June 11, 2015

Hey! Thank you for the Birthday wishes you all are soooooo nice! Well I've got a lot to tell you!

Okay first off, so last Pday we went up to Santiago where I was suppose to see the nurse of the mission to get my shot, but just as it happens I "forgot" no but really haha the prescription so she didn't know how much of the injection to give me. However, as luck would have it there was a lady in the ward that my companion knew that could do the job for us. So we set the appointment up with her to have a lesson haha quick spiritual thought and then get the duty done. So we go to the pharmacy, I get the vaccine and medicine in a box kind of like the happy meal without the happy, and we head to her house. We get to the house, sit down, and then she offers to get us some juice which I had to turn down ( I couldn't eat anything acidic or with gluten/flour for 3 days). So this sweet lady goes in to get the juice for my companion and then......I just lost it! My companion turns over to look at me and says "are you crying?" THEN to make it more embarrassing the lady comes out with the juice, sees me and was like "are you okay?" I just wanted to say that my eyes were leaking, but eventually I had to tell her how much I'm scared of needles (this is the part where Lindsey feels bad, Casey is laughing, and Kellie is rolling her eyes saying I'm just like Emmie). At this point she's sitting by me and her little girl comes out asking why I'm crying (seriously a copy cat of little leyton this kid so stinking cute). So her mom told her and then the mom said that I didn't have to get the shot if I didn't want it. As I'm trying to pull myself together I explained the symptoms I was having, gave me some ear drops, and then looks in my ear only to tell me that I'm going to have to get the shot cause it was bad. Long story short, we went into her "office" a.k.a her room, her daughter was by my head talking to me haha, and yeah got the duty done.....in an area that's not my arm. Haha yes to answer your question Kellie the shot definitely hurt more than my pride did at that moment. But, Denny is super amazing. She's leaving in a week to go back to live in the states again with her husband. She was finishing her internship up here. 

Anyway that's story number 1 of the week. Number two is about my amazing companion. Well okay there's two stories. The first one I keep forgetting to tell, but my first week here we went to visit this lady who's just like our grandma to all of us missionaries. We went to visit her, and my companion told me that they have a little bit of a background, which wasn't a big deal to me. So She told me that she has a son who is less active in the church and has a drinking problem, and that she's a strong member in the church but she has this obsession with Joseph Smith. So I'm like okay whatever no big deal Joseph was pretty important and a cool guy. We get to their house, sit down, and while we are waiting for her son to get home I'm looking at this table that has a lot of gifts from all these missionaries that served in the ward, and right in the middle....is a "bust" (just for lindsey) of Joseph Smith....So I comment on how nice the statue is and she says "thanks this is my Joseph shrine" haha okay.....Then her son shows up super grumpy, we start the lesson, and he calls me out and asks "why are you always smiling?"....so I just say uhhhmm cause I like to smile. Then my companion gives the harshest lesson on how he needs to get his life back on track of his soul will be lost forever, then turns to me, so I share a sweet smooth things over scripture and bare my testimony. We then invited him to church and he said that there was no guarantees That next week he wasn't at church, but went to a missionary training meeting for the ward members, and then gave the prayer in the meeting. So at this point I'm thinking Oh my goodness they are letting this drunk guy give the prayer and is he wearing garments? What apostasy! Fast forward to mothers day (here in the DR so the next Sunday) we show up to their house to say happy mothers day and give a lesson and I ask the son why he didn't show up to church. And he flat out says "cause I'm in the stake presidency and we had to meet at the other ward". So I thought okay well he's either lying or he's drunk right now. UGH and that's when my companion couldn't hold it in anymore and just starts laughing. It was a total set up. For a week I thought we were working with this less active and he's a counselor in the stake presidency haha. Anyway that was my welcome to the Torre Alta ward...and by the way she doesn't worship joseph haha.

