04/11

MIS QUERIDOS!!!!!!

Cuanto las amo! You don't even know. Best news of my life from the bear. I am SO STOKED to watch the pageant with you :) And see my friend Luke who I HOPE is waiting for me. Or does he think that's weird since we've never like officially met yet? And maybe since I am 22 years older than him? And Britt's lil friend is coming SO SOON I AM DYING!!!!! I am so sorry I haven't sent your lame package yet it is coming soon and also I will get you all much classier gifts when I get home.


So this week was amazing, once again. And Sara you once mentioned that I never express disappointment in my emails. Sorry, it exists. The miracles just always outweigh the disappointments. Well, To an extent. it's extremely discouraging when someone you love with all your heart chooses to reject something that will change their lives.. la perla de incalcuable precio! (I talked about that in my talk last night at the program at the VC) - but everyone is doing great. Lorenzo is so solid he wants to share the gospel with his wife and kids in his country so they can be married in the temple when he gets back. Eduardo is solid when I told him to "pray to find out if the Book of Mormon is true" he said, "IF!? It IS true- don't doubt that!" woops. I will use better word choice I guess. Fransisco had an incredible experience which would be far too sacred to express over an email, but we will just say that he got his answer. You can't deny the existence of God when you experience what you do on the mission. Although we have ALOT of opposition over here in DC right now cause of the elections. It's kind of exciting to be honest because it brings tons of people in to the VC cause they want to know if all the rumors are true. They typically end with, "THIS is what everyone is getting worked up about?" Because they see how our religion is centered on Christ and the family and everything wholesome. We had a zone conference on how to respond to insincere people because the antis are ON US right now! There are two men in Olney dressed up in suits "elders" (that are like 30!) who go around knocking the doors the elders just left to anti them. Where we teach in Laurel it's always really awkward cause this pastor comes and tries to take all of our people! We saw him taking our investigator to church last week! ahh. Luckily, those who are ready are ready and they are just solid. But the adversary is real. Here is that quick miracle about Shadrack. He is a friend of our investigor from a year ago. He was bashing on us telling us the mormons are crazy cause the bible never talks about Joseph Smith. One of the most hard hearted men I had ever talked to. He made my SUPER strong companion cry. He was SO MEAN. We prayed one day when we passed by that he wouldn't be there, but the Lord humbled us and showed us His will rather than ours, he apologized and said he read from the Book of Mormon and that is was very beautiful. So our words couldn't touch his heart, but the Book of Mormon penetrated it and now there is no going back! He got antied and for a while was away, he came into the VC and refused to look at me cause he felt so guilty at how mean he was to us, but finally I went up to him and asked how he was. He said, "I am good, I feel awful at how I treated you... I am getting baptized and I know this is true" It was amazing! The most incredible miracles to me are changes of hearts. One more tender mercy... I guess a man called the Garret Park Elders asking for me cause I had given him a card months and months ago. He felt bad he never came to church, but said he wanted to. They took him to church and now he is moving to Florida and He is getting BAPTIZED!!! HUGE tender mercy cause sometimes I feel like my efforts are wasted when I just give a card and nothing happens, but then I remember duh this isn't my work, God is doing His thing and I am just one of his weak little instruments. But it's the best work EVER. The church is true, I love you. Keep having cool lives. AMEN!

04/04/2012

WOW I have not much time, but so much to say. Just know I love you all so much. I havebeen una misionera super distraida lately cause I think of you all lots. I just like you okay!!!!!! I am still in awe at how amazing your lives are. Like weddings, babies, da best times of your lives. and soon enough I will be able to play wif your lil babes and help you plan your weddings and go to the botanical gardens with my mom ::))) Not that I am trunky or anything.....

But In reality, wow I have not seen the types of miracles I saw this week ina long time. It was... WOW. And first of conference was the most incredible experience ever. I heard talks specifically for each of you, for each of our investigators, and I went in with a super specific question that I thought would be a really indirect answer and it was SO DIRECT. It has to do with the anti mormon lit I am faced with on the phone and D Todd Chistopherson's talk. It was awesome. SO I don't even know which miracles to tell. I went on two exchanges this past week (now that I am a VC trainer we do lots of exchanges and get to know all the sisters and areas it's awesome!) I went to little Africa and then to one of the richest areas in the US. They are all government officials and politicians and all that (mom I thought you would like this - Harry Reid and one of his components are in this ward, boff of them!) Anyway I don't have time I want to tell you the miracle. There was a man that I completely judged and thought was a boracho homeless man in the house of our investigators that I never thought to talk to. Long story short, he was hurt and in the hospital asking God to reveal him the truth. He said he heard a voice that said, "I will send you someone" and he asked "Who?" he said he a had a vision of us (he had seen us in these apartment complex for a long time) walking up to him and giving him something in his hand. When he held the Book of Mormon he said that that was it and he already knew it was true. He said he wouldn have never talked to us before. I will think before I judge next time. Miraculously Lorenzo, our inv who wll be baptized on the 22nd has been addicted to cigarretes for years suddenly every time he looked at his cigarretes he felt sick, so when he taught him the word of wisdom he recognized God's hand and agreed to live the WOW. A muslim came to the VC who had dreamt of the Christus statue and now wants to learn more depsite her strict religious background.  You will have to remind me to tell you the miracle about Shadrack cause it's my favorite of all of them, but I don't have time.. The church is so true. There is no doubt in my mind. Despite what those antis say. The adversary is just as real. Eduardo who has a bdate for the 22nd, called us terrified last night because he had an experience similar to Joseph Smith before the first vision - he recognized that it is because he is learning about God and the adversary wants to stop him from making a covenant with the Lord. Pesecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble and columny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth nobly boldly and independent until the great Jehova shall say the work is done!!! (PS I love when Pres Monson quoted that)  Sorry this letter is intense, this week was just incredible. God is so good! I love you all so much and pray for you all the time. Ps please keep andres in your prayers. His tumor is big and he has started chemo. I LOVE YOU ALL!