this week was so good! (I say that every week...) but it is
true! I heard this quote last week, "When a prayer becomes your habit,
miracles become your lifestyle" as missionaries, we say 30 prayers a day,
so we are bound to have those miracles.
we started off the week at the Ortiz family's house. We
talked to Hna. Ortiz for a long long time about a lot of things that have been
on her mind. Thankfully, now that my companion and I have both been here for a
while, we have a really good relationship with her so she is pretty open with
us, which is such a blessing. We wanted to teach her about temples and how it
should be a goal for their family. She ended up telling us all of these cool
stories about her grandparents and her parents in El Salvador. They were
amazing stories! After, I asked her, "Hermana! Wouldn't you like to get
baptized for those same people? Wouldn't that be amazing?" She started to
cry and told us that she really would love to, but she is scared. We asked her
what is holding her back from church and everything and she says she is just
nervous to go back because she has been away for so long. We told her that we
can't procrastinate! We have to become better people starting now (something we
learned in zone conference). We gave her a pamphlet about families and temples
and she said she would read it and pray about it. We want to start this process
with their family...getting them to be sealed in the temple because we love
them SO MUCH. I know I was sent here on my mission at this time for them.
on Tuesday, we had a meal appointment with a less-active
family, la familia Pinones. They said they were going to bring an investigator
too! So we went and we met, Anita. The Elders found her a while ago and she
lives in their area, but she was at dinner so we talked to her and taught her
how to pray with real intent. She asked us if we could come over because she
feels more comfortable with us because we are girls. She said she has been to
Utah, has a lot of member friends and has been in several open-houses in
temples. She basically told us that she wants to be baptized. So we are so
excited to start teaching her!
On Wednesday we went to the temple as a district!! It was so
so good. What made it even more amazing was that at the very last minute,
President and Sister Hall walked in and they were in our session. After the
session finished, we were in the celestial room and Pres. Hall went around and
shook our hands and he whispered in my ear "I love you, sweet girl"
We got a new car!!!! We are rollin in a JEEP NOW! We finally
got rid of our car that was having soooo many problems and now we are in a 2014
Jeep. It is so so fun. we feel like the coolest missionaries ever...haha. all
of the members are loving it too!
we saw Hna. Castro (RM grandma) about not having fear to
share the gospel. She said that is exactly what she needed to hear because she
has so many friends that would want to learn but she is too scared to ruin
friendships/bring up the gospel. So we did a role-play where Hna. McAdams and I
were a couple and she was the missionary. We were all laughing so so hard and
we committed her to come out with us one day this week and talk to people in
her apartment complex. It will be so fun!
On Saturday, we learned how to make empanadas from the one
and only, Hna. Solis. They were the BEST empanadas I have ever had. I wrote
down every single thing she did, so I am ready to make them for the fam soon.
they changed my life! Also, on that day, we had a really strong impression
to go see a member in the Elders area. so we went and it was an answered prayer
for them. they said that he had just been suspended from his job and her aunt
died a couple weeks ago. they are going through some hard things right now, but
we shared the last verse in Alma 26 where it talks about how Heavenly Father is
mindful of every people, whatever land they may be in. He is always thinking of
us and helping us, even when we don't realize it.
Yesterday, was an awesome day at church! Jose came of course
and some members brought their friends/family that aren't members too! So we
have a few appointments with them this week! our members are awesome
missionaries. we are so lucky to be here in this branch. after church, we went
and visited familia Barrios! remember them? they are the family that used to
come to church every single week (not members) and they are great! well, all of
our members have asked us about them so we went and visited them and they were
so happy to see us! so the family has twins (who are members) and they are
about go to on a mission. the mom is soooo sad and concerned for them to go, so
we shared the scripture in the Book of Mormon about putting God first and all
things will be added unto you. It comforted her and the testimony of Hna. Solis
sending a missionary out did too. prayers for them!
Jose is doing good! We didn't get to see him a ton this
week, he wasn't feeling too good. But we saw him once and he read his
assignment! He said he loves to learn about Christ and His life. We weren't
able to see Brenda or Edgar (the couple that came to church) because they are
looking for jobs and things. But today, Jose and a member (Hno. Flores) and the
elders in the branch are all going fishing together! So that should be fun for
them!
I love my mission. I love these people. I love what I do
everyday. I love the Lord. I love my Heavenly Father and His plan. I love my
branch. I love the Book of Mormon. I love the Atonement. I love my family and I
never want to leave this place. It is slowly hitting me that I will have to say
goodbye to these people and it makes me tear up every time I think about it.
But this week, I learned a lot about the temple and how
sacred they are (subject line) and how they literally seal families together. I
learned that it is the closest place to heaven and that we can make promises
with Heavenly Father that bring us closer to Him. I have the opportunity to go
with Oscar, my convert in Kemah, to the temple for his endowment on Feb. 11 and
I couldn't be more excited. I love teaching about the temple to the Ortiz
family because I want them to be forever! I can't wait to go to the temple with
Jose after his baptism as well. Missionary work isn't over after baptism, it
ends in the temple. I just love the temple!
love you all!
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making empanadas!
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we went to a service center (more details next week) and we
fell in love with this lady!
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| temple trip!! |
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