July 14, 2014 Alecia's emails and pics

in a trufi!

the jello desert again! yum!!

yum!!!! that was one fabulous desert!!! ;)

ARIANA!!! ;)

ARIANAS BAPTISM!!!!!!!!

the whole ward supported her!!!
I HAVE NEVER SEEN A BAPTISM SO FULL OF PEOPLE TO SHOW SUPPORT AS I DID THIS SATURDAY!arianas family couldnt come... and so a million people showed up! this is only the half of it in this pic!!! the room was so full, that people had to be standing up in the back, because there was no more room to put the chairs!!!! This, was a true miracle. the lord answered our prayers, that the room would be full of people to support her in this moment... in her testimony ariana said, ´i know that this church is true, i know my family may not be here... but here in this room full of new faces and kind people, i have found a new family... a family who will support me in all times!´ she needed them... more than the members will ever know..  I WILL EVER BE GRATEFUL... AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT MOMENT, AS I LOOKED AROUND ME, TO FIND THE ROOM BURSTING WITH PEOPLE!
 

trying to get to the waterfall in pairumani!

Another pic of pairumani!

roasting at pairumani!

arent they just too cute???

A GANG OF STREET DOGS!!! THATS KIND OF SCARY!!! LOL!

ICE CREAM!!! YUM! ;)

the view from our house! 

Hey mom!!! i am so thrilled right now! we have another baptism coming up! his name is ro...... and just came out of nowhere! we have only taught him twice... but he already received all the lessons with other missionaries in april... actually had a baptism date and everything, but didnt go through with it.. then all of a sudden he calls the elders in our ward and says he wants to be baptised this saturday!!! WOW!!! Anyway, i am so very tired right now.. we have been literally running from one side of the world to the other all week.. we plan on doing absolutely nothing today.. we are going to print some pics, eat lunch and nap! ;) and then we have a Family home evening night with ariana and two families!! so excited! anyway, thats what we are up to lately! mom, i know that the lord is pleased with your service... he knew it would stretch you, but that you had much to give in this time... do your best, and leave the lord the rest... yep, elder rennie wrote me! he sure does love you guys! and who wouldnt? lol! the girls room looks GREAT! I LOVE IT!! ;) Sounds to me like you are all doing great! the garden, the room, and so on! not perfect obviously, but i am happy to know you are all doing well! As for the guinea pig, of course he is worried.. i could very likely eat the poor thing! lol! anyway, i love you mom... i am so very happy right now i could just sing!! and i do on a regular basis by the way!!! lol! as for the practical stuff.. i have to admit i was a bit sad to hear about my scholarships...but i am not worried.. sometimes the lord opens a door.. and sometimes he closes it.. but it is all for our good.. i will pray about it and hope to be able to accept whatever comes. sounds like a pretty awesome offer actually, with russel... but we will figure it out... love you mom!
keep up the faith!
hma alford

July 7, 2014 Alecia's Email and pics

 

Last conference with president and sister dyer! 

hahaha! they got dressed up to say good bye! 

saying good bye to president and sister dyer

so, yall remember i said i ate guinea pig right??? Couldnt resist the pic!!!! hahaahahaha!!!!! ;)

(Ok, is it just me or is that poor Guinea Pig have a UhOh face!)

just a pretty pic i like!!! ;) my comp took it for me!

A.....!!! ;)

in a truffy!

FREEEEEDOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!

4th of July in Bolivia!!!! ;)
 

Alecia's Email to me:

