on Monday and Hermana Woolley and I were just sitting there in the waiting room nervously trying to put a Moses puzzle together but couldn't focus because we were so worried about Hermana T. We were thinking about all of the horrible things that could happen, secretly hoping she would have to stay here another week with us...that's horrible to hope I know, but hey, even our Branch President's wife thought that!! She came out and she was prescribed to take some antibiotics and the doctor told her if it got worse to come back so we went to the BYU health clinic and got medicine then we went home and stayed there for 2 days!! Luckily the other Hermanas in our zone were willing to switch off between staying with her and what not so we could all make some class time. It was hard to stay patient and loving the whoole 2 days because we were in the residence hall for hours at a time and it is so small there. There was a time where I was getting impatient and then I had a realization that Hermana T didn't ask for this to happen for her nor was anything her fault. So instead of being a grump I went in my room and prayed and thanked Heavenly Father for all of the things I was grateful for and I asked Him to help me to be patient and to show support to Hermana T because I love her. Right after I closed my prayer I just felt on top of the world! EH! I wasn't upset or impatient anymore, I just wanted to help her as much as I could so Hermana Woolly and I drew a bath for her and she told me she wanted a super hot bath so I thought, Okay let me just put it on the hottest it can go and Hermana T hops in the bath and all I hear her yelling is "HOLY CRAP MY BUTT!" I guess it burned her when she got in! I felt so bad!! After that I asked her, since we made basically a spa bath for you with bubbles can I paint your nails?!  (Shombree sent me SPARKLY nail polish and I love it). She says "no barbie!" She calls me barbie because I don't know… she says I look like a barbie doll! But don't worry, my goal is to paint her nails before she leaves for Texas :)

So yes Hermana T leaves on Monday and I'm so sad! Mi Corrazon!!! (my heart) but I know that Texas needs her so much and I know she will bless so many lives and it's just my selfish side that wants her to stay with me!! I love both of my companions and I never knew I could love them so much in just 5 weeks! She has just taught me so much and she gives the best advice and when she speaks in our lessons the spirit is so strong. I am so going to miss that New Zealand accented Tongan woman. She will do great things. 

So a few cool things! I have a quote for you all! "A pebble held close to they eye appears to be a gigantic obstacle. Cast on the ground, it is seen in perspective. Likewise, problems or trials in our lives need to be viewed in the perspective of scriptural doctrine. Otherwise they can easily overtake our vision, absorb our energy, and deprive us of the joy and beauty the Lord intends us to receive here on this earth." There have been a couple times while I've been out on my mission I have felt discouraged or homesick, but in the bigger picture I know that when I miss my family, I think about the huge privilege it is to share the message to people about the gospel and families, that if they partake of the gospel principals and covenants, they can be with their families for all time and eternity. So when I have negative thoughts, I counteract them with something that can happen because of what I'm doing. Does that make sense?

Also something else I thought was cool was something my Branch President's wife said to us. "When someone slams the door in your face and won't accept your message, just enjoy the breeze." That doesn't only apply to missionary work! When something doesn't go right in life, just enjoy the breeze! Enjoy the experience because as I heard in a devotional a couple weeks ago, life is serious, but not that serious. Enjoy life and it's lovely experiences as they comes!! :) Oh guess what?!? M. Russell Ballard spoke to us at a devotional on Tuesday!! And President Eyring is coming on Tuesday!! So cool and we had a speaker on Sunday and her name is Sherri Dew. She reminds me so much of Sherri Ellsworth! She was this strong, ultimate woman who knew who she was and no one better get in her way because she is a focused and hardworking woman! :) And not to mention she looked a lot like her. Oh so funny. When the devotional ended on Sunday, an Elder behind me stood up and said "HALLELUJAH. I've been waiting to hear the word amen!"

Kait and Steve, thank you SOOO much for the cookies! My whole district and I enjoyed them and 2 of the elders said " I wish my sister loved me this much" haha so basi,  you're the best and I am so grateful for them! :) Mom thank you for all of the packages for Argentina this week! But thank you so much, I really appreciate it and I think you are so great and I love you with all my heart. I'm going to pick some things to send home to you before I leave! This week will be crazy with all of the packing and orientations and what not. I can't wait to talk to you next Monday!!!! :) 

Also, I can't believe Connor comes home...can you say crazy?? Thank you so much for all of your love and support I appreciate it so much! I love you all so much and never forget it. 

