10/23/2017 Life in Gurnee

Hola amigos!!

Ita been a pretty busy few weeks here, all our investigators have been keeping us on our toes! One our our investigators is just the coolest guy ever, and he has the biggest heart. We brought him to church yesterday, and he just loved it, soaking everything in. After our sacrament meeting he was going up to people and introducing himself. He would tell them they would be seeing him around alot becuase he is gonna start coming more often. It was so cool to see him just love it all. It makes me so happy to be able to share this gospel with others around me, and see them light up because of it.

To answer all your questions im loving it here. My area is great, we are in a small spanish ward with 2 sets of Elders and 1 set of Hermanas (its a pretty big area) since its so big we get a car! But other areas have bikes so when I get transferred ill probably be riding a bike. In our ward most of the adults only speak spanish, but all the kids prefer english since thats what they learn in school. Overall the members are great they love us, we get fed almost every night, and they help us in whatever ways we need help. They are always ready to serve, which I love. 

The language is still coming, ive been working really hard at trying to learn it, every day it gets a little better. I understand what others are saying more than I can speak it back. It takes time, but I have witnessed that with the Lords help all things are possible. 

To close things up Hermana Lee cracks me up. For the past two weeks she has been craving a whole pizza and a whole cake, everyday after we work out she goes "heyyy you know what sounds soo good right now?" ... "a WHOLE pizza and a WHOLE cake!!" Then the rest of the day she just complains about how much she wants pizza and cake. So last saturday we finally got her the pizza and cake, she was so happy. I wish I wouldve taken a picture! 

I hope you all have a great week!
Hermana Cutler 

Pictures from last pday

Zone conference 

Hna Lee with her subway

10/16/2017 Listening to the Holy Ghost

10/16/2017

Tuesday night we got a call from the english elders with a spanish referal for us. We were like sweet, and had decided to go see them the next day. So the next day we head over and we look for this address for like half an hour! But we couldnt find it. So we called the elders and turns out they gave us the wrong address. They gave us the correct one and we finally found it! But no one answered. 


So we decided to just go knocking in the area while we were over there. Hermana asked me where I thought we should start, there was this one house on the corner that stood out to me, so I told her lets go to it. As I was walking up and about to knock we noticed this small sign that said no religious soliciting or whatever. I was like aww man, kinda sad. We walked away but had no idea where to go. So we  decided to pray for direction, and immedietly Hermana got the same feeling I had to go knock on that house! So we decided that if thats what the Lord wanted then we would!


We walked up again, and I knocked. No answer. So I knocked again. Still no answer! Hermana was then like "Hermana! It was a test!!" The Holy Ghost was testing us to see if we would listen and follow his direction, and we passed! We walked away from that house and knew exactly where we needed to go next. But the story isnt over yet! The first house we knocked on these three boys about college age came out and we started talking with them, we got to know them then explained we were missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ and how we go around teaching people about him. We then asked if they would be intrested in hearing a message and they said yes! So we taught them the restoration for the next hour!! (In english, they preferred to learn in it, most hispanic youth prefer english since theyve grown up here) they were really intreseted in our message and said we could come back (: it was so cool! 


The coolest part is that when we had said our prayer on where to go those boys drove right by us and had just gotten home. If we hadnt had gone looking for the referal and gotten sent in the wrong direction, or not listened to the Spirit then we wouldnt have met those boys and they wouldnt have heard our message! It was so amazing!!


The Lord prepares us to do the things he needs of us, He really is there and is watching over all of us constantly. I can feel his love everyday, and I can feel his love for those I teach, and those I meet. Not everyone is ready to hear the gospel, but thats okay becuase someday they will. We just have to give them a chance (: 

10/9/2017 Born In Gurnee

Hola friends,

I finally made it to Chicago this past week. Oh my gosh I LOVE it here. 

Our first day they put us on a train headed downtown towards the bean. While on the train we got to contact people, I met this awesome guy from Poland. He knew like 5 languages! It was insane. It was a cool experience to meet all these people from different countries around the world. After we went back to the mission home and they gave us Chicago deep dish pizza!! It was amazing to have real american food again, I never thought I would miss pizza so much. 

My trainers (aka my Mamá) name is Hermana Lee, and she is from... WASHINGTON!! She was converted like two years ago, and has about four months left on the mission. She is way awesome, we get along great. My first area is Gurnee 3A, and I love it the members are awesome. They feed us soooo much... There is this family with two little girls, and they love us. They always laugh at my spanish, and think I sound so funny. But the language is coming along. Slowly but surley. 

