This is the temple and president carmacks email he sent out

Dear families of our newest missionaries!

We welcomed 14 new missionaries to the Panama Panama City Mission from the Provo MTC -- 10 elders and 4 hermanas! They received training and are heading out to their areas later today. I have attached a photo of the new missionaries at the Panama temple (unfortunately it is closed right now for maintenance, so the missionaries were unable to attend the temple)..

We were very impressed with how dedicated and prepared this new group of missionaries is. We know that they will do a terrific job building up the kingdom of God here in Panama. We will do our best to take great care of them. We have our own missionary son who is serving in Denmark, so we know how you are feeling.

If you want to follow a personal blog where I post some photos of the mission, the address is sunshineinmysoulpanamamission.blogspot.com. Please note that this is a personal blog and not an official site of the church or of the mission. I try to update it once a week with new photos. The p-day in our mission is on Mondays, so you should be getting your first email from your missionary then. If you wish to send letters or packages,

There is no delivery of mail in Panama because there is not really an address system. Mail has to be picked up at the post office. The office elders pick up the mail and it is distributed to zone leaders, district leaders or the missionaries themselves as soon as possible. It is typical for it to take 3-6 weeks for your missionary to receive mail. Also, please make sure that Mision Panama appears in the address. This will help mail get through easier. PLEASE NOTE: It is illegal to include food or medications (including vitamins) in packages to Panama. Almost any food they desire can be found here in Panama, so consider just giving them extra money in their account to purchase food here.

Please do not send cash to your missionary through the mail. The best way to get emergency money to them is to add it to the debit card that they hopefully brought with them to the mission. Also, please keep your communications with your missionary positive to help them in their efforts to serve the Lord.

If you post your missionary's weekly emails or any photos from your missionary anywhere on the internet (Facebook or missionary blogs, for example), please respect the privacy of others in the mission. Please remove any negative comments about companions, local leaders or any members. It is not appropriate for this to be on the internet for anyone to read. Also, please edit the names of people to just use the first initial. For example, Elder Gomez, would be changed to Elder G, or our investigator, Karina, would be changed to our investigator K. Also, please do not publish the location of any missionaries. This will help keep our missionaries safe -- we actually had an ex-boyfriend of one of our sisters show up in Panama from France, trying to locate her. 

You may be interested in joining an email group for mother's (and a few father's) of missionaries in the Panama and other Central American missions. It is not run by the church, but is a great resource to get questions answered by experienced moms. The website is ldsmissionarymoms.com. You sign up and they will automatically assign you to the group that includes the Panama mission.

We are very blessed to be in Panama to help build up the Lord's kingdom. We thank you for sending us such prepared, worthy and dedicated missionaries. We pray that your family will be blessed while you have a missionary serving full-time for the Lord.

Best regards,

Pres. and Sister Carmack

First week in the field!!!

Hola everyone,

       First week in the mission has been really hard. I think it´s the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life. I was sooo excited when I got off the plane. I just wanted to go to work right away. That all changed when I had to go through immigration. I had no clue what was going on and the people were yelling at us. They kept wanting to know what we were doing in Panama. After they yelled at us and we were like crying they let us go and get our bags.. We got out really fast. When we got out of the airport there were some missionaries and other people there to pick us up. The first night we stayed in a hotel and for dinner we ate pizza. It was an awesome hotel. Although they did have a bath tub right in the middle of the room.... weird. Then the next morning we woke up to go to a meeting. This is where we would get new companions. I cried so much like a little baby because I grew so close to my companions. I miss them a lot but its okay. Its part of the mission. The area in Panama I´m in is called Santiago. Its right in the middle of Panama. No AC in my apartment and bugs everywhere. But its actually pretty nice. The hardest part so far is everything is just really different. The people, the language, EVERYTHING! My companion is from Idaho so she is about the only person I know that speaks English (Which is good for me).

So this week we did a service assignment for an older lady in the ward. She is like 80 or something. So we get to her house and she hands us two machetes and tells us to chop down her trees. Not just one or two trees but a whole mile of trees. Lets just say we didnt finish and that we all have blisters. It was actually pretty fun! We all just made a game out of it.

The showers here....... Lets just say that I´m wide awake after I take one. They are soo clod. It feels really good after a long hot day so I´m not complaning.

So my first meal here.... After I ate I thought I was going to die. The food here is just about the same thing everytime. Rice, beans, chicken, or some type of meat. So its not that the food is bad. It´s just..... well.... for example. There were four of us at the table, they cook as if there were 14. So we ate about 5 plates worth of food. I have never eaten so much food in my life. I was full for about two days. lol. Now that I think about it, its pretty funny.

I sang in the choir at church yesterday. In spanish. I had no clue what I was saying but it sounded really nice. the choir director really likes me and wants me to do a solo at a talent show we are having next month. She also wants me to country dance lol... Shes crazy. I guess we will see what happens.

