Matildes Baptism!!!

Hello everyone, I hope that you are all having a good week! This week was eventful to say the least.  Also happy Valentines day, I hope you all have an amazing day. 

Monday was good. We went and played pickleball with the district and then we went to Cafe Río and had a good p-day talking with our families. 

That night all of our lessons canceled but one, we were able to go and visit the Leavitt’s, they are just like family. They were so cute and happy they I stayed and then I we were able to visit with them. They are so cute and amazing and I love them so much. 

Tuesday we did all of our studies in the morning. We went and practiced my songs that I will sing for the next two baptisms and then we went and visited Sister Grimmitt. She is the Young Women's president and we have been trying to get into her home for a long time and we finally did. It was so much fun. She is so cute and so sweet. We got to get to know her and about her family situation, and then see how we can help the young women. It was a great visit. She loves the young women so much and she is such a good person. It is hard for her to get close to people… well missionaries because they just leave and she loves to get to know others but when we just get up and leave it is so hard. But I am blessed she had let me in and I am able to get to know her!

Then we went to the murrays, it is Sister Murray's birthday so they had us over for dinner. And it was so good and so much fun. 

Then we had English class. I was getting a little frustrated with our students because there are a few of them who don't study at home and think they just need to come to class and then they will learn English. But that is not how it works. I know that for a fact! And so that has been a little hard, but there is a cute couple that comes and they just have a strong desire and so it is so cool to watch them learn and grow.

Wednesday we did a lot of walking and street contacting. We first had a lesson with Tiffany and she is doing so good, she has gone down from 15 smokes to 7 a day and is doing so good. We had an amazing lesson about baptism and the love of God and how he has helped us. But also the temple, something that she wants. And after our good discussion with her the spirit was so strong and Sister Padilla was on a roll. And the spirit was working through her, in that moment I was able to see her as God did and knew that she is just going

to be an amazing missionary. She invited Tiffany to go down 2 more smokes each day, and she took that challenge. So keep her in your prayers please that she can do that!!! And we had amazing fellowship Sister Taylor that was so amazing, we were able to talk to her after and she is so amazing, a lot of good insiste and just was helping Tiffany and giving her the things that she needed. Then we went street contacting talked to a lot of people, none of them were interested but it was good for us to go out and try, effort is the biggest thing. 

After that we called Sister Bruch and she is doing well, she passed her class so that was good to hear and then we were able to help her.

 

That night we were able to go to the church and Tehani got her temple recommend so she is ready to go! We had a good short lesson with the both of them after about getting all of the things ready for Vincent's program. We are so happy for him and this decision that he has made. Then we went to the Christensen’s, we had a good lesson about missionary work with them and how we can be missionaries now. And then talked about the ward and how we can help them. It is always so good and something that I love! 

Thursday was weekly planning, we were able to plan for the people that we are teaching and how we can help them, and then prepare for the baptism that we had. It went really well and she is all ready to go. 

We then went to Hermana Milan’s, she forgot that she was giving us food to go and so we visited her while she made it for us to go. Then we went to the May's, they are so cute, we were able to get to know them, they are so nice and just a cute small family. We were able to have a yummy dinner with them. Their daughter just got baptized so we talked about how it was and the things that she felt. It was so cute and we are so happy for them. Then we went and visited Sister Barillas. Her kids are small and cute, we watched the video called The Coat and talked

about service and how we can help others. Kids are so cute and innocent and I just love working with them. They all know, they know what is right and the things that we need to do come closer to Christ. 

We then ran to the church and had an awesome lesson with Mike and Larkin. It was so cool we were able to go over the plan of salvation and what it is, and the best part was the first time that we taught this to Mike they were with us. And so that was a lot of fun!!! It was a really good discussion of what he remembers but since he has been to the temple there were more connections and things he was able to relate to!!! 

Then we went to Matilde’s to finish off the night. We were able to introduce her to another member and they just hit it off. It was so cute to watch, I was happy for them. We talked about service and her baptism and the things that she will be doing this Saturday. We are so happy for her and this great decision that she is making. 

Friday we went to district council, it was really good. I feel like I always learn a lot, but this week I was able to give a doctrinal discussion and I talked about growing ourselves closer to Jesus chris and the BOM that I am working on. I love being able to share it with others it brings me a lot of joy!!

