Oh Remember, remember

Hi everyone!

(Shout-out to Wendy´s for the sweet photo opp :)

Several exciting things happened this week:

-I finished the Book of Mormon in Spanish

-I completed 8 months

-My companion and I literally got stuffed

 

 

Part of the day that literally everyone gave us food. When I got home that night, I ended up with a banana, 5 tortillas, and 1 and a half baleadas in my backpack :)

This is Hermana Yessi. She´s inactive and says she´s never coming back to church, but is so so nice to us!

-I met some wonderful people, invited people to be baptized, felt the spirit, and felt happy!

- I busted out the slinky my Mom had sent me during the Summer.

But one thing at a time.

In October we started reading The Book of Mormon in Spanish. Unfortunately, I finished the end of January- one month later then everyone else. But I finished!

I told my Sister Rodriguez that every time I read The Book of Mormon I feel like there is a new message that sticks out to me. This time It was the theme of remember. 

Helaman says it to his sons at least 20 times (sorry scripture masters, I don´t have time to count right now) in Helaman chapter 5. 

And why?

It´s so so simple. If we remember that we are children of God, if we remember the covenants that we have made with him, then we will be able to follow in the path of God.

I never really saw, or I guess thought about it before my mission. Why do people go inactive and or leave the church? It´s simply because they forgot. There was a time, perhaps long ago, when the spirit was alive in their hearts. When they truly felt a desire to follow God and Jesus Christ. When they covenanted to follow them always and stay true. These sweet children have simply forgotten. I don´t go into homes to say, "hey, what you've been doing is incorrect- I have the truth, let me teach you!" rather, I try to go in and help them remember. Remember how good it feels to be wrapped in the loving embrace of God´s arms and then tell them I know how they can feel that way again.

The Book of Mormon is such a powerful tool. Not only as missionaries, but as members. When I feel sad, I can read it. When I feel antsy or stressed, I can read it. It is the solution to any problem and holds all the answers. Literally every one! 

Everyday I tell people I can´t force my testimony, I can´t force the testimony and love I hold into their hearts. All I can do is invite them- invite them to partake of the same love and happiness that I have enjoyed in my life. If you haven´t had the opportunity, or haven´t read it in a while and might be forgetting some of the things you've always known, I encourage you to read it. In whatever language you prefer :)

Next I completed 8 months! Hermana R completed 4. I told her let´s swap and I´ll tell people that I only have 4 and she 8. She said no thanks :)

I heard it before and I can attest to the truth- the time goes by too fast, enjoy every moment. I can say that both are true. And I thoroughly feel like I have enjoyed every moment. It´s incredible to see all that I have accomplished in the past 8 months, but I know there is so much more required of me and I hope I can fulfill it all in the next 10 months! :)

I´m doing so well. My companion and I are best friends and are constantly laughing, singing, (in English and Spanish) and just enjoying everything. It´s so wonderful when you go into a lesson, and you can just feel what you need to teach. Everything is just in synch and the spirit is there and you can see in their eyes that they get it, and they love it.

The first time I used the slinky that Mom sent me in July! It got stuffed in a suitcase somewhere in Teguc, and I re-discovered it here and decided to stick it in my backpack. Legos are great, but they can be kind of a handful sometimes. 

Well, we had planned to have a family home evening with a less-active member. We saw him in the street earlier that day and as I was walking away I yelled, "remember, you´re in charge of the lesson! Maybe you could do it on keeping the sabbath day holy!"

Well, we show up at his house and he said, "alright everyone, we´re going to talk about keeping the sabbath day holy." It was actually a really good lesson!

We were in charge of the game, but he only has his 5 year old daughter Nicole, so while he got the soda and crackers ready we played with the Slinky! We made stairs with our books and she was literally so excited for a half hour. 

And he came to church on Sunday! Woooot!

This was from our last p-day when we went back to our apartment with the other hermanas, tres leches in tow and watched "singles ward".

 

 

This was right out of my apartment yesterday morning as we were leaving to church. After re-reading my Mom´s e mail, I realized there are so many things that might be normal for us (well, for me anyway) but completely unique for folks in the states.

There are always animals in the road- pigs, horses, cows, you name it. Rarely without any one in site. This morning there was a boy on the horse leading them, but I just love how completely normal it is.

And parents- I haven´t seen anyone on a motercycle with 20 chickens, but I did see 2 young men on a bike the other day- each wtih a live chicken in their hand

 

Here is another example of something that is completely normal here- I drink water out of bags. If I´m filling up my water bottle then I just rip one open and pour it in. But at home when I´m just chilling around I just drink it out of the bag. It´s really common to go to someone´s house and they give you juice or soda out of a bag- cups are expensive. :)

I love you all. The church is true! :) Have a fabulous week!

 

 

 (Shout out to Hermana Flynn for her cute skirt and dress!)