3 months down..

Hola bonita familia y amigos!

 

Well this week has definitely been filled with its ups and downs... downs low enough that my companion and I laid in the middle of the street being dramatic yelling "WHY?!" because people are so crazy. bahahaha pictures to come, don't you fret!

Transfers were last week, we now have a Columbian DL so he's learning English from us and we're learning Spanish from him. Super great!

Sad news... A and E the amazing family we contacted that came to church, dropped us. Dropped us like a bag of rocks! All of a sudden they don't have any time.. broke my heart. But I know they're ready so one day they will be baptized. We planted a seed, they can't deny it! The same day we got dropped my our Focus 15 family. Super inactive family we were supposed to focus on but they never let us in the door. We still stopped by to share a scripture but H called and said we weren't alllowed to come over anymore... so we shall continue stalking them through phone calls ;) Another one of our Focus 15 families we just found out the dad left them and they are getting a divorce. :(

We had another lesson with R who was a referral from an Elder. We taught him the Restoration using cups and my Spanish was on fire! I felt so good! I could feel the spirit telling me what words to say and what questions to ask. I shared the First Vision and Hermana Schwegler said she felt the spirit so strong she almost cried. It was our best lesson together. c was there and they were all proud of me and my Spanish. :)

I overheard Hermana Schwegler talking to one of her old comps telling her about training me and she said "She came out knowing hardly anything, now she speaks Spanish like a baller!" hahahaha

Also at District meeting we were practicing application questions, and inviting people to be baptized after the First Vision. One of the APs said his Spanish wasn't as good when he was as young as I am in the mission. Yay :) Heavenly Father is blessing me so much in learning this language.

Yesterday we put our practice to the test - the real deal. We went to teach our investigator, A, the resto and planned to invite her after the first vision like we practiced. We taught point to point, I recited the first vision, Hna explained how Joseph Smith restored the same church to the earth that Christ had established along with the Priesthood in order to do baptisms, then I extended the baptismal invite and she said Yes, prepare me for baptism. WAHOO! She said shes been baptized twice, once as a baby in the Catholic church and once when she was 10 because all he cousins were doing it. She said none of them meant anything because she didn't understand but she is preparing to be baptized on June 22!

Random* So awhile back I don't remember if I wrote about it but I was teaching O and E, the 2 yr old said something in Spanish I didn't understand and L said it's because she's white be quiet! Soo I thought he was making fun or my Spanish. Nope, come to find out he said I have no eyebrows hahahahaha

My trainer is a Sister Training Leader so she has to go on exchanges with 6 sisters this transfer. I'm the only sister with a STL so i get to go on 6 exchanges too! I'm going to learn so much, I'm stoked! Annnnnnd I have permission to drive now! So I get to drive on at least one exchange. Movin on up... ;)

The church is true! The field is white!

So, while we were tracting in an apartment complex, these kids we see every time decided to throw water balloons at us... -_- hahahaha And we were driving to an appt and saw C on the city bus, we rolled down the window and yelled "We love you!!!!!!!!!!!" and this big black bus driver man opened the window and shouted across the street "WE LOVE YOU TOOOOO!!!!!!" Funniest thing ever haha 

We gave a BOM to these guys we contacted and when we were walking to the car we turned around and he was sitting on the porch steps reading it. What a beautiful sight! ;p

