June 28, 2016

Well, Yesterday was the day that Joseph Smith was martyred and so our
President asked us what we love about The Prophet Joseph Smith and I have
really been liking his questions lately and I hope that they get you
thinking as well. One thing that I love about the Prophet Joseph Smith is
how he talks about his afflictions to others. I feel that when I read
quotes from him about how hard things were he always mentions how blessed
he felt. I'm sure there were times like in D&C 121:1 where he asked, "O,
God where art thou?" but it always seemed to me that he was so Optimistic
and happy even though he was away from his family, beaten, persecuted, and
eventually killed. I take that as a huge example and christ-like attribute
and something that I truly love about the Prophet. Sometimes I think as
well, "O, God where art thou?" and the Lords words can truly be a comfort
to all of us when he said that our affliction will be "but just a small
moment".

well, My companions accent is starting to stick to me....Im already
starting to say Ya Se with a shja sound.....I try to play it off like Im
teasing her, but I think shes catching on that it is sticking to me. Who
knows whats going to happen to my spanish accent....

Patricia has a calling now--primary teacher and she is so excited. She is
doing so awesome and really loves to read in the Book of Mormon. It has
been such a miracle for me to see her life change. Her daughter is another
story....she is a teenager (.........teenagers...) and so she is harder to
teach. She doesn't really grasp things as easy and she is more doubtful.
SHe wants to get baptized, but we want to make sure she knows that this is
the true and only church. Well, we have been following up with her
everyday, maintaining daily contact, but yesterday she told us she wants to
move her baptismal date to the 23rd instead of the 9th. I think I have
changed a lot because we have really been doing all that we can and really
can't blame ourselves. In the past I would've been discouraged, but this
time I said to myself, "If she wants to change it to that day, then she is
going to get baptized that day!" So, Paola is going to get baptized on the
23rd and she is going to be more prepared :)

We had a really cool miracle this week! We let this lady walk pass us and I
felt super bad, but I wasnt sure if my companion wanted to go back.
Mistakes, mistakes. But she asked if we could go back, so we did and the
lady said that she never comes outside, but she had a super bad day. Her
brother wants to kill her boyfriend and she was just super sad. She prayed
and then came outside and we found her! It was really cool to see the Lord
put her in our way and see her recognize the Lords hand in that situation.
It was a huge miracle and we were feeling pretty good that day.