I appreciated
your long e-mail this week. :) So thank you for writing on Sunday night instead of this morning! Haha I
loved how you referred to that first paragraph as your trunky mom talk. You’re
the best. It’s crazy to think that it’s only a month away. Please tell me where
the time has gone?! Because I can’t seem to figure it out.
Let me see
what happened this week…Last Monday was great because of the rainstorm. Oh how
I miss the rain. Never thought I would say that. I guess the grass is always
greener, huh? I love all the sunny days too though. :) We saw an owl last Monday night so that was
cool! Almost ran it over with the car because it was dark and in the middle of
a street, but I was able to slow down and it flew away. We got stuck in some
heavy traffic on the way to one of our appointments because the main two roads
were closed and we (and everybody else) had to take the long way around. But it
turned out working nicely because Sister Linford and I were able to have a
really good talk about self-confidence. There was one point when I felt like I
was just rambling so I asked her if that’s what she feels like I normally do,
but she said that the things I say are normally spot on…so that made me know
that I was listening to the Spirit’s guidance as I tried to help her.
Tuesday night
we went to try a name on the Ward List that the bishop gave us to find out if
they still live there or not. They do not live there anymore. A creepy drunk
guy with black eyes named Willie G. lives there. He was nice enough, but he was
just asking a lot of weird questions and his ex-wife was LDS so I think there
were some resentments there. He reached out to touch my arm and I jumped back a
little instinctively because I thought he was going to hug me. We left as
quickly as we could. But hey, we were able to report back with a for sure
answer!
Thursday and
Friday we got to go and help out at ALA Seminary and teach part of the lesson
and do a Q&A session. I love it so much when I get to go to the seminaries.
The kids are just awesome. They are doing missionary week and 20-30 students
grabbed copies of the Book of Mormon to give to their friends. So cool! I think
my favorite questions that one of the girls asked was what it felt like when
they first put my tag on. It’s the best thing to be able to wear His name next
to mine every day. I never want to take it off.
Friday night we
also helped Mayra (RC) with her math homework. I’ve never had to talk about
math in Spanish so I learned some new vocabulary. :) We had gone by because our WML wants us to
help strengthen her husband’s testimony…because he apparently doesn’t really
have one. He got home from work just in time for us to share the message with
him. We shared 3 Nephi 27:13-22, 27 and talked about the Atonement and the
Doctrine of Christ and doing and being like Christ. It was amazing to see his
attitude towards our visit from the beginning to when we left. You could tell
that his heart was softened and that he felt the Spirit.
Saturday we
got to help out at a Stake Activity Days thing with the sisters we live with
and it was so much fun. Those girls have a lot of energy! It was based off the
talk Your Celestial Journey by President Monson and the theme was the movie UP.
It was very well down and it was so fun to get to work with the girls. Our
station was a day in the life of a missionary with sewing on a button, getting
dressed, riding a bike in a skirt, and a scripture chase. The theme of our
station was Press Forward and one little girl said that meant to always be
moving towards Christ. I loved it! Smart kid. :)
We went and
visited with Edith yesterday. She’s still having a hard time, but she’s so
strong. We talked about her in ward council yesterday and they were talking
about having her be a Relief Society teacher. :) She would be so great! She was so kind to us
and we couldn’t leave without 3 bags of food and a bag of clothes. She’s
leaving to Puerto Rico on the 23rd and she said she is going to try
to be back before I leave to say goodbye and to meet you and Dad, but that she
might not make it. I hope that she does!! I just love her so much. :)
Everything is
so great here. I’m focusing on being more diligent so that I can come home and
know without any doubts that the Lord is pleased with the service I gave. That’s
all I really want. To know that He is happy with me. :) I hope all is well with you and that you
have a wonderful week. I would like to close with this quote from Elder
Holland. We were listening to this talk in the car this week and I love this
part. It’s so true! “Hope on. Journey
on. First and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are
possible to them that believe.” Trust in Him and He will help you do all. LOVE
YOU!!!
Con amor,
Hermana Baria