Ustedes son en my corrazon, siempre :) 

Hna Romeril

I love my companions!

 New Hermanas in our district

 Almuerza :)

 Sometimes Elder Royster likes to steal my camera...

 Drawing a bath for Hermana T.

 Companeras

 I mustache you a question… :D

Love these guys!

 Last week on P Day

Elder Hammond, our Spanish teacher

Hermana Morris y yo!  Hermana Woolley creepin' in the background!

Hermana Romeril starring in "The Princess Diaries" ~ unedited version

SO hmm where to start. This week was great! 

We have an investigator that's really our teacher but her investigator name is Ana Maria! This week we were teaching her the plan of Salvation and yesterday we were teaching her the 3 reigns of glory and she told us that she has a friend who has cancer and  has like 2 weeks to live and she asked us what is going to happen to him after he dies? She said “”We believe in our Catholic church that he goes to hell or heaven and I don't know that he's clean enough to make it to heaven.” So we talked to her about when people die if they haven't had the opportunity to hear the gospel in this life, there is missionary work going on on the other side and if her wants to accept it then he can and receive the necessary ordinances to become a member. And then I felt a really strong impression to tell her that she is one of Heavenly Father's elect daughters and that se has such a significant, important part in this life and that she never has to feel alone. She has Heavenly Father and her family who love her so much and who will always be there for her, especially heavenly father. Needless to say, the spirit was really strong and it was a good uplifting moment.

Also, last night my district had a discussion about just a lot of things...our stories and how we got out on the field and what we thought about being here and it was so cool to see why everyone was here. You know, this whole time I've been joking about Elder *and how he's so different and a sweet spirit, but mom I remember you told me growing up that everyone has a story and everyone is who they are because of things that have happened in their lives. Elder * is really tough sometimes, for example this week I was teaching him a one on one lesson and while I was mid sentence he just fell asleep...while I was teaching him and it was a little bit frustrating, but I said a quick prayer to help me to have love toward him and I closed my prayer and all of the sudden I wasn't annoyed at him, the whole situation made me want to help him out even more so than before. Although  I don't agree with some of his choices that he makes, it's important that I show him the pure love of Christ. The kind that doesn't let him fall and the kind who lets him feel loved and supported. He is somebody's son, big brother and grandson and they love him, and I know that you guys would want people to treat me right so it's important that I do the same. 

Also, yesterday I'm sorry to admit but I hadn't washed my hair for THREE DAYS while it was naturally curly and I washed it last night and for real, it was in so many knots and I couldn't get them out so Hermana Tu'akalau was like, Rome (Rome-ay) get over here let me get those out. So I went over there and legitly I felt like my scalp was being ripped off! She was brushing it so hard and I felt like I was that girl in Princess Diaries when they were transforming her hair from a fro to presentable...needless to say my head is still throbbing. Gotta love Hermana toots. oh ya that's what we call her. And she made a gangsta name for me K-LOAK. (life of a krip) so uh ya it's cool.. I'm basically a gangster you could say. 

On Wednesday my district hosted the new greenies! And I saw my friend Camry Bennion from EFY when I went with Rachel! :) I was SO excited and I haven't talked to her forever but it was so fun to see a familiar face in this unfamiliar place! Also, Hermana T leaves us in a week on Monday..ugh I'm so sad. She's so great and she has an amazing story as well. She's so strong and dedicated and I am so proud of her for being here. She truly changes lives and she's struggled with her Spanish but she's recently just come out of her shell and when she talks in the lesson, she really listens to the spirit and she knows what the investigators need and I am learning so much from her. For example, Hermano Wallace, one of our teachers, told each companionship to go in different rooms and teach a lesson one to our companions and Hermana T asked how my day was and she asked what was bothering me and that was the day I was really missing family and I just told her what I was thinking and she gave me  the best advice. She stopped and made pauses to let the spirit tell her what she should say and honestly, she told me exactly what I needed to hear and she is so amazing I so wish you all could meet her. And Hermana Woolley is great too! We have the best times together and wanna know something cool?!? We all fart!! We're all so gross together it's great. Our room smells disgusting at night. But that's okay because we are all gross together. :) After we poop we tell each other how big it is too (this is Kelby’s mother and if I knew how to -- I would insert an EMBARRASSED emoticon!—I didn’t raise her to talk potty talk!!!)...also when Hermana T goes poop she says "I'm going to bless the bathroom with my love." or "I'm going to go drop my kids off at the pool" Holy Gina she kills me! 

