Week 97

Skyping with family on Christmas Day 💗

¡¡FELIZ AÑO NUEVO A TODOS!! HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL!! 

I am still having a hard time accepting the fact that it´s 2017 already....I remember when I got my mission call in 2014 and saw that my call was until 2017, and thinking "that´s never going to get here, it´s forever away!" But look where we are now! I am super excited for this year because I know the Lord has so much in store for me through my prayers and meditating as to what it´ll bring me. The opportunities are endless 😃.

This week we worked hard, despite the many investigators and members out of town or busy with festivities, and were able to continue to find new people to teach. We must have found over 40 new people since I got here! The tough part is finding them again and getting them to church since we still haven´t had many at church. This week no one went because they all passed out from their new years parties. (Yes, they were honest enough to tell us ahead of time that that would happen...didn't even try to avoid it.) But we are hoping next week will be better since it´ll be more normal and our schedule changed from 9 to 11 which makes it easier for everyone to get up on time 😊.

One cool story is we found an old investigator named Leticia, who was taught by missionaries about a year ago and even went to the church like 7 times. She and her husband had a baptismal date a set and everything, but some things caused them to get discouraged and stop going to church, and then the missionaries changed and never returned. Talking with her, we were able to discern that the only thing that´s keeping her is obtaining a testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet since she still hasn't received an answer yet. We are going to start from the beginning with them and hope to help them receive their answer so they can be baptized.

I would like to share a scripture I found while studying Doctrine and Covenants this week. In Doctrine and Covenants 78 17-19:

"17 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;

18 And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.

19 And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more."

It´s easy to become impatient and wonder why the Lord allows us to suffer for so long, but it´s important to understand that all things come with time. We couldn't bear all the blessings and glory that He has in store for us now because we still have a long way to learn and grow. Our Father in Heaven loves us so much that He is willing to let us experience some affliction so we can obtain all that He has, through our obedience. What hope and joy it brings to know what He has in store for us if we would just endure in faith! 

I love the mission and hope to do all I can in these last few weeks to save my brothers and sisters inside my stewardship so that they too can have that joy and hope 😄!

Love you all and hope you had a wonderful CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year!!!

New Years Snacks!!!

Sparkling Apple Cider, the tradition lives on!
(Although I couldn't find Martinelli´s this time...and this
fancy organic sparkling cider from France doesn't compare 😋.)