7/27

HI FAMILIA!!!!

Is Tawn still in Haiti? I need to know! I heard baby baby today and I wanted to cry cause I miss my sister and I get nervous that she is in Haiti. So tell her I say... hi. I want to hear every detail about her experience

This week was.. honestly probably my hardest thus far. Really good, but wow... this area is rough. I don't know what could possibly happen to make an entire area so challenging! We had nearly every single appointment bail on us and we ride our bikes in the heat for quite a while to get there. Then of course we have backups and check on others. We had several people agree to meet with us, only to find out they are not in our area, or they are more comfortable with English, or whatever reason that we don't get to be the ones who teach them. And Alonzo, who is supposed to get baptized next SUnday is like MIA! I am so confused what is happening with the poor old man. I mean, he was just in a coma so is partially justified. But he'll be like "YEAH I'll come to church! 15 min before and doesn't come? Or yeah come over! And isn't there?- Just pray for him. He has a such a good heart and he wasn't even doubting getting baptized! BUT of course there is beautiful opposition in all things and that was very evident this week. Even those most everyone bailed on us, there is always the miracle in the day. The person that says "Pasen! (come in)" before you even introduce yourself. That actually happened a few times this past week and we found some great people. And my fav miracle of the week. One woman said "pasen" before we even said anything and we taught her all about the restoration of the church. And so we invited her 8 yr old son to read a scripture and she started to say that he can't, but he read anyways PERFECTLY. First off, it was SO dark in the room I could only recite memorized scirptures cause I couldn't read. So her jaw was dropped and she was in awe and said that he can't read at all without his glasses, and that he can't read in Spanish. She said "I know you are sent from God" and agreed to be baptized on the 14th of August! It was SO miraculous! Oh and her answer when we invited her to be baptized wasn't "mmm... tal vez" or "Si Dios quiere" (very common)- but "Claro!" which is like obviously! That made the strenous week vale la pena. Also when we went over the baptismal interview questions with Luis. AH FUE BONITA! He is SO ready and he is excited. We still meet with him like every two days and he works like all the time, but prefers to use his rest time studying and with us preparing for his baptism. I just want you to meet him so bad. I also had another amazing experience in the VC with a family from Mexico that came in and spent hours there cause they loved it so much and they ALL (they all live seperartely) very willingly upperboxed (agreed to meet with the missionaries) and will all get baptized no doubt. And they all just kept thanking me in the most sincere tone and wanted to get pictures of us together. One thing I actually do love about the VC is that you get to have your own investigators (that's actually new)- we teach alone and get to call them and teach them over the phone. It sounds selfish, but I love having people that are like MY PEOPLE that yuou don't have to share. Okay that sounds bad. you just have some really cool experiences at the VC teaching alone. Anyway, I love you all and have to go. Please update me on all yo vidas!

7/14

Dearest familia,

Rumor has it all of you are around the world and country. It makes me feel weird that no one is home and all your lives are so exciting and crazy..I want to play! Can we do this stuff together when I get home? Is that okay? Guess what, I actually go home in a year from like tomorrow. I sound super trunky right now, but I am just making you aware. And okay...maybe I miss you alot. LIKE ALOT.