Well the last story I'll make it quick, but my companion wanted to do something crazy for my birthday. However, we are on a mission, so obviously there are rules and regulations we have to follow. So to brainstorm ideas I asked her what she did for her 21. And because she went to school out in Las Vegas she said that she just hit the Casino just to say that she could get in. There is a Casino here, but as you know that's out of the question. Getting my concealed weapons license it out of the question here as well, so the next best thing we could think of was to ask for a trip to the temple. But, being the chicken I am I didn't want to call the mission president to ask. So my companion did, he said no that he didn't have the authority to let us go. Then my companion asked if zip lining was out of the question. So what do you do when you can't go to the temple for your birthday? Ya go zip lining! I forgot to bring my camera so I'll send the pictures next week, but yes we had a blast! It's definitely been a fun week.

Sounds like you guys are all booked for the summer! Send me the pictures of your adventures! 

Love you!

Hermana Van

P.S. I didn't get your packages :( but I'm sure they are coming soon!

May 27th

Hi!

Okay so my letter will probably be short, but on the plus side I spent most of my time sending ya'll pics! sorry! They've been long over due. So these pictures are from this transfer, but mostly from last transfer. However, most of the pictures are from Puerto Plata where I'm now serving! The ones with the family are from my old area and my old investigators. They were super super special and really really hard to leave. I got to see the one investigators baby grow up and just before I left she started to say Hermana every time we went by. Ah! I wish I could have taken her here with me! The other family was very special as well, the mom was blind, but we gave her the hiymns and the book of mormon on tape and she had a strong testimony. However, lets get to talking about my area now. Um to sum it up in 3 words.....I LOVE IT! The members here are really special! If you were to compare my two areas its like night and day. We are in a ward, that is run very similar to the wards in the states. Our Bishop is super sweet and calls us his daughters. He actually has a daughter that is serving in Belize I think. Anyway he says that he has a lot of respect for us and says that he's always there if we need anything. The members are amazing as well! We are in a richer area, I would probably say the "Beverly Hills" of the Dominican so most of them have cars and whenever they drive by they always offer to give us rides. They also love to work with the missionaries! One day we were walking to an appointment and a member saw us and chased us down to give us a reference. That DEFINITELY doesn't happen every day. I hope your being good members and giving references to the missionaries!!   Just as the members are super loving towards us, our investigators have just as much love if not more! It's so easy to love these people here! Well we are definitely seeing miracles here.  My companion and I set up 7 baptismal dates since I've been here! I'm so amazed and excited to see their progress and growth in the gospel! Another blessing is that  their accents here aren't as thick as they are in Bonao, so I can actually understand them a LOT clearer than where I was haha. Well I'm going to close for now, but I love you guys so much and pray for you always!

Love,

Hermana Van Woerkom 

Hi,

I'm sure you've heard this for the past 3 weeks already, but have I told you how much I love Puerto Plata? The people here are just so so soooooooo sweet! I have a baptism coming up next week in my old area in Bonao. So I'll get to go and see her be baptized so that's nice. We also have some other ones coming up. The ones we planned here in Puerto Plata for June 13 are having to be pushed back a couple weeks, but they are still on the right track and progressing! Okay some bummer news. So I've had this ear ache (in my left ear as always) for the past 3 weeks now. Last week I got a hold of the nurse of our mission and told her I thought it was an infection, so she sent me to the pharmacy to get some antibiotics. However after I finished the round I started getting itchy, but no rash. I finally went in to the hospital to the ENT (there's only one in Puerto Plata) and she said that both ears were inflamed and my throat and nose as well. She asked the antibiotic I was taking, and lo and behold it had penicillin in it :( I didn't get a rash, thank heavens, it could have been worse. However I'm now going to try this cortazon shot that I have to buy at the pharmacy and a doctor in our ward will be doing the honors of giving me it....in an area that isn't my arm.....yes my pride my pride will be shattered lol. I hope it works though because its killing me. They say its from acid reflux. I haven't had heart burn or anything but it's called the Silent Reflux because it just inflames everything. I'm sure Lindsey and Kellie can tell you all about it. Anyway that's all that's been happening in my life this week! I forgot my camera, but I'll send you pictures next week! 

Love you!!

Hermana Van Woerkom

5-20-15

TRANSFERED! SAY WHAT?