We had this SWEET miracle happen Saturday night. We went to visit a potential investigator, the door was open and she was sitting on the floor feeding her dog breadsticks? haha anyways she saw us and was like "Otro dia Otro dia!" Another day! We were like well okay and walked away. There was a man in the house who walked passed the door, looked at us but didnt say anything. When we were almost to the street we heard someone yelling something. We turned around and this man was running after us asking if we had a folleto (pamphlet) Hna Shwegler was in shock and just handed him a BOM hahahaha it was hilarious. He was like dont you have something smaller? So she gave him the Restoartion pamphlet and the BOM and told him it was free. He asked when church was we told him tomorrow at 11:30, he was like man I have to work but I'll be there next time and Im gonna read all this. WHAT?! My trainer said never in her entire year of her mission has she had someone chase her down for what we have. We're going to teach him tonight hopefully. :) WOO HOO! We went to visit another potential, D, on Sunday with a member present, L. She's just about to graduate high school.  We sat down with D and taught the Restoration. We asked if he'd ever felt the spirit before he said no and we asked if that's something he wants, he said yes. We invited him to be baptized and told him this is how he could have the Spirit always. He said yes! June 22! After the lesson L complimented my Spanish. She was like I was waiting for you to mess up a word but you said everything perfect! YUS! haha Apparently she always corrected Hna Schwegler's last trainee's spanish and she asked to not bring her anymore because of it. I'm doing better than I give myself credit for :p

last night we had a lesson in which i felt, this is why I'm here. This is one of the people I was sent here specifically to help. Her name is G, she 19, divorced and has 2 kids. Obviously from just that you can tell she's faced a lot of trials in her life. She's less active and she finally opened up to us last night. A few weeks ago I felt impressed that she needed to read Mosiah 24 about burdens being lifted and bearing trials with patience and also to give her a talk on forgiveness. I thought maybe it was to help forgive her ex but last night we found out really what it is. She hadn't read what I left her with so we read it together. I shared my feelings about a certain verse and she opened up and told us she was adopted, her mom sold her in mexico. She has so much anger towards her mom and wants answers she cant get because she died a few years ago. I bore testimony to her of my experience with forgiveness and the Atonement, all 3 of us girls were tearing up the spirit was so strong. Hna Schwegler bore testimony too and it was just an amazing experience. Hna Schwegler said in the car, I know other missionaries could have helped her, but not like we can. With both of our experiences we have the power to help her in the way she needs. It was awesome! I love knowing that trials in my life are blessings because now like it says in Mosiah 24:14 I can stand as a witness of God that He does come to us in our afflictions. We met with C this morning and taught her about following the prophet. I shared my experience of following the call to serve a mission earlier from Pres Monsons revelation. i told her how me following the prohet is really following God because the prophet is Gods servant and what he said is from God. I told her how much I have been blessed as well as my family. We invited her to church again she started crying. She said I want to come to church, I want to get baptized, but I'm so poor I have to work. We told her we are going to help her find a new job and that she has so much faith and is such a precious daughter of God, He will bless her so she can be baptized. We're getting there!

The mission is exhausting in so many ways but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I've learned so much already and I'm closer to my Father in Heaven than I've ever been. I'm so thankful God trusts me enough to allow me to be an instrument in his hands, to bring His children - my brothers and sisters - closer to Him through baptism. 

Love you all, have a good week!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM AND DAD!

Last week of the first transfer!

The definition of a "peculiar people" is turning 21 years old and instead of partying and drinking - I'm preaching about Jesus and in bed by 10:30pm. ;)

Tuesday night a member, J, took us and our Zone Leaders out for dinner to Red Robin. J's bday was monday and mine was wednesday so my Zone Leader told the waitress and we both got free icecream and a birthday song haha we had so much fun!

On my birthday I woke up, went to the bathroom to find HAPPY BIRTHDAY written on the mirror with dry erase markers haha my trainer is crazy! Elders C and F baked me cookies! 

We went to check on one of our investigators (19) we hadn't heard from in awhile whos dad we found out has cancer. It's amazing how God puts people in our path at just the right moments. No one was home but we always knock 3 times. By the time we were about to leave a man rides up on a bicycle, he said you must be looking for my brother. We told him we were and he seemed really distracted. He looked in the window and just started crying. Grown man crying. He told us B was in the hospital and going fast. Hes losing his memory and cant remember anyone. We gave him a little comfort scripture and gave him a BOM told him it will give him peace. He said "I usually throw religious stuff away, but I'm gonna keep this" and rode away crying. WOW. Broke our heart but it's great we could give him something that would offer him some peace. 

