MAY 01, 2017

MOLD...

HELLO!!!! You are so awesome! The church is so true! 

This week came and went like no other. Its honestly scary how fast everything goes! SLOW DOWN!

Bad news first: 

Emilio is MOVING! He was working at Walmart and then they transferred him to Memphis and giving him a place to live and some kind of Visa thing. He walks into our last lesson and he told and us and were legit crushed. But, we are going to give his information to the missionaries over there. He is so ready to get baptized still so we know he will do great things over there too! 

Awesome News:

-Elvia is seriously the best! We went over to teach her the Word of Wisdom. She has some problems with Coffee and Tea but we had one of the most simple yet powerful lessons ever about how important her baptism is and she hasn't drunk it since! She gave us all her Tea and on the way out in broken english she just says, "Bye Panda". It was a had to be there moment but it was hilarious. She picked out who she wants to talk at her baptism and we are all set to go for this weekend! WOO! 

-Edwardo! We love him too. He is a recent converts fiancé and quite the character.  We went over to teach him and he basically told us that he is only meeting with us because he wants to marry Ester. I wasn’t about to baptize someone who wasn’t really "in it" so we clearly set expectations and by the end of the lesson the spirit was so strong. He cried and told us how much he needed this peace in his life and is now so ready and eager to change his life, especially about his baptism on the 13th! It’s so amazing how the gospel can change lives. He really opened up to us about his family situation and how he has never really felt true "love". I know that this gospel is the old things that can bring that type of love. He is going to be a great member of the church :) 

We also had Zone Conference this past week. It was held in my old area of Miami Lakes and It was so weird to go back over there! I love that place! We talked all about the important of having love for every single person we meet. That has definitely been one of my major focuses my whole mission. Genuine love for the people, for the work, and for your companion is what makes all the difference. 

OH! And of course, we had a bike day :) Seriously always my favorite days.  I was trying to get Sister Isham really excited about bike day because she really isn't the bike day "type" and I was pretty successful. It was such a great day and she was really happy and then all of a sudden, I hear "HERMANA!!!!" and I turned around and he bike tires legit exploded. HAHA It was pretty sad, but also really funny. So, needless to say, she isn’t the biggest fan of bike days, but its okay. 

Also, fun fact. EVERYTHING molds in Florida. It’s crazy. We had a pretty crazy rainy day this past week and so I left some of my clothes in the garage for the night and i came back and everything had mold all over it. All of the clothes that were in there. I guess I just forgot I lived in Florida and things like that happen, but I learned my lesson :)  

But life is so great guys, i am so happy out here! 

My Scripture from this week is found in Moroni 7:28-29. I love these scriptures. It reads 

"28 For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.

29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.

​Running out of time but I love you guys so much! Thank you for all that you do for me! Have a great week! I pray for you always! 

1 &2. Sister Leslie and I at Zone Conference 3. Me and my Baby Sister Isham

APRIL 24, 2017

ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES.... 

FAMILIA, AMIGOS! LES QUERIO MUCHISIMO! 

This week FLEW BY! so fast! I love life though. Every day we legit crash so hard to our beds but there honestly isn't a better feeling than that. 

So, this past week we endured some crazy fires. Knocking while it is raining chunks of ash isn’t my absolute favorite thing to do but it really makes us feel super intense and we have some really awesome journal entries so all is well :) We also saw some great miracles! 

On Thursday we were knocking doors and legit no one wanted to talk to us and having a baby when no one wants to talk to us is kinda hard. So we were just walking down this street when some truck pulls up from behind us started trying to talk to us (I honestly thought it was another creepy cuban man..) but it was the nicest little man from Mexico. He told us that God had told him to turn around and talk to us and wanted us to come to visit him and his family. He gave us his address and we set a return appointment and we are so excited to go back! Miracles like that make me realize how much the Lord truly guides our every step so that we can complete his work here in Naples. I am so blessed. 

Emilio didn’t come to church this Sunday and honestly broke our heart. We have to move his baptismal date back to the 6th of May but he know really understands the importance of the Sabbath Day (after a loving "throw down" last night). We love Emilio. He is honestly going to be a stake president one day, just wait :) 

We are also teaching my new best frienD Elvia! She is 23 and from Oaxaca, Mexico (not sure how to spell it..its where Tauna is serving right now..). She is super shy and when we first met her we honestly had no idea what to think, she didn’t show any real excitement or anything but after our 3rd lesson with her we are now such great friends with her! She works at this Mexican restaurant and we went and visited her for dinner one night and she was so excited! She is preparing to be baptized for the 6th of May also and is progressing SO well! Elvia rocks!

A lot more happened this week but I really don't have a lot of time! I just want you guys to know how true the Church is. I wouldn’t be out here if I didn’t know it. I am so grateful for the peace that is has brought me and even more grateful that I get to help people find that peace for themselves. 

My scripture this week is in D&C 50:45 "And the day cometh that you shall hear my voice and see me, and know that I am.". I love this scripture because that is why I am here. I am out here to help people prepare to meet God. I want to know God for myself and I feel like the longer I have been out here the closer I have gotten to Him. I am so thankful for this time, I say it over and over but its so true. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else with anyone else. I love my Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. I am thankful for our Loving Father who is in Heaven that is constantly leading and guiding us, if we only but listen. 

I love you guys! So much!!! Thank you for being you! I pray for you every single night! Stay awesome! 'till next week!!! 

APRIL 17, 2017

I HAVE A BABY!

HEY!!! 

