THE BEST EVER

Oh my goodness everything good happened this week ready go.

Rewind three months when we left our favorite family that just wouldn't progress. Well, these past two weeks the kids have been coming to church with the Fuentes family and to all the activities. We started teaching 11-year-old M. J. again and were surprised at her enthusiasm. Where she used to be shy and wishy-washy, she was answering all of the questions and said she wanted to be baptized. Whoa.

We went to see her the next day and to our next surprise, her mother didn't send her out but invited us in, gathered her family, and SANG WITH US AND OFFERED THE OPENING PRAYER what? She was always the one hesitating, making excuses and making her husband say the prayers and answer the questions before. We had a nice lesson with everyone and reviewed what we'd talked about the day before with M. and talked about how she wanted to be baptized. We all had a talk together and her parents talked to her about the seriousness of this decision and how she needed to work on her obedience a little, but let her make the decision. Downside: surprise they're moving in a week and a half or so. So the plan right now is teach her everything this week, pray lots and have a baptism Saturday and talk to the missionaries over thar to keep this family moving forward. But overall, this miracle has been so special and an answer to so many prayers and I just adore them.

And now forrrr Activity of the Century! Almost literally... It has been years since this ward has seen a successful mission activity. Let's rewind again 3 or 4 months to our last attempt in which we received no support from the leaders or the members and did everything ourselves. Attendance: 1 (nonmember). We learned that's not the way to do things, but we didn't know how to receive such support and get everyone moving so we were at a standstill.

Well our new elder a few weeks ago came in with a written out plan and wasn't taking no for an answer and we started doing everything we could to get it going. We had our first ward council in weeks in order to plan it and saw a ton of progress, and soon all the organizations were working together and rehearsing for their dances. We had dances from the 70's 80's and 90's performed by each organization, a chapel tour, and refreshments and everyone was to invite friends to watch them dance. It was going so well and then we got our new bishop who informed us in all his power and majesty that if we were going to do this activity everything had to be perfectly planned, perfectly clean, and perfectly perfect and everyone started taking this activity super seriously.

Well I am here to tell you that it was PERFECTLY PERFECT. We came in the morning to help and found the chapel cleaner than it's ever been, came in the evening and couldn't believe how full of people it was, and as we entered there was a guide at every turn to welcome our investigators, seat them, and take them in groups through a chapel tour and then into the cultural hall to wait for the dances. Everyone had brought friends and I was laughing through all the dances, especially the Priesthood which was a mix of old men and young single adults all dressed up in their 70's getup forming motorcycles with their bodies and I just can't even describe it. B. and M. J. from our investigator family were the stars of their dances and their parents were there videoing and laughing and it was beautiful.

Also we had been praying and fasting that Violeta's mother would come even though it didn't seem likely and her husband told us they wouldn't be coming right beforehand, but as the dances were starting, IN SHE WALKS with her little son who soon became the favorite of everyone in the room and shouted "YEE-HAW" in a moment of silence and everyone in the room laughed.

 Full house!

 Kids getting ready to perform

So anyway this has been a long one and I haven't even finished with miracles so just let your imagination go crazy. For those of you who don't like TMI go ahead and skip to the next paragraph but one of our investigators' husband sells juice in the street for a living and they offered us a bag of juice one night. They asked if I wanted naranja or some purple fruit-vegetable I couldn't pronounce and of course I went for that and my urine has been a vivid pink for days. That was alarming for a second. Not sure if this paragraph will pass my father's inspection but I thought someone should know.

Also you're right mother I didn't mention much about our new president but I'll just tell you we love them and they are the humblest people ever. Dairy farmers from Wyoming who have a hard time speaking spanish, his wife doesn't speak at all, and sometimes just seem bewildered at where they are but it's adorable. I feel like he's my grandpa and our interview consisted of him telling me stories of his childhood. Anyway, happy and well and praying for you all, hope everyone has an amazing week!!

1, 2, 3!

Well this was a week. It's still hot and still not raining and we had a few more mini earthquakes this week. But let's talk about miracles. 

First of all, I can feel all your prayers for V. She's doing well and looks happier this week. Yesterday Jenny and Mercy, two of our three active YW, went to pick her up and brought her to church, and Mercy ended up helping her out with everything and coming with her to Gospel Principles class so she would know someone which really helped. In an hour we're going to go make flan with her and Hermana Grofila, the (bishop)'s wife, and then take it to eat with her family in hopes of happier feelings among all and a baptism coming to life! 