Hi mom! i am so very full of love and joy and gratitude at the moment.. i have been reading my journals lately... and i have seen such a change in these last few weeks! The Lord has truly sent me through a number of trials, or the refining fire as you might say! And now, i am incredibly thankful for it all! AND SO VERY READY TO SEE HIS HANDS IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS AS WELL!!! I have never felt so blessed in my life mom! when i think about it, i cant help but cry a bit from pure joy! ;) i cant wait to send you pics of her baptism! we are also going to go out  to eat with her today! ;) she really is and will be a great friend for the eternities! ;) anyway, this week has been crazy!!!! full of hard work, the fourth of july!!! ;) and all kinds of good stuff! i am really hoping to be able to get to the post office at some point today, and send a letter and some cds of music! i have started up a new project for all of you! i am so excited! ;) i have begun writing personal special letters to each and every one of you! bethany will be the first to get there, and then Krystal... i am so excited! these letters are ¨special¨because i am writing each one with special prayers for the person to whom i am writing, with all the inspiration of a loving sister, daughter, and missionary!!! And, they are going to be rather incredible if i do say so myself!!! ;) anyway, thats the news down here! We also found an incredible new family to teach!!! ;) we are calling them the miracle family!!! lol! (family g.) and they are truly prepared for the gospel!!! Their son has just left on the mission in columbia! and they want to get to know the church that meant so much to their son that he would leave everything behind for!!! PRAY FOR THEM PRETTY PLEASE!!!! M..... is slowing down in his progress, i am just praying that i will be able to accept what comes, whether he is baptised or not... anyway, thats whats up down here! ;) working hard, with ups and downs, but mostly ups right about now!!!! so happy mom! i just dont know how to contain it!!! sounds like all is well up there as well! keep being awesome mom! God is changing lives through you! i love you bunches and bunches!
love
hma alford
oh, as for the new president! hes great! hope to send a pic soon!

June 30, 2014 Alecia's Declaration of Faith!

I DECLARE BEFORE THE NATIONS... AND ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, MY FIRM TESTIMONY OF CHRIST. I KNOW HE LIVES, EVEN TO THIS DAY; I KNOW HE LOVES ALL HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. HE TRULY DID DIE FOR ALL OF US! TO MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE AND THE IMPERFECT HUMANS WE ARE, CAN NOW RETURN UNTO THE PRESENCE OF OUR FATHER. I KNOW HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH PROPHETS.. HE HAS ALWAYS DONE SO, EVEN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE EARTH.. AND HE WILL ALWAYS DO SO. HE DOES NOT CHANGE AND HE DOES NOT LIE. HE HAS YET AGAIN CALLED A PROPHET. HE HAS RESTORED HIS TRUTH UPON THE EARTH... HE HAS YET AGAIN ESTABLISHED HIS CHURCH, AND ITS NAME IS THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. AND IT IS THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH IN ALL THE WORLD. CHRIST LIVES, AND HE SPEAKS TO HIS PROPHETS EVEN NOW! IT IS A BOLD DECLARATION, I KNOW, BUT I DECLARE TO ALL THE WORLD THAT I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE. HOW? BY PERSONAL REVELATION THROUGH GOD. BY ACCEPTING HIS CHALLENGE ADN COMMANDMENT, ¨ASK AND YE SHALL RECIEVE.¨ THIS IS THE ONLY WAY. THIS IS THE ONLY RELIGION, AS TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THAT WILL ALWAYS INVITE ALL TO ASK GOD HIMSELF IF THE CHURCH IS TRUE.. UP TILL NOW, OTHERS HAVE ONLY EVER TOLD ME, READ THE SCRIPTURES, AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF... THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS!!! I INVITE ALL PEOPLE EVERY WHERE TO DO AS I HAVE DONE, AND ASK GOD WHICH OF ALL THE CHURCHES IS TRUE.. YOU WILL RECIEVE AN ANSWER... GOD HIMSELF HAS PROMISED IT...
IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, AMEN.


hma alford

June 30, 2014 Email and pics

ROASTING HOT DOGS!!!!!!!! SO FLIPPING HAPPY!!!! ;)

 roasted marshmallows!!! YAAAAA!!!!! 

the tunnel! :)

WATERFALL IN PAIRUMANI!
 

 Me INSIDE of the waterfall! that was cold! haha! but SO worth the pic!!!
WE WENT TO THE MOUNTAIN PAIRUMANI!

pairumani pic!

sitting on the cliff! 

HEY EVERYBODY! HERE I AM AT PAIRUMANI THIS MORNING! ;)

Place holder for picture

jesus and the bishop! the day of his baptism!
JESUS´S BAPTISM!