We had our first Zone Conference this week, so much to learn! We had some practices on teaching to desires. I hate teaching in Spanish with a million people in a room so it was really hard for me. I had a mini anxiety freak out but I got through it haha One of the AP (Assisstant to President) made an example out of me telling the Zone he liked that Im okay with silence because some missionaries just talk to talk and I sit there and think to make a question really meaningful to the investigator. Little do they know, I just don't know Spanish and have to think of what to say hahahaha

I said the prayer in Spanish and had tons of Elders tell me they were impressed how awesome it was. I guess I'm a pretty good Spanish pray-er :p 

We had a lesson with our amazing family, A, E, M, and J. Only A was there and she didnt read so we read with her and then her husband J came home with a big box of beer haha we invited him to sit with us but he said no. BUT he continued listening and participating from the kitchen. He's interested he just doesn't wanna admit it haha but they opened up a lot to us. They told us they had a son who was killed in High School from gang violence. A said E asked her when they would tell us and she told him with time. They told us how hard it was for them and we gave a brief description of the Plan. Good thing next lesson will be Plan of Salvation :D I love this family so much they have SO much potential!

On Friday la familia R threw me a birthday party. They're so sweet! They decorated the house and walked all the way to the store just to buy me a cake and stuff. We got to the door and they opened it with a cake with 21 candles lit, singing a mexican happy birthday song. Then we had dinner and cake. Their tradition is to bite the cake and then they smash your face in it. So yep that happened haha it was so much fun! We had a blast!

Sunday was miracle day! We had 4 investigators at church! We called A and asked if her and her family were coming, E said he would so they would just drop him off. But when they got there, to our surprise, E AND A came for the first time. :) AND C! Who has been investigating for about 2.5 months, has had a couple baptismal dates, but hasnt come to church because she works. We prayed about it and felt impressed to invite her to come to just the first hour. AND SHE DID! YAYYYYYY!!!! :DD

On Sunday we had a very interesting contact with a drunk Mexican man. He shook our hands like 20 times, then fist bumped, then shook our hands again, then forced us into a hug, then popped our fingers? We gave him a BOM but yeah it was just all weird. He was all "God is love, thats why we're here, amamos... we love..." Drunk. Mexican. Hippie. Man. It was the funniest thing ever. My trainer and I got in the car and just sat there like what in the world just happened? hahahaha

We've had quite a few people we've contacted say they respect us for what we do, one man even said at his church when they work with the youth they use us as an example of good young people. :p

Well that's about all the crazy adventures I can think of this week. It's been supppperrrr hot here. We had a snocone for dinner last night haha Oh and one of our contacts bought us ice cream! 

I love every day of my mission. It's amazing!

Have a good week all! 

Welp I already have a hole in the sole of my shoe... Sign of a good missionary or crappy shoes? hmmm you decide. ;)

We had cleaning inspections last week... it was intense. I don't think Ive cleaned so meticulously in my life haha we made a 39.75 out of 40 because of a piece of tape on the wall.... -_-

We have a mission goal to reach 235 baptisms before July 1. That means we have like 90 more to go. So if every companionship gets 1, we'll be good. We got one already so we're on top of it! ;) President Cook said, "There's no reason this zone shouldn't be leading the mission." Challenge accepted! ;D

I went on my first 24 hour exchange. It was fun I learned so much! I helped Hermana W teach English class that was interesting haha

We had a trainers/greenie meeting with Pres Cook. He had called me a few days before to give the opening prayer. I was so nervous! But I did it and President and my trainer were beaming from ear to ear. President complimented my prayer and said my Spanish has come a long way! Made me feel great!