This week I took a Spanish test online where the computer gave me 8 prompts and I responded to them and my teacher gave me my results and the evaluators told me that my Spanish is surprisingly good for how long I’ve been in the mtc and they said I don't say my Rs quite right...dad I say an actual R like a gringa instead of saying it more like a D...woops :) 

On Tuesday Quintin L Cook spoke at the devotional!!! GAH! :) He made some great points like...I am my first convert. I must be converted to Christ fully before I am able to convert others to Christ and that it's so important that investigators become converted to Christ, not to the missionaries. We teach everybody...the rich, the poor, everyone because no matter the social standing, we are all children of God and he loves us so much and wants everyone to come unto him. He doesn't care if someone drives a Porsche or someone who doesn't have a car at all. To him, we're all equally divine and amazing. I watched the ugly duckling Mormon message this week by Uchtdorf and it really opened my eyes. It's important to realize our divinity and potential as God sees. 

This week all in all was wonderful and I love reading scriptures. I read them both in English and Spanish and it's so fun to try to figure out what in the world I'm reading in Spanish and it's fun to write down my impressions along the side of my scriptures. I love you all and thank you so much for your support. I couldn't do this without you. 

I wrote a letter to you about how my asthma is so you'll get that soon. But I’m dong so much better!!!! 

Dad Happy Father's Day!! I hope you get my card soon and I hope you know how much I love you. I'm trrying to figure out how to send this recording but if it doesn't send, know that I spoke some good Spanish in that thing and you would probably be surprised ;)

Mitch how was the trek? I want to hear all about it!!! :) 

So cool btw about Dana having a baby! She'll be such a fun great mommy :)

I love you all and I can't wait for next Saturday:) :) 

You're all in my heart.

Hermana Romeril

P-Day!!

Companion Photo Shoot!

P-Day

My Spanish scriptures :D

Sunday Funnn!

This Mission Isn't About Me...

Hola familia!! Como estan?? 

Okay first off, thank you SOOO so much for the Argentina ring! I seriously love it so much it is beautiful and so pretty and omgosh I'm in love with it. I never take it off, seriously though. And Dad, thank you so much for the letter!! I wrote you back and I’m going to send it off right after I finish this email business :) Mitchell I wrote you too so be prepared for a letter this week:) Mom I'm in the process of writing you a letter about stuff I probably won't have time to write about in this email so watch for that as well:) I'll hit the main points of everything in this letter though!!! Try to at least? :) 

Okay second, I got a package from the Ellsworths, I loved it!! They sent me 2 scarves and swedish fish that my whole district super enjoyed! :) Funny thing...so Lori Park, Jeff's mom, September's aunt, Cindy's sister, Sherri's sister, put something in the package and it was a scarf that is so beautiful and some money and she put on the envelope, from your future mother in law, Jeff's mom, Jeff Park's mom. It made me laugh so hard!! Oh my heck it was great and so so nice I appreciated dit so much. I also got a package from the Dunn's! Well it was cupcakes from Cocoa Bean and the Elders and hermanas in my district super enjoyed them!! I didn't tell you about this either, Bart and Kami and Connor sent me a package!! Connor sent me that I love Kosovo shirt and then a beautiful necklace with my name on it and then Bart and Kami wrote me a letter and sent swedish fish. Holy Gina I love them! :) I have definitely been feeling the love out here and I am so grateful for everyone's love and support. I seriously couldn't do this mission without knowing how many people I have supporting me!! Grandma and Grandpa Finklea have written me and it was so nice. Cousin Tanner's written me and we've written a few times back and forth!

Okay so this week has been so great!! Funny story actually. Yesterday in our night class that goes from 5:15 to 9:00, we were all doing some deep personal stuff, reflecting on our lives and what not and Elder *, bends down to go get something off the floor and totally FARTS in the pure silence and he immediately pops up and we all look at each other and then started busting up! I couldn't even take him seriously for the next 20 minutes oh my heck. 

