I don't have a parasite but..........

 

November 24, 2014

..... But I do have bacteria in my stomach.....

DON`T FREAK OUT MOM! I am okay. Breathe. Relax. I am totally fine. I am still working as normal.

Here is the story....

So I was still feeling a little funky this past Thursday, so I called Hermana Hansen and she told me to go to the clinic. Friday morning, we went and saw apparently the best doctor that they have in Cochabamba. She had me do a few tests... blood, pee, etc. and she put me on this really bland diet until this morning. I literally can only eat grilled chicken, rice, crackers, matè, and cooked veggies. So yeah... I pretty much have only been eating rice, chicken, and crackers since Thursday. And it was good that I went to the doctor, because that night I literally felt like I had the plague. I felt like someone was taking my intestines and twisting them and squeezing them! Horrible. But I really do feel better today. I only feel sick when I have to drink coca cola or eat greasy foods. My pension is being very nice to me.

So today, we went to the doctor and she read on the results that I just have some bacteria in my stomach and my intestines are a little inflamed. WELCOME TO COCHABAMBA! No, it`s fine. So she has me on this diet for another week, and also put me on some medicine. I go back tomorrow morning for some sort of scan on my stomach? I don’t rememebr what it is called.

I told you this, MOM, so you would know. NOT SO YOU WOULD FREAK OUT. I feel perfectly fine when I don`t eat gross foods. And I should be all better by the next time I write you.

So yeah. It has been a CRAZY week. Probably the craziest week of my life. But I feel really happy, and really ready to work extra hard.

- We had an awesome zone conference this past week, and I really felt the Spirit. I felt a true determination to work as hard as I can.

- We are teaching this really cool kid named Pedro, and last Tuesday he asked us... "Can I be baptized this Sunday?" WUT..... uhhhh we were shocked. All he has to do is go to church 3 times, and then he can get baptized. I was blown away. We watched a talk given this last conference by the prophet, and he told us that he believed every word that he said. COOL.

- Mom... I AM GETTING YOUR LETTERS. So please keep sending them because they are always a surprise to me, and they always seem to come when I need them most.

- Oh.... HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Now you are all on vacations, right??? What are you going to do for Thanksgiving! PLEASE EAT ALL THE GRANDMA GRAVY, CHEESECAKE, and CINNAMON ROLLS FOR ME.

- Mom, you gotta tell Stan and Joan that I met someone that leaves for Stanley`s mission in two weeks! I am going to send a package for him with this future elder.

- I want you all to read the conference that Utchdorf gave during the women`s session of conference. I printed it out this past week, and it is really amazing. yes, it is directed towards girls, but it has a really great message for everyone. KYLE AND KAYLA I WANT YOU TO READ THIS. That is your homework during your vacation, you lucky ducks....

It was a very crazy week, but I learned so much.

Remember how we do an I’m Grateful for... during Thanksgiving? Well this is mine...

I am eternally gratefulf or each and every one of you. You really have no idea the impact that you have all had in my life. Thank you for your testimonies, your examples, your friendship, and your faith. Thank you for always making me smile. I am so grateful for my mom and dad, who always have supported me. I am here on the mission because of your examples. My parents are my heroes, and have always taught me do to what is right. I am grateful for Keith and his work ethic. He works so hard, and he is truly a great example to me. Sometimes, during the day, I think to myself... "What would Keith do in this situation?" I am grateful for Rhiannon and her FOOD. Hahahah And her love for everyone. She has such wisdom. LIKE GANDALF! Every word she speaks is like true wisdom. I am grateful for Kyle and his sweet spirit. He is truly what Heavenly Father calls the pure in heart. I am grateful for Kayla. She is my best friend. I am grateful for her crazy personality. She is always so happy and willing to laugh. I am grateful for Emilee, and that she is a part of our family. I miss when she sings Frozen songs like ten thousand times a day.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU READING THIS! Which is probably my mom and some of my aunts.

I am grateful for my extended family and their constant love and support for me.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! FELIZ DÎA DE GRACIAS!

LOVE

HERMANA ROUTSONG

Cute little girl!



