MARCH 13, 2018

THE GREATEST 18 MONTHS OF MY LIFE!!!!

I cannot believe that this is actually the end of my mission. I’m not sure when it’s going to hit me. 

Words cannot express my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to come out here and be forever changed by these people. I am still constantly amazed at the ability God has given me to fall in love with an entire group of people that I didn't even know. This place has my heart. They have taught me patience, endurance, diligence, and really just how much our Savior loves us. I have been able to feel just a small portion of that love for these people. 

Throughout these 18 months I have come to know my Savior more than ever. I know that he is real. I know that he really did suffer every single pain and affliction that we have ever felt for us. He is our SAVIOR and REDEEMER. He is everything that those two words entail. His hand is "extended still" waiting for us to reach out to him. He wants to walk this life with us and that's why He’s given us the commandments to lead and guide us to our Heavenly Father with Him. 

I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the same church that Jesus Christ himself established. God used Joseph Smith to restore it to the earth so that we could be happy and know how to return back to him. I know that the plan of salvation is real. I know that through the power of God we can live with our families forever, death truly has no sting, love and joy endures. 

My mission was nothing that I had imagined but absolutely everything that I needed. I am forever grateful that God allowed me to come out here and spend 18 months of my life getting to know him. I know that God has a plan for each and every one of us. It’s so perfect. I am excited for my future and I know that these past 18 months prepared me for whatever God has in-store for me. 

Such a bitter-sweet moment. I love you guys and am super excited to give you all a fat hug! Thank you so much for supporting me and loving me through it all. SEE YOU SOON :))))

Ps. Josh got baptized this past weekend and it was such a happy day! He really wanted to get baptized on Thursday since it was his birthday and we made it happen! YAY! We also had an amazing FHE with our investigators last night at the church and he was being such an awesome missionary. We are going over to say by to Joan and Jenifer tonight and they are making me some yummy food from the DR. I know I’m leaving this area in great hands. Also, Sister Jensen legit introduces herself at doors as "Hermana Staffieri" hahahah So all will be well. 

-- 

Hermana Staffieri 

1. We pulled up to Joan and Jenifers and she just ran out to me and hugged me and i died. 

​2. ​Our awesome FHE last night 

​3. Mis amigos George y Josh​

​4. Josh's Mom Jacky made us Ox Tail.... yes OX TAIL ​

5. JOSHS BAPTISM

 We had to take some bike squad pictures

 Saying bye to one of my fav families, the got me a cute apron from Chile!

Florida gave me one last bad rain storm yesterday!

Last week pday

MARCH 05, 2018

PARADISE!!

Hellllllooooo 

What a crazy week! I blinked, and it was gone. 

This past week was a blast. I went on two different exchanges in two different areas this week, so it felt like I was never in my area. 

We had an awesome lesson with Josh and his family. I'm not sure if I've talked a lot about Josh. Josh is a 14-year-old boy. His parents are less active, but his aunt and uncle are pretty much our go-to best friends in the ward. Josh comes to church almost every Sunday with his cousins and just loves it. We have been visiting him and his family for a few weeks now and it's been super awesome. They are such sweet family! Josh is actually planning on getting baptized this weekend and we are super stoked! We taught them the plan of salvation and it was so awesome to just see the parent’s eyes change. The plan of salvation changes everything, it changes the entire perspective of someone. I am so thankful that I get to teach this. I am honestly humbled all the time that I get to tell people about such an amazing thing and watch them change. Ah I just love this gospel. 

Joan and Jennifer are still just so awesome. We love them so much. 

​We taught them the word of wisdom and law of chastity this past week. They understood it, but we are still working with them to dejarlo. They are just so great you guys. I am going to miss them so much. They are making me sancocho this week and I’m stoked. They came to stake conference and loved it! Jenifer just looks like a little Primary President. They are going to be incredible members. 

This past week I also got to go on an exchange with Sister Tyrrell in her area. It was so fun to be with her again and just see how much we have both changed since our time in Bahia together. We were laughing so hard the whole time about all the hilarious times we had back then. It was such a cool day to realize how much we've both grown. It was awesome. 

Life is going so great. It just all feels really unreal. I hate it. I am so excited for this upcoming week. Its going to be amazing. 