We went to the mission office to get some paperwork done and then needed a blizzard break, so we did language study and got ice-cream, yum. We then went and practiced the songs with the Sisters one last time before the baptism, which was good! It was good to talk and get some laughs. 

Then that night we had the Cardena’s, and it was so much fun. We were able to talk about the plan of salvation. We took a white board and drew it with them and explained it to them.

They all loved it and it was good for them all to be able to share their testimony with them all and everyone be able to share their thoughts about it!!! 

We then went around and knocked doors of people that we needed to get a hold of. It was good and a good way for us to help our members. 

Then Saturday the big day we got everything ready and got her there. It was so good we were able to talk to her about what to expect and the things she needs to do. It was an amazing baptism, the spirit was so strong there was a lot of support form the members. And then all of the talks and everything were amazing. I was able to sing I Feel My Savior's Love in Spanish for her. And then she

was baptized. One amazing thing about it is from this whole experience her son who is less active is coming back to church and wants to be a good example for his daughter. So that is a small miracle from the whole thing. We then went got lunch and what was so amazing we went to Jimmy John's and we were getting our food and the lady asked how we are doing. We told her we were really happy because our friend just got baptized and then she started asking a bunch of questions about it, and wanted to learn more. We gave her all of our information and we took hers and she wanted to come to church. It is so cool that in the small things and opportunities we can share the gospel even at Jimmy John's!! Then Sister Padilla had a doctor's appointment so we went, it was really good. Then we went street contacting, it was so

cool we were able to go to Sunset Park and the whole nation was there, it was so much fun. I got to teach her how we do it, and then we found three people. That was our goal and God provided, it was awesome to see that. We planted a lot of seeds. And there are good people out there, a lot of people who don't want to talk to us but still there are a lot of good people. Then we went to the White’s, it was their kids birthday and they wanted us to go so we stopped by for dinner and had pizza and a good visit. From there we went to the Rodriguez’s we haven't been there in a while because of covid. So it was so good to visit with them, and then we got things ready for Vincent's baptism program.

Sunday, the holy day, the best day!!! The best day ever, we all know that. We had 4 friends show up to church and then had an amazing meeting, then we had our Spanish branch and Matilde had her confirmation. It was so good, the spirit was so strong and we had a good sacrament meeting. But also I had to lead the music in sacrament meeting, and they picked  the longest songs and my arm was so tired I was dying. So that was fun but I will do it for the Lord. But we had a good church service. Then that night we had Vincent's interview and it went so good. He passed his interview and he is so ready!!! We are so happy and excited for him. Then we went and had super bowl dinner with the whites. HAMBURGERS!!! Well funny story, there is a name for redhead, pelirroja. But the name for a person who likes to fart is something like pelerroja,

and so an honest white girl move, I messed up so instead of saying that I am a redhead I said that I like to fart. Hehe, so that was good. The Rodriguez asked us to go over because it was their sons birthday, to say the least I was all cake and ice creamed out. We went to the Martinic’s and got to visit their family, they are crazy like all families. It was a good week full of all the emotions but so glad that it was a good week!! 

This week I want to share with you all 2 Nephi 4:16, 20 (And then because the chapter is so good and I love it so much I took a picture of the study of it that I did this week and I hope that you all have time to read through this chapter. We would be here for days if I tried to explain and tell you about it so here is a picture.) 

16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.

20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

Soul- Spiritually, Thanksgiving, and gratitude for all that he has done! My soul delighteth in the things of the Lord, that He has given us this gospel and the light of the world that we can become like Him, be our better self, spiritually and physically. 

And then my heart pondereth continually- this is something that our heart and soul want and have a desire for. We all want the living water, the well is there, we just need to go to it. 

And then 20, my God is my support, this is a support day by day, meaning that he is always there for us. 2 cor. 4:16 

He is the one and only one that can carry us through our affliction, and the hardest times of our lives. When we feel we aren't getting out of the hole. Because we all have our wildernesses and as we go through the great deep waters of our lives the one person that is with us and is going to carry us though is our Savior Jesus Christ and the love that he shows all of us. And then real fast VS 21 he hath filled me with his love (his compassion and with his grace) even unto the consuming (D&C 84:33) of my flesh. I just can't express how much I love this chapter, I hope you can see it in my picture. But I also hope you all have the chance to go and read it for yourselves. I love you all so much and hope you have the most amazing week ever!!!