At the clinic

Beautiful flower

Bishop's wife

Cambia food

Super good fruit

My results

I went in a cornfield today

Medications

 

 

Una Locura Es Mi Vida (Craziness is my life)

November 17, 2014

PACKAGE! Yes mamasita, I finally got your package. And it made me SO DANG HAPPY. I especially loved the Broncos shirt. I am looking forward to wearing it. And I always love sharing the warheads with the little kids here. They always freak out. AND CETAPHIL! Maybe my face will stop breaking out now! Hahaha Anyways, thank you so much. It made my week.

This week was great and interesting at the same time.

I started the week out with intercambios with Hermana Forsey. She is a great missionary, and taught me a lot. That day, we found an icecream truck in BOLIVIA! Wut... so we had to buy some. You never see icecream trucks in Bolivia. My favorite flavor here is dulce de leche. Now I dont remember, do they have dulce de leche in the states? I hope so, because it is my favorite.

We had some great experiences during the week. It is tough, because in this area, there arent really any people progressing. So we are looking for new families. It is tougher than Potosi, because not very many people want to listen to us.

Yesterday was a crazy day. So Saturday, we had a lunch with a less active lady. And I asked her about this crazy spirulina herb drink that she had, just curious as to what it was. I shouldnt have asked, because she then processed to make it for us. And it was a BRIGHT BLUE. Super weird. But we drank it because she is a nice old lady and we didnt want to be rude. So we ate lunch with her, and then we wanted to fast for our investigators, so we didnt eat the rest of the day. The next day, I woke up feeling really gross. We had our last lunch with members yesterday, and I am actually so grateful. I was literally feeling so sick, but I had to force down the hugest plate of Pique Machu that I have ever seen in my life. Now go look up what Pique looks like. It is like pure grease. French fries, meat, hotdogs, and ketchup. I was literally suffering. I already was having diarrea that morning, and then I had to shove down this junk. Yup.... my companion and I had diarrea for the rest of the day. I swear, it was that crazy spirulina drink. My first time being truly sick on the mission. YEAH.

No, but it was a good learning experience for me. And we still worked, which was good. My stomach is still funny today, but it will be okay.

So I am excited and sad at the same time that we won’t have lunches with members. Sad because it is a great opportunity to get to know the ward. But we have decided to have family nights with families every Monday. EXCITED because I never have to force down huge amounts of food again. We will always eat with our pension now.

What else.....

- Mom, I will probably always write in the afternoon from now on, unless we have a zone activity, because my comp likes it better. And the internet is faster.

- Did I mention that I loved my package!?

- The mission is crazy... I have never been so tired every day, but happy, too, because I know we are working hard.

- CHRISTMAS! Yes, we are starting to see Christmas stuff here! And I am actually really excited now, because this Christmas I get to focus wholly on being selfless and helping other people. I will never have that experience again. So I am way excited.

- We had an awesome zone meeting this week about D&C 121. Many are called but few are chosen. Are YOU one of the chosen ones?! I want to be one of the chosen ones. Someone who is willing to be more obedient, more selfless, more kind. Try to think of the ways that you can be called one of God`s chosen people, and not just someone who goes to church and is called.

- Will you tell Hope Breedlove that I pretty much have dreams about her every week? It is so weird... but she is always randomly in my dreams. Tell her that i miss her!

- KYLE! So remember how you told me that Alma 7 was one of your favorite chapters? Well, I read it this week, and you are right. It is an amazing chapter, and one of my favorites, too.

-There are crazy thunderstorms here, too! I love it.

- I sent your Christmas package, and it should get there in about 20 days! I hope it gets there in one piece..... but it was a huge dilemma, so don’t expect very many packages from me. Hahah but it has some pretty cool stuff in it. When you get it, if you don’t understand the reference of Coca.... just ask me. Hahaha

I don’t really remember what else happened this week. I am finally adjusting to Cocha, and it hasnt been as hot this week. The people here are super great, and the members are all really cool and supportive.

I hope you all have a great week!

CON MUCHO AMOR,

HERMANA ROUTSONG

Add caption

Danner.... the coolest kid that I have met in Bolivia

It was so cold!

Thanks for the package!

The lunch that made me sick

They loved the Warheads you sent

 I sent you a package

My comp

 

Cochabamba!

