Segunda Semana!

Hola familia y queridos amigos!!! I LOVE YOU all so much! Thank you so much for your emails. Keep them coming--They make my day so much!

Oh I had some questions about packages so if you do send one, make sure to send the smaller ones with the green sticker. If not, it will take 3 months to get here hahah! But emails are just wonderful, really because I can read them right away :) Thank you!

To answer your questions, Mom: my comp is great--we are getting along really well and I wasn't sure how things would be at first because she's a little more uptight and serious but she lets loose and she has metnioned that we have a great relationship and I´m really grateful for her and the things she teaches me. She´s no Jess or you guys but it's hard to beat best friends and family :) She´s awesome though!

I get the internet at an internet cafe right across the street from our apartment. We drop our clothes off at the laundromat--except our G´s haha. We dont have a mamita, we clean our own apt every week and each day a different member feeds us lunch. The typical lunch here starts out with a bowl of soup. Then the plate has rice, meat, and some form of ´salad´ which means marinated onions or tomatoes or potatoes usually. I haven't had any stomach problems really other than the day or two we felt kinda sick. It's really hard for me because they don't have veggies here! I bought a salad and then made some green beans the other day but it's fine haha. We buy huge water jugs--most homes buy those to have clean water which is awesome they recognize the need for that! I also have used the steri pen for extra water and the filtered bottle the MTC gave me so thank you for it all! I fill up my camelbak everyday and people are amazed by it here!

Your facebook status you shared made me cry, Mom. Thank you so much--I learn so much from you guys! I´m so so grateful for you and your examples. Youth Conference! Let me know how it goes!

So last Pday my comp made me Arepas for my bday and they were basically like Pupusas but then we went to the beach! It is so my happy place haha and even though I couldn´t get in or we didn't take our shoes off, I love the beach and it reminded me of Costa Rica a lot and the other beaches we go to so I thought of all of my best friends and beloved family :)

Oh, the place we went to for lunch served bowls of popcorn for an appetizer! I was so happy and thought of Mom the entire time and how much she would love that haha!

We contacted Monday evening two streets I had felt we should go down and we had a nice lesson with a family of Catholics but who are receptive. Then my comp felt we should talk to a lady, Estrella, who was sitting outside on her porch. She has so much faith in Christ and gratitude for him and loves her family so much. The next lesson we had with her, she said that after we had left that first time, she immediately read the whole Restoration pamphlet and prayed. She said she felt SO much peace and she believes in the Book of Mormon and in Joseph Smith. My comp was so surprised at how easy it was for her to accept this all or just KNOW this is true. We haven´t been able to see her since and we are extending a date to her so pray for Estrella :) She was a tender mercy.

Tuesday was District meeting which was good. I felt super headache-y and nautious most of the day so was not myself but pushed through! We had a lesson with a woman with 5 darling kids and I could see and actually feel her pain for her 14 yr old son not doing the right things. We then had a lesson with Kathy--the neighbor of Laura and she wants to change her home life and the lives of her kids. She wants to learn more and accepted baptism for when she got a response but she´s not married. Gosh that problem here is HUGE! People are so receptive and ready and then they aren´t married and each time, their spouse doesn't want to be married.

Rocio--the lady with the store--accepted a baptismal date but we have to move it back because she hasn´t been there each time, she didn't attend church, and she's so cute and receptive but needs to develop a testimony haha. I love these people. Afterwards, there were tons of kids playing in the street and they started smiling when they saw us so I said Hi to each one and ran up and shook their hands and joked around with them. Hna Angulo jokes about kids loving to greet the gringa but I just love kids! We went inside and shared a message with their family who had actually received missionaries 4 years ago. I helped the 9 year old learn some English and it was so great to be there and to watch the 5 year old boy fold his arms and close his eyes for prayer. How kids light up my life!

Wednesday I had a really rough morning. We did a teaching practice and I just got stumped and frustrated and sad. I wrote in my journal that this is out of my comfort zone much of the time to persuade and convince people of the truthfulness of this Gospel, to not accept when they don't follow through and show them how important this truly is. Although it impacts their lives, a loving and simple testimony sometimes isn't enough. Yes it brings the spirit but doesn't make them follow through with their compromises. The people here are so receptive to talking about God because that's their culture! It's wonderful! However, that makes it harder sometimes because they don't see a need for complete conversion or change--for going to church, consistently reading and praying. It´s hard to say what's better in quantity or quality sometiems especially in missionary work and I get frustrated because I so want these people to recognize how important this is and have that action and dedication. I´m hard on myself today on how I can teach better or that I can't find the words to express myself in Spanish. I just need to teach more boldly but still with love and continue working. I know the Lord provides and the Spirit testifies. I could hear my family's voices telling me not to get down on myself and not to give up on others! I´m so grateful I have a companion in this work and I´m reminded of how much I have to learn and humbled by how far I have to go but that's part of why I´m here! To learn, grow, work, and rely wholly on the Lord through faith-trust to make up the rest.

