The Work has just gotten sweeter!

The Work has just gotten sweeter!
Espirito Santo, Brasil

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Wind, Wet and Wow!!

<---------------Here is my mailing address.




Hola Familia y mis amigos!

WIND:    So the main, but fun, trial this week was the weather!  Last Tuesday, it was so WINDY!!! We couldn't even hardly bike, it was that strong. We were laughing so hard trying to bike and Sister Merrill said that we are never gonna be able to experience this after our missions, so we should have fun! That is so true, there are so many experiences on a mission that you just CAN'T have in any other time of your life. So I am trying to keep this positive mind-set throughout all of the tough parts of the day.

WET:     The last couple of days, it has been pouring rain. On Saturday, we were SOAKED! I mean, everything was soaked, but Heavenly Father blessed us with help, through members of our ward. We are dinner with them and they dried our clothes, gave us new socks, drove us around, gave us an umbrella. We were so grateful! We would have been miserable for the rest of the day but they helped us so much and I have never been so grateful. Yesterday, a guy gave me $20 because he loves the sisters. We aren't really supposed to take money but I was out of laundry money and so I knew that is was a blessing from Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father is aware of everything, even how much money is in our bank account.

BTW, I did see David Archuleta AGAIN! His grandpa moved to Honduras for 3 months and so we can't go over and teach him, but David was walking with some other English-speaking Elders in our mission, he goes out and teaches with them. We saw them walking in an apartment complex we cover as well and so I biked over and waved! HAHA I think that I am gonna make it a tradition to see David EVERY P-day :) Maybe I will see him today haha :)

This week, I went on an exchange with Hna. Sosa. She is from the Dominican Republic and she is AWESOME! She is so fun and I love her to death. 

WOW:      SO this week, I have been really stretched, but that is the only way we grow and learn so BRING IT ON! I did mission correlation meeting by myself, in Spanish! It was stressful but I am learning a lot. Then I did Weekly Planning in Spanish this week and it was horrible! But afterwards, I was so glad I did it because I learn so much and become a better missionary. We also had interviews with the Mission President and it was great. He asked me about the wedding and how I handled it and of course, I tried to be strong and tough but I did start crying and he told me that he was really glad that I am here. And I know that he receives revelation for his missionaries because I had been doubting my purpose as a missionary and thinking about it a lot........... and then in our interview, he told me that it is OK to doubt our purpose and we can ask Heavenly Father to tell us what our purpose it. He answered my question without me telling him about it! It was so cool. He is an awesome president. 

I am so glad that we have an obedient mission. On Sunday, we went to a stake missionary correlation meeting for a stake that we cover (We cover 6 stakes) and we got there, all ready to go and on time. The elders that are in this stake are from another mission, and boy, I was shocked at how they acted. They showed up late, looking like they just woke up. They had a really crappy progress report with 2 people on it! 2 people?!? That is horrible. The Stake president then started asking them what they were doing with their time and why they only had two people. Then they started giving off lame excuses and it was horrible. These Elders don't know what they are doing! Then, the Stake President said that he got a report from a Bishop that the Elders had fallen asleep in a meeting with him! Then the Stake President just started chastising them and how they are not being blessed with people to teach because they aren't being obedient. I felt bad for the elders but also grateful for my mission and how Pres. stresses obedience. It was a very interesting experience and don't be afraid to correct missionaries if they aren't being obedient. They need the blessings so correct them. Make sure they are out from dinner at 6 whenever you feed them!

I am so glad Mitch is heading out! I am sure he learned patience haha. 

Tell the Young Men this:

Missions are hard. They challenge you in every way possible, but like the refiners fire, we have to endure the heat and pain in order to cleanse ourselves of our weaknesses and faults. There is no other way to do it. But, being a missionary is the most wonderful thing in the world. All you have to worry about 24/7 is the salvation of souls. Nothing else. It is so worth it. Study Preach My Gospel and KNOW the Scriptures. Do everything you can to dedicate everything you have to serving the Lord.

So yeah, I would tell that to them :) do let them know that it is hard, no one really told me that.

We have 3 people in date, Yatnari, tiene 9 years, baptism May 10. Eloy, 41, May 17, and Yadira, 22, May 24. We are working hard on having them HOLD THEIR DATE! But I know that the Lord has a plan and whatever happens is supposed to happen.

Spanish is coming along great, we are trying to speak in Spanish to each other as companions but it is hard. I am slowly understanding more and sometimes I don't have to translate in my head before I say something. The members of my ward always tell me how amazed they are at my progression. Whenever I doubt my progression in Spanish, I always think back to my first day in the mission and then I can see how the gift of tongues is real.

Don't worry about the package, I am really grateful for all the food.....and so are all the other girls in our apartment :) so thanks again to everyone for all the fun food!!
    
Thanks for all of the advice, I love reading your emails. And don't worry about the letters, it really helps me to focus on missionary work when I am not reminded daily of my family that I miss so much. Don't worry about :) Its all good!

I will be setting up a time for skype and then I will let you know next week what time and what address. I can't wait to skype all of you! I love you all so much ;)

So yeah, that is all for this week, it was a really good week! LOVE YOU ALL!
SLY!
Hermana Warren
                                          

No comments:

Post a Comment