Now to the best news! A was baptized on May 4 and confirmed on May 5! It was the best thing ever! He was so excited. Saturday morning when we finished our run by running up a hill for A' baptism shouting "Hoorah for Israel! Hoorah!" hahaha seriously the most thrilling thing ever. Who needs skydiving when you can run up a hill for a baptism?! ;) Nothing better than studying while listening to the water running in the font. When A got there he immediately ran and gave us both big hugs. He had the biggest smile on his face. My heart was so full!! We prayed all morning that his inactive father would come to the baptism because he wasn't there for any of the lessons. He came! I have never known that I could love this much. My heart is full of charity for everyone I come in contact with. As representatives of Jesus Christ we get this amazing opportunity to feel a small portion of that pure love that He has for our brothers and sisters. Nothing could make me happier than this!

On May 4 we had a Cinco de Mayo party at the church! I ate really weird Mexi food again. This time it was corn on a stick with Mayonaise, Parmesan cheese, and hot sauce. Weird....

We've been doing so much inactive work. It reminds me of the scripture 3 Nephi 18:32. We went to visit A on Saturday, the one who has been a member all her life but her papers are lost so she has to get rebaptized. Well we show up and her sister J and her family are there too who are inactive that we can never find home. We taught both families about coming to Christ, becoming perfected through Him and how we can do that. We mentioned church and invited them all to church.  J's husband was there who fell away from the church and got rebaptized in a different church, he was listening to our message and even looked up the BOM scripture on his phone! Miracle! And we set up a return appt with J!

Sunday so many inactives came to church! It was amazing! We had 2 investigators there and 11 inactives. ELEVEN! Woo hoo!! I know if we hadn't stopped by to see A the night before her and her family and her sister's family wouldn't have been there. I love how God works with us!

Sunday night we got to see our miracle family! A, M, and E! I love them!! Annnnnd it was the first time I took the lead in the Restoration in Spanish! Which means I started the lesson with an overview, taught the first point and transitioned for my trainer to teach the 2nd point. We taught point to point and I got to recite the First Vision to this family. The spirit was strong! Hma Schwegler asked A how she felt right at that moment and she said I feel good and just started crying. She talked about all she was feeling and I told her that was the Holy Ghost touching her heart. We invited them to be baptized and they all nodded. E, the 16 year old asked about the difference of our baptisms so we reminded him of the authority we talked about. It was an amazing experience. I felt so good that I was able to teach half of this lesson in another language! When did I learn Spanish?! :p I know I messed up a few words and tenses but I witness how the Spirit made up the difference. It doesn't matter what I say, what matters is that I have a testimony of this restored gospel and if I open my mouth to share it, the Holy Ghost with testify to their hearts and minds that it's true! 

We met a girl who has gone to church all her life but was never baptized. She had not so great experiences with the church but she said we could come back. We came back with a Spanish BOM for her boyfriend/father of her 2 yr old boy. She said she talked to him about coming to church on Sunday and will read in the BOM with him. YAY!

Oh yeah, I turn 21 tomorrow. Woo? Just another day in the life of a missionary! ;)

The work is hard. It's tiring. It's frustrating. People have their agency. It's hard. But it's so worth it when you see a child enter the waters of baptism, when you watch someone experience the Holy Ghost for the first time, when you pray more for the people you teach than for yourself, when you rely on God for everything you do. This is why it's worth it. We are closer to Christ than we've ever been and we help others come unto Christ for the first time or for the first time in a very long time. I love this work. I wouldn't want to do anything else. I know why I'm here and I know this church is true. My testimony is strengthened every single day. This is the most important work I will ever do beside raising a righteous family one day. I love it!!!! :D

It all started with a blizzard and fish tacos...

WHAT AN INSANE WEEK! We picked up 6 new investigators!

