31 May 2016

I always get to my email and then forget every single thing that happened this week...... it's bad. Time just goes by so fast.

But Emilio and his family have set their date and marked it on the calendar!!!! It was the best thing on the planet. The kids are so excited :) my goodness, they are so prepared. It's so cool that a family will be able to be baptized because that's what you want!!! 

We have found some really good people lately. They've accepted dates as well, so we are working with them to get them to church (and they already told us they wanted to go even before we invited them!! milagro!!)

I'm really excited that we are so busy. it's really not us, just the people here are so prepared. It's such a blessing. And even if we don't have set citas, there are always people to talk to. Definitely getting over any kind of qualms with that. But it's easier to oym people in Spanish rather than English. English people scare me..... it's so different!!! hahah

I have some amazing experiences with prayer though. Heavenly Father has been answering so quickly, I can't even handle it. All I do is ask for something and then He gives it to me. I feel so blessed for that. Heavenly Father knows what you need and what you don't for sure. 

The gospel changes lives. Every second on my mission I am reminded of that. Heavenly Father has the perfect plan for us to live with Him again. All we have to do is decide to follow it. He's given us all the tools and He blesses us so much just when we take little steps of faith. I love seeing my recent converts and my investigators make those changes necessary in the lives and seeing the light that comes out. 

The gospel is true! It is the only way to get back to live with our Heavenly Father and only through the ordinances of the Priesthood can we fully have the gospel and accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives. I know that's true and that as we give ourselves to their Lord, we find ourselves :) LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!! 

p.s. I will send pictures later because I need to get them from Elder Spjute

HAZEL GOT BAPTIZED--23 May 2016

So Kasey is now flying in on July 15 not July 19.  



So Hazel (actually spelled Hassell) got baptized!!!! She's so cute. Love her lots :)

 

Guess what. You'll never guess who is staying in the same area....... me!!!!! I have 9 months here and I'm going to finish it off. That is suuuuuuper long. can you believe it??? I guess there's still some people that need me. but Hermana Hofheins is leaving :( we had three transfers together. It was a a party and i've learned so much from her. way more than she learned from me, let me tell you :) she's a phenomenal missionary already and I can't wait to see what she does the rest of her mission. She'll do some pretty great things. 

I'll finish training Hermana Burger and then she's taking over!! Whooooot. She'll do great as well :) 

Funny thing though: i'm going to be a sister training leader..... surprise. I'm pretty sure i am more surprised than anyone else. i just don't do that, but I guess God has other plans haha :) but it should be good. I'm just excited to learn from everyone else. i just don't know which sister training leader I'm working with because we won't be companions like usual. Quien sabe que pasara. I'll find out soon. 

Sorry I don't have too much to say. Just know I love you all!!!!! Let me know if I can do anything for you!!! :)

THEY GOT BAPTIZED!!!!--17 May 2016

Waiting was so worth it because Jonathan and Adrian got baptized and they are soooooo happy. They are so cute. I love them so much and I know that they will keep going in the church with Manuel and it will be the best thing ever. Love them way too much. The funniest thing is that they saw the jumpsuits and then they started to run around and we had to chase them to get them to put the jumpsuits on. they did not want to do that. (mostly they just love to play around :) haha so funny. it was so special.

one of the miracles of that was we had the baptism planned for 6 that night, but then we had to switch it so the mom could come. At first I didn't want to switch because it threw the ward off, but it was such a blessing! because that very night at about 5 o'clock it started to rain and it flooded (again!!) not as bad as last time, but we were stuck in a house for a while. What a miracle. God really knows when we need to do things. 

TEMPLE TRIP today!!!!!! I love the temple. I wish I could live there. 

We have such an amazing family. They now have dates and they are going to do so wonderfully!!! They keep their commitments, which is phenomenal. That's what we need!!!!! Why are we so blessed!?!??!?!?!

Sorry this email is a little crazy, we have like zero time. :) but funny story. We were biking around after the crazy rain and I tried to go through a huge long mud strip and (i'm sure you can guess) I completely fell in a mud pile. Like movie style. I was so dirty. and then as I was getting up, I was tidal waved by a car. yup. that happened. I wish I had that on camera. One day I will see it again. :)

Love you all!! Remember to pray, read, and go to church!!! CPR!!!! That's how you stay alive :) BYEEEEE!