but of course I love it here and everything is going great :) I am starting to adjust to the new area. My comps are great and latina which is always good and I love being on bikes in the dreadful heating going uphill for hours. I really do! Or riding in the pouring rain is super sweet. So I felt slightly discouraged our first day in the area. There was only one investigator on the wall and the goals were like a third of the goals from my last area. But I thought about it, and God's elegidos are in this area too. So I just prayed like crazy to build our pool this week and it went quite well. We found 8 new investigators last week and already 8 this week (starts Monday)- it's still hard cause there weren't many progressing when I got here so we're just starting from scratch, but hopefully some of them are legitimo and progress. Louis actually is. He is the best we meet with him like every 2 days and he comes to church and always brings his book of mormon and just is the cutest! He is super shy and doesn't open up a lot. But he shared an experience that he had a dream about his salvation and that he had to do certain things to have it which totally prepared him to meet us. Only problem is he won't accept a bdate! He wants to and knows its true, but he doesn't want to fall after being baptized. We have explained the sacrament and preserverar hasta el fin, but it has to come from him. He will though. And we met with the daughter of one of our investigators and she seriously accepted a baptismal date right away. She LOVES the message and she is only 13! Her dad is the sweetest man ever and we ran into him yesterday and he seems reluctant cause they are catolico. So pray that A. they will let her get baptized. and B. they will too! Thanks. It gets pretty discouraging that people will progress so far and just not get baptized. It eats at me all the time. this past week we visited a less active who used to be ward mission leader and hasn't been to church in a long time. He told us that he is sorry to say that it will  be a long time before he can turn back to the Lord cause  he is really bitter. So my heart lept when I saw him at church on Sunday. There is no better feeling to see someone overcome the most powerful enemy of pride and humble themselves before the Lord. And I had to speak at church AGAIN that same day. It was intimidating. And this ward is quite large and they are all so friendly I really do love them! So I never talk about miracles in the VC, but we really see them all the time. I have had the wonderful experience of taking non members on tours who upper box, which means they refer THEMSELVES to tmissionaries. GOLDEN!!! My fav experience was this last week. A Bolivian man and woman came in the other night and I figured out he wasn't a member so I started taking him on a Restoration tour (which can vary in resources). But the sSpirit prompted me in another direction to show them a talk by Thomas S Monson and to let them choose which one. They chose a talk on comfort in death. We continued on and they informed me that her fiance, his brother, just passed away at a young age. I showed him a kiosk of the spirit world and we all were crying, because I have been holding in all these emotions about dad lately, and of course cause I felt for them. He had not the slightest doubt it was true. He kept asking, "Did Jose (the brother) know about this?"- And the fiance explained to him that he had and believed it and it brought him so much comfort. we became the best of friends. he wants me to come stay with his family in Bolivia after my mission haha. I have seen the most incredible miracles in the VC as well even though I never talk about it. I still am not yet IN LOVE with being a VC sister, but it will come I am sure. I am humbled every time someone comes in just out of pure curiosity and they want to learn more and meet with the missionaries. I got a WHITE family the other day that all upper boxed! They were so GREAT! And this guy who came in just to see the art work and he was interested with the fact the Christ visited his people in the Americas after his resurrection and wanted to learn more. Some other really cool experiences.

Okay I am out of time. Just know I love and pray for you ALL THE TIME. I am jealous that your lives are so cool and super eventful

6/22

First off... IS TAWN IN HAITI??!! Family... I have only been gone 3 total months and I hardly hear from you and it's freaking me out like something is going on...COME ON!!! so please can someone just write even a five word letter and tell me where on earth Tawnee is... and what else is going on so I can rest my mind and focus on the work. THANKS :)

