Hellooooooo beautiful family!!!!
The subject line really doesn't have anything to do with you specifically, it's just a good thought. Haha. If you're stuck together for eternity, you better make your family relationships the absolute best that you can!
I'm SO sorry we didn't get to email last week. The day we were supposed to be emailing was transfer day, and we were sooooo busy that we didn't even get to go grocery shopping! We used up just about every last scrap that we had lying around in our freezer, fridge, or cupboards. Sure we could have gone to the store, but any time at all that we would have gone would have been during proselyting time, which is definitely NEVER okay, or during our studies, which is also definitely never okay. We really can't miss those. Sooo, since we knew we would have a lot of dinner appointments, my companion and I decided to be obedient and wait until the following Monday to go buy food. We knew that if we thought not where our food would come from, put the kingdom of God above all things, and trusted that the Lord would watch out for us for being obedient, that we could make it. I was worried at first, for we were out of bread, milk, ramen, and really all the essentials. But I seriously felt like shopping during our working hours was like breaking the Sabbath day, so we prayed the Lord would provide. And He DID! We had investigators randomly decide to send us home with food, less actives call us up to feed us lunch, and dinner almost every night. We made it through the week just fine. I know that if we strive to be obedient and keep the commandments of God, He will always bless us with what we need, and will always take care of us. Inasmuch as we are obedient, we will prosper in the land. And in our fridge. One of my all-time favorite scriptures that I always share with investigators is 1 Nephi 3:7 "Y sucedio que yo, Nefi, dije a mi padre: Ire y hare lo que el Senor ha mandado, porque se que el nunca da mandamientos a los hijos de los hombres sin prepararles la via para que cumplan lo que les ha mandado." I KNOW that Heavenly Father expects every single one of us to keep ALL of His commandments, and that He would never require anything of us that was impossible. I know that it's true: where there's a will, there really is a way. And if there isn't a way right now, God will provide a miracle to make a way.
Okay, so my NEW COMPANION....she's AWESOME. Her name is Sister Wheatley from Heber, Utah. She is so sweet and loving and her favorite thing to say besides "it's all good" is "whatever you need." She is always serving me and thanking me for being her companion. She has 4 months left in her mission. The other day she cried and told me that I'm an answer to her prayers, that she was losing her energy and getting burnt out, and that a greenie from the MTC is exactly what she needs right now. It kinda works out, cause what I need is someone with experience. So pretty much, we're perfect for each other. She is so loving and humble and willing to work with whatever everyone else wants, but is definitely not a push over. She stands her ground and takes equal part in lessons, planning, leading/following, teaching/learning.....she's legit. We work SO well together, WAY better than Sister Jeppsen and I. I miss Sister Jeppsen all the time, and she was the best I could have possibly been given, but because she was so dominant she would kind of take over everything and I feel like I couldn't really grow and learn and get better and stronger because I wasn't given really equal responsibility. Sister Wheatley and I have way better unity, and I KNOW this transfer is gonna be super awesome, that we're going to have success and see a lot of change in the work, that it's really going to pick up and progress.
We had a zone conference last wednesday, and our zone leaders introduced changes that President Killpack wants us to implement. It includes things like how dinner appointments are done, how to work with the members to find and teach, how to strengthen the branch, all sorts of things. The whole meeting I was freaking out, I couldn't wait to make the changes and see a difference in the work. I have full faith that if we are completely obedient and do exactly what President tells us to do, the work will progress and we will see the desired success. I can't wait to get it all going. The members weren't super happy at first about all the changes but we just remind them that it's what has to be done, so they just kind of have to get over it......not that we ever said that, haha, but man these Mexicans get so dramatic! They like everything done their way, and there's always a ton of drama. But we're going to be obedient and we know that if we exercise our faith to follow President's rules, the work will pick up. I can't wait.
