Sweet is the Work!

Hola!

I'm giving myself a short time to write this weekly email because I don't want to stress about it! SO. This week was super awesome. We started it off with a yummy hamburger dinner (it seems that every couple of weeks we go through a theme... there was a pizza week, a salad week, a fried chicken week, and a  hamburger week. I'm ready for cookie week) and we got to know a few more of the members.

The coolest thing that I wish I had taken a picture of was the amount of people at the English class this week! We started off having 1 or 2 people every week and always a different group, but then this week they all came!! We aren't supposed to have more than 10 people in a class before we split and we had 9. :) We gave them a pop quiz and then split into groups based on what lessons they have had before. I learned that "achugar" is not to "sneeze" (yes I knew this before but Hna Roque thought it was hilarious that I say achugar cuz it's like "a-chew!!" Ya know like the sneezing sound? But I can't actually remember the real word oops). They are the best group and they help us with Spanish and we help them with English and someone even came because he saw our flyer!!! WHAT? THAT NEVER HAPPENS. So cool. And the Spanish Elders were so helpful too.

We had a great meeting that was in Russellville! It was so fun. We were asked to do a musical number and I made our whole district and the Spanish leaders sing "Amad a Otros/Love one another" and it was hilarious to practice but it turned out great! President Wakolo and the other leaders are really amazing. The theme for the month has been being "on fire" with the work and they gave some really great insight on that and how to have good desires and also how to look for the good you do instead of always focusing on the bad-it was great! We learned how to say "Sweet is the work!" In Fijian - President Wakolo always tells us to say "Sweet is the work" when doors get slammed in our face or someone is rude or the work is hard at all because what a blessing it is to be joined in this sweet work! Anyway we recently taught him how to say it in Spanish so we asked him how to say it in Fijian, see attached video.

We did have some "Sweet is the work" moments this week with people simply not wanting to accept the gospel right now. But there were compensating blessings for sure this week, one being Autumn came to church and was so incredibly friendshipped-it was awesome and she's excited to come back! She is progressing really well. She was really sick earlier this week so we just gave her a rundown of the Plan of Salvation and she said "Next time will you teach me two lessons?" And we were like YEAH WE WILL. Haha so we went back and she was still sick and only able to really make it through the first part of the lesson but still the desire was there! :) I wish I could express how much I love Autumn! She is a genuinely good person and she knows the gospel is true and she is doing everything she can to live it and be prepared for her baptism. (Please keep her in your prayers this week as she prepares for baptism. :))

Small highlight of the week was going to this little restaurant type thing in the city mall called "Nothing Fancy" (it's true) with Sister Collins and she convinced us to order the egg roll salad and IT WAS SO SO SO GOOD. We accidentally double booked lunches that day but then thankfully our second lunch didn't happen and decided to just go teaching with us instead!

We also went teaching with Sister Hardway a few times this week-she is an angel and she's hilarious. We were able to see a less-active member with her mom and had a really great lesson about charity and living the gospel to it's fullest! I love President Monson's Mormon message "Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?" Charitable service is most important and is valued by the Savior.

We were asked by our Zone Leaders to fast from something for the week (other than food of course) and we chose ENGLISH. It was hilarious. Of course we had to speak English with the English members and people here that don't know Spanish (and unfortunately we totally cheated a few times and spoke English but we did do really well for the most part). But the funny part was that we weren't allowing ourselves to sing in English either so we tried to translate the English hymns we have in the car and oh man it is hilarious to listen to two very new Spanish speakers try to on the spot translate hymns. BUT we did see lots of blessings come from this fast. Also we had super short exchanges with Hermanas Hudson and ponce and I learned so much from them even though we hardly had any time! :)

I am almost out of time but I just wanted to say how grateful I am for the scriptures! We taught the Beehives this week and in gospel principles we also talked about the importance of scriptures and I am just so grateful for them! Growing up I wanted to have a conviction as strong as the members in my ward and especially to love the scriptures as much as my parents do. After hours and hours of study and many questions answered and feelings of comfort received, I have a strong love and conviction of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and all of the standard works. I feel genuinely sad when those learning about the church or coming back to church don't want to read the books that have changed my life! But no matter how many times we are turned down for our beliefs, I still know it is true and I am so grateful for the testimony I have had to work for.

Much love,
Hermana Macfarlane