Mexico Week 5 -- Princess Hair and MTC Hermanas

My dearest family! Mondays are so great. I love y'all.  So we were walking down the street the other day and who do I see?  Mr. Fredericksen!!

This week we had lunch with a Hermana in our ward and her daughter is two and loves Disney.  Frozen may or may not have been playing in the background as we ate .. I was literally dying.  I felt so pumped after we left!  I think it's because Disney has such a strong connection to our family .. and of course, families invite the Spirit.  I started thinking about when I'll be a young mom with young kids at home.  We can sing and dance around the house and watch Disney movies and it'll be great!!  I had to repent for being a little distracted after my Frozen moment, but in all honesty it was great. 

We also visited the Infante family that same day.  Their grandma lives with them and she's a member, been through the temple and everything but says that God told her to go to a different church now.  After we met with them, we were in the car with Hermano and Hermana Infante.  Hermana Infante broke down and told us that she just feels like Satan is working so hard on her lately.  The grandma always tries to talk to her teenagers about religion and so she's constantly trying to run damage control there.  She just really wants her kids to be strong in the gospel and that's what keeps her going.  My heart just went out to her.  Hermana Valdez told me there's some stuff going on between them, like maybe her husband had an affair, but we don't know for sure.   As she was crying, he didn't do or say anything.  It was kind of crazy awkward and I'm not really sure how to help them.

I am just learning so much about exactly what I want in a spouse and in my future family.  I want a spouse that's my partner, that loves me for real and is committed to our family. One person can raise a family, but it is not an easy road.  I want someone that's committed to the Lord and committed to covenants.  I just want someone I can always turn to, a best friend to lean on.  I don't want to feel like I'm raising a family by myself.  It just sunk in to me how much every decision counts.  Who I decide to marry will determine my eternity. It's not a decision to take lightly and I want to be 110 percent sure!  My heart goes out to Hermana Infante because she's honestly so great and working so hard with righteous goals, but everyone needs a buddy.  Hermana Valdez and I both wrote her letters and we gave them to her yesterday.  She teared up again and told us that she's been feeling her Savior's love and this was just a confirmation of the words she needed to hear.  My heart!  I realized that we are literally representatives of Jesus Christ.  We're not just here to baptize people or even just to teach.  We're here to stand as representatives of Him to every person, members included, to lift those that need help, to offer comfort, to offer His words.   It is something so beautiful and I just love being here. 

Flor Contreras, she´s the granddaughter of Carlos.  Her mom is less active, but they're slowly coming back. We did her hair like a princess!  She always says "las misioneras" and then she laughs like Boo from Monster's Inc.  Pretty much, she's coming home with me because she is the cutest thing EVER!!

    

  

Today we had a meeting with all of the missionaries that arrived with me and the mission president! I got to see all of my MTC buddies! It was so great.  I am so grateful that Heavenly Father always gives me strength to bounce back.  I learned that some of them have been a lot sicker than I was.  It was a good reminder to focus on the positive things and how truly blessed I have been since coming to Mexico .. with the language, my health, with my companion, and so many other things!  I need to count my blessings every day.

Hermana Camarillo told us today that we are like lighthouses. There are storms all around us and we have to live through trials.  We have been built strong enough to withstand the storms.  In the middle of the storm, we can still give off light and be a big help to those around us.  We can lift others, even in the middle of our own storms.  That is a beautiful thing!!