So my first lesson... I didnt understand anything at all. I just kinda sat there and looked dumb. Then at the end my companion asked if I wanted to say anything. In my head I was saying NO!! But for some odd reason my mouth just started to move. I had no clue what I said but the investigator shook his head and said okay. I think I invited him to church. Well atleast the spirit did. The spirt has really helped me alot since I have been here. Thank goodness for that.

Of all the hardness that the mission is.. I love it. Well I will love it. I dont speak the language and just feel really left out all the time. Someone told me that they were going to ripe my eyes out of my head lol... I didnt know until I got home and my companions told me. haha. BUT I understand that nothing is going to be easy. The language will come with time and then it will be great. The hotness will not go away but thats okay. I am just really talking to God alot and asking for help. Everyday this week I have cried and wanted to go home but then I always pray and get that comfort. My companion is great to and she helps me out alot. A mission is hard.. No one said it would be easy, but everyday gets better and better. Although I have had some hard times, I have seen many blessings since I´ve been here. We were on the bus and the cops pulled us over and asked for everyones ID or passport. I didnt have mine because the mission pres. took it and is keeping it in a safe. He says that we all have to have them locked up so he keeps all of our passports locked up. He was supposed to give me a copy of it but never did. So I was about to go to jail. Then as he made it to my seat he said.... your fine. Heavenly Father really helped me out there. Now I have a copy and everything is okay. Being a missionary rocks!!!

Well Im not sure if there is anything I missed but the work here is moving foward. God has work for me to do and I got to do it. I love you all and miss you all but Panama needs me. Things are going great here and I love it.

-Hermana Patrick

Pictures

This is the guy I was telling you guys about... He is like 6'10... He is going to Panama with us on Tuesday.. He is going to be like 3 times bigger then all the people down there.. haha its sooo funny. Well gtg love you guys!! 

Lexi NEW ADDRESS

Elder/Hermana__________

Misión Panama

AP 0834-02798

Panamá

Repucblica de Panamá

Hey guys I was told that the address has changed for sending mail to me in Panama. This is the new address.. They said sorry for the last min change. Don't send anything to the other address. 

love you all and hope everything is going well. Ill call you in like 5 days:) yessssssssssssssss!!! Oh and I got your DearElder dad. Love it. 

Last week in the CCM! :)

Hola, 

       

         This week has been good. Nothing too crazy has happened. I got my flight plans, which most of you already know. I'm soooo excited to get out there in the field and talk to people. I'm a little nervous about leaving but at the same time excited. I don't know Spanish as much as I would hope but, its coming. It's a lot better this week then it was last week, that's for sure. I'm also nervous about the food lol. I hate sea food and that's what they eat down there. I hope Heavenly Father blesses me that I will like the food lol. Otherwise, my teacher told me to tell the people that i'm fasting if they try to give me nasty food jaja. Other then that I'm soo ready to go. I know that Heavenly Father is going to bless me if I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. 

No crazy stories this week.. But I will tell something that has really hit me this week. So during companionship and personal study we/I studied the 2nd coming. If you read in D&C it talks a lot about it. At first when I was studying I started to get really scared. One of my companions told us a story about her seminary teacher. Her seminary teacher said that one day he was at some meeting with a guy from the 70 and some other people... He said that someone (I think the guy from the 70) stood up and said that Thomas S. Monson was going to be our last prophet. After the guy said that the seminary teacher looked around and asked if anyone heard what he just said. People looked at him crazy and said they didn't hear anything. After the meeting he found out that several other people heard and some people didn't. He said it was because they weren't ready. I think that is soo cool. At the same time I scared. But after talking with my companions and reading in the scriptures a little I know that if you are choosing the right on the Earth right now then it shouldn't be a problem. Heavenly Father is going to make sure that you are okay. I would encourage everyone to read D&C and really think about this. It has hit me really hard this week. I am trying to change and become the best person/missionary that I can be. 

 GWEN CAN TALK?? She never talked that well.. Thats soo funny. "Wait a min." lol She's funny. Yeah kane is kane lol.. Gregory lied?? WHAT?? NOT GREGORY!! haha he's bad but cute. Lisa and Anissa sent me some mail and lisa sent me a package from dearelder. Tell her i said thanks and anissa too. She got me some soda and some candy lol.. Michelle sent me a postcard.. tell her thanks and good luck with the move. Im glad marquee is doing well. I put him a letter in the box and I got the one he sent me. Man seems like everything is going well.. Im doing great and I learn something new everyday. I cant wait to leave and go to Panama. :) SOOO excited. 17 months left. Well less then that lol. 

