#73 [Sabana Yegua - 9] Apr. 28th, 2014

Hello!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!! :) Just so you all know.

Well, I am glad that my family is doing so great.

Ok, here is my short letter. No worries, I am fine, just busy :)

Ok, so the conference we had this week was great. I didn't share my testimony because it was a DESPEDIDA for our pres and his wife. They announced that they would be leaving this week, instead of in June, so I was originally worried cuz the transfer that I planned to come home on was made up for their departure, and I thought that maybe it was going to be changed, but no, still a transfer June 18th, so no worries. But yeah, I didn't give my testimony, and I may not, cuz I don't think we'll have another conference.

I got to see my bestie, Hermana B__, and that was a SWEET reunion. I just love her so much and miss her. We're like, bffs. I talked to her and it was GREAT – nuff said.

I got my travel plans.... that was weird. Still is. I just don't think about it. Turns out that my comp is more trunky than I am. Mainly cuz her bro comes home next week, and all she thinks about is that. Rough. Not me though, thank goodness!

We have been contacting this whole week, looking for golden investigators, and found some great people. Also, S__, the girl we have been teaching for a while came to church and brought her friend. They are both great. I love them. Their families are great, too. I am stoked to see them get baptized. :)

I finished Jesus the Christ. Good book.

Um... we have a complete creep guy that we have a "you-come-to-church-we-teach-you-once-that-week" policy. He didn't come to church! I feel bad saying that I am happy that he didn't come, haha.

But yeah, my week was short, and great. Nothing really exciting happened.

Actually, here are the pics.

The food is what we ate. Looks like poop... hehe.

 
And this is MY beautiful area. Riss always sends pics of her area, so I thought I would make you all jealous by sending you what I see daily :) enjoy :) haha. I can't include pics of naked children, that could get me arrested, haha.

Well, I think that is all. I love you lots. Can't wait to talk to you in a few weeks. Keep doing FHE and your scripture study and such! They are so important. I know the church is TRUE! and that our family is foreva! Yay for the gospel! Go share it and find references for the missionaries!!!

Peace and lots of love :)

Herm Erickson :)

PEACE!

Rachel will return home on June 18th. She arrives at the SLC International airport around 4:15 PM. (It is definitely a bitter/sweet upcoming event.)

#72 [Sabana Yegua - 8] Apr. 21st, 2014

Dad, thank you for to uplifting quote, I can easily apply that to the work :) hahahahah!!!! got me a good laugh. :) Glad you're my dad forever. :)

Also, HAPPY DAY TO JEFF AND SHAYLEE!!!! Congrats! how exciting! Throughout the week, I was thinking about it lots. I had a feeling it would happen :) yipee!!!

Thanks for your great letter :) as always, I love reading it :) Thanks for the updates and the love :)

Glad you had a nice Ham for Easter. I think I ate rice and beans—Yay! :)

But my week was pretty good. It was Semana Santa, or holy week here, and the people go crazy. All of the girls put trenzas in their hair (braids) since school is out, and so I decided to join in the fun! I did it to myself and to Hermana Peck, too :) it was super fun. It's a for sure perk of serving on a tropical island–it was totally acceptable! :)
 
On Thursday, we were helping H__ get ready for his baptism. We asked him some questions, and when it got to the question about participating in an abortion or a homosexual relationship, he said he was guilty, but "that was along time ago." My heart sunk. I asked, "the abortion?" and he was like, no, the other. NO! H__ in a homosexual relationship!? So I verified and was like, "So... you had a relationship with another man?" and he looked at me and was like, "Ew, no." And then my worries faded and we all laughed. Luckily, he has never had a homosexual relationship. Phew! Big sigh of relief.

I am reading Jesus the Christ again. I am almost finished. It was cool cuz I had a schedule, and it worked out that I read the assigned chapters on the same day of their happening (I read about the crucifixion on Thursday and the resurrection yesterday.) Cool stuff. Made it feel more like Easter, since they don't celebrate it here. Just beer and more beer. It breaks my heart.

Also, happy birthday to Grandpa Erickson this week! 80? wow... so wise.
 