 My time is limited, but this week was great. I learned a great deal about opposition. I was feeling horrible' this week cause I felt like all of our bdates were falling through. I thought Saul had given up and Jaime is going to Mexico for like a month and I didn'texhibit any faith in him. I was humbled and needed the humbling. I prayed very sincerely one night and just about cried cause I want this so bad for them and they have been faltering. The words that came to mind were simple, "Be still and know that I am God"- and I was reminded of a scripture our disctrict leader shared with us just reminding us that this is not OUR work. God doesn't NEED us, we are simply His instruments. He knows what He is doing. Next day, we met with Saul and he said, "I am ready to be baptised this Sunday!" We all acted calm and started screaming in joy the moment we entered the car. Jaime, we took to the VC yesterday and we had the most INCREIBLE experience ever. He is like... super tough. and the moment he heard the prophet speak, tears just filled his eyes and he said he KNOWS this is true. The only thing stopping him from getting baptized is that he wants to get baptized with his whole family. His mother of his children (not wife, or gf?) on the other hand is not ready. We walked him up to the temple. It was late at night and we were in a thunderstorm and we said, "We want you to pray and ask God right now if He wants you to get baptized this Sunday before you leave to Mexico"- he usually is very reluctant, but he agreed very sincerely and we left. We have yet to know his response, but we expect he'll get baptized Sunday. And all our other Bdates are SUPER SOLID. within the next 2 or 3 weeks they should all be getting baptized :) I can't even describe the joy it brings me! It's like being in love but better!!! Cause we're feeling a more immense love that God has for them. We have found some AMAZING investigators this week as well! Thing are so crazy we don't make time for meals and just pray someone will give us food and they always do! (PS if you pray for things on the mish- THEY HAPPEN- it's almost uncanny) That was blasphemy- prayer always works. Just the specificity of things you can pray for here and the frequency at which they actually occur.... it just blows my mind. Anyway so one of the women we met, Yesenia, we met on the street. I had the weirdest feeling when I met her and usually like to be friendly and BRT first with them, but I immediately started asking her like deep questions and testifying pretty boldly which is unlike me so quickly and we all walked away confused. Cause she SEEMED really flakey. She said she didn't have a phone and didn't know her address so we just left her with our number. We couldn't figure out why we all felt so good about her! Next day we had VC shift and she called us FIVE times on different phones. NO ONE ever calls US FIRST. And it already happened one other time this week! Moral of story is she is golden and I will let you know what happens with her and Antonio (the other guy who called us first)- I also did exchanges this week and I am doing them again on Saturday! This means I go to a completely different area with a different comp. It was amazing this past time. I went with sis Humbert from Germany and we went to an appointment who wasn't there, but of course his grandmother happens to be knocking on the door so we talk to her instead. She immediately started crying to us and said, " I REALLY NEED TO TURN MY LIFE AROUND" she was SO great!!! We taught her the whole first lesson right there and said, "Can we pray together?" Naturally we said yes and she just poured her soul out Ps when you are a missionary people tell you EVERYTHING. They open up right when you meet them and tell you their deepest secrets. Anyway it was great and she is so excited to learn more. Unfortunately I am not in her area and don't get to see her progression. We also had another appointment fall through and it was POURING rain (it rains all the time) so we were stuck in this complex, knocked the door and she was crying and invited us in and IS GOLDEN. Dang I want to finnish the stories but I am out of time.

Today was crazy we went to the white house to take our tour and there was some incident and we couldn't go so we go next week.s but bama was there and there was all these police cars. crazy. So we went to this museum and met alex boye!!! And he told us crazy things and I  have to go but I love you bye write me!!!

Okay sorry this is confusing I don't have time to finish I type 2 fst luv u so bye

6/15 letter

I am writing you today!! I love you!