We met a family last week, the De La Rosa familia. The Elders in our ward were at the hospital giving a member a blessing, and the De La Rosas were in the same shared room with their dying grandfather. They asked for a blessing for him and the Elders ended up teaching a Plan of Salvation lesson on the spot. The family couldn't wait to hear more, so they started taking lessons from the Elders. The family was passed off to us to start teaching. Every time we've had lessons with them, we've got allllllll of the abuelas, tias, hermanas, hermanos, ninos, primos, y todos en la casa. They all grab their Books of Mormon and gather around and listen about Heavenly Father's plan for us, the resurrection, spirit world, and that families are eternal. It's so awesome. They told us they had to have car washes to raise money for a funeral because they had seriously nada. One day we got to help them out with the car wash, until Sister Jeppsen had the idea to see if they could have the funeral in our chapel for free. We worked with the branch presidency and auxiliary leaders and had a funeral for the family this morning. We had so many teary eyes thanking and thanking and thanking everyone for letting them do the funeral, and specific family members saying that even though they are Catholic they really like the church and want us to keep holding on to the family. There's going to be so many baptisms from this experience!!! I can see now all of them entering the temple and being sealed as a family. The sad news is that we found out they actually aren't even in our branch boundaries, and we have to pass them off to other Elders to teach them and bring them into a different branch. We are super sad but know that they are in good hands.
We have a baptism this Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know if I told you about Rosa Correa. She is a single mom to a 2-year old Derric and is from Sonora, Mexico, which is where most of the people are from around here. There's even a "Sonora Branch," which is the branch we will have to send the De La Rosa family to. But Rosa has been studying with missionaries for over 2 years now, and is FINALLY stepping into the waters of baptism. We are so stoked, my first baptism in the mission!!!! I can't believe it's really happening. I can't wait. The problem is that Rosa always has to work on Sundays, and her boss where she cleans hotels never lets her have time off to attend church. So we are working with the Relief Society president to help her find work elsewhere so that she can weekly take the Sacrament and keep the commandments of God. Last we heard, the Marriot is hiring, and that they are always flexible with allowing their employees to attend church. I REALLY hope she gets this new job. The problem with Rosa is that she is super floja (lazy), so you kinda have to slowlyyyy PUSH her along to get things done. But she's doing it! The members already loved her and she is already fellowshipped well, so we know she will be okay.
At the funeral this morning, I remembered that this life is only a blip on the map, but that it is the time to repent and change to prepare to meet God. This morning for personal study I read Alma 40-42. It's awesome! Heavenly Father is so merciful for giving so much to us: bodies, an earth, families, and the gospel, so that we could have an opportunity to repent and grow. I kinda hate funerals but I also love them for helping me to remember what this life is all about. Sister Jeppsen said she liked to think of this life as being in a virtual reality, where we are given tests to see how we perform and one day we will wake up and be accountable for what we did with what we are given. I'm so thankful to have this knowledge to motivate me to be the best I can be. It also made me remember that death happens to all of us, that one day I'm going to be sitting in a room looking at the casket of my mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, aunts, uncles, cousins, maybe siblings. The day is guaranteed to come. I need to let you all know how much I absolutely love you. I can't waste this precious time we have by not telling you what you mean to me, what wonderful parents you are and to let you know that you have raised me right. Grandma and grandpa, aunts and uncles, I really wouldn't be anywhere without your amazing example. I love you all so much and I coulndn't make it through this life without you.
Well, we have to get back to the funeral to help with the food and cleaning up and everything. But just know that I am doing so well and am so happy! I have so much faith that this transfer is going to be absolutely awesome. I'm learning every day that you have to choose to be happy and positive, and that the Atonement makes it possible to have that hope every day of our lives.
If I can think of anything I need, it would be things to help our investigators, or we would LOVE Ensigns to read. We get them sometimes but we often take Spanish ones and give them away.
I loooooove you.
!Hasta ver!
Hermana Wadsworth
Me encanta su carta Hermana Wadsworth
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