Well here's the story. You know that I asked President Douglas if I could have one more transfer in Bonao, and he said that it wasn't written in blood, but more or less I could serve there. Anyway just for fire insurance, my old comp and I prayed every day together for me to stay one more transfer. And I felt really really good about it. WELL, transfers comes around and they get to the Elders in Constanza and they said that they'll be staying together. They both sighed in relief saying that they had been praying to stay together too. They get to us and say that I'll be headed out! Ah, I was sooo disapointed! I thought our prayers didn't work, however they then told me that I'll be headed to Puerto Plata and be companions with none other than HERMANA BRADFORD! My old comp in the MTC! AAAHHH! Its super funny because she had been praying for the opportunity of us being atleast in the same zone for a while. I guess her prayers trumpped mine this time. But, I'm totally okay with it! She's amazing And I'm excited to have the opportunity to be with her again. We will be getting our new mission president soon so I'm sad for the change, but it'll be good. Its been good hearing from everyone! Love you tons and I'll send you pics soon And that promise is written in blood haha :) 

Love Hermana Van Woerkom

 It was so nice to see Hermana on Skype on mothers day!

May 13th

 Hey fam!

Since ya'll complain that my letters are short I'll write you a good long one this week :) It was soo nice talking to you!! Things are good in Bonao, it was a little crazy this week with our investigators. We went to visit a family and the mom came out really pale looking, and I ask if she was okay. As she was coming to unlock the gate to let us in she just collapsed on the ground. My companion and I scrambled inbetween the bars to get the keys and then her husband rushed her to the hospital. So we haven't really gotten to teach the family this week ;/ but we went to check on her and she's doing better! We also got to go to Constanza this week to do a Consecha! Its up in the mountains and it was so nice and cool! Probably in the 60-70s! They don't get mosquitos their either so I was literally in heaven haha. Other than that ward wise I'm practicing for the branch conference that we will be having. I think that the little primary kids are going to be singing, but I'm not sure what the plan is yet. Well I better let you go, but it was so good seeing you guys the past Sunday and seeing my cute neices and nephews! THEY ARE GETTING SO BIG!

Love and pray for ya'll every day

Hermana Van Woerkom

May 5, 2015

 May 5, 2015
Hey!

This letter is going to be a short one, sorry! today my zone had an activity where we went to the river in their area, had lunch, and played ultimate Frisbee. Super fun, I have a ton of pictures to send ya'll I just aven't had time to send them. Sorry! Okay so before I forget Mothers Day, I was thinking about skyping at 5ish. We will see, but it'll be in the evening so be prepared haha. Things are going good here, we've set some goals as a companionship and as a district that we are hoping will help the branch. My companion and I are switching our focus on finding the less active members more than finding new investigators. One of our families is doing good, we had a lesson on The Family Proclamation and trying to get them motivated on marriage. So excited to see you on Sunday! Its good hearing from you!

Love,

Hermana Van Woerkom





Hey!

Things are going good. We are seeing little miracles, but miracles none the less here in Bonao. The members are trusting us enough that we got a reference whoohoo! Thats never happened in my time here, so thats definitely progress. This is also the first week that we haven't needed a taxi for appointments, we were able to cover our entire area, AND this was the first intercambios I had where no one was sick or injured. THATS a miracle in itself haha. We were all very suprised! The onoy thing I'm nervous about is its the middle of transfers and my companion still doesn't know some of the people here, where they live, or where we live haha. I never thought I would say this because this area is no cake walk, but I really hope to stay here one more transfer. I would feel bad to leave too soon, and leave my companion not knowing the people here. Of course sometimes our plans aren't the same as the Lords but, I will go wherever the Lord wants me to go. And mom that talk you read is by President Utchdorf, only those with a strong testimony would know that ;) haha just kidding. That one is a good one, I used it in one of my capacitations. I haven't gotten the package yet, but I'll let you know when I do!This week we also got to watch some of the primary kids while the members who were married had some marriage night lovey dovey activity, who knows what. But, it reminded me of my little sunbeam class! It was so much fun, insane, but fun. Its good to hear how everyone is doing, love and miss ya'll too! Your always in my prayers! Take advantage of the snow your getting mom!