Anyways, we ended up having the baptism on Saturday. It was great. H__ is great. Just love him. He's funny. Still got lots to learn, but he's great. Not much to say about that. I just love being a missionary and seeing people learn about the church and make covenants with God. It's great. The only bad thing abut his baptism is that now we have like, no investigators... darn. But it always happens, and God'll help us :)

Also, look at Herm Peck’s blog for more trenza photos. But yeah, that was the week. It turned out alright. The weeks are going faster and faster, but the days are going slower and slower. It's all in my head. I don't think about home often, so that's good!

I love being here. Sad that my days are numbered.

We have a zone meeting this Wednesday. It's a random one with the entire south, so I will get to see Herm Beesley, and I am STOKED! I miss her guts, so much. Do you still talk to her parents?

Well, I think that is all. Love you lots. Thanks for everything. Have a great week!

Love, Hermana Erickson :)

cute little creature

#71 [Sabana Yegua - 7] Apr. 14th, 2014

Thanks for the fun pics!  You all look like you had a great time! :) You all look older (except for you, dad:) haha.) Also, thanks for the play-by-play including traffic and line waiting :) always feels like I am in on the action when you give them :) haha.

So this week was great. It went by pretty slow, but the first week of every transfer seems to pass slow. All of Monday, I was wondering who my companion would be. Since I had about 16 months in the DR, and I had only had American comps whose first and native language has been English, I was curious to see if God would allow me to have a Latina comp, since most Americans here have at least 2 their mission. I was nervous to maybe get my first.

I might have Mom's gift of telling the future, since I guessed who my comp was going to be before it was announced. But her name is Hermana C__. She's great. AND GUESS WHAT? Turns out that Hermana Erickson will NOT only have American comps her entire mission!!! Yahoo! BUT, her second language is English, so we mainly talk in English. We can't talk in her first language, since it's Tagalog. YEP, that's right. She's from the Philippines. Therefore, she doesn't know Spanish. Well, she does now, but it is her 3rd language. But yeah, that is the most news this week, haha.

Hope that all makes sense. Her name is pronounced (ca-kim-ball). She has 8 months here and she is the oldest comp that I have had. She is so sweet! She always touches me though, which I am not really a fan of. She grabs my arm when we walk, and I just stiffen. But she’s cute and I like her. Her English is perfect, and she teaches me Tagalog sometimes. We have a switch-off, since I will teach her piano, she'll teach me Tagalog. :) haha. Also, when she speaks Spanish, she has a cute little Asian accent, it's so cute! Maybe I'll pick that up, haha.

In other exciting news, H__ is doing great! I have gained a stronger testimony of the power of the scriptures this week. We decided to go and help the family that he lives with (the ward mission leader and his wife/kids) read the BOM and when we read 1 Nefi 3, we had them memorize the first part of verse 7. Then we did role-plays with H__ about going to the colmado to buy cigarettes, and him saying, "no, give me 6 mints instead, for I Nefi said unto my father, I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded" and IT WORKED! :) :) :) He officially hasn't smoked for 4 days, and every time we go to him, he has a bigger grin on his face, and he recites the scripture! It's adorable. The scriptures have helped him overcome his temptation. So, si Dios quiere, he will be getting dunked this Saturday at 5:30. I am a little nervous, cuz he is going to the capital this week, and will come back on Thursday. I hope he doesn't smoke!
  
Oh! HAPPY EASTER this week! :) Hope it's a great one. It's Semana Santa this week, which is the time when people here go to the beach, drink all day and night, and just party. They do everything BUT remember the resurrection of Christ. It's a pretty difficult week, when it comes to missionary work. But God'll help us! :) YAY! :) Also, this is just a side-note about this country. Apparently they start their kids drinking REALLY young, so they are "good drinkers." I see kids drinking beer all the time. But when they grow up, they can drink and drive, cuz they don't get drunk when they are older... sad, right?

Also, happy Birthday to Jakey, and of course, happy half-birthday, to my pa :)

Um, something else that was great that happened this week! WE GOT INVERSOL! :) which is like a generator, so we have 24/7 light!!! :) It is such a miracle! It's a good thing, cuz my candle was getting really dim, and without a fan, I just sweat a lot. So it was great. Yeah... that's cool.