My spiritual thought this week comes from a quote we found from President Joseph F. Smith. It says "The gospel of Christ is a living, daily religion, and hourly religion. It requires us to do right today, this hour, this week, this months and this year; and so on from year to year, to live our religion- which is the religion of Jesus Christ- of righteousness, of truth, of mercy, of love, forgiveness, kindness, union and peace on earth and good will to man and all the world. This is our mission." 

I’d be lying if I said that the fact that I’m going home in a week hasn't made me just so sad. I’m going to miss this so much. This work is incredible. I am a representative of the Savior Jesus Christ. I have loved every single minute of this. Going home seems like the worst thing ever right now. I’ve been scared of the "normal" the "usual". Although recently I’ve realized that my mission is just to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Just as Joseph F Smith said, It doesn’t end. It is a living, daily thing. I’ve been living the gospel for the last 18 months and I’ll only continue it after. 

I love you guys so much! You are just the greatest! I’ll be praying for you! 

1. Sister Jensen and I in Ft. Laud last week!

2. our cute "spring break" shirts haha it’s a party

1. Went on an exchange with Sister Mercado

2. 18 months... almost 🤤

3. Ditto

FEBRUARY 26, 2018

THIS WEEK WAS SICK!

HELLO MY FRIENDS!!!!

I don’t know how great this email will be because I have absolutely no desire to email right now! So sorry but I’ll try my hardest. 

Life seriously is so awesome. I just LOVE IT you have no idea. I AM LIVING THE DREAM. This week was packed full of awesome miracles and God just leading us. I am so thankful to be a tool in his hands. 

A few days ago, Sister Jensen and I just had such a crazy day. We had a whole bunch of appointments and we were running from apt to apt. We had to knock for like 30 more minutes. I asked Sister Jensen where she felt we needed to go and she led us to these random yellow apartments that I had never noticed before. We got out and I got a really strong impression to talk to these people outside another apartment. We went up to them and they just started talking to us about their life. Ana and Evelyn are really great friends that live above and below each other. Ana is from Uruguay and Evelyn is from the DR.  They told us how they both had just recently lost a few loved ones. We shared a scripture with them and told them that we would come back the next day and share the plan of salvation. They were so excited. We came back the next day with one of our members and the lesson was incredible. Ana looks at us at the end and says that this was the only thing that has helped her since the death of her mother to have peace. It was so awesome. 

Joan and Jenifer are still doing so great. Yesterday they sent us a text and said that they keep talking about how they think we are their angels that are there to help them be good and do good. It was the greatest thing. Joan has been looking for a job for a while now and we promised him that if he sincerely prayed, God would help him. and guess what, he did it and HE GOT THE JOB. It was incredible. Such a faith building experience for Joan. 

This week we had some interesting meal appointments. I ate cow intestine for the first time. The smell was way worse than the taste.

I also got really sick this past week and had to go to urgent care. They took good care of me and put me on some antibiotics and now I am good as new! I was going crazy though because I had to stay in for a day and a half. Worst thing ever. I have never felt so guilty for being sick. I hated it. So happy to be back in business. 

Everyone we are teaching right now has had a recent death in their family and I have realized the importance of the Plan of Salvation. I am so thankful for the confidence I have that my family will be together forever. The plan of salvation is REAL. It is the only thing that brings comfort and peace. I am so thankful for the gospel in my life. 

I love you all! Thank you for being so awesome!!! 

1. my bffs in the sketch trailer park

2. Joan and Jenifer’s daughter. (this is exactly how I feel about going home in 2 weeks...)

3. little Joan at church this past Sunday. He seriously is my bff and loves primary! We love Joan and Jenifer. 

4. Sister Richardson and Sister Jensen stuffed the cow intestine in their bag... it was that bad 

1. pday on Hollywood beach (basically vacation every monday)

2. Completos at the Rocuants 

3. La playa

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!

What a week and a half! I just still can't believe how fast life is flying. I pray almost every night to just have a few seconds to just realize what I'm doing and who I'm with. This is such an incredible time in my life.

First of all, I just want to let all of you know that I am currently typing this all on my SMART PHONE. so weird. The mission got smart phones and it's just the weirdest thing.

These past few weeks were nothing short of a rollercoaster of emotions. 

We had an amazing family home evening with Joan and Jenifer at the Reyes house. We talked all about love and following the example of Jesus Christ. It was so awesome to have so many strong amazing members there to help with Joan and Jenifer.

