He's Reading the Book of Mormon.

Hi  Family!!   (from email of 11-25-13)

Another week just flew right by. I can't believe how fast time is going... Almost my six month mark. Ahhh it breaks my heart. Miss you to death, but I never want to leave at the same time.... 

A new companion

We had transfers this week and I have such a wonderful new companion! She just got here from the Mexico MTC. Her name is Hermana Groll. She is from Preston, Idaho and just graduated from high school in May. She is super sweet and really fun to work with. This is her first time away from home so I feel like her mama. It's hard teaching someone a new language that I still don't know very well, but I know that God will bless us. He has blessed me so much with the language so that I would be able to train right away, and I am very grateful for that.

My new companion, Hna. Groll and my new hair cut.  Got it trimmed.

We get our investigators back! 

So with the area changes, we got back all the area that we gave away last transfer. It's a bit obnoxious giving and taking and sharing all the investigators again because it's hard to know exactly where they are in their progress, but God always has a reason for the things that He does. So we have Karen, Manuel, Angela/Marcos/Juana, Maria and Carlso and a bunch of other people back. It's super fun to be seeing them again. I had to say goodbye to Ana and Juan, so that was sad, but the Elders will take good care of them. It's always a bit hard to get back into the swing of things and know exactly where and how to be using our time, but we are trying our best. I really just want to be exactly where the Lord wants me to be and visiting exactly who He wants me to visit and saying exactly what He wants me to say, but sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what that is. But I just do my best and go forward with faith.

I feel like after making so many mistakes as a trainer last time around, I know how to do it much better this time. I feel bad for Hna Maughan who had to be my guinea pig... I really had no idea what I was doing haha. I still don't, but I know a little bit better. Hermana Groll is so great though. We get along very well. She really wants to work hard to I really appreciate it. President Jenkins pulled me aside and said that I was handpicked to be her trainer because I would be able to help her with her Spanish. I thought that was cool. I need to speak more Spanish in the apartment and things. I am getting into bad habits haha. 

 

Trainers and trainees

Me and the other trainers

He says he is Catholic

On Hermana Groll's first day, the Relief Society president, Hermana Santos asked us if we could accompany her. She made muffins and hand outs to deliver to all of the women that were on our progress records! It was such a great experience. It was so nice of her to spend her time helping these people. She went to a lesson with us with Tito and Carmen. It went well. I think there is some potential there with Tito, but as for now he says he is Catholic, but he listens to our message! I love the less active members because they ALWAYS live with someone that's not a member. We have found soooo many people to teach that way! We met some more less active members this week. Some of them seem pretty excited about coming back. Hopefully they can find the courage to do it soon. We hope to be able to teach the people that they live with as well. 

Their house burnt down 2 years ago

We had a great lesson with the Familia Uribe. They finally opened up to us! We taught the Restoration, and it went so well. They opened up and told us that their house burnt down 2 years ago and how hard that has been on them. At the end of the lesson, I asked Hna Uribe if she ever had an experience where she felt the Spirit. She then told us about when her nephew died, how hard it was, but she prayed and just could feel how strongly God loved her and was there for her. She, all the kids and, we cried during the story. It was a great Spirit there. Their Book of Mormons all burnt in the fire too, so they didn't have any. We gave each of them their own and they were really excited to read it! The little girl, Mia, kept giving us her stickers and little things she made with paper. It was so cute. They cancelled the cita we had with them yesterday, but we will be able to see them soon.

It rained this week! Like really rained! It was like we were living in Seattle for 3 days! I LOVED IT. It made me feel at home. It has really gotten cold this week. I will need those clothes soon Mom... especially with Christmas Lights starting soon! Christmas Lights start on Friday and I am so excited! We will be working it for 2 hours every day until January. So we really are not going to have much time in our area at all. It will be interesting to see how it works out, but God always finds a way to take care of things. 

We've never had a lesson with him, but he was reading the Book of Mormon!

I don't know if I ever told you about Enrique, I think I did. So look up that email. t was about 8:55 last night, and we decided to knock one last door before we went home. Enrique lives close by, and I just felt like we should go check up on him. So we did, and he answered! Not only that, but he has been reading the Book of Mormon! We never even had an official lesson with him, and