I have never felt the pure love of Christ more than I have while I've been here on my mission. Things that would normally bother me or things I would normally be grumpy about aren't even second thoughts to me. When I look at people I just can feel the love that God has for them and it makes me love them and I can feel how much Heavenly Father loves both of my companions and he loves me and I love both of my companions so much. We're like the unstoppable trio and we're powerful together gosh dangit!! But in all seriousness, this mission isn't about me. It's not about trying to gain benefits for my life or for my selfish purposes. It's to bring people closer to Christ and to help them feel of the love that their Padre Celestial has for them. In these lessons I've been teaching to investigators, I've felt love for every one of them even though I know barely anything about them. I look at them and I see that they are so special to HF y JesuCristo and because of that love and that divinity they all have, it's so important that I treat them with so much love and respect and that I really try to bring them closer to the thing that could bring them so much happiness in their lives. 

Also, y'all should read Enos 1 I can't remember which verses but read it and let me know what you think about it next week. :) I read it in my personal study on Thursday and I fell in love with it. 

Also Also also, thank you for your prayers and love everyone. I really was able to feel it this week and I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and the desires of our hearts and I am so grateful for each one of you in my life. 

In one of our lessons this week with Samuel, Hermana Woolley was tring to ask him what his expectations were for this lesson and instead she said, "Que es sus expiaciones por esta leccion?' (What are you atonements for this lesson?) Samuel had the most confused look on his face then we all started laughing so hard. Oh boy. I love Hermana Woolley. I love both of my companions!! :) They are so great and fun and loving and patient and Spanish is coming along quite well actually. Basically I'm almost fluent. Okay not really but in my dreams I am. 

Mom you asked about the elders in my district! They are all so so nice! They're all like our brothers and they watch out for us with everything. We're like a big family :) I already mentioned who has been writing me family wise, but as long as I have you guys I am pretty solid :) and happy :) and content:) but I love all the other support too. It really brightens my days. Elder ** is still a super sweet spirit...hahaha. He cussed at Elder Giliam because he thought he wasn't taking a spiritual moment seriously. We were like, homie say WHA!!?

OH! MY! GOSH! I haven't told you the spider story. This week we had a huge spider in our bathroom actually it was inside of my shoe when I went to go put it on omgosh I was seriously dying and all of us are so scared of spiders! And I made my companions kill it and it took like seriously 45 minutes to kill it because we were so scared and kept psyching ourselves out. What was I doing when they were killing the spider you might wonder? Definitely recording them with my camera because Hermana Tu'akalau was so scare standing on the table and she was omgosh so funn like seriously we were crying...mostly because we were scared and also because we were laughing so hard. I'll try to send you some of the videos holy gina they are so funny. So ya, I'm still not over my fear of spiders....and either are my companions. we were SO SCARED - just in case you didn't catch my drift the first time ;) 

Lo Ciento familia for worrying you with my health but I am so happy and improving so much and I hope you guys feel that I'm okay because now is the perfect time to get sick! A real trial of my faith, but I'm coming out of it feeling stronger than eva :) Also, I pray for you guys every night and morning. I Love you guys so much. so much. 

Also mom you wondered why I might be losing weight! Probably because I eat at normal times of the day and the stuff here at the West campus is portion controlled and what not and honestly I'm just so busy that I don't think about food because Im so busy. I feel like that was a fat kid confession. I will do great things. ;)

I'm taking steroids for asthma! My normal inhaler then 2 other medications that are steroids. it's better :) :) :) :) im really good at volleyball now because my steroids make me strong :) So that's good right? How is everything going  in Hemet?! :) I miss you all so so much and I love you and you're in my thoughts everyday! :) :) :) 

Much love and amor, 

Hermana Romeril

ps, until next week :) Can't wait 

ps again, keep dear elders coming !!!! :) They legitly make my day!

Me and Hermana Morris.  I love this woman!!!

What we do at night when we don't go to bed right at 10:30 :D

My District!

Look who I ran into?!

Don't be jelly dad and Mitchell! Went to Burger Supreme :D

Hermana Morris thought these were hilarious of me at the doctor!