This week has been crazy!!! So many greenie miracles! It’s been amazing!! The lord has really been preparing this area for so many awesome things to happen. Bahia is like known for being a place where miracles happen around the mission. I love this place so much. 

First of all, I have a "Baby" now!?!?! Hermana Isham, she’s from Seattle, Washington and is just the cutest little thing! She just has so much fire and is fearless when it comes to talking to everyone!! I love it, its so awesome! I will seriously just point out someone and say, "You got it" and she walks right up and starts talking. She is just the most poised person ever too, which is a real contrast since I am pretty "normal" to everyone but she just has so much sophistication- it’s cool. haha. I am so excited for this transfer and i guess the next one too. I legit lost my voice because I talk SO much and fly solo the whole time but it’s been so fun! I have really focused on just being myself all the time. I don’t know why but "robot missionary" mode is a real fight. But I have truly learned the importance of being yourself and expressing true and sincere love and testimony to my investigators. Also, I realized that as soon as I started to be "myself" in Spanish and not just stick to the things I know are grammatically correct, that is when the gift of tongues really kicked in.

So right now we are teaching such a cool guy named Emilio! He is wonderful. He was a lawyer back in Venezuela but came here for work. He is so educated yet faithful and makes teaching him a lot "easier". We have been taking all the lessons "slower" so that he can really understand it all and his progress in the gospel has been so rapid because of it. We were in the middle of teaching him the Plan of Salvation when he just turns to us and says "This just makes so much sense, this is so peaceful, Wow". You could just see the "spark" in his eye when he just got it. After extending him a date to get baptized and all that jazz he turned to me and said "You said you know I will be ready for this date, why do you feel that?" and then I just got to bear my pure testimony and he just "got it" again. Also, listen how cute this is -- after our first visit with him he was like "thank you guys SO much. I was so nervous when they told me that you were coming over but then you just walked in and were so happy and friendly and I instantly felt so much more peace"... I love this guy! Teaching him has been a wonderful experience and we are so excited for his baptism on the 29th!

Easter out here was so great! I loved it! We went over to a member in the english ward for dinner and they made us this really awesome steak and potatoes-- I cannot tell you how thankful i am for those people. It was by far the best meal I've had on my mission and honestly the first real "American" meal that I can remember. I was so happy. :) 

My scripture this week is in Matthew 6:25. It’s when the lord is calling his disciples to come and follow him. He tells them to "take no thought". I feel like a lot of the time we get so wrapped up in the world and the things that are calling our attention RIGHT NOW, that we are too preoccupied to serve the lord. But really, the real "magic" happens is when we forget ourselves, forget our needs right now, and focus on what the Lord needs us to do.  

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

I love you all! So very much! I pray for you every day! Keep being amazing! Have a great week!! 

APRIL 10, 2017

 ANOTHER AMAZING TRANSFER FOR THE BOOKS!

HEY! HOLA! AlOH! ​<- Creole 

So first things first.... BLAS IS BAPTIZED! It was such an awesome service. His whole family was there, he came out after in a white shirt and tie (looking like he had been a member for years). I love Blas. He is just so solid. He has the most amazing faith. I am so excited for his "new start" here in America and for him to really turn his life around. I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have had to teach someone like Blas-- such an awesome experience. Teaching him has really changed my perspective on how I look at The Gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s so pure and simple. Christ has done everything for us, the ONLY thing that we need to do, is follow his example. 

Yesterday was packed full of so many miracles. We went out yesterday with so much "high faith" that we were going to see miracles. But like always when something great is going to happen, it started out with 3 canceled appointments, so many doors slammed in our face, and the typical craziness of Florida. But Sister Tyrrell and I were still determined. We headed up to the top of our area (45mins) to a memorial for a son of a member in our barrio. We got there thinking that we would just be "attending" the memorial, but after the opening song and prayer, they looked to us and asked us to share the entire plan of salvation...to an entire room of people. So, we did exactly that. It was a really interesting lesson because we had members chiming in every 3 minutes (making the lesson 4x more confusing) but hey! It was a total miracle. It was such a great experience to be able to share the plan of salvation to a room full of people who really needed it. We met a lot of really awesome people who want to learn more and we will be teaching them throughout the week. 

Right after that we get a call from one of my favorite members who said that he had someone staying at his house that really wanted to learn about the gospel. We sped over to his house after the memorial and sitting there was honestly the coolest guy ever! His name is Emilio, he just got her a few months ago from Venezuela and is so excited about the gospel. He had talked to missionaries before in his country but never really took the time to "listen". We love Emilio! So we started teaching him, we got about 5 minutes in when in walks JOSE!!! Remember him from a few weeks back? His wife died, we taught him the Plan of Salvation, he loves, we love him..? Well we lost contact with him because he works crazy hours but here he is now! He instantly sat down and was so excited to meet with us again. 

Also... this next transfer (tomorrow), I will be TRAINING. I am honestly not ready at all and still a baby myself and have no idea what’s going on or how to teach someone Spanish but hey---if Heavenly Father thinks I can do it, then I guess I have no choice. It’s going to be awesome though. I’m excited to meet her tomorrow!! Also, super sad to leave Sister Tyrrell, we worked super well together and I have learned so much from being her "greenie-breaker". But this is totally going to be a transfer of MIRACLES! Can’t wait!!!! 

I love you guys so much! Thank you for all that you do for me, all your prayers, packages, letters, thoughts, everything! I pray for you every day! Have a great week!!! 

pics:

1. Blas's Baptism

2. with Obispo

3. Ate dinner at a members house in-between a car and treadmill