We saw a really awesome miracle that happened just before we went to the FHE on Friday. We were a little bit early and decided to knock a few doors before we went in. The first door we knocked, a woman from the DR opened up and let us right in. We offered to pray for her and her family and she gladly accepted. We were asking her what she needed and wanted and how she feels she could get closer to God and she began to cry. She told us that earlier that day she went to church for the first time in a long time and offered up a prayer just telling God that all she wants to do is get closer to him. She knew that we were sent exactly from Him at that exact time. We taught her a short lesson from the Book of Mormon and testified that God truly does know us and loves us. It was such a simple but sweet reminder that God is so aware and listens. I love answering prayers.

Zone conference!! Ahhh. Barf.  It was my last one, so I had to give my 

​"departing testimony". It was 100% surreal. ​Nothing feels real to be honest. I am just so thankful for my mission. ITS SO GREAT. The whole thing has just been one amazing miracle after another. I have never done anything better for my life.

The temple this morning was incredible. I have forgotten how much peace can be found in the temple. I will send lots of pictures.

On a completely other note, considering what has been happening in south Florida lately, peace has just not been something a lot of people have right now. With the recent shooting I feel like everyone's focus has changed. Knocking doors these past few days has been really humbling. People are just so scared. To be entirely honest, I have been pretty scared. The idea of being a future mother and raising a family in a world that is just increasingly more and more crazy has been something that has been really weighing on me these past few days. Especially considering that 2 of the victims were faithful members of the church.

Our mission joined in "mighty prayer" the day after the incident happened and after that was when it really hit me. In my personal study that day my question was something that everyone has been asking us when we knock on their doors, "why do bad things happen to good people? If god is so good, why does he let these things happen?"

Something amazing happened. I love to just open the scriptures to a random place and start reading. It’s probably not the most organized thing to do but I figure every single thing in the Book of Mormon and Bible is inspired so why not. I opened to Mormon 9. In this chapter Mormon is writing to his son Moroni when they are basically in the worst times of all the book of Mormon, like people eating other people bad. Mormon is writing to Moroni and just telling him how horrible everything is, how even the best people are falling, etc etc. But the thing that stuck out the most was the last few verses, his invitation to his son after he basically just paints the worst picture and goes off about the situation. He says "

25 My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.

26 And may the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high in the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who sitteth on the right hand of his power, until all things shall become subject unto him, be, and abide with you forever. Amen."

These are the last days, we are all very aware of that. The world is preparing for the Savior to come again and things are only going to get worse. We can sit in our closets and hide from the Son, but GOD IS CALLING US. He is asking us all to be diligent and work hard. To share our testimonies. To live in this world and be a light. Now more than ever we need a Savior. Now more than ever we need to share the message of the Savior.  He says earlier in verse 6, "And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."

I love you all. I know that God still exists. HE IS OUR FATHER. Have a great week and don't forget to include the people of south Florida in your prayers! 

FEBRUARY 05, 2018

SUPER BOWL 2018: LATIN EDITION

WHAT A WEEK. Oh man and its already February. 

This past week was so awesome. Packed full bikes and crazy Latins. 

Probably the highlight of my week and possible my mission was our crazy fun "torneo de futbol" that we put on this past Saturday in our ward. It was such a hit! So many people brought their friends and everyone just loved it. It was honestly so awesome to be able to play again! It was a dream come true. Sister Richardson also played soccer growing up so we both got put on teams and it was just us and a whole bunch of latin men. It was so AWESOME!!!! I forgot how much I love soccer. 

The funniest part was that our ward mission leader opened the activity with a prayer and a hymn. The hymn was "our lovely Deseret" . If you aren't familiar with that song, please look it up and imagine a gym full of Latin men singing that song about tea and alcohol. I couldn't stop laughing. OH it was so good. Also, I realized how insanely old I am getting because I am SO SORE. 

We are still working with such amazing families. They are all seriously incredible and progressing really well! We are teaching quite a few children right now and it’s probably one of my favorite things. I feel like kids get the gospel so much more than us sometimes. 

I am just so thankful for everything that is going on in our area right now. God is really blessing us and it’s going to be an amazing transfer. 

Lots of sketch things happened this week which made it quite an adventure. There is for sure a reason why this place is called "hollyweird" between the missionaries. I LOVE THIS PLACE.

