God is Good - March 30th, 2015

oh dear. I am under the air conditioner...it is freezing! haha this Arizona
blood couldn't survive a single December day...hopefully April is not too
bad? eh? haha
This last week was interesting (:
It was SO good! I love my compa! We are seeing so many miracles and having
Soooo much fun! But we are also having random experiences in between that
have created growing opportunities...which is good!  We laugh and cry and
laugh and laugh (:

I have loved sharing the new video 'Gracias a Que El Vive' it has been
amazing! (: We showed to a less active family and then asked why they love
what Christ did for them. The little boy said the sweetest thing that was
exactly what I needed to hear!  He said "porque El siempre esta para ver
como estas" I just loved that! He is always there to see how we are doing.
I keep being reminded that I need to walk this whole journey of life daily
with my Savior! Not just when I am in need should I come running to His
feet, but all the way along the journey.

We were able to have a new friend come with us to the women's conference!
That was the biggest miracle! (she is soo nervous to come to church and
things). She's 19 and wants to come to school in UT one day!  We will be
friends (: hah
We asked her to pray and she was so nervous because she has never prayed
out loud before...after much convincing, she did!  This daughter was
speaking to her Father! I have never felt such a strong spirit during a
prayer.  She poured her heart and she weeped as she did so.  She spoke of
her heartache from problems with her father and it just reminded me to make
sure I recognize at all times that there is always a Father there watching
over us.  And more specifically, our Eternal Heavenly Father (: It was a
sacred moment.
She came to church the next day! That was a HUGE step! She loves herrr
church so much and so to get her to come to sacrament was amazing. It
happened to be fast and testimony meeting!  I am so grateful for our
branch/ward families! I know they touch people's hearts! THEN she even came
to dinner with us in a member's home, which was perfect because the walls
are covered with temples and family! Oh we are so blessed (:

We also had the chance to sing to some elderly women in a care home
yesterday haha. It was so random! We went to visit a member and sing some
hymns with her but then the whole place wanted to hear and so we came out
of her room and sang spanish hymns for everyone! haha (:

Probably one of the funniest moments this week...hmm...We were in district
meeting and President just so happened to come to ours.  The district
leader was talking about...oh yeah...like setting up family mission plans
with families.  He gave an example of making it personal to the family by
telling us about a family where they made something lord of the rings to
get the excited.  I was just sitting there trying to listen and I hear
President (who was sitting right next to me) say in Spanish "Precioso"
hahahhahaha like "precious" I accidentally burst out laughing out loud! And
that was embarrassing because President was there! But he was the one who
made me laugh...good days.

Yep. Just loving life (: it's been amazing! We got to go with a recent
convert to find her husband's name and get it ready to go to the temple! So
that was amazing too! We are hoping to go to the temple with her soon. Just
good things!
Love!

La Obra esta Maravillosa y Bellosa! (:March 23rd, 2015

Sooo I am getting here so late because mi compa y yo estabamos andando por las montanas! (:  We got to go up to Mnt. Lemon this morning and hike around and have a picnic with an awesome member who was kind enough to take us up there!  My compa y yo were talking about how we are kind of done with this whole 'zone sports' thing every p-day and we even set a transfer goal to do something different every p-day!  She is amazing.  Wow. We have such good times. It feels like I have known her my whole life! haha (: It's only been 6 days. I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father has given me another best friend to experience miracles with.  And, oh, we have!  

First of all, Hermana Hubert is the coolest! And we figured out that we were probably at some of the same concerts back in the day.  We are almost the same person, but she is a little bit cooler than I am haha.  It's fun (:

But yeah! back in a Spanish branch and so things are going...yep. They're going!  But we have so much excitement to just love and serve these members because that is what they need and that is what we are here to do!! (: 

We had an experience where we had 15 mins before we had another appt and so we decided to pray to know which house to knock on and we ended up thinking of the same house! (go figure (; haha) and it was the coolest thing because it was this hermana, she wasn't even at her own house, and the sisters had been trying to get in contact with her for the last couple transfers.  She was so shocked she started crying and she knew God needed her back.  It was beautiful! AND, she's our age, so it was so fun! (: She came out with us and she's just such a good person, I'm grateful to know her! 