Mom’s Email June 30, 2014
hey mom!
this week has been truly incredible! president and sister dyer are back in the states! Our new president is President Hansen!!! wow! thats wierd! J.... was baptised... and wow was that awesome! A..... has been officially converted.. just needs to be dipped in the water thats all! Im not even kidding mom... seeing her, and how quickly she has accepted the gospel.. has lifted my hopes, and i feel blessed to have been chosen by God to find her and help her come unto Christ! anyway! we are growing as a ward and doing the best we can to do the will of the Lord TOGETHER! I am truly happy... with all my heart! anyway... as for the family home evening night! i love the vision board idea! this scripture came to my mind as i read your letter.. maybe you can share it on my part.. The lord asks us to place him above all things.. before riches or cars or ipads or boyfriends and the like! Then, as we do so, he will bless us.
18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.
 19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtainriches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to dogood—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberatethe captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.
jacob 2

love you mom! haha! its still blue!

Poem that Alecia sent June 2, 2014

i wrote this this sunday in relief society!

The Truth, Bound in Blue: 

hma alford

A book... 

a few hundred pages bound in blue, 

black ink printed on white paper.. 

take it, 

      hold it, 

            read it... 

hidden messages inside 

    the binding. 

revelation found within 

    the words, the pages. 

tangible proof, 

a promise made. 

take up the challenge... 

     find the treasure... 

         soak in the pure love of God... 

True it is. 

God knows it, 

    and I do too...

And you... 

YOU can know it as well! 

The truth in the Book in Blue!

June 9, 2014 Emails and pictures

Well... this is my area... they grow alfalfa here... and you can pretty much only teach cows... lol!

havin fun!

 we found a house... but nobodies home... ;( lol!

kitty cats! 

 a sort of tent like thing... to cool off in the fields!

eating an orange bolivian style, they take the peal off first... but leave the white part, and cut off the top.. to be able to drink it! like a natural juice box!

 This is how missionaries wake up in the morning! We wake up, dressed and ready, jump out of the perfectly made bed and have a nice healthy meal of oreos and hot chocolate!!! Oh, and a tad of scriptures as well! hahaha!

 THE BEFORE MENTIONED RICE CAKE! LOL!

 a cute little baby cow! too adorable for words!

this is how you buy chicken... head and all...

 Aleica's Washer and dryer!

hermana alarcon drew me! ;)

 another house in my area! so pretty huh? :) i love it!

 Truffies!

SO, THIS WEEK HAS BEEN HARD.. REALLY HARD... NOBODY HOME, OR NOBODY WANTS TO LISTEN... AND WALKING THROUGH THE STREETS NOT KNOWING WHAT MORE WE CAN POSSIBLY DO... THATS WHEN WE SIT DOWN AND OFFER UP A PRAYER TO GOD, ASKING HIM TO HELP US FIND SOMEONE WHO NEEDS US... AND YESTERDAY, AT THE VERY LAST MOMENT, WHEN THE DAY WAS ENDING AND OUR ENERGIES DOWN AND OUT... WE FOUND A....., WHO HAS BEEN WAITING HER ENTIRE LIFE TO CHANGE HER LIFE, AND FOR SOMEONE TO UNDERSTAND HER DESIRE TO FOLLOW GOD... WE TAUGHT HER, AND FELT THE SPIRIT MORE STRONGLY THAN I HAVE EVER FELT IT! AND I CAN ONLY BE GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE TO ANSWER HER PRAYERS OF OVER TEN YEARS! PRAY FOR HER PLEASE!
HMA ALFORD

Aleica's email and pics for June 16, 2014

So sorry that it has been a while since I posted. I have been super busy!

my two kiddos!(The sisters that she has trained)

 

all the family! THE FAMILY!!!
me (the grandma:) hma gutierrez, my daughter. hma alarcon as well.. and hma chambi (the one with short straight hair) is my granddaughter in the mission!!! I AM OLD IN THE MISSION!!!!!!!!!!! LOL! THREE GENERATIONS! ;)

okay, so this has some wierd name in quechawa that i honestly dont remember too well... but is really cool because they cook it below the ground! awesome! looks gross, but tastes divine! never ate chicken so moist and flavorful!!!!

 yogurt in bolivia comes in bags!!!! how crazy!!! haha! just thought id share!

Ariana is truly a miracle! she came to church this Sunday for the very first time... and she loved it! we taught her the Restoration... and she accepted a baptismal date! the 12th of July she will be baptized in the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints! pray for her and for us as well!!! PRETTY PLEASE!