Use dis one: So I can never decide which milagros I want to share cause there are always so manY!!!! I do need to add though that these don't come without opposition. I probably make it sound like everyone says YES. Well in reality every latino pretty much says yes to meeting with the missionaries. But they are realllyyy hard to get a hold of and they often don't show up to out appointments. But EVERY TIME we find someone else to teach and have AMAZING experience. I still stress out that I can't keep track of everyone we need to be teaching cause the field is SO WHITE here there are so many people who are prepared. It's so GREAT!!! Yesterday was beautiful cause my fav man, Jose, accepted a bdate for July 3rd. He's SOOO LEGIT I wish you could meet him! Tawn you would love him, he is this old, old cute man who just has SO much faith! And he can't read and every time we pray he asks for our help and it's SO CUTE to hear him pray. He was the man that came in on Maria's blessing and was like, "these men have the authority of God, I can tell." We met some REALLY GOLDEN people this week at their doorstep and taught them the whole first lesson right there. One is Diego. We were on our way to check on his cousins and had the wrong house so we went up and talked to him and he was even more receptive than his cousins. He accepted a condition invitation to be baptised. The others we met last night, Marcos and Alex. Alex said, "I listen to every person that preaches the word of God, cause I am seeking for something more. God has something better"- as you can imagine he was SO RECEPTIVE so we taught him the first lesson and prayed with him right there on the stairs to his apt. We are now teaching an English class to the Latinos that will help in finding. It's small now, but I think it will grow. And yesterday at the VC the missionaries came in and asked me to give a tour about baptism on the spot to their investigator. I still am not super familiar with the resources and this was a legit tour that I had no time to prepare for. But itwas INCREDIBLE! I was awful (for real), but he felt the spirit so strong, and seriously one of the most beautiful things about being on a mission is hearing how people describe how the spirit communicates with them. Because it really is different for every person. He just kept saying "No puedo explicar" "I can't explain what I am feeling, so much alegria en mi corazone" The spirit was TAN FUERTE!!! He had tears in his eyes and accepted a bdate for the 3rd of July. Another man was just like "I get chills all over my body. I have never felt this before"- One we're trying to do now is talk about what the spirit feels like before we teach a lesson. Cause a lot of people don't realize they are receiving their answer. Jaime has been waiting on the road to demascus cause he doesn't realize he has received his answer! So sadly, he is not getting baptised this Sunday. BUT, he actually is the most ready I have ever seen him. He came to church with his whole family Sunday and went with us to a baptism that night. He has the most REAL light in his eyes that I haven't seen in him yet. He finally says he WANTS to be baptized he just needs time. We're extending another date for him tonight. Pray that he will feel ready for Sunday. I can;t describe how INCREDIBLE it felt to see him walk in with his whooole family and the change in his countenance.. It's UNREAL. Saul is doing well.. his new bdate is in 2 weeks. PRAY FOR HIM PLEASE. He wants this SO BAD!!! He is sooo addicted it's so hard. We are trying to understand very minimally what he is going through by not intaking ANY sugar. And I hate my life. So I can;t imagine how hard it is for him. But 1 Cor 10:13. It's possible and he knows that and is siguiendo adelante en fe. So here is a cool little miracle. So we called this woman Maria who agreed to meet with us so we were going to plan a cita. A kid answered and we asked for Maria and she had not a clue who we were. She was like, "I really do not remember meeting you, but I met with missionaries a long time ago and they never came back and I wanted to learn more, so please send the missionaries (she was out of our area)" - Come to find out I called the WRONG NUMBER it was only ONE NUMBER OFF and it happened to be a MARIA!!! Crazy right!? Okay well no tengo tiempo mas. Sorry me emails are so scattered I am typing so fast cause time is limited. But it would be reallyyy cooolll if you could write me and let me know how everything is going cause I am curious. I love you allso so much. Sometimes I miss you lotzznlotz all the time. PS we're learning a little Portuguese to teach a Brazilian!! (we don't have port in our area)-

Letter from 6/ 2

There is SO much to say and NO time. Let me just say that I LOVE THE MISSION FIELD. and MIRACLES HAPPEN

First off, I just heard about Amy's baby and my heart shattered into a million pieces. My roommates as well. I literally was so distressed about itm I dreamed about it all night. How is he? I really need to know more details. I am SO happy that he is okay. I am fasting for him this week. Please send them my love. And can you give me their address I want to send them something? Easton has been in every single one of my prayers

and this is an awkward change of subject but how on earth did Uncle Paris get on the BYU devotional!?! Well, it's obvious cause he is amazing, but that is like a HUGE deal. RECORD IT and keep it for two years!!