I think that is about all that happened this week. I am excited to work with my new comp. We get along just fine. And I am stoked for H__'s baptism. :) But after that.... we'll have a hard time with our investigators. We're going to have to look under the rocks and in the cracks to find those people who are ready!

But yeah, I hope you have a great Semana Santa! Be safe! :) Love you all and I am so thankful for each of you! Thank you for your support and love :)

#70 [Sabana Yegua - 6] Apr. 7th, 2014

Conference weekend with former teachees! (Azua district)

Wow, I love you! What a great family I have! Also, before I get too far, sorry about the lack of spaces in this email. The space bar is not working well, and I don't want to take the time to pound it to work :) so sorry :) have fun :)

That was such a long email, and it was so fun to read. Also, I hope you all loved conference! I did. I got to hear all of the sessions, so that was nice.

During conference, I looked for dad's old teacher. She didn't appear for a while, and I was worried, but then she showed up and all was well. Also, I was thinking about Bro. R__ – maybe he's gonna be a mission pres., that's my call!

Just a quick thank you to those who wrote me letters this week--especially my cousin, Liz. I am writing a reply, so get ready for that. :)

Um, nothing happened this week. I cut my finger open pretty deep last night. I remember why I hate knives, but it is still attached. Band-aids are great.

Also, transfer calls were last night. My comp is leaving. (They will find out more tonight as to who is going where, and who is coming, etc.)

Well, I think that is all I am going to write. Honestly, nothing happened, and this keyboard is not worth my time to try to write more. I love you all and am grateful for you all. I hope the boys have a good time in Cali and are safe. I hope the family at home is great, too. I love you all!!

Have a great week. Sorry about the super lame email and–you did so well to write me. :) Thanks:)

More to come next week, I promise:)

Hna. E with H__ and Hna. Safeer

#69 [Sabana Yegua - 5] Mar. 31st, 2014

Thinking of her "pal"

DAD! stop being so funny :) I love reading your letters! I am so happy to be your daughter and so happy that I inherited your funny genes! Hahah kidding, but let's be real, you're funny :)

My talk ended up being a "read" too. No one congratulated me really, and I tell myself it's because of the culture, but it really could've been pretty bad. I liked it. I really loved preparing it, since it was about the atonement. :) It was an honor, because the only other person that spoke was the branch pres. :) Lucky me. Also, no one laughed at my jokes. Which is good, because I didn't make any. Those are lame and they never translate into Spanish–haha.

Mom, your questions:
    •    I do know Hna H__. She was previously in this area. I saw her a few weeks ago. She's nice. Every time I hear her name, I think of Mr. H__, the music teacher :) good times.
    •    K__ is taken care of. Who knows if he'll go on a mission, but I can only hope and pray!
    •    The little branch here is nice. It has about 100 people on a good day. The young men are really active, and they are all filling out papers to go on missions, so we have a mission prep class. The church is about 2 minutes away from our house, it's nice.
 
I sent a pic of our ugly house. It really is the ugliest in the whole town. It's POOP colored!! Who chose that?! What an eye-sore!
 

Missionary Casa

I am super super super super excited about general conference!!! 

So the other day, we gave a BOM to S__, the 14 year old girl that came to church. We gave it to her on Wednesday. We went back on Friday, and she was in 1 Nefi 16 and had it all marked up and she understood!! It was amazing! So we put a fecha with her :) we're excited :)

Also, H__ is leaving coffee and smoking behind. We asked him to pray about the true church, and the next cita we had, he is beaming. Right after the first prayer, we asked him how he was and then he went on to tell us that he had had a dream and he knows that the church is true and he is absolutely convinced. God here works in dreams, and at first, I thought the people were crazy, cuz they'd have a dream about a black bear and some weird place, and they'd interpret it to be a dream sent from the heavens and they'd convert. It's odd, but now I super believe it. Usually the people who have dreams are the strongest members. Cool stuff, eh? So I have a dream journal, just in case God decides to speak to me.

So yeah, this week was full of missionary work, as usual. Miracles and blessings and all sorts of fun, exciting days. It's insane, every single day is different, and it's so much fun, even though missionary work is the same! Crazy stuff...
I love you all, and hope life is good. Keep being great. I miss you lots and love you even more! I can't believe that Mother’s day is this next transfer!

P-day truck ride -- Padre las Casas with district and members