Yep, that really does say week FIVE! Can you believe it? In another week I'll know where I'm going for the next transfer, or if I'm staying here. If the area is being split and we're losing all of our investigators or not. If I'm staying on one side of the area or moving to the other. It will be exciting to see what happens... though it will be sad to have all of our investigators passed onto a set of Elders. But, I know that the Lord knows what He's doing and trust Him completely.
It was a crazy week. Like really crazy. Read on.
Monday: P-day, but we didn't have a whole lot of time for letters, so if you've written me lately don't be offended if I don't write back quickly. Time as a missionary is very limited, especially with as large of an area and as many investigators as we have.
Tuesday: We taught a ton of lessons. We had to say goodbye to one of our investigators who moved to Georgia. That was sad. I didn't like that one bit. I am so not looking forward to the day when I find out that I'm leaving the area and have to tell everyone goodbye.
Wednesday: We taught a lesson to Magda, the woman I wrote about last week whose husband had been investigating the church a while back and we found her when we went to contact him and found out that he was dead. Anyway, we had an amazing lesson with her. She told us that she had been praying for someone to come help her to know what her purpose in life is, and just days later 3 "angels" walked up her driveway.
In her prayer, she said that she has been hungering for the Lord in her life. It was so sweet. She is such an amazing lady. I feel so blessed to be able to know her. She told us that she grew up in Venezuela not far from a Mormon church and always saw the Elders, but never learned anything about the church. Her sister is also a member. She was so open and accepting to the message that we shared with her. We went down to Bernalillo for the day and, because it was super windy, got absolutely plastered with sand. I was very grateful that I don't have hard contacts any more--my eyes hurt bad enough as it was! I had sand everywhere when I got into my pajamas that night. But my day got even crazier when we went to the Luna's for our appointment with Lily and Alexis that night. She told us that she wanted to move her baptismal date up from the 24th to the 10th. Yep, 2 weeks. We had 2 days to arrange her interview... well, less, because we had to have it on Friday. And we taught a REALLY abbreviated version of all of the lessons. We've got to finish those this week... and have a long way to go. For those who know what I'm talking about, we still have lesson 3 and most of lesson 4 to do by Saturday. And we have to make it not boring for 11 year old Alexis. Yep, it's great fun. I actually got an idea of how to teach the Law of Chastity during Conference yesterday. We'll let you know how that pans out, but it's using the story of the Anti-Nefi-Lehitas burying their weapons of war. Thursday: It was just a weird day. I was still thinking it was Tuesday all day long. Oh, and guess what! I hit my 3 month mark. That was kind of a weird realization. I am 1/6 of the way done with my mission. That really isn't a very big fraction in the long scheme of things. I can't believe how fast time is flying. We had another lesson with Lily and Alexis. They are both amazing. They are doing the things they need to do in order to be prepared for their baptisms next weekend... er... this weekend. Yep. 5 days. Wow.
Friday: We had weekly planning. That is always a process, and throw planning a baptism in there and it gets even crazier. But it was enjoyable. We also had the baptismal interviews. Elder Frey, our District Leader, did the interview for Alexis (he prefers English, but we had a Spanish-Speaking DL come up from Albuquerque for Lily). After the interview, Elder Frey asked Alexis if he has a tie. When Alexis said no, Elder Frey took his own tie off and gave it to him. That was so neat to see. We left the church after their interviews on a spiritual high. We went to see Magda and had another amazing lesson. She accepted to be baptized later this month as well!
Saturday: So I had a crazy dream Friday night. Actually, it was more half-conscious than anything because I clearly remember my actions. Yes, actions. I was roasting hot in the middle of the night, which is saying something because we don't have any heat in our house and it was FREEZING when we went to bed. I had a dream that Magda was in our apartment, in Sister Trunnell's bed. She was cold, so I told her that I was fine and she could have one of my blankets. I clearly remember taking the blanket off of my bed and putting it on top of "Magda." I also took my socks off and went right back to sleep. I woke up, who knows how much later around 2:00 am freezing. I wonder why, then look over at Sister Trunnell and everything comes back to me. I take my blanket back and find my socks and curl up in a nice little ball and fall right back asleep. It was quite funny, and Sister Trunnell got a big kick out of it when I told her when we got up. Mind you, it wasn't a lot of work to put my blanket on top of her or take it back because there's only about 12 inches, if that between each of our beds. It's quite cramped with all 3 of us, but we love it! I loved General Conference, as usual. I'll admit, I wasn't exactly looking forward to it, but that's because I remembered very clearly the RS broadcast and not being able to understand anything and I was dreading 8 more hours of that. But we had English translation headphones in the Spanish translation room. Great, huh? But I understood everything! And still heard it in Spanish. We had Lily come to all 4 sessions, Magda came to 2, and Manuel, Alexis, and Norma all came to one session. It was so neat, because the things that they needed to hear were the things that were really stressed during the sessions they attended. Oh how I have a testimony of the Leaders of the Church.
Sunday: The Hot Air Balloon Festival is going on right now, and their course took them right over our house Sunday morning. It was so neat to see all the many--hundreds--of colorful balloons floating over our house. Don't worry, I took lots of pictures. You just can't see them... yet. I'll get some sent home in the next few weeks for mom to post. That was fun to see. It really freaked one of the horses out though. Most of them were perfectly content eating and had no clue what was going on, but this one horse was pacing back and forth and snorting and it was quite obvious that he was terrified. We did our personal study and attended another 4 wonderful hours of general conference. The talks were all so amazing, and I can't wait to read them. Mom, in regards to my request last week for an Ensign ASAP, still please send me one because we only get one copy for the 3 of us, and the last one we got was a Spanish Liahona which completely defeats the purpose.
Now, going back to what I said on Friday about Elder Frey, I really look up to the Elders in this mission. Most of the Elders I have met seem older than me, though I know that most of them really aren't. They are so much more mature than other boys their age who don't serve missions. It is really an impressive thing to see. Now, mind you I'm not trying to talk bad about boys ages, oh 18-22. I'm just saying that one changes a TON while they are out here serving the Lord. I'm not the same person I was 3 months ago either. I've noticed a change in myself. I am definitely learning to rely on the Lord a lot more in everything that I'm doing. I wouldn't trade this experience for ANYTHING--despite all of the tears that I have shed for one reason or another. I am really learning to apply the Atonement in my life. I had a good application on that this week as I was feeling so extremely homesick and alone last weekend during the Relief Society Broadcast, not being able to understand anything. My two amazing companions helped me realize that if I apply the Atonement of our Savior in my life, things will be so much easier. And I have noticed a definite difference in my life this week. A good difference. Not that I don't still miss my family and friends, because I do. But it doesn't hurt like it has. I have realized that I am not here for me. I'm here for people like Lily and Alexis, and Magda, and Norma, and Emma, and all of our other many investigators. I am here for my Savior. This isn't my time. It is the Lord's time, and I feel so blessed to even be able to be here. Think about it, a year ago, I wasn't planning on being here. I was planning on being in Rexburg right now. I'd be done with the first month of my last semester. Wow. That's a weird thought. I was planning on graduating in April. But the Lord had other plans for me, and I'm glad He did, because I am seeing so many wonderful blessings in my life because of the service which I am giving to the people here.
Well, I'm almost out of time. I hope you all have a wonderful week. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers and support. I love all of you!
Alma 24
Hermana Good
Oh yeah! HAHAHA about the 35 degrees and SNOW! Our leaves are just starting to change and it's a wonderful 70 or so outside! I LOVE the weather here!
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