Que mas?...we basically just laugh all day and talk to people and see miracles (: haha okay, so it's not that easy...but wow. I don't know how I got so blessed!!

AND. okay! Wow. I just remembered this...so on top of that, I got some incredible calls this last week! 2 of which were about someone I have taught before who got baptized recently! The other will be in April so I will be able to attend! And the other call was a cute hermana who I became very close to and she just got her mission call! (if you remember, she was the one I got to have the experience with when she was first deciding to go or not).  She got my new number and called me! I was so honored haha (: I knew before all of her friends! 

Other than that...we're just running this race!  Actually, we run every morning...but we're sprinting to the end! Mi compa is a runner and so she likes to tell me that she's sprinting to the end with me.  I love it (:

It is so easy to feel the spirit with her and I feel like I am continually being taught from on high.  We are SO blessed! 

I just want to say that if we ever feel like we're not good enough, or not worthy enough to repent, then we're letting satan win...Of course he would want us to think that the Atonement only covers those who are worthy or anyone but us, but it covers everyone! if we will let it; if we will choose it.  Accept Christ (: and let Him define and refine you.

I love you!

(sorry, forgot the cam)

Change is Exciting! March 17th, 2015

Well, I guess I'll just get right into it! I got transferred! I am so sad
and SO excited! I get to end it all speaking Spanish (: My new compa is
incredible! I love her so so much already! We were talking about our
interests and we are SO alike it's hilarious! I can't wait. I already feel
the spirit so strongly with her and all we have done so far today is talk
about the couple lessons we will teach tonight! I am so blessed that my
Father knows better than I!
I'm coming into a branch se llama El Dorado.  It is in the East of Tucson.
Wow, I will miss my friends from YSA so much! And the people I get to meet
on campus! haha but I have the greatest feeling about being here for my
last transfer (: I am so blessed!!!

This last week was really bitter sweet. I had the feeling I would be
leaving and so I was sure to say goodbye to everyone before they all went
every which way for spring break!  (Not the greatest time to leave haha).
But it went well. I have so many friends here that I love so much! (: I am
SO Grateful for the time I get to serve and love and become.

As this last transfer was coming to an end, I was rreally praying that we
would be able to at least find one more new person before I left.  I had
the most amazing experience yesterday as our day came to an end.  We were
walking back to our apartment and all of the sudden, seriously without even
thinking, I just turned into the leasing office!  I had no idea why, but as
I did, a man that we had met last week was right there to greet us.  He
said, "I just knew I would see you today!  I had a feeling to come over to
the door. Come in, I am free right now. You can share your message with
me!" /.....What!!! It was like a dream! (: It was amazing! He had agreed to
meeting with us sometime, but we weren't able to specify when and when we
contacted him to set up a day, he didn't respond! So seeing him so willing
was incredible.  We had a very positive experience. his heart is open and I
know he will find truth in the message of the gospel! (:

I came across this scripture the other day that I just wanted to share:
"...and thus doth the Lord work with His power in all cases among the
children of men, extending the arm of mercy towards them that put their
trust in Him." Mosiah 29:20

I just love that! Because His arm is ALWAYS extended! It is just dependent
upon our willingness to take hold of His open arms and allow them to lift
and transform us! (:

I am SO excited for this upcoming transfer! I know it will be full of
miracles! Heavenly Father is so good to me! And I know it is because of His
Son that I can do all things.

(as for now, I just have to get ready to stretch my stomach out again!
Welcome back to Spanish branches!...haha!)