So I just got back from the temple and mannnnn!!! I leaned soooooo much that I didn't know before. Everyone was right when they said that you learn something new every time. GO TO THE TEMPLE!! It's sooo amazing. 

Well I have no time this week to really talk but I love you all and will see you soon. Ill be in the field in 5 days!! :) Soooooooooo excited!! My next pictures will be ones from Panama. AHH So excited. 

Hermana por vida.... Hermana Patrick

No longer 18 months....17 months to go!!!

So this week has been great, in a weird way. Let me start off with a little story.... So the whole time I have been here in the MTC I have been wondering why I'm here. Why Heavenly Father put me in the Provo MTC and not the Mexico. Everyone has been telling me to find out the reason, so I've been trying my best. Well as of Tuesday night Aug. 5 2014, I found out. I found out in the craziest way but I found out. Little did I know Heavenly Father has been giving me signs since the first day. So on Tuesday we had a evaluation after the devotional with the district. Our branch pres., President Pickering told everyone to go around and bear their testimony on what we learned in the devotional. So an Elder in my district (Elder Zibin) stood up and said what he learned. (FYI the devotional talked about the temple and being sealed to our family forever). Elder Zibin is having a really hard time. He told us that his mom is having a really hard time and that she is not a member anymore. She told him before he came out that a mission was the worst thing he could ever do in his life. There is more to the story but he only wants a little shared. Anyways, so his mom is not supportive of him at all but his father is. His mom was a member and was even sealed in the temple but not anymore. He told our branch president and the rest of us that he knows that him and his future wife and kids can be sealed and be a family forever but he is not sure about his mom. He said he didn't have a testimony of it because of his mom. Then the unthinkable happened.... The Branch president stood up and made everyone open their LDM to D&C and read. He made us read about the plan of salvation and who gets to go to what kingdom. The Elder was crying and was having a really hard time and our president just kept going.. To say the least, the spirit was def. not there! But I have learned soooo much from this experience. Every single person in my district has some issue with a family member or friend! They may not be the same experiences but we all help each other is some way. I was able to talk to the Elder (Zibin) about my brother and he just cried. He said that he knows now that he is not alone. I told him that his mom can choose to turn her life around on earth or in Heaven. Heavenly Father isn't just going to say "ohh well!! you messed up on earth so looks like you cant be with your family" NO!! Heavenly Father always gives you a chance to make it right. Now the Elder is doing much better!! He has def. been a huge blessing in my life because my testimony grew soooooo much!! :) What a great experience!! I told him about my brother and he is sooo happy he is doing better! He now has faith that his mom will be just fine. 

I'm just in a story mood today lol... so here is an update on the lady at the immunization place. We saw her again today..... She was in a much better mood lol. She even smiled! :) Good for her!! 

Man I'm just having sooo many awesome things happen to me.. Another story??? okay... :) So last week I didn't send pictures because I lost my cord. I thought I knew where it was but when I got home it wasn't there. That was last week... so here it is this week and last night I decided to do another hunt for my cord. Its no where to be found!! :( So I said a pray last night and looked a little longer but no luck. So this morning after the temple we go to the lost and found and no luck. I say a quick pray that went a little something like this... "Dear Heavenly Father, please help me find my cord. My mom is going to kill me". lol So we walk into the computer lab and I sit down at a computer about to email my mom and tell her the news and guess what!!?? To my surprise my cord was right next to the computer!! :) How awesome!! I cried and thanked Dios for helping me out! Do you get the moral of the story?? Well you need to make sure that your staying close to Dios in everything that you do because he will help you when you need it!! :) 

Spanish: Well its going great!! I am soooo much better! My teachers have told me that I am doing a great job. Yesterday a Elder in my district told me that he looks up to me. He said that the language just comes to him but he sees me working really hard everyday to get better and it makes him want to work harder! :) He said that I'm getting a lot better. and that means a lot coming from him. He speaks Spanish very well. I also learned Joseph Smith's first vision in Spanish!! Pretty sweet!! Also, I pray only in Spanish now! :) 

Fast Sunday was sooo awesome! yep it was great!! :) The spirit has been by my side and I plan to keep it that way. I love the feeling!! 

Also, I get my flight plan tomorrow so I'll let everyone know details later on next week. Im soooooooo excited to finally get to Panama!! 

Lastly, thanks everyone for the letter and emails!! I love them all. Aunt Ashley if you are reading this please send me an email so that I can email you!! I got your dear elder :) I lovedddddddd it!! :) Sister Perrier!! Thanks for the yummy treats you sent and for the card! I loved it! I'll be writing to everyone soon so be on the look out. Yes Aunt Monica, I sent you some mail lol. Check your mailbox it should be there by now, :)

Love you all and miss you soooooo much!! Read your scriptures and pray daily. If you can go to the temple and listen to the words again!! :) Your life will be soo blessed. Also if you have time read D&C 50:21-22     D&C 132: 15, 19 and Moroni 7:33 :) Love you!!