I wanted to share one of my favorite scriptures this week. this is probably the only way that I can explain how I've been feeling lately. Its in Alma 26:36-37 "36 Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.

37 Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen."

God knows us and loves us. He is aware of every single thing we are going through or worried about. We are His, He is ours. I am so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father and all the tender mercies he has poured out to me throughout my mission. I love you all. I hope you have a great week!!! 

1.Last pday we found a really cute farmers market with amazing Key lime pie--yummm

2.The torneo

3. playing

4. this morning from our backyard

JANUARY 29, 2018

HOLLYWEIRD!!

THE BIKE SQUAD IS STAYING TOGETHER, AND WE ARE SO STOKED.

We went to the beach this morning for a sunrise study to celebrate. It was awesome and such a great start to the new transfer! Its seriously going to be so amazing. There are so many awesome things happening in our area right now. God is just pouring out his blessings on us. 

This past week we saw such amazing progression with Joan and Jenifer. I’m not sure if I’ve talked about them before but they are this super cute young couple with little kids from the DR. We found them knocking doors and they are just the sweetest things. They all came to church this Sunday and LOVED it. They are just so cool you guys, ahhh. I love them.

We also found this mother-daughter duo, Johana and Francia from Venezuela. They almost got baptized in Venezuela and love the church so much. They have been looking for a place to go ever since they got here a year ago. We also met them knocking and for some reason the first lesson we taught them was the world of wisdom and law of chastity. We felt inspired to teach them it and it was oddly enough just so perfect for them! they are soo cooool!

I also had the amazing privilege of sitting in on one of my recent converts patriarchal blessing. Its was such an incredible experience. I cannot put into words how amazing it was. I have never heard anyone else blessing besides my own and Alicia is just such an incredible soul that her blessing was just as incredible. I felt like I had that moment that every missionary waits for. The moment when you feel like you just knew them before this life. I know i did. We were friends and I promised her I’d be here for her. I love her!!! Ahh i just love them all. 

Great things are happening here in Hollywood. We are still the only sisters in the mission on bikes and straight up legends. Sister Jensen is incredible and my rock. I love her to pieces. We are teaching such awesome people. OH! and this week we are doing a soccer tournament in our ward as a missionary activity type thing and it’s going to be so fun! Everyone is so excited! AND I GET TO PLAY!!!!! 

I love you all so much and pray for you constantly. Yes everyone, this is my last transfer (THANKS FOR REMINDING ME). I am so excited to just go so hard. I know this is where I need to be and who i need to be with. I love this mission and they time I've had to serve my heavenly Father. 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

1. OH!!! AND NOW WE CAN RIDE OUR BIKES WITHOUT HANDLE BARS

2. no words... yes that’s a real iguana 

3.sunrise this morning

JANUARY 22, 2018

"What does casarse mean?..... To house???" *dying laughing*

I love Sister Jensen and teaching her spanish. The title is just one my favorite learning moments this week. I have no idea why it’s so funny but maybe you guys will laugh too...

​Anyway, I JUST LOVE YOU ALL.

this week was filled with bike day miracles and perfect weather.

Last P-day we went to the Hollywood Pier and I have never wanted to ​jump into the ocean so bad. It was honestly the first time I've seen actual waves the whole time I’ve been here. Florida just doesn't have the best surfing beaches. It was a perfect P-day.

President Garns went out teaching with us this past week. It was actually so cool to teach with him! Sister Jensen did so great and her Spanish was stellar. We taught straight out of Alma 7 which is one of my absolute favorite chapters.

Right now, we are still teaching a whole lot of families that are all just doing so amazing. We had such an awesome lesson last night with our investigators Joan and Jenifer. They are this super cute young couple from the DR. We took our BFF Hermano Reyes over there and it was so incredible.

We are also teaching this man Felipe from El Salvador. We met him outside on the street and he instantly recognized us as missionaries. He told us that he had two friends that used to come and visit him, and he loved the church but couldn't join because of his wife... but guess what... HES DIVORCED NOW and wants to get baptized. We just love him so much. He’s so cool!!!

I am just so excited for this upcoming week. We can just feel the miracles coming. I am so grateful for this time the Lord has given me to give it all I got.

I love you all, SO MUCH. I pray for you every day. Have a great week!

1. Baleada Baby

2. I cut sis Jensens hair this morning and it actually wasn't horrible

3. The pier :)