SO... I honestly don't even know where to start about this week. The miracles that have occurred are honestly numberless. We got a 10k (10th key indiactor- or goal for our zone) to get a baptismal date after the first lesson. I thought this was a little ambitious. But, nonetheless we prayed for it. So our area only  gets like one or two baptisms a year. I am delighted to announce that we currently have FIVE BAPTISMAL DATES! Oh my goodness... the stories are miraculous I wish I could tell you every single one! First off, I have the STRONGEST testimony of prayer. There is a scripture in Mark that says if you desire for it, pray for it, and REALLY believe it's going to happen, it will! (butchered)- obviously like it says in the bible dictionary with you will aligned with the Lord's. but WHOA I  had no idea it was this real. Thursday we had dinner planned with less actives, but we had a made a goal to get a Bdate, but we had citas all night and didn't know when we could do it. So mid driving we all felt impressed to pray to meet someone at the house of the menos activos. Of course, after our meal was done in walks Roxanna. She was just dropping off the wife from work. So we invited her to sit down with us and listen to our brief message. We extended June 26th- and she said YES! Next day, we said a prayer to find someone else at dinner at the Castillo's- in walks Carlos. And he is GOLDEN. We didn't even leave the dinner table cause we were just casually talking. Extended June 26th to get baptised- HE SAID YES. And there was the coolest moment as I was sharing about the first vision and I was looking into his eyes and I was just overcome with the love that God had for him. and I like could see his worth and potential it was so intense. And he was crying. We asked him to pray at the end- he didn't really know how. It was obviously all in Spanish, but he ended in English saying, "life is good"- and just had the biggest smile on his face. AH! I WISH YOU COULD SEE IT. It's so beautiful!!! Last night we taught another man, Ivon,  for the first time- and he is also getting baptised the 26th! Obviously this is all tied in with opposition. Our GOLDEN Bdate is Saul. He is supposed to get baptised this Sunday, but he is having the HARDEST time overcoming  his addiction to alcohol. Please pray for him. We fasted and prayed for him yesterday and I really think it worked. He said nothing will stop him from getting baptised this upcoming Tues (he has to go a full week)- Then Jaime- ah you would love him!- He is a PROFESSOR and was ATHIEST and he has a bdate for next week!!! I didn't even know that was possible! We went to dinner with him last night and he was just so sweet and humble and said he doesn't know if he is ready. We want to "fall in love before he gets married" (that was his analogy for baptism), but I committed him to fast with us on Sunday and he LOVED the idea because he is very logical and likes the idea of doing something to receive something in return. He is AMAZING! Please, please pray for them. And pray for the familia of Jose y Jenny that they won't get deported until after thei baptism- cause they seem to be for sure getting deported. I wish you could meet all these amazing people! And on the mission, youi can pray for specific things and they really happen?! I didn't believe that so I tried it on temple square they said to tried to have an inspired pray of who to look for (in exact clothing and everything) and I the only thing that came to me was two old women in purple. I thought it was humorous and laughed it off. First thing I see when I get there, Two old women in bright purple sweaters. But that is another story. So I made a  little goal in a prayer to baptise a 7th day avenist cause they are SUPER FAITHFUL to their reigion and REALLY challenging, but have such good spirits. We met a 7th day avenist yesterday who ASKED US when she could come to church with us. She loves the mormon tabernacle choir and really wants to learn about our church since there are principles in her own that she doesn't fully believe. WHAT! Oh my goodness. And I have seen SUCH MIRACLES at the Visitor's Center. I have taken multiple families on tours who are non members and they embrace it completely and upper box (self refer)- which like 99% leads to baptism. Now, I have to explain that I fully in my heart know this has nothing to do with me. We do have to be obedient to have success in the mission like it says in Alma, but I know God is just leading us to the people whose hearts have been prepared for the message. It's so incredible some of the experiences that lead them to believe or accept gospel that happen beforehand. "han cesado los milargos? - DIGO QUE NO!" - Moroni 7:49- It is so real. I love you all and hope all is well. I pray for you in every single prayer. Sorry this email is so scattered I just had so much to say and my mind is racing

Ps I had to speak in church already! I did last week too at the CCM. And it's a Spanish WARD not even a branch. twas scary. We are going to the ciudad for PDAY today and seeing some of the sites I will send you picrtures- Please update me on all your crazy exciting lives. LOVE YOU ALL!

FINALLY - new pictures of Kelly!