Patricias Baptism!!! And Mike.

Hello everyone, I hope that everyone is doing amazing! This week was one for the books. It was amazing, like everything it has its good moments and bad. But the good outweighs the bad! 

Monday, we were able to play basketball with our district. We needed to do a pass off Lesson with the zone leaders because they have been teaching someone in our area. So we invited him to come and play with us. To say the least it was a lot of fun and we were able to get to know Jason. We are excited to be able to work with him because he is set to be baptized on October 30th! We are helping him get to know all of the youth in our ward, he seems awesome!! 

Tuesday we went and did service, we went and knocked on his door about 2 weeks ago to see how he was doing. Well he was outside and it was dark and all of the Halloween lights and decorations were up. He has a back problem and was hunched over, after our first interaction we were a little scared we thought he was crazy. So for the service we took over our elders to help us, and all we did was take stickers off things he had bought at Good Will! He is a nice guy. I should have assumed, but I guess that is what I get for that. It was an interesting service project to say the least!!! 

We had an amazing lesson with this young man named Matt and the elders. We were teaching him but he is in our elders area, but what a nice guy. He is so ready for baptism and we are glad that our elders are going to be teaching him! 

We then had English class and it was a blast. I have loved getting to know everyone better and helping them with what they need. They are all so cute and have that desire to learn more. 

Wednesday we had Zone conference, and it was good. I was just nervous the whole time because they asked me to sing. Hehe I don't sing in front of people but I guess I have to now. Well I got a lot out of the conference and then at the end we had our musical number,

the first was a little rocky because this was my first time singing in front of people. But the end was good. Everyone was so sweet, but my favorite was my mission president. When it was all over he came up to me and was so nice. He told me that I did an amazing job and then gave me a side hug. Let's first say, I have been waiting a side hug from Prez for my whole mission! And it finally happened, so all this is saying is that I needed to do it sooner. But he was so sweet and I love him so much! 

We had an amazing lunch table. We were with a bunch of sisters and some elders and the jokes just kept coming. We were all laughing so hard that we started crying, something that we all needed. 

We were able to have a couple of lessons that night and we went over to our ward mission leaders house and it was such an awesome lesson. We are able to have a discusión about the name of The Church and why we have it. It is so cool to be able to get everyone's points of view about it! 

Thursday we had Tiffany in the morning. She is so cute, we were able to go over the addiction recovery program with her and see what she has been able to read. It is so cool to be able to get her point of view and the things that she wants. Being able to hear that and understand how we can help her is an amazing thing! 

We then went over to this little Latinas named Monica,

she is so cute. She has been coming to our English class for a while now and asked us to come to her home and teach her. We went over and just were able to talk to her and get to know her better and what she likes to do. She is so cute. She was just acting like our mom and telling us that she is our mom. She understands a mission and that we are away from home. She was and is so loving and wants to help us out! We were able to teach her and she helps us with our Spanish! 

We then went over to Patricia’s and got to meet her daughter. She came down for her mom's baptism! It was very nice to meet her and her cute little family. I felt a lot of peace in their home, and it was exciting to get everything ready for the baptism. 

We then had a lesson with Mike, and let me just tell you Mike is amazing and was led to us. He wants to learn more! We went into the relief society room because there is a big white board in there. We reviewed the first half of the Plan of Salvation and then we taught the last half of the Plan of Salvation. With the big white board we drew it up on the board. And the spirit was so strong in the lesson, we did the visual where it spells out LOVE and he loved it so much. We were able to talk about each thing and what it means. When it was all over we asked for his thoughts, he said that it gives him a lot of peace and comfort. This is something that he wants. He thought and grew up knowing that there is just a heaven and a hell and that if you do something wrong that is where you are going. And it is so sad to say that that is all the people know! He was so happy and relieved to find this out. You could just see it in him, he was emotional about it and the spirit was so strong! We loved it so much, and the end of the lesson we invited him to pray to know if these things are true and if this is the path that his Heavenly father wants him to follow.

I can't say it enough, it was so AMAZING! 

Friday nothing too crazy happened, we were able to have district council, one of our English classes canceled so we went and found this amazing park and walked around it trying to talk to people. There were a lot of people at the park to say the least! We did got to the church and practice the song, we had to practice it with the violin and make sure that it all sounded good. 

SATURDAY! We had Patricia's baptism in the morning. So we got ready and headed off to the church, we got everything ready and practiced the song. We were able to practice it with both of the violists. And let me tell you it was so amazing! The spirit was so strong and we knew that she was going to love it! 

So after running around a little bit everything was starting. We had all amazing talks and the musical number was amazing the spirit was so strong and she loved it so much, all she could

say was thank you and I love you! She was so surprised and happy, it is her favorite song. Come thou Fount! Her baptism was amazing and something that we have all been waiting for for a long time. It has taken over 7 years and a lot of missionaries and I feel blessed to be able to be a part of it! After it was all over we went to her house for a little bit and had some food. We then went and had a lesson with Gustavo. So we thought that he wasn't in our area and so we have been trying to find the missionaries in his area. We asked him to send us his address. Well the address that he sent us was in our area. So we got really excited and knew that it was all going to be alright. We had an amazing lessons and then at the end were able to teach him a message. It was so cool, he is also someone who is so ready to hear the message of God

and accept it in his life. Well at the end we asked if there was a day that we could stop by our fellowship and he had a weird face and said, he is not in your area. Remind you this is all in Spanish. And he just starts laughing. He gave us a fake address so we would continue to teach him. Oh my goodness, we don't know what to do about him but we are going to have to figure something out. We ran to the church to do another pass off Lesson this week with our other elders. Well our guy never showed up so we ended up just going home! We did our studies and for dinner I just passed out on the ground, I was so tired. It felt so good! And we finished the night strong. 