Now to explain miracle number 2 and the (bishop) in the previous sentence. Yesterday I was innocently sitting at the piano thinking we were about to start the sacrament hymn when suddenly the bishop was standing up and I realized the stake president was releasing him. Nobody knew we were about to have a change, but after 10 years here it was! It was a very powerful sacrament meeting and I felt a lot of love for our bishop and this time we've had to work with him, despite all waiting games and pushing for action. He is a wonderful man with a lot of love. And guess who's the new obispo?? Abuelo Arrevillaga!! Aka, my adopted grandpa who has served as stake president, member of the 70, temple president and sealer, etc. and has this enormous power in just his presence. No sooner had we finished church than we found ourselves in a meeting with him and all the leaders talking about how things are going to run now. We all got a good talking to and there were a lot of wide eyes and quick nodding and I just felt so overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude as we saw some action taking place. We were promised all the efforts of the ward in missionary work and sufficient ward missionaries for the needs of this ward and just whew, I couldn't believe it. All of our weeks and months of prayers that we could start to see a functioning ward council and be able to work better with the members got answered. 

So that was fun.

Miracle 3! I mentioned a few weeks ago that the kids of the family we love came to the 4th of July party. Well since then, they've been with the Fuentes kids nonstop and have been coming to all the activities. We're getting ready for a ward mission activity, the first in years, in which all the organizations are going to dance, and we found out that M. and B. are rehearsing with them and their parents are going to come to the activity! And THEN, the kids showed up at church on Sunday! And THEN we had a lesson with M. in the Fuentes house and tonight we have a family home evening with everyone. B. afterwards asked us if we were going to go to his house, and we were like, You know what? Yes we are. So after months of not seeing them we went and visited the L. family, the parents, and had a really spiritual lesson. They are just so wonderful I can't even get over it. The happiest most humble family who belong in this church but don't understand still how to want more and take action. But they're coming Saturday to the activity and possibly Sunday. Woo! 

Anyway it was a week of happiness and we're ready to start harvesting these baptisms. So many wonderful people who are ready and don't realize it or have something or the other in the way. But we're always always going to have something or the other. It's so important we recognize why we're even here in this place. This life is to prepare ourselves to make it back home and it's so pointless to let distractions take over for that. I love you all a whole lot and hope we're all having weeks of pure bliss! Prayers for everyone!

p.s. HOLY COW IT'S RAINING! Just so you know that that changed. It is raining harder and louder than I've ever seen as of the last 30 seconds. Wish me luck as I go swimming to the (bishop)s house!

Twists and Turns

What a week! Super super hot this week, all the old and wise of Tapachula said it would be because of the earthquake, and although that's something my brain doesn't understand they were right. It didn't rain all week which is unheard of at this time! So um anyway. 

Monday we had a great family home evening with V., the Fuentes kids and A., played a board game that went through the gospel steps of faith, baptism, etc. and led to la Vida Eterna, which was our beautiful and very burnt attempt at chocolate cake on the stove. It was a swell idea but man, nasty. But, being my mother's daughter, I rolled almost all 5's and 6's and stayed ahead of everyone the whole game.

A sad twist was V. She has been progressing so well and has the most beautiful heart, but told us this week that her parents changed their minds and denied permission. We worked with her all week, talking about faith and fasting and praying for a change in her parents' hearts, but finally Saturday night she told us she just didn't feel a desire anymore and didn't know why. She felt it was her answer that it's not her time right now but that she's going to keep coming to church and one day be baptized. That broke our hearts a little bit because she is our dear friend as well as investigator and one of the purest hearts I have met, but we're praying a lot for her and doing all we can. And when she told us, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and really do feel like everything is going to be okay and that she will make it. We just don't know when. If you're wondering who to pray for this week, my friend Violeta could use a lot! 

Also this week we were praying lots to find people to bring to church because no one had given us a definite answer, or had and afterwards played the hiding game we love so much. We passed for everyone, contacted everyone in the street and invited them, and finally went emptyhanded but happy. Well about halfway through the service, in walks "I.". What??? All dressed up and smiling with his daughter who he's never brought before, and he came and sat right by us. We haven't seen him in weeks since he fibbed about moving and started sending grumpy messages to the members that have befriended him. So that was exciting. We're not sure what's going to happen with him but we're going to go see him today to see if there's anything we can do to help him with his drinking problem. It all depends on whether he's willing, but one way or another it was an unexpected surprise and I felt so happy he took a step on his own. 