 A typical bolivian instrument! learning to be more musical! well, at least trying!!! haha!

 haha! louisiana!!!! ;)

 WE MADE FRENCH TOAST!!!! YUM!!!

what do i love about Bolivia?
1. i absolutely love the mountains that encircle me at all times! i wake up to that view ever single day!
2. the Cochabamba temple is beautiful! and only a half hour away!
3. the sky really does feel closer! i sometimes think that if i just jump a little bit higher, i could probably touch it!
4. the flowers here look like something out of a dream!
5. sopa de mani (peanut soup) is actually quite fabulous!
6. i have a whole ton of funny stories and memories to share with everyone!
7. the art and culture are beautiful!
8. i have to admit, i love how cheap everything is!
9. Spanish is beautiful!
10. if you stay in the shade, the weather is perfect all year round!
and last but not least: IT IS MY MISSION!!!!

¨I STILL...¨
1. I STILL love to write poems.
2. I STILL want to do the Lords will.
3. I STILL love the council of my parents.
4. I STILL sing in the shower, and washing the dishes, and sweeping the floor, and so on!
5. I STILL detest chipped finger nail polish!
6. My sweet tooth has not yet disappeared!
7. I STILL love the little things. i find ¨smiley faces¨ in the ground and pictures in the clouds, and make a big deal out of the little things!
8. I STILL try to be perfect always.
9. My favorite book is still pride and prejudice.
10. My fave scripture is still moroni 1:3
11. I STILL have not chosen an official favorite color... because it changes five minutes later!
12. I STILL perk up when i see a pair of high heels!
13. I STILL love my family with all my heart, and do all i do for them...
14. I STILL have curly hair and dont like to make my bed..
the only difference is that now i carry Christs name visibly over my heart, and have been called to serve him. I know that he lives! I know that he loves us! and that makes all the difference to me!


Another poem...Just playing a bitS!
LIFE OF A MISSIONARY
Hma alford
I wake up in the morning to a beep-beep-beeping sound...
and know its time to get my knees on the ground.
i cross my arms and close my eyes and talk to the big guy, no messin´ around.
study time comes next, look what i found!
a brand new scripture to share around town!
This is my life, not that of a clown...
but that of a missionary, living it now...
this, i chose... this life, i love...
and i will live it without a frown.
so all the world, all my brothers, all my sisters, can win the crown!
the water of life, knocking your door,
why wait? drink it now!

hey mom! i am so excited!!!! ariana is going to be baptized! i can just feel it! yesterday we got the transfers! i am staying! this transfer will be 2 months long!!! i am going to be here at least till the 10th of august! i am so excited! i can just feel that there are going to be many fruits picked in this area! the 28th we have  a baptism planned! Jesus, luis´s cousin! at 6:00 in the afternoon! woohoo! this sunday was about the most incredible moment ever! the ENTIRE leba family was there at church! all sitting there as a family! it was the first time i saw hma rosalia in church!!!! I knew from the moment i got here mom, that this family was waiting for me... and i made a promise to myself and to my God that i would do all in my power to see the entire family active in the church before i leave... and it is going to happen mom! they are finding friends, they are even participating in their classes, we find hma r...... buried deep into her scriptures on a regular basis! she loves to read her book of mormon! and she has become the force of good in her family! i just love it so much here mom! i am so happy! my companion is incredible, and almost teaches me more than i do her!!! lol! anyway, thats where we are at right now! progressing and happy!!!
as far as health... i havent been too well these past few days... we went to the dr and they told me i probably have a urinary tract infection... but the analysis hasnt finished yet so we arent too sure. i am stuck with a really awful cold too... but i am doing okay. ;) as okay as you can be when you are sick at least! haha! anyway, tomorrow they are going to tell me what it is i have... So, i totally understand how ya feel mom! hope you get better!
the peach is actually really good! lol! you just have to get over the fact that it looks like a putrified heart... and its rather tasty! lol! As for the orange, there are a TON of different ways to eat oranges here! ill be teaching you guys all about it! the best part about it, you dont have to peal it!!!! woohoo!
anyway, i love you mom!
keep being awesome!
hma alford