We have a senior couple that lives right across the hall from us, the Litkes, they are hilarious! We do language study with them everyday, they will feed us dinner, and on pday they take us to Costco!! They are my favorite. Elder Litke taught us how to make this Mexican drink the other day called jamaica for one of our activities...  oh man after we were done it looked like someone had died in our kitchen, jamaica juice was everywhere and it stained our counters red, it was so funny. But the activity we had was a sucess so it was all worth it.

Its been a great week and I love this opportunity I have to serve the Lord, and I cant wait  to learn lots while here in Gurnee and start this new adventure. I hope you all have a great week! 

Hermana Cutler

Pictures

Our first day downtown 

The little girls drew us a cute little picture, and made us wear witches hats for dinner

Our presentstion of washington (we even made a little gum wall)

All the new greenies and the trainers with the president 

All the new greenies

10/2/2017 Chicago

I made it to my mission!!! 

Chicago is so amazing, and BIG! We got to the airport and they immedietly put us on the train to contact on the way to the city. I met some pretty cool people! It is way different being out in the real world as a missionary with a tag on... everyone just looks at us, but they all smile and wave! 

I love my mission president and his wife! They are just so amazing, and the mission home is beautiful! Tomorrow we get our trainers, I cant wait to see my first area! 

Love you all so much. I loved being able to talk to you today, and hear your voice. Thanks for being the best parents ever! (Oh and I got your package!! Thank you so much for it, it is so awesome (: ) 

I'll tell you  more in my next email... whenever that will be... but have a great week!

Here are a few of the pictures we took from the city... I have more on my camera that ill send later (:

Love 

Hermana Cutler

10/1/2017 Last Day at the CCM--October 1-General Conference

Hermana Cutler and Hermana Page

9/27/2017 Hasta Luego Mexico

5 more days and im off to Chicago! These past six weeks have been so amazing and life changing. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to come to Mexico and learn Spanish and make some life long friends. 

I have come a long way in the language, but there is still much to be learned. Every day it gets easier, and I am able to understand what the teachers are saying to me. Through dilligent effort, and much practice I know that I will be able to communicate in Spanish. The gift of tongues is real, and God has really helped me these past few weeks.

I cant wait for my adventure in Chicago to begin, I hope you all have a wonderful week. 

Hermana Cutler 

9/20/2017 Estoy Fomoso

Hola everyone! ¿Cómo estás?

32 years ago on September 19, 1985 Mexico had a terrible earthquake that killed thousands of people, leaving the city in crumbles. Well we had another earthquake yesterday (September 19). 76 miles southeast of Mexico City in Puebla sizing at a 7.1. Southern Mexico City got hit pretty hard, over 30 buildings fell with many people loosing their lives. Here at the CCM we were in a so called "safe bubble" so we felt about a 5 where other places near got it worse. The Lord seriously blessed us and protected us from damage. The whole comedor was shaking, and everyone was in a panic to get out. At the moment it was pretty frightening, but once we got out my district decided to get down on our knees and pray for protection, and safety of others. Immedietly we could feel peace.

While we were praying someone took a picture of our district (im in the pink shirt), and its the headline picture for the Mexico earthquake on LDS Living. The missionaries that were supposed to be landing later in the afternoon were redirected to various airports around the US. But we are all safe, the Lord loves and protects his missionaries. 

Friday was Mexicos independence day, and they LOVE to party. We heard fireworks all day and throughout all hours of the night. Our teachers had to tell us not to go outside our casa because people would shoot their guns in the air in celebration and alot of times the bullets would fall into the CCM. But it was cool to be here during this time, and see them all celebrate their country. 

This week has been pretty good, learning lots and making lots of memories. I hope everyone is okay, sounds like there have been a lot of hard times in the community and around the world. Youre all in my prayers, and I hope things will start to get better soon for everyone. Just know God loves you, and is always there for you. 

Love
Hermana Cutler 

9/13/2017. Because I'm Halfway There...

I am on my 4th week at the CCM, a couple more and I get to fly to Chicago! 

We had an earthquake drill this week, the ironic part was a few hours later we had an actual earthquake. It was an 8.1 about 500 miles away, so it didn't hit Mexico City as bad. But it destroyed a ton of houses in southern Mexico. I didn't even know it happened until the next morning at gym when someone mentioned it. I thought they were joking! 

There is an Elder in my group from Soda Springs Idaho, and he is convinced the vowels in the alphabet are "A,E,I,O,U and sometimes Y and W" I have no idea where he got that from, but every day he tries to prove us wrong. It is so funny hearing his logic. 

Hope everyone has a great week! 

Hermana Cutler