WUT????? I am actually writing you from a different part of Bolivia???? QUE RARO!!!!!!!

Yes..... I am here in Cochabamba..... and it is SO DANG HOT HERE. I really don’t know . I was so used to the cold in Potosi, and I came here and now I am sweating every dang day! It is intense.......

But my area is so pretty. It is SO GREEN! So different. Literally, it is like coming from one world to another. Potosi is so dang different. Here, there are flowers, trees, plants, and not everyone is drunk! And there are no hills!

It actually reminds me a lot of Oregon, which messes with my mind because I feel like I am in Oregon, which means I would be on vacation... but I am NOT on vacation hahahahaha

My comp is super great. I am really grateful for her. It is hard transitioning from a gringa to a Peruana, but I`ll be okay. Hermana Nieves speaks fast sometimes, so it is kind of hard to understand her, but I am adjusting. However, she is really obedient, and that is the most important thing to me. AND SHE LETS ME RUN AND GO TO THE GYM IN THE MORNING. Bless her heart, she is so great. So we wake up at 6 to go run in this soccer field. And there is a gym close by. I am happy. Everyone says that they gain weight here in Cocha, but I will be different! Have I told you that now since I have been home, I have lost 30 whole freaking pounds..... woah....... it kind of scares me. What was Potosi doing to me?!!

BULLET POINT TIME!

- MOM! I want you to send me Insanity as fast as you can! That is the only thing I want. The whole set. I didn’t know that we could do it here! SEND IT TOMORROW! Thats the only thing I want for Christmas (since you keep asking me....)

- FRUIT! Yes, that is one thing I love about being in Cochabamba. There is so much fruit! I eat it every day for breakfast. And it is SO CHEAP. I have eaten watermelon, mango, chirimoya, papaya, for breakfast this whole week. So great. I wish you guys could try chirimoya, it is so tasty. I even convinced my pension to only give me fruit for dinner. And I asked her not to give me soup either for lunch, so I am feeling pretty good

- MOM! So I am more worried about the food here. It doesn’t feel as clean sometimes, so I started putting your stupid lemon drops in my water. DONT MAKE FUN OF ME EVERYONE ELSE IN THE FAMILY. Hahah I dont want to die!

- My ward here is incredible, and I am so looking forward to working with them. It actually feels like a ward that you would find in the states. It is really strong. So different. I am not used to it. My bishop is super cool.

- So if you want to know where my area is, just look up pictures of the Christ statue, and my area is right below it! Pretty cool.

- It is so hot here.... I am dying....

- Everyone drinks Coco Cola... .nasty......

- Our house has so many ants

- We went to a big party for the church this past week. It was the 50th anniversary of the church in Bolivia. There will be pictures in the Dec Ensign! Look for me!

- How is it possible that I completed 7 WHOLE MESES THIS WEEK!? So weird..... it went by so fast! And yet, so slow.... the time here is weird.....

- WE WENT PAINTBALLING TODAY! I was super excited. I have always wanted to go paintballing, and finally I got to go! It was awesome. I totally nailed this one kid in the back like 4 times and now he was all these bruises. Looks like all of our shotgun shooting paid off!

- I took the photo below during a member lunch. They had clothes that they dance in from Tarija, so I put it on and they braided my hair and everything... like a true Tarija Cholita. It was fun.

- We found out today that we aren’t going to be eating with members ever again. Apparently it is too unclean, and people are getting really sick.

- Cochabamba has a Burger King, a TGIF, and even a CHIPOTLE? Wut.... where am I? I am going to try the Chipotle this next Pday. I hope it is the same!

So yeah.... it is really different here. I cannot really describe how different. I actually feel like I am in the states sometimes. But it is so beautiful, and we are working really hard with the people here. I am still trying to adjust, but I know that in the Strength of the Lord I can do all things. We shall see!

I have a talk that I want you all to read. I dont know exactly what it is called in english, but it something like Being Grateful in All Circumstances by Uchtdorf. It really helped me this week. It was a rough week. And I really didn’t want to be here. But I learned to be grateful no matter what it happening.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

HERMANA ZOUTSONG

Fotos....

PAINTBALLING!

Ropa de TARIJA! Dont judge.... I look really girly.......