Sunday we were able to go and help with the primary program in our Spanish branch, it was a little spanglish

concert. They all did a good job and it was so sweet! Then we ran over to our English ward, and we got there for Patricia's confirmation. It was so amazing and the spirit was so strong. She was so happy and thankful, she is such a miracle and I am so blessed to have her in my life. It was sad to say goodbye to her family but it was good to be able to meet all of them. We had Sunday school and then went home and got somethings done. We went to our branch mission leader’s home for dinner, they are a party. It has been fun to get to know

them and what they like to do! Then we ran to the church for our lesson with Mike. We were praying that fellowship would show up. We texted everyone, but everyone said that they couldn't come. We got in the car and our bishop and his wife said that they could come and also another lady, we had a good lesson. We were able to teach Mike The Restoration! Oh my goodness the spirit was so strong, and the truth was there. We went over The Plan of Salvation and what he remembered and if he prayed. He told us that he just felt so much

peace and got a lot of answers with the Plan of Salvation but that he did pray and that this is where he needs to be. That is when we jumped right into the Restoration! We were able to tell him everything about Jesus Christ. It was cool to be able to describe the Priesthood. He loved it so much. And then we got to Joseph Smith and the room got silent and the spirit was just there. We were able to talk about his experience and what he felt. We quoted James 1:5 and then recited the first vision and it was so amazing. We asked him his thoughts at the end, all he said was how can it not be true with an experience like that. And we were shocked. It was so amazing for him to be able to get that testimony right away and know that this is true and that he had that experience. We then talked about how we got the Book of Mormon and why The Church of Jesus Christ is important to us and what it means to us. And that is when we brought it back to

how this has all made him feel. At the beginning he said that this is something that he wants to be a part of because it is all upon our own agency and what we want, not what others want for us. We have the right to choose and pick this path for ourselves. Sister Wright asked him if he wanted to be baptized and I asked him if he will prepare to be baptized on November 6th, it was so quiet but the spirit was little like a fire in my bosom. He turned to us and said YES, I will prepare for that date mama! It was so sweet and amazing the spirit hit us all so strongly and we testified of the truth and pointed out the spirit to him and how it has been a blessing to us! Oh my goodness what an amazing experience, one of the best moments in my mission I have to say! It was all so clear and he knows what he wants and he is going to go for it. After he said, does that mean I get to hear you sing? I just started laughing and said, if you want me to sing at your baptism, I will. So I guess that is what I am going to keep doing. I hid it from the mission for a year and now it is out, hehe! 

We were on a high the rest of the night! We went to the park and we talked to everyone! 

It has been such an amazing week and God has been able to bless us in so many amazing ways it is impossible to say that He is not there. He is helping us so much and giving us the strength we need to carry on. What an amazing week and I hope that you all have been able to count your blessings. 

So last night I was not able to fall asleep so what I did instead of laying awake in my bed all night, I went and I read my scriptures, let's just say I was enjoying my time and I was able to read a lot! And there was a scripture that stood out to me that I have not noticed before!!! We all talk of how the Book of Mormon and the Bible work hand and hand to Testify of Jesus Christ! 

2 Nephi 29:7-9, 

7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

What powerful scriptures, this is a testament ANOTHER TESTAMENT that these things are true. He tells us that yes, the Bible has been given to us for a reason but I have more sheep, I have other witnesses and other testimonies that I need to share with the world. That they are not only in one place that they are everywhere and there is a reason for that. Like he said that his work is not done and it needs to be spread to all four corners of the earth. That we have it for a reason to help us get closer to our Savior Jesus Christ. That He is the same yesterday today and forever. He is the one that is never going to leave us and this is a great work. A work of a mighty God and one that is always there for us. That the world is going to get crazy and insane but that MAN is not going to end it. It will just keep getting worse and worse but God is the only one that can end it. He is the one that is going to help us during all of the hard times and He is going to be the one to get us out of it all. But that is why He has given us the Book of Mormon and it is here for us to stand as another testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and to help us to be able to get the testimonies that we need and that are going to help us make it to the other side of the veil so we will be able to receive salvation and exaltation. But when we come to learn and grow for ourselves, we will be able to be missionaries and help others come unto that knowledge for themselves! 

And what a blessing that is to be able to share that with others. For some people they have never heard of it before in their lives and it is all new, so we can give that to them as they come to make covenants with our Savior Jesus Christ and are willing to keep them with Him. 

What a blessing that God has given this all to us for our benefit, to help us come closer to Him and grow ourselves in ways that we would not be able to in any other way. What a blessing that is. We are able to become like our Savior Jesus Christ and become gods and goddesses of our own with our families. I can't even begin to tell you how blessed I am to have this church, this gospel of JESUS CHRIST in my life, and I hope you all know what it means to you and how you are able to see it in your life. Share it with others and show them the blessings that you are able to receive each and every day. I love you all and invite you to go and read this whole chapter because it is such an amazing one and has changed me for the better. I love you all and hope you have a great rest of your week!!!