Oct 21,2013

Dad,
 With my new lifestyle of living gluten free, things are definately harder. I am just happy that I was able to go to the doctor and he found my problem. I talked to the nurse, and told her how there aren't many resources here for people with celiacs. It's frustrating because I am eating a bunch of chocolate, because it is the quick, gluten free, and cheap, and so it's really bad. I'm gaining a bit of weight, it's lame.
I've been eating eggs, rice, cold cut meats, bell peppers, onions, guisquil, and chocolate. It's a boring diet, but, that's what is up with me.
I guess, I will end up needing vitamins in the future; I still have prenatal vitamins im taking. if you look for vitamins, find some without gutnet, because many have gluten.
seriously, there is nothing that is made for people that cant eat wheat, no cookies, cakes, granola (HAS GLUTEN!). so, I'd appreciate anything, but don't freak out about sending me a lot, im doing fine.


hey, if you get time, send me a flea collar, or stuff for flees please? its gross, but, its going to be my life when i get moved to the capital.


Dad, i must tell you, our recent convert is the best. He is 19, and he is giving us referencias de su familia. we received three referencias from him. he is helping us so much now. WE lost him to the other sisters who took the other part of our area, but, not her is moving back to our area, so he is ours again. he reminds me so much of Brandon dad, it makes me miss home. I guess he looks like BRandon in some ways. Anyway, i attatched the pic of his baptism. He was dunked 28 de Septiembre.


Hermana Hutchins is helping me a ton with my gluten free living. I hope we don't get separated next change, because she has saved me so many times!


Hey, I don't have much time, but I just want to say it's getting harder now because our areas are getting a bit more sketchy, so we leave earlier, and that means less time to work. It's frustrating, but we are contacting our hearts out!


We went to Entre Rios, and found two inactive families. One family, th mom is from cCoabn, and doesn't speak Spanish, but Q'eqchi. I asked the daughter to ask the mom to pray in Q'eqchi before we left. She prayed and cried in her prayer. It was very spiritual moment. I love it!


hey, I love you!


love,
Hna.Ramriez

10-28-2013

Dad!!!!!
Yo.
I miss you more than I miss American chocolate bars that are unmelted when they are bought.. yeah, EVERYTHING is melted here. It's lame.

Hey, so yes, it's been a year since you were dunked! I remembered that, and told me comp, and i just thought about how amazing this past year has been. The last two years of my life have been insane. i was baptized, graduated, left for school, and then YOU were baptized and confirmed! I was called to Guate, went throught the Temple, and you re4ceived the Melchizadek Priesthood!!!!!! SO SWEETTTTTT!

Dad, the gluten free living is fine. I asked President if I could receive more money for food. I was really nervous, because i felt weird asking for more money. Some missionaries don't get extra money from the mission for food allergies and health issues, adn they get sent home, so i was worried. I asked Elder L who works the misison finances, and he said "sure hna. how mush do you need?" and basically told me to name my price, and then said, oh, just ask Presidente to confirm it. I called him and he was like, sure, is that enough, Q140? and i said it sure is! I ask very happy. Its not too much more, and pres. told me i can ask for more if i need it. Its just hard because there is a bunch of gluten in everything. i bought rice cereal, and i thought it was gluten free like most of the other rice cereal... IT WASNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so that explains why i was sick for a few days. Its bad how i react now to gluten, its more intense because im living without it, so when i get a trace of it, it hits hard.

So, our week was a little tough. We lost my favorite investigator. She is this awesome Mom from El Salvador, and she truly is a great friend to me. Anyway, she was supposed to get her papers form El Salvador to get married, but the man she was going to marry (she lived with) so she could be baptized, is an alcoholic, and doesn't give her any money to support her. It's rough. We went to see if she came back from ES en la manana a miercoles, and she wasnt there. WE heard from her, and she isnt coming back because she just cant take to living conditions, and shes sad. We found out miercoles right befroe a district meeting, and in the district meeting our DL asked how our fecha was donig, and thats her, and i just cried. I felt like such a loser, but then again not. I truly love this woman, and i guess i was more sad of what she was living through before. I dont want her to come back if she'd be living in those conditions. Forget the baptism. I hope that doesnt sound like missionary apostasy, but its true. I dont want her in those conditions. I miss her. I hope i see her againin this life, but if not... I know i will see her in the Celestial Kingdom. Her second Sunday at church, she shared her testimony, and was crying. She is so strong. I miss her.

Hey, We went to Quirigua today. Look it up! It's Mayan ruins! We went to see it today. It was sick! Anyway, the mayans used Jade a lot, and so there is this Jade plate, and guess what it had on it... the tree of life. it explained the plate as the tree of life. I took a pic and i hope it turned out good. It blew my mind. WOW.

Hey, work is hard here. I feel so much pressure to have good numbers, it bothers me. I'm trabajando por amor, and it's great, but hen our numbers are bad, i feel like nobody cares how much i love these people, they just think we're chambones. I feel all this pressure to live up to. with my old comp, we had baptisms, and worked well. Now, hwe have no baptisms, and we re working SO hard. Were contacting three hours a day, and im working the hardest ever. Yo estoy trabajando por amor! puro amor. Solo amor. I don't care what people say, though.. actually i do. people think im lazy and im not, were working so hard Dad. Being a missionary is stressful. When you have no baptisms after having a bunch, you look como un chambon.

anyway, i love you. Here are some pics.

I am going to the cementerio a viernes con Presidente de rama. Dia de los Santos. Vamos a comer dulces!!!!

Te quiero mucho Papi.

-Hna.Ramriez