I've been studying a lot about faith this week. I forgot my notes from today so I'll share a little more next week but I was reading the story of the brother of Jared and the faith he had to see the finger of the Lord. I love his words which I can't remember exactly, but I think the most powerful moment of faith he had was when he said "touch these stones." He first says he knows the Lord can do this, and many of us have this faith to acknowledge that the Lord has power to do all things, but how many of us have the faith to say "Touch these stones?" To not only believe that he CAN but have full faith that he WILL because we understand how much He loves us. That's something I want to develop out here. The faith to expect miracles rather than just wish for them. Because when we truly believe and expect these answers, we will change as well and work hand in hand with the Lord to help them come to pass. Anyway, hope that made some sense and I love you all!

p.s. This is called Rambutan. Or something. They're super fun. It's like eating grapes that are disguised as spikeballs and are fun to bounce around. Not that they bounce.

Alive!

So I guess I should write a letter to say I'm alive. The earthquake was pretty exciting this morning, much moreso than our usual alarm. I forgot to tell you a couple weeks ago that we had a smaller one, my old compañera sat up shouting "WE'RE MOVING!" and the first thing that came out of my half-asleep self was "....LA VENIDA!" (The second coming). Neither of us thought anything was odd or funny about it til the next morning when we were conscious. But that one lasted 4 seconds of rocking and this one was serious shaking for about 30. I thought I knew just what to do after years of family home evening drills and dragged my compañerita to the doorway, but turns out in Mexico the procedure is entirely different and we're supposed to evacuate the house and go to these green box things. Good thing we didn't die. Woo!

So in more stable news, got your 4th of July package this week! Perfect timing, because two days later was the fourth of July and I got a great idea to have a party with all our investigators! It ended up being V., our soon-to-be-baptized, the F. family, our next-door member family, G.'s family, our old investigators who are pretty good at changing their minds and are now attending our scripture classes, and they invited their neighbors without us knowing! Members, investigators, old investigators and referrals all in one! We used the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 13) to talk about Christopher Columbus and how God helped to start that country to prepare religious freedom, and then with all the kids blew up balloons, glowsticks, etc., played games and the mamá, C., helped me make mac n cheese for everyone. The kids didn't like it. Everyone else LOVED it. It was a BEAUTIFUL night. So thanks for that :) Oh, also the kids of the familia L., our old old investigators from a few months ago (the family we love) came too. B. only shouts "Hermana!" instead of "Hermanas"  because I'm the only one he remembers and is always ready to report the reason they didn't come to church that week. Ah. Love those kids. 

So I'm definitely growing. The other day a contact in the street asked my companion if I was pregnant. That was awkward for everyone. Also all the misioneras here lose a TON of hair, daily. It's ridiculous. So now we all know and no one's in for any huge surprises when I come home huge and bald. 

But seriously. I'm growing SO MUCH spiritually as well. This week we saw so many miracles, found new people, had great lessons and committed everyone to come to church! And THEN.... they alllll canceled or disappeared. It was crazy. Even V. But we were just still happy and later that day it started picking up again. Today we're getting ready to head to an FHE with some investigators and less actives and we're going to attempt to make a cake-from-a-box without an oven. Pretty exciting. 

Scripture of the week is Jacob 4. I loved it. It talks a lot about our weaknesses and taking counsel from the Lord rather than counseling Him. We all know we should but sometimes in the moment, like when no one shows up at church when we've been fasting specifically for these people, we think, "but wouldn't it be better God if...?" But turns out, no, He really does know better ALWAYS and there's always something for us to learn. It takes a lot of humility to really understand that and trust in Him unconditionally. It's a process and I'm getting there slowly, but I look back and realize that I'm miles ahead of where I was a couple months ago. Those are miracles in and of themselves. 

And to finish up, this led me to the thought this week that miracles aren't rare occurrences. Miracles are happening every single day, every moment, all around us! But the "miracle" is when we are permitted to see and recognize them, and as we learn to see through spiritual eyes we will see more and more miracles and grow more and more "until the perfect day."

Love you all, happy birthday America!