9 May 2016

So we had a great week this last one!!! But first it was so good to talk to you all. The dance was awesome :) I'm pumped for next year!!!!! Also tell Leslie that I'm excited to talk to her again and that she will be able to acclimate me :) hahah

We had a week of miracles!!!! Okay, to start out, yesterday we were biking to an investigators house and all of a sudden I heard just someone say hola. which happens all the time because Hispanics just call us out because we're gueras, so we waved, but just kept going, but all of a sudden I knew I had to go back. (The spirit!!!!!) and we went back. He was so excited to see us. He said he hoped in his mind that we would come back because he was a member who had just moved from Guatemala, who wanted to find the church, his wife wants to learn about the church, and they want their kids to grow up in it!!!! How amazing is that?? They are coming to church next week and they want us to come by to teach them!!!!!! MIRACLES ARE EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!! :)

We have been so blessed finding people. There are so many people who are ready to hear the gospel. Going to church is a huge problem though. It's like not their culture to go to church. Ever. like Easter and Christmas and that's it. It's so different to see that because you know that Sunday is a day where you go to church and you live the dia de reposo. I really want to have strong converts who never fall away. So I'll do whatever I can, but I know it's their decision. Agency is real, folks. 

but Jonathan and Adrian should be getting baptized this Saturday!!! We still need to confirm it one more time because Manuel went out of town and we have to make sure the kids are going to be there next weekend because they kind of need to be. Pray a lot for them please!!! They're all set, it just depends on if the mom will take them over this weekend. (That is so complicated by the way!)

Now for a funny story. We were trying an old investigator, but he wasn't there, so we decided to try the door next to it. We knocked and this guy let us share a quick message. I almost died of laughter. I could not handle it. There was this guy drunk passed out on the couch. Another guy has a mullet, who just said si, si, si quiero ir a la iglesia and another man just eating cereal in the corner. I don't know why it was so funny, but we were all having a problem keeping a straight face. We got out of there pretty quick haha :)#

Also I'm working with the primary again!!!!!!! That is my favorite thing on the planet. I decided that I will always work with the primary :) but it's that I got to work with them before the mission (even though I was only the pianist, but I saw the difference and what you all did) They definitely need some help with it, and now I am doing the music and helping them do it all :) whoooooo. I love it. #primaryforlife :) yep. I just used a hashtag, look how hip I am..... 

I have been reading Jesus the Christ and it is phenomenal. I have read parts of it, but my goal is before this transfer ends, to finish it in its entirety. It's soooooooooooooooooooooo deep. I love it. You should all read it.  

(also picture of an exchangeish thing we went on. It was awesome. I went on splits with an english sister and I got to translate everything the investigator was saying and then what she wanted to say back. IT WAS SO FUN!!!! I didn't realize how much I loved it :) 

WE HAVE A DISTRICT TEMPLE TRIP AGAIN NEXT P-DAY!!!!! I'm pumped!!!!!!! So I'll write you on Tuesday :)

Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):):):):):):)::)) 

2 May 2016

TONO got baptized!!!!!! I can't even tell you how happy I am about that!!!!!! :) He was so happy and you can tell there is such a difference in his life!!!! The gospel is true and he is going to be so strong in the church. I'm a little bit happy if you can't tell. 

He also received the gift of the Holy Ghost because, like Elder Bednar said, it's just like baptizing a bag of sand if they don't receive that gift because that's how they truly stay clean. Love that talk. And Karla got the gift of the Holy Ghost as well. So basically it's been one of the best weeks ever. 

Also the kids baptism (Jonathan y Adrian) will be on the 14th. CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!! They can have an eternal family!!! and that is our goal!!!!!! 

We found the CUTEST family ever!!!!!!! They have so much potential and they are going to get baptized!!! Lilia, the mom, really needs the gospel. It will help her so much with everything that is going on in her life. Also we are now teaching the granddaughter of one of our members and she should be getting baptized on the 21st!!! She's super shy but super cute:) love her a lot!!!

Love you all!! Let me know if there is anything I can do for you!!!! (also still don't have the photos of Carlos, but I will send them a little later today!!!)