Nine Months and Skyping

Aloha!

Skyping was FUN

Not pictured: Craig, the Castletons and Iris

Esta semana estamos ayunando de ingles!!! Usualmente tratamos de hablar solo español con una a otra pero esta semana estamos hablando en solo español con TODOS. (Except for the English ward because they don't speak Spanish and we still serve with them.)

Thank you Sister Davis for coming through (aka saving my bacon) with YUMMY PIE! Happy Half Way Hermanas!!!

This week we hit our 9 month mark! Lemme tell you how fun it is to be out the same time as your companion: [insert German pancake breakfast, grilled chicken lunch, a few delicious treats and surprises from mama and the angels in the ward] seriously it was so great. And we did lots of missionary work too.

After the German Pancake celebration!

Celebrating NINE MONTHS of mission

Scary how pregnant Hna Brown really looks.

Okay, this might be too far ....

When we had exchanges a few weeks ago, Hermanas Brown and Ponce found a few potential investigators and we finally went back to try them again, and they weren't home. I had realized earlier that day for some reason (fear? Pride? Laziness? Anxiety?) I hadn't been very good at talking to everyone, like going up and saying hi and trying to share the gospel with them. So as we were leaving there was a man getting out of his truck and I felt that feeling of fear/pride/laziness/anxiety (and also thirst because it was so hot), but we followed the prompting anyway AND IT WAS AWESOME. He was a big burly guy who happened to just be dropping something off at his daughter's house and we chatted for a minute and he was the nicest guy. We left him and his daughter with a pass along card. BUT THEN I heard the familiar sound of teenagers in the house next door and we decided to knock and say hello. We met the nicest lady named Michelle who had some friends or something who are members of the Church and hadn't read the Book of Mormon for over 20 years, and she's a big seeker of truth. She has been through some crazy life experiences, especially with her own health and it's a miracle that she's walking and standing! She has like 4 or 5 teenagers and she adopted 2 and they all live with her and it was so cool. Seriously. Then the next day we went back to try the potentials again and they still didn't answer but that's okay!! :) God prepares people in areas.

We taught the priests again this week, they're hilarious. Last week we had the Elders teach the gospel principles class which was on prayer, and I guess we needed to learn something about prayer because right after, Brother Fox asked us to teach the priests about prayer! I love this that we found in the Bible Dictionary: "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7:7–11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship."

WHAT? THAT'S SO COOL.

People have been praying since the very beginning of time. We all passed through the veil and had to somehow remember who we are and remember who God is and it's cool that we can use prayer to secure that belief. We can ask God in prayer who He is and who we are, and He will tell us.

Okay, the rest of it is so good too: "Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."

We can create spiritual environments in our heads as we say urgent prayers in times of need, and we can also pray as the young  Joseph Smith did and go to a physically peaceful place where the Spirit can dwell and answer the deep questions of the soul. God knows our thoughts and intents and actions (like Elder Holland said, we get credit even for trying) and is willing to listen if we humble ourselves enough to ask, and act. :)

We made these for Autumn last week.

Also, we had sports night the other night and it was so fun because we went outside and played soccer (actually I just played bubbles with the niños but it still counts as sports night). Lots of members came and we almost had our young investigators there! They couldn't come though. But Hermana Roque has been bringing her friend to English class and other activities. The Branch is so so so good with missionary work-they're just naturals at it and have no fear sharing the gospel with their friends!

Hna Mac probably didn't want me to post this crazy picture of  her blue nails, but I can't stop laughing at her expression in the background. Makes me miss my silly girl.

The New Testament is really really good. I just finished Matthew (I'm a little behind from the mission goal... As in like we have 3 weeks to finish it, ha!) and I'm so grateful for my Savior. There are days when lots of people don't want to listen to us. They either don't have time or they have other priorities. And as fun as teaching is and being with people and getting to know them, the thing I miss the most on those days is the chance I have to testify of the Savior. He is the pure love of God and I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve Him and teach about His gospel to the people here. Truly, the Atonement has changed my life for the better. I know my sins and sadness can be clean if I choose to give them up. And I know that Christ was resurrected and that means the world to me! Thank you for letting me share my testimony of Jesus Christ with you! Have a wonderful week, and keep praying! :)

Oh P.S. We have Spanish Elders back YAY!

Skype with Sibs

Hermana Macfarlane