Last Tuesday was a
wonderful day. We started off going to the temple. We went to the 7:00 am
session, but our Zone Leaders told us to be there at 6:15 so we woke up early
and were waiting for a while, but it was nice so I was okay with it. I could
probably sit in that Celestial room for hours on end, but I didn’t get to
because duty calls. One day I’ll come back and visit and take my time. J It was so nice to go
in there now that it is a dedicated temple. I can’t wait till you go through
with me and get to see it.
That day continued
to be a great one. We had a lesson with our investigator Sofia who is from
Honduras and Hna. Nava came with us. After the lesson, Hna. Nava told us that
her friend Lupita lived right around where we were. She had mentioned Lupita
before to Sister Chavarri and Sister Lattin when they were in the area, but had
never told us where she lived because she didn’t want to yet. After the lesson she decided to tell us and we
followed her in the car and she pointed out two houses that she thought were
hers. We tried the first one and it wasn’t it, but he told us two other houses
where Hispanic people live. We tried them and one of them was actually a
referral that we had been trying to contact for a long time and finally met
her! She wasn’t interested though and doesn’t really speak Spanish so I don’t know
why we got the referral. Then we tried the second house that Hna. Nava told us
and she was home and let us in and we had a lesson and got a return appointment
so…new investigator!
Dinner that night
was with the Allred’s and it was delicious! They made my favorite enchiladas in
the whole wide world and had cheesecake for dessert. I was in food heaven. J The Allreds came with
us to our lesson with the Andrade family that we had at the temple. We all say
in a circle in the grass on the grounds and it was a good lesson. We had
another appointment, but the Allreds stayed there for about 2 more hours with
them just talking and answering questions. Yay for fellowshipping!
Thursday I had MLC
and it was great! We focused a lot on what being a good leader really is and how
we can do that. We talked about missionaries who have influenced us and thought
about how we personally want to influence others and what we need to do in
order to be the influence that we want to be. It was a good thing to think
about it. It was also sad though because the six missionaries who are going
home in a week all bore testimony. One of them is my trainer, Sister Anderson.
I can’t believe she is going home! She only had 6 months when I came out and
that seems like yesterday. Then one of my first zone leaders, who is now one of
the 4 APs, is going home too! And he cried when he was talking and I had never
seen him cry before. And another one of my past ZLs, who is an AP, is leaving
too. Time just keeps moving forward faster and faster. It’s one of those facts
of life that I tend to like to avoid thinking about.
Friday we had a
very fun dinner. At least, we thought it was fun. It might not be as funny to you, but I’ll
tell you about it anyways. J
It was with Mayra (who is one of the sisters in the Garcia family) and she is
hilarious. Her sister Adriana Carrillo (my recent convert) called her on the
phone and put her on speaker and I was talking with her and she said she was
still mad at me and that she was going to bring La Huerra a present and
everyone else too, but not me. (Background, the whole Garcia family refers to
Hna. Lattin as La Huerra.) I told her that I am a huerra too. Then I made up a
song about how we are all huerras. It goes like this, “Todas somos huerras x3,
Dios nos creyo asi!” to the tune of “We Just Got a Letter” from Blues Clues.
Don’t ask me why that was the first song that came into my head when I was
making it up, but it just worked so I went with it. J So we all were singing that
and just having a good time. Don’t
worry, don’t worry, I’ll sing it for you when I get back! Aren’t you glad to
know that my song writing skills are being used so well? ;)
Then yesterday
which was the day of wonderful miracles. J
We get to church and this lady that we have never met before is there so we
introduce ourselves. I knew right away that I would like her because she was
wearing turquoise and her shoes were way cute. We said hi and then went about
the rest of church. Natividad came after about 3 or 4 weeks of not coming so
that was great! Then after Sociedad de Socorro, we started talking with Hna.
Noyes (the new one.) She said that it was so wonderful to have someone to the
play the piano because they don’t have that in the Spanish unit in Draper. We
talked to her about how she is moving down here to be by her grandson. She told
us that she bought a house and is looking for a roommate, someone to rent a
room. We got so excited and told her about our investigator Patricia who needs
to either get married, or move out before she can get baptized. She started
crying as she told us that her husband hadn’t wanted to move, but that she had
prayed about it a lot and felt that there was someone down here who she needed
to help. Then we were all crying!!! She came with us to the lesson we had with
Patricia that night and so did Alejandra (who is Patricia’s fellowship) and we
talked about that as an option. She wasn’t sure at first because of one of her
sons (not wanting to leave him), but the Spirit was strong as we all bore
testimony and she committed to praying about it. I don’t know if this is what
God wants her to do, but sure does seem that way!!
God is so good and
so real and He loves us and know us individually. I don’t know where I would be
without that knowledge. I think I would feel lonelier and lost and without
purpose. Everything would just seem hopeless. But He is there and He does live
and because of that and through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we will
all live again as well. That makes me so happy! I can be with my family
forever! What a wonderful message to share with everyone.
I love you and the
whole family so much and I pray for you every day. Thank you for all that you
do for me and for the support that you give me. Have a wonderful week and stay
strong.
Con amor,
Hermana Baria