P.S. Sorry about spelling mistakes or anything else. I only have so much time and I don't want to waste it on wording lol. You get what I'm trying to say lol. 

-Hermana Por Vida :) Hermana Patrick! 

4th Week pictures

 Snacks on are table a few days ago... Its almost gone now lol

 Here's Elder Butts!! :) I see him everyday lol... We have all meals at the same day, same p-day, and gym time!! Pretty sweet!! :)

 The other picture with the two Elders are Elders Zibin and Hatch! They are soooo awesome!! :) I have a story to tell about Elder Zibin in my main email.

 So one picture is Elder Dale!! Hes funny lol... He jumped right in my picture..

 So in the picture that is kinda dark we are on a bus going to main campus MTC for a devotional.
 

Hey mom this is Elder Taylor.. He is from Houston!! Show this picture to Elder Fernsten. :)

Week 3... Almost My Mission Birthday!! :)

Hola, 

     

         So this week has been crazy... let me start off by telling you something that just happened to me and my companions. So one of my companions had to go to the immunization place on campus because she doesn't have all her shots. So we get there and the lady inside was very mean!! She yelled at us because my companion told her that she had all her shots that she needed and that she just came to have them updated. Let's just say she was in a very bad mood!! So after she is in the computer for a while she leans back and tells us to come back next week and get 2 other shots that we don't need. My companion told her that she didn't want to get the other shots because they weren't required and her mom knows nothing about it. Then the lady told us that we would DIE if we didn't have the shots :') I almost died laughing but I didn't. Anyways, she told us we couldn't go to Panama or the temple if we died!! :') So as you can see we were a little confused..... we just told her very kindly that we would talk to someone else about it and she called us snots lol... Then she said that we were smart A words.... Knowing that my mom taught me well... I went and got the manager and told her.. Lets just say she wont be working in the MISSIONARY DEPARTMENT ANYMORE!! :) 

Also this week my companions and I had a hard time. We kind of fought over dumb things but we got it all shorted out and now everything is great. The days are pretty much the same here. Although I could say I love Sunday's, Tuesday's, and Thursday's the best.. Sunday is just about the only day where we can relax for an hour. Also on Sunday's we have devotionals... which are the best!! So far in the CCM we have had one member of the 70 and the rest were people at the CCM or ex members of the 70. They are so awesome!! We found out in the devotional that an Elder read the BOM 38 times! So lets hope I can do that to lol. On Tuesday's we have another devotional and we sing in the Choir! And Thursday is P-DAY!!!!!!! :) Those are my favorite days.

My Spanish is going pretty well. My teachers have told me that I have improved a lot so that's awesome!! :) We have three investigators now.. they are going pretty well. One is a little harder then the rest but he will come around. 

So the best thing about this week was I saw someone yesterday!! Not just anyone! :) Guess who I saw?????? Really guess????? I'll tell you in the letter next week so guess ;) lol jk.... I saw ALEX BUTTS!!!! :) OMG!! I walked by a table at dinner and heard someone say "Hey Hermana Patrick", I turned around and there he was!! :) We talked for a little and then I told him we had to take a picture!! So I took a picture with him today (Thursday the 31st) and I will have to send it next week because I left my cord at home. But his P-Day is the same as mine so hopefully he can go to the temple with us next week! He is doing great, I see him all the time. Today he was working on some Spanish and he sounds really good sister Butts!! Don't worry he has a great teacher and great companion. I'll keep an eye out for him! :) 

So I have been studying my scriptures so much and have learned so much in the 3 weeks I've been here. I have never felt so much love from Dios (God) in my life! I feel so close to him everyday and I have seen sooo many blessings. A couple of days ago one of my companions got sick. The Elders in our district were jokingly saying what is we give you a blessing? She said okay... there faces dropped. None of them had ever done it before but they all agreed. All 8 of them put there hands on her head and gave her a blessing! the spirit was soooooooo strong. Afterward she got up from the chair and she said she felt soo much better. Blessing are from God and we will all never forget that moment! I would recommend if you are sick or just feeling down just ask for a blessing. They are sooo powerful and special! 

If anyone gets a chance please read Moroni! All the chapters... It will change your life forever! It has changed mine. 

Well thats it for this week... maybe next week I will throw some Spanish is my letter so be on the lookout lol. Love you all!! Keep sending me letters and DearElders!! I love them!! :) Thank you to those that have sent letters or have prayed for me, I love you! See you in 18 almost 17 months! :) woohooo!!! 

Sorry for spelling or any other errors. I'm rushing plus I've been speaking and writing Spanish so its hard to remember how to spell lol. 

Horah for Israel!! Hermana por vida!!

-Hermana Patrick