We always arm wrestled

Going away present

I miss them

Weird drink 

I am going to miss my crazy comp

Leaving Potosi

The Elders loved my transformer pillow case

New Comp

This is a Chirimoya

Cute Girls 

Cute Boys

Large gratefruit

Birthday

First Day in Cochabamba

Don't judge.... I look girlie

I found this on Keiths birthday

Wiggle Wagon

Paint balling

Crammed in a car

 

Cambioooooooos

I bet you are all wondering where in the world will I be TOMORROW?!

ANY GUESSES???????

COCHABAMABA.

Yup. Por fin, I will be in the place that I was actually called to serve. I will say, when I got the call yesterday, I was really sad. I really didn’t want to go to Cochabamba. I am going to miss Potosi more than anything. I have heard that Cochabamba is a completely different mission. And I will be right in the center of the city. I am going from a hipster, little town of Potosi to the big city! I have heard that missionaries have culture shock! I am nervous.....

BUT I have learned something from this experience. I have learned to put my whole trust in Heavenly Father.  I know that I am supposed to go to Las Cuadras for a reason (that is what my next area is called...). I am excited to see what Heavenly Father has in store for me, but I will miss Potosi more than you can imagine.

The cool thing is that my new comp is a latina, so I will finally be able to progress more in my spanish! Her name is Hermana Nieve. I think that she is from Peru.  Lets just hope that she likes to run.... hahahaha

So yeah.... yesterday was kind of hard. I was pretty sad, but I am trying to have a positive attitude.

Anyways.... HOW WAS YOUR HALLOWEEN???????? What did you guys do???????? I was on intercambios for my halloween, but I came back for dinner, and my pension decorated her house with ghosts and pumpkins. It was so sweet. She knows that it is my favorite holiday. She made her awesome pineapple pie, and also made this stuff called chanitline that I LOVE. It was a fun day.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU GUYS ABOUT TODOS SANTOS. It is so crazy here. So the people here in Potosi celebrate Todo Santos like crazy, more than any other place in Bolivia. It is fun. So they spend all week making these things they call masitas, which basically are little cakes and cookies. Then, Saturday and Sunday, they set up these shrines in their house for people who have recently died in their family. Then, they open their doors and invite anyone from off the street to come in. The people have to say a prayer infront of the shrine, and then the owner of the house gives them these masitas. So people just go from house to house, collecting these masitas! They had BAGFULLS of these things. It was like trick or treating, except everyone was doing it! It was hilarious to see these adults walking around with giant bags of cookies.

So the hard thing was that NO ONE WAS IN THEIR HOUSE. So we walked around in vain trying to find people to teach. Then, we decided to make a game out of it. We decided to contact everyone that had a big bag of cookies and ask then what they were doing. We, being white, obviously wouldn’t know! Our goal was to see how many people would invite us to have some of their cookies. Hahahaha Because when we asked, they always invited us to have some! By the end of the day, we ended up with a huge bag of these cookies (that aren’t very good) just by contacting people. It was hilarious.

The other bad thing about Todos Santos is that now, because everyone has these gross masitas, during every single appointment, they invite us to eat some. And you get real sick of these nasty cookies fast. Hahahahah But it was funny.

What else is new????

- OH! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH AND GRANDMA AND BARRY!!!!!! I dont remember the exact dates of Grandmas and Barrys, but I know that Keith´s is the 7th! WOW YOU ARE SO OLD! How old are you going to be, Keith???????? What are you guys going to do????

- It is getting so hot here in Potosi. And my comp just says that it is worse in Cochabamba. I am probably going to DIE. I am so used to being cold all the time hahahaha

- I had to say goodbye to all my converts yesterday. It was hard.

- We are still teaching the jovenes during sunday school. It is so fun!

I cannot think of what else happened this week. I had intercambios during Halloween, so I was with another sister in her area. The THIS IS HALLOWEEN song was stuck in my head all day.

I hope that you are all doing great! I miss you guys so much! Next time I write, I will be in Cochabamba! LOVE

HERMANA ROUTSONG

My Zone. I am going to miss them

Long Story

Miskilaua ... a Traditional dessert

I am going to miss them soooo much!

Masitas

Happy Halloween

Getto Weights

She loves Big Time Rush