Dearest family! Well first things first – I’m in a new area! I really don’t have
much time because I just got here, but I have a new companion Hermana Malacara,
and we are both new to the area! Let’s
just say we have some work to do!! I am super nervous and yet I just feel the
Spirit super strong too!!
Also, thanks so much for all of the birthday fun!! I am so sorry
I just don’t have time today, but thank everyone for me and know that I felt so
loved!!
Okay now for the stories of the week. So to practice my Spanish, I have been
memorizing primary hymns in Spanish! I absolutely love it!! It is so cool to be
able to sing them during the day. I love music!! I have tantas ganas to learn
how to play the piano and actually understand music. One day right?
The elders had a baptism this week and it’s the family that I
met on the bus!! They asked me to lead the music and while they were changing,
we sang some primary hymns that the kids picked. I seriously feel part of this
ward. The pictures are with their daughter Vania who is the sweetest. She
always says ¨Hermana!!!!¨ and gives me the biggest hugs. Their baptism was so
beautiful.
I am pretty sure my heart will forever be with Hermano
Contreras. We taught him a couple of times last week and Saturday night we
taught about the Atonement. I saw him in white again, just like I did five
months ago. I remember receiving an impression that I needed to say some things
and have him repeat it. I remember thinking, ¨What are we in first grade? I’m
not doing that!¨ Then it came again even stronger and I said ok. I made him
repeat after me: “I am a child of God. He loves me. I can overcome all of my
weaknesses through Him. I have faith. I will act.¨
Afterward he said, “Those really are true words aren’t they?” He
promised to go to church the following day. And what can you believe....HE
WENT. We got there pretty early in the morning and he was getting ready. Then
he tells us that his mujeres are late and he’ll see us there. We were so scared
to leave! We went to church and can you believe it, two confirmations, two baby
blessings, and then they got there, so late, but on time for the sacrament. The
Lord really wanted him to be there I think and worked some miracles. I felt the
most incredible spirit and he stayed the whole three hours.
Afterward we ate with the Flores family and they are just too
cute! They had Frozen birthday surprises
and made my favorite food and I was about to tear up! They even bought me this
pink skirt that is so pretty!
So then we visit los Infante. They made me an apple pie to take
home and sang to me in English and Spanish. They finish singing and then the
phone rings. Turns out Hermana Buttars
and I were both getting transferred!
Here come the water works! Then Hermana Infante all teared up says,
¨Wow, time goes by so fast.¨ We get the message started and Hermano Infante
says that he really wants to be in sacrament meeting with her and says that
he’s going next week. He hasn’t been to
church in about three months. The kids start crying and now everybody’s crying
for a million different reasons!
Then they take us to the Contreras house – Talk about a HOT MESS
for our last lesson of the night. One look at Hermano Carlos and there come the
tears! I felt really bad at first because we didn’t go back sooner. I felt so bad and then just this peace came
and we started talking about faith. I mentioned the Lord also tries the faith
of the missionaries with my new announcement. I thought of the song, “Adonde Me
Mandes Ire” or “I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go”, and how the Lord isn’t asking
us He’s commanding us. I don’t even know where it came from, but the spirit was
so strong and I felt like the prophet Moroni or something, calling everyone to
repentance! Hermano Carlos, the Lord is
commanding you to repent and change and live the gospel, listen to Him. Family,
the Lord is commanding you to forgive your dad and husband and help him. I have
never felt that kind of power throughout a whole lesson. We cried a lot and
hugged a lot and I almost broke a mission rule and hugged Hermano Carlos but a
handshake did the job. Hermano Carlos tells us he’s going to buy the juice I
like and he’ll be right back. Please
feel free to enjoy that splotchy faced picture with the juice. He tells us he
knows it’s not much but it comes from the heart and he didn’t know anything
about us leaving, so he couldn’t get anything else prepared sooner. I started
talking to him one on one and I was just basically pleading with him to use the
Atonement and be happy. He looks me in the eye and tells me ¨I know the Lord
sent you here for a reason and I promise you I’m going to change.¨ He never
promises unless he means it. I love the Lord, I love their family with my whole
heart. I just have to come back at the end of the mission. Seriously, we have to visit … not an option.
I know that the Lord sent me here to Tlaquepaque for a reason. I
know that I have a new companion to serve and more people to find! I know that
He loves me and that He trusts me. He knows what He’s doing even though I’m
really not a big fan of this whole transfers thing. That’s where faith comes in
right? I know He’ll be by my side as we
figure out this new area and new ward and be completely lost for this week! Ha!
Ha! Ni modo right? But really, I love the Lord, I trust Him. One day I will
understand it all and I just have this peace with me. We are going to really
lose ourselves working here!!
I love you all so much and thanks again for the birthday wishes!
Be good and be obedient and keep praying for your sweet missionary!
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