We cried a bit and my comp taught me and I was so grateful. We randomly decided to visit Sonia and that was a tender mercy. Her husband had passed away the day before and she needed comfort and peace. We came back the next day and she came to Stake Conference on Sunday and has a baptismal date.

Today we saw a miracle in the Arrobla home--home of Lucy. Daniela--a 15 yr old member accompanied us this day and we taught a wonderful lesson to Lucy about baptism and faith and acting on our faith even when we don't know or understand everything. Daniela promised her her family would change and bore testimony from personal experience and the Spirit was so so strong. That helped Lucy so much and she accepted a baptismal date! We are moving it back to Sept 3 cuz she didn't come to Stake Conference but each time we go over, something's changed in Lucy and in the Arrobla family. It's a small change but it's a light and tender mercy from the blessings of the Gospel. The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true! The Book of Mormon has answers to ANY question or problem we have and we literally have a prophet called of God on the face of the earth today.

Also this day we visited Aaron--he is 13 and had major doubts about God answering his prayers because his parents didn't stop fighting. He was bawling and I wanted so badly to hug him. I cried bearing my testimony of God´s love and we just have been praying he will feel that too. It hurt me to see his pain and I wanted to take it away! How grateful I am for the Atonement.

Well Thursday we came home because we were sick

Friday we had an incredible lesson about prophets with Lucy and her mom and the neighbors and they could feel Pres Monson´s authority and power and I could bear testimony of him and I felt so much love for our dear prophet!

Saturday I studied all day and read the Liahona and scriptures and recorded like 6 times on your recorder because my comp was home sick. I was down at first that I couldn´t go out and work but how I LOVED immersing myself in the words of the prophets and the word of the Lord. I felt His love and was so grateful for that personal study. I also made salsa which reminded me of home :)

Sunday was Stake Conference and we saw a tender mercy today in finding Walter, a man they had taught once. I was so down afterwards because I felt I had missed an opportunity to share what I thought I should share. I felt like Logan did in his lesson once (coincidently it was Alma 26 I felt I should share). I was so frustrated and mad at myself. My comp stopped me and taught me on the side of the road and we cried and she testified that the Lord provides other opportunities. I can´t doubt and though I have doubts in myself everyday, I am a missionary and thus entitled to the Spirit and though I don´t always understand lessons or know if my thoughts or scritpres will apply, I need to act on those because the Spirit guides and the Lord provides and loves his children. I´m grateful for her and our relationship.

Pray for Laura and Lucy--we are working hard and definitely don´t understand the plan or timing of the Lord but this is His work. The Church is true. Our prayers never go unanswered and though they might be in different manners or timings than expected, He extends mercy and love to all and we can feel of that!

I LOVE YOU!!     D&C 98:1-3

Dallin: I loved getting your email!  What did you do at the Stuco retreat?  Were you in charge of anything? Your friends sound awesome and that doesn't surprise me because you are very mature for your age and such a good example.  Stay that way--be wise and always stand for what you know to be true.  You are such an example to me!  Thank you for your heart of gold and dedication to the Gospel.  I miss you so much!  I miss your humor and when I´m down, think of you and hope you dance and sing and crack jokes all the time!

Logan: I cried when I read your email and your part to me.  I have missed you SO much too--even though we didn't talk much each time, the MTC brought us so much closer than what we already were and I have missed that comfort and love daily as well.  I hope you can feel my love and prayers for you every day.  It´s true that on missions, we feel sick to know we still have so much time without seeing our beloved family and friends.  However, just get through each day.  Give each day your best and before long, Wyoming will become a part of home in your heart.  How different experiences we are having yet the same too.  We have the same feelings--this work is hard, and being away is the hardest, and boy does Satan try to get us down each day, huh?!  Yet you are incredible, Logan.  Each time I´m down, I think of our family and friends praying for us, and supporting us.  However, I also think of YOU---walking and biking each day preaching the Gospel and bearing your powerful testimony of what you know and live in your life.  You inspire me so much and are an example of everything people should strive to be.  I can't think of a more worthy, able missionary and I hope you know how much you bless my life.  That image of you spreading the Gospel gives me strength to go forward and try to do the same.  I love you SO much, Logan and cannot WAIT to be reunited.  I love hearing your experiences, good and bad.  I´m praying for you.