love, 

Hermana Van Woerkom

last 4 letters. April 21st latest I am a little behind and now caught up :)

 hey sorry, we weren't by a computer and then we didn't have wifi. Im alive and well don't worry. The family has committed that if they know the gospel is true that they will be baptized. Right now they need to go to church and get married in order to progress. And we haven't taught them the law of chastity quite yet. However, the girlfriend said that she will go to church with us this Sunday. The husband takes more time. I think he just gets nervous with change. He's finally praying at the end of lessons and even then he gets nervous about that and says that his prayers aren't very good, even though we reassure him. I told him that he won't know if he likes church if he doesn't go and he won't know the importance of church and if the church is true if he doesn't go. Then I gave him the example of their daughter that you can give her something to eat, but if she doesn't try it she won't know if its good. I'm hoping it clicked for him and that he'll come soon. We are on our own "lock down" here too. There is a Huelga this Thursday and Friday. There was one on Tuesday at the store that we didn't know about and we were out proselyting. Oopsies. But we are good, luckily we were with the Elders that night for a familiy home evening. I'm suppose to have my boot on until next Tuesday, but I've not used it for the past 2 days because its so hot here that its uncomfortable. Don't worry thought I'm being careful! Yay linds finished! Now all she has to do is relax and hang out with the nieces and nephews! She better not take my spot being the favorite aunt!

love you and sorry for the scare

hermana van woerkom
 Hey!

Hows life? Everything is going good here! Today has been a pretty busy day. We just had transfers and my companion is dead (aka going home from her mission) :( So so sad. It's a bummer to see her go. My new companion's name is Hermana Bonilla. She was in my same zone, got transferred last transfer to a different area, and now she is back in our zone with me. So she's just across the street from her old area again. She's from Guatamala and doesn't know English, so my Spanish will be put to the test! It'll be good though, it'll get me out of my comfort zone and will literally be Spanish 24/7 now! Well I don't have too much of an update right now. We went to my old companions dead (going home) meeting on Monday, that same night I got my cast off (HALLELUJAH), we spent the night at the mission home (which was good, but totally weird) got up that morning (on Tuesday) got my x rays, went home to Bonao, and got up this morning for transfers. I'm at the mission office right now writing and waiting to go to the hospital so that we can evaluate my xrays to see what I need to do. So once I find out I'll keep you updated. I did get your package mom! Thanks so much for the easter treats! My district says thank you too :). I haven't had time to read the talk yet, but it's definitely on my list of things to do. Well I'm going to let you go and I'll write you if I have time later today and tell you what the doctor says. Well I hope all is well! Linds graduation is coming up so I'm sure she's stressing out like crazy. Remind her to take a chill pill ;) And congrats to Casey and his internship!  I love and pray for you guys daily. Especially since I've been stuck in the house :). 

LOVE YOU!

Hermana Van Woerkom

Hey! WHATS UP?!

So to start off so mom doesn't have a heart attack or I forget to write about this, the cast is finally off! Can I get a hallelujah! So here's the play by play of what all happened. On Monday my old companion who (completed her mission) had her leaving meeting we ran to the hospital after before it closed to get my cast off. The doctor wanted my x ray to look at my foot, but I accidentally left it in Bonao which is an hour and a half away. So the doctor was questioning whether or not to take my cast off. At this point I was freaking out on the inside because I wanted this puppy off, luckily the mission nurse brought a boot so he took it off. Then by that time it was late, so we spent the night at the mission home and the next day we headed back to Bonao. We then went back to Santiago on Wednesday to pick up my new companion and see the specialist again to compare xrays from the beginning to now. The doctor couldn't see any fractures so that was a good sign! All that is left as a result from the torn tendons is fluid and swelling. They are just stretched out pretty bad and are trying to heal themselves. When I left the doctor he said that I have the boot for another 3 weeks. The funny part is that I was on crutches at the office and the doctor was like, "she needs to get rid of those soon, lets start now" and then he said "walk!". So I tried walking, it was more like stumbling, and then he said "yeah she needs the crutches still". Anyway thats the funny part. Good news is that I get to go out proselyting every day for 2 hours! My foot is pretty stiff and only starts hurting towards the end of the day. There's a nasty fluid pocket on my ankle, but I think its cause I don't put my foot up like i should.Anyway that's the story on that.