Love you(:

Cafe Rio (: March 9th, 2015

Well we had a realllly fun week! (: 

It started out with getting to clean some sisters' apartment because they replaced the elders living there previously...and I'm not going to say anything bias...but...haha yeah. That was interesting! And actually really fun (: I love them! It is so great to get to see the sisters I get to work with whenever we can!  The next day was our zone meeting and so I got to do a training on obedience. It was something the Spirit had really been working with me on.  I felt so impressed to share the things I have been learning.  Like the way we receive and retain a remission of our sins is by service and obedience to the commandments! So as missionaries, we should constantly feel that if we are doing it right.  And wow.  Being obedient is just so important! It is a pattern of life that will follow us forever and it is the means by which all blessings flow!  Really, everything happens in accordance to our faith, diligence, and obedience which are so beautifully connected! I have learned that the greatest unhappiness only comes through disobedience. I challenge you all to just ponder what that really means...and how that applies to you.  

I have also been learning a lot about faith and the prayer of faith.  I know that it is through faith that we can do any and all things.  What an amazing gift we have been given to be able to have the capacity to believe in something so wonderful that only can empower and uplift...that being our Savior, Christ and His gospel.  Not to mention that it is through His sacrifice that we are enabled to do these things in the first place!  I just am full of gratitude and feel like I am really learning to pray!  To really seek and to find answers.  I have been asking and I have been receiving.  I know it is real.  Prayer is real and it works! (: I learned in Sacrament meeting a principle that i decided to apply directly to my life.  A member of the 70 came and spoke, Elder Lawrence, and he told us: "Be humble enough to ask, and then be faithful enough to act!" I love that! He spoke of sincerely asking the Lord what we can do to improve or to ask what is holding us back from progressing.  He promised us that if we asked sincerely, we would receive a direct, clear answer from the Holy Ghost, but we needed to be faithful enough to act!  So I did this. And I invite you all to do the same (: It could be a scary thing to consider, knowing that there is always room to improve.  But if we could know the little thing that is holding us back from continuing on, wouldn't we want to know and change it?! Why wouldn't we want to be better? Sure it is new and maybe scary because it is different or it hurts to change....but only beautiful things lie ahead for those who are humble enough to follow the Lord's will.  He knows best! He created us! How exciting is change (:

So...we had the greatest privilege ever this last Saturday of being able to go to the Mesa temple with our recently baptized friend! (: We got to go out of our mission! haha and to the temple! And with our friend! And the ward (: it was just soooo much fun! We even got to go to Cafe Rio!!!!! That's right! After alllll these months...I had Cafe Rio! ah. God is so good!  It only went up hill from there! (and a little down...but then right back up!) Because I watched His hand unfold answer after answer and tender mercy after tender mercy, (miracles, if you will). And when I felt a little down, it all went back to how I could be better and so I learned to pray, yet again! I love these teaching/ learning moments.  

It has just been so wonderful lately! Although we have been striving sooo hard to find more people to teach and haven't been able to find many, we have been blessed in abundance! (: I am so grateful! (:

Love!

Ay no time! March 2nd, 2015

This last week was fun! I felt like I was gone for half of it haha from
exchange to MLC to a dinner we had at the mission home with the other
stls...it was so good (: I love weeks like that! They just do you some good
every-now-and-then!
We had a member missionary training center the other day, too! The MMTC. We
talked about the why and how of member missionary work and it was really
fun! (:
I ran into one of my old compas, too! Hna Lagunes! She was just visiting
and I randomly ran into her! sooo fun (:

We were walking on campus the other day and there were all these people
dressed in black with purple glow-in-the-dark wrist bands! We talked to
them and found out they were playing a huuuge game of capture the flag! So,
fun things on campus! haha gotta love student life.

Other than that, just a normal week (: Our recently baptized friend bore
his testimony yesterday and that was a beautiful moment! He spoke later
that night at a "Why I Believe' fireside we had at the institute.  It was
about just that, why he believes.  It was such a touching moment to hear
him bear his testimony and I loved it! (:
Good things.

I ran myself out of time.

Love!