Last Pday was lame. All our citas fell through but it made room forrrrr MIRACLES! I love miracles. We see them everday. :)

We went to visit some PI's (potential investigators- people we've contacted that wanted to learn more) we knocked on S's door, a man answered [her bro in law], looked at us like we were filth and said "No thanks." Hma S was like ummm we're looking for S. So she let us in! She's a young mom, her husband said he went to our church when he was 13. S is amazing she seems ready to accept the gospel so we're really excited to pick her up as a new investigator.

We met with C on Wednesday and she was having doubts about her baptism. And she doesn't think going to church is important. She has so much faith but she just wont act on it. She refused to pray to Heavenly Father she said I want to pray to Padre Jehovah or something. It was soooooo hard. We invited her to pray again that night and ask God if she should be baptized, if this church is true. She said she would. We met with her yesterday and she's back! She got her answer! We just have to get her to come to church! We rescheduled her baptism for June 8.

We picked up M as an investigator, taught her some of the Restoration. She thinks too much and went into way deep doctrine so our lesson went off track. But it happens haha

We went on exchanges the other day because my trainer is one of the first "Sister Training Leaders" so I went to a different area in my zone. We had a sweet lesson with their investigator, A. He's amazing! He was like "everytime you all come I feel the spirit, I feel goosebumps all over my arms, I know you are called of God." :)

We were walking around contacting and had to use the restroom so we went to the mexican store annnnnd had to pay 25 cents to pee. ':( haha

We got to do mormon helping hands on Saturday! We cleaned up a huge park it was so much fun! I cut down bamboo with a machete like a beast! The Mexican men from our ward were laughing at us white girls trying to use machetes, but they taught us! They're pros, you know. 

We were looking for an old investigator to try to reteach but instead we found a mom and her 3 yr old daughter, she let us in and we taught her about the BOM. Not the best lesson but it was okay.

We got a phone call from an old investigator that they couldn't find for months. He asked us to come teach us but he works too much so he doesn't have the time. He needs to make time for us! :/ but hey, still an answer to our fast.

We had a GREAT lesson with our little 9 yr old A whos getting baptized on Saturday. He has a learning disability so we draw pics for all his lessons but he still has trouble understanding sometimes. Well on Sunday he was on it! We taught Follow the Prophet and Keep the Sabbath Day Holy. I asked him what he thought my pictures meant, thinking he's say something way off. Nope. He said everything. I was like well, you're too smart I don't need to teach you! Haha it was so good! Then he told us "You know how I know it? I prayed and asked God to help me understand what the Hermanas teach me." WOW! What a great kid! He's so awesome and has so much faith!

Funny story: best part of the week! Not really, but it was great!

We went tracting in a complex we felt like would be successful. We pulled up and saw like four boys skateboarding in the basketball court. We were praying in the car when we heard a ton of cursing and craziness. We got out of the car and the boys asked us if we were okay. We said yeah, what happened we heard something going on. They told us some random drunk guy came by throwing beer bottles at them and he reached in his pants so they thought he had a gun and they all ran. Scary! We made sure they were okay and talked to them a little more and then gave them some pass alone cards. We were just messing with them and told them "Okay, we're gonna go knock some doors, if we knock on your door that means you need to let us in and you need to listen to our message because it'll help you." They were like yeah, yeah, whatever lol

Welp... WE FOUND EM! hahahahaha

We were knocking around and then this one door was open and the lady let us in her name is A. We were just talking with his getting to know her and asked if she has any kids. She said yeah two boys theyre out skateboarding right now. We were like OMG ARE THEIR NAMES E AND M?! She said yes and we all just died laughing. We told her what happened and the boys came and were like "Wow you did find it" haha so great. We taught A some of the Restoration cuz the boys left. But they came back right before we left. So we taught them all about the BOM. I gave E he's 16, a BOM and he pinky promised he'd read it. haha We've seeing them again next Sunday. So that's 3 more new investigators!

Ive had a lot of Hispanics compliment my prayers they said I say beautiful prayers in Spanish :)

Well that's all for now.

Love and miss you all!!!!!!!