Okay the update for this week, this week is the week of the HUELGAS or the strikes. So we didn't get to go out monday, yesterday. or today. The worst of it is in Bonao 2, but just to be safe we don't leave the house. The funny thing is we were cooking yesterday and as we were eating our eyes were really agitated and so we were literally crying and couldn't figure out why. Then we finally figured out it was from the tear gas that they were using in the huelgas. haha but everythings good we are safe and sound here.

Things are good with the new companionship. She doesn't know english so this is a good exercise for my Spanish skills haha. I knew her before. She was in Bonao 2 at the beginning of her mission and then later was transfered to La Vega and is now back, but in Bonao 1. 

Love you all and take care!

hermana van woerkom

 So my foot still hurts. I guess they are saying it was a fracture so I'm not exactly sure whats going on. I was suppose to get it off this Tuesday, the nurse of the mission wanted me to go on Tuesday to Santiago to one of the specialists up there. HOWEVER, as luck would have it, I woke up the next day with hard core "intestinal problems". A.K.A. vomiting and diarreha. So there went that plan so we were going to shoot for today to leave, however I'm still having this problem. Anyway all is good. Positive attitude is big at this point, we've been pointing out the funny experiences from this. At one point we had no minutes on our phone to call anyone, we were out of food and money, and my companion couldn't leave the house to go get food without me. LUCKILY the Elders came by to check on us that day so we were able to get food. The next day was Sunday, so our minutes finally came, but as we were cooking lunch our GAS went out! ahh! So then we had minutes to call for gas and food, but now we couldn't cause its the sabbath day haha and the food we did have has to be cooked! haha It was pretty funny, so I told my comp that nothing else could go wrong except that the lights went out, and that night they did! haha oh shoot, and after that I told her now really nothing else could go wrong, and thats when I got sick, so Im not saying those words anymore! haha. But really, things are going to get better. We got to watch the other side of Heaven the other day and I teased my comp at the part where the kid was dying and says "I see the light, greet the light and teasing that I'm going to greet the light soon. But, no worries I promise that I won't greet the light :). i hope all is well and that work and school get better for everyone. Your in my prayers! As Dominicans like to say, "don't eat anything off the floor, they are poisoning the dogs"

love you tons!

Hermana Van Woerkom

Week April 1st.

Let me give you a brief update on Hermana Van Woerkom.  She was walking home from a investigator's house and fell in a pothole on the road.  Went to the ER.  They wanted to give her an IV and of course KJ refused.  They thought she tore some tendons and put a cast on her.  Two weeks later she is still in a cast and they think it might be a fracture.


So my foot still hurts. I guess they are saying it was a fracture so I'm not exactly sure whats going on. I was suppose to get it off this Tuesday, the nurse of the mission wanted me to go on Tuesday to Santiago to one of the specialists up there. HOWEVER, as luck would have it, I woke up the next day with hard core "intestinal problems". A.K.A. vomiting and diarrhea. So there went that plan so we were going to shoot for today to leave, however I'm still having this problem. Anyway all is good. Positive attitude is big at this point, we've been pointing out the funny experiences from this. At one point we had no minutes on our phone to call anyone, we were out of food and money, and my companion couldn't leave the house to go get food without me. LUCKILY the Elders came by to check on us that day so we were able to get food. The next day was Sunday, so our minutes finally came, but as we were cooking lunch our GAS went out! ahh! So then we had minutes to call for gas and food, but now we couldn't cause its the sabbath day haha and the food we did have has to be cooked! haha It was pretty funny, so I told my comp that nothing else could go wrong except that the lights went out, and that night they did! haha oh shoot, and after that I told her now really nothing else could go wrong, and that's when I got sick, so I'
m not saying those words anymore! haha. But really, things are going to get better. We got to watch the other side of Heaven the other day and I teased my comp at the part where the kid was dying and says "I see the light, greet the light and teasing that I'm going to greet the light soon. But, no worries I promise that I won't greet the light :). i hope all is well and that work and school get better for everyone. Your in my prayers! As Dominicans like to say, "don't eat anything off the floor, they are poisoning the dogs"

love you tons!

Hermana Van Woerkom