Hola Familia!
Wow, I can't believe that it has been 6 months already! Where did the time go? I feel like I have been here for WAY longer than that, but then, at the same time, I feel like it just flew. Only one year left! Everyone has told me that the next year will just go by so fast. I will see you all sooner than we think. But I have too much to do here to go home yet, more areas to be in and more people to meet :)
Como estan? I am really good :) I am glad that you had a good 4th! I love the ward breakfast, but nothing compares to Mom's pancakes and Dad's eggs. My 4th was good, of course we didn't have any members available to drive us so we were on our bikes the entire day. It is so HOT here in Utah, hot and dry! I sweat so much and I am always so thirsty but I feel like I drink so much. Anyway, we ate at the Young Women's presidents house and she is american so we ate hamburgers and talked about all the political things that have been going on involving the church. Since we can't read church news, we had no idea about anything going on so it was interesting. We helped the members with us to understand the importance of bearing their testimony when people ask about things going on...that is what we do as missionaries. We get asked a lot about plural marriage and the lady that was excommunicated and all we can do is bear our testimony. That night, we came home so tired BUT after planning, we got in our PJs and went to other sisters apartment and ate pancakes and watched the fireworks through the window and sang patriotic songs :) It was fun :) I have no idea why the Elders in your ward had to stay in after 6, in the missionary handbook, it says that holidays are usually the best days to find people at home! I am not sure but if their mission president told them to do that, they should follow his council.
I like reading about the other missionaries. I can't believe that Kolby is on his mission already! He is going to love the CCM, it is so pretty and fun and really good food. I look back at when I was there and I can't believe that I arrived there in Mexico 6 months ago. Let me know about ALyssa's farewell. Tell her I love her and give her a hug for me.
It sounds like Mom's lesson went well in RS! That is a good idea to memorize the proclamation, I should do it too! The way you did the lesson sounds like the same way we do District meetings, we get trained on something and then we do a role play. We have to practice something to be ready for the time that we actually have to talk to people. Those words are from God, the most powerful way to say what God would say. Today, we read 2 Nephi 25 as a mission and this is one of the most powerful chapters when it comes to whether Mormons are Christians or not. V. 26 says it clearly that we talk of Christ and rejoice in Christ and preach of Christ. The name of our church is The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints. The name of our church says we are Christians.
Yeah, that family that I was bold with are really frustrating. He finally told us the other day that he doesn't want us to come by anymore, so we have to respect that. It just makes me so sad to see his kids and how they won't have the Holy Ghost helping through their teen years. No matter how hard we try to "wake people up", they have to choose to open their eyes.
Sister Egan went out with us again last night, and she told me that she talked to you. She really loves you all and I am so grateful for her. She supports us so much.
So some things that happened last week. So yeah, it was so hot this last week. It was 100 degrees yesterday and I drank so much. When I drink a lot, I am not hungry and therefore, Lose weight! YAY! I just kept drinking and drinking, I was scared that I was going to have to knock on a random person's door to use their bathroom! But I didn't :)
We had a few problems as a companionship this last week, I finally talked about some things that had been bothering me and we both expressed some things. Of course, later, we apologized for some things. I know the way to grow closer is to serve my companion.
We had a baptism this last weekend! Yadira and her son, Anothony! It was a good baptism. I sang Mando a Su Hijo. I really love singing in Spanish. There are hymns that I would rather sing in Spanish than English, like I Know That My Redeemer Lives. I love singing that is Spanish.
Something that I am working on right now is prayer. I realized that I have to pray in English, even though I should pray in Spanish. I feel like I am really talking to Heavenly Father when I pray in English. Hopefully, I will get to the point where Spanish becomes my 1st language :) we are talking a lot in Spanish and there members are noticing a difference!
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| [Anthony and Angel, the cutest boys on the planet!] |
By the way, really random, but we were in an area that we aren't usually in and someone told us that someone spoke spanish but they did know the address. So we were driving with Sister Egan, and we saw an old man cutting his lawn so we went over to him to ask him if he knows anyone in the area that speaks Spanish. It turns out that his name is Gayle Winterose, Channing Winterose's grandpa! (Bri's boyfriend, are they still dating ?) He got teary-eyed when I told them that I know them! It was really sweet. SMALL WORLD!
Then yesterday, we were in the Sandpiper apartments, ones we aren't usually in very much. We said a prayer to know where to go, because it was so hot and we didn't want to just knock doors for an hour, God knows who is there and if we have the faith, he can guide us to those who need us. After we prayed, I remembered someone we had talked to previously on the street and he said he lived in these apartments. I found the number in my planner and we realized we had locked our bikes right next to his apartment. We went over and knocked. The boy we met before opened the door and we asked for water :) Ho got some water for us and then the mom came over and we talked to her and then we asked if we could share a message. She let us in and then called her other daughter who was upstairs. All three listened as we taught lesson one and they all said they felt something while Sister Gonzalez shared the First Vision. They all seem excited to read the Book of Mormon. And the mom explained how she has been to other Christian churches and just felt that it wasn't right. She feels good listening to us. We explained to her that she was feeling the Holy Ghost and that he was testifying to her of the truth. The only problem is that the dad is SUPER catholic and they said they would talk to him for permission. They aren't on date because of that but they are really interested and WHEN they get permission, they will accept a date for sure. When we walked out of that lesson, we were so amazed at how the Lord had it all planned out, and because we asked for his help, he was able to guide us to them. It was such a cool experience, and something I learned is that usually, we don't really realize that the Spirit is guiding us or speaking to us. If we just have faith and pray to Heavenly Father, we will be guided, whether we recognize it or not. It was a really interesting experience.
Mom i haven't gotten the letter yet, it should come tomorrow. I got a letter from Jordan! THANKS JORDAN!! It helped me so much, you have no idea. I like the metaphor about the elephant, you eat an elephant one bite at a time. I am trying to do that, focus on my mission one day at a time. I try to be the best missionary TODAY!
So yeah, this is what has been happening this last week. Things are going great, and I am tired by the end of the day.
I will get a box ready for Jess and Jordan! Thanks for that, there are some things that I want to send home.
I love you all so much! I miss you and hope everyone is doing great! when does Jenna leave for Hawaii? I will give everyone a big hug and kiss on the cheek( my favorite custom about the Latino culture :)
SLY
Hermana Warren
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