April 7, 2016
HOLA!!!
Can you believe that I have finished the first third of my
mission...como ya?!!! Because I sure can't! Man, time sure flies when you're having fun!
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| After 6 months in the mission...I'm OFFICIALLY LEGAL! |
Bueno. This week was great!!! First of all, can we just
talk about how amazing General Conference was?! Oh boy, did I just LOVE
it!!! I've always enjoyed conference
growing up, but there's just something special about getting to watch it in the
mission. AND, I was lucky enough to be able to watch it in English too, so I
was even more happy and excited to hear not only the words, but the voices of
our dear Prophet and other leaders of the Church.
One of my favorite talks was Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson when
she shared the experience of the mother flying in the life-flight helicopter
from Utah County to Primary Children’s Hospital with her son clinging to life.
It definitely brought a smile to my face when she mentioned that the mother saw
the Draper temple out her window as well as other temples across the Salt Lake
Valley. (I even admit, I may have
missed home just a bit hearing that.) The
thought came to this mother's head in that time of great trial, "Do you
really believe it?" Like this woman in the story, and so many of us, I
have been raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and have
known of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ all my life. But like this
woman, I often need to be reminded of this important question, "Do I
really believe it?" So
powerful!
Also, I loved the focus of many of the speakers reminding us
of what it means to really understand that we are children of God and that He
loves us. Sometimes we let things get in the way and we forget the
importance of remembering where we come from. As President Uchtdorf
shared, Jesus Christ IS the Shepard, and He knows His sheep personally and will
do all He can to help us, love us, and bring us back to Him when we are
lost.
Let's just say I'm on a bit of a spiritual high right now that's
not going to go away! :)
Okay, now I need to clear up something super important from
last week....I messed up and was too generous to my companion when describing
her height...she's actually only 4' 9" hahaha :) Oh, but isn't she just
the cutest!
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| Yeah...I'm HUGE, but it's fine... |
I seriously LOVE Hna. Cardenas! I also have to admit
that I've been a bit of a slacker this week writing in my journal because we
like to sit and talk and laugh at night instead of getting ready for bed. But hey, that's not a bad thing right?! At least we get along. ;) Haha she's
awesome!
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| She likes it when I cook for her... This is an Argentine Special - "Tortas Fritas" - basically scones...SUPER YUMMY!! |
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| Dulce de Leche is my life now...Whoops ;) |
I'm also helping her with her
English - it’s just so fun and her accent is the best! Speaking of English... I can't speak English
anymore haha! It’s a struggle but SUCH a blessing to have a Latina compi!
Oh, and just to clarify, Hna. Cardenas was here in Olavarría
last transfer too, so she's been here like 6 weeks more than me, which is
bastante [enough]. But yeah, we are still getting to know the
area together.
Now I've got some really great news for you all...
So we have this investigator right now named Alicia. A
couple weeks before I got here, she stopped the missionaries in the street and told
them her son was a member of our church and invited them to come back to her
home and talk with her later. The Hermanas passed by a couple times, but
she was never home or was super busy. So when I got here, we got to
actually start teaching her and she basically has already accepted everything
we have shared with her as the truth. She
even said, without us saying anything, that "I was already baptized in la
iglesia evangelica [the evangelist church],
but I’d like to go to your church, because I like how I feel when you guys come
into my home, and when I read the Book of Mormon, and if I have to get baptized
again, I'll do it." Ummm. OKAY!! What?! That never happens. So in our last
lesson with her, we committed her to be baptized on April 30th (which happens
to be my favorite brother's birthday 😉)!!! She's going
to come to church with us this Sunday too! So if you can all imagine, we
are just a bit excited here in Olavarría right now!! Please keep Alicia in your prayers so that she
can receive a sure answer that this is the path she needs to take, and that she
will take it! :)
Also, this week we received a reference from some members in
another ward in the stake. They had given their friend Juan a Book of Mormon because
he was interested. When we met with him,
he told us that he was already in 2 Nefi. Say what?!?! We set up a
lesson with him and when we asked if he had any questions so far about what he
was reading, his main concern and question was that he didn't understand what the
footnotes were at the bottom of the page or how they worked/how to follow
them. Don't you worry, we can help with
that, and help you understand so much more!! :) He is really interested to learn more and we
are excited to keep teaching him too.
So yeah, it’s been a pretty good week :) This morning,
President and Hna Cifuentes came to Olavarría for interviews and then we had a
zone meeting - that’s why I'm writing later today. Don't worry, I'm still alive! ;) So our p-day just got shifted to the afternoon,
and tonight we are going bowling as a zone! Whoop! Whoop! Haha, I haven't bowled in 6 months so it’s going
to be pretty rusty. ;) (Not that I
was ever good at bowling before anyway, but oh well).
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| Last Week's P-Day...3-Legged Relays in the Park! |
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| P-Day Picnic in the Park |
I hope you all have a great week and remember that you are
each a very important son or daughter of Heavenly Father and HE LOVES YOU!!! (And
I love you too!) ;)
Hasta la proxima semana!
Hermana Bartholomew
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| Never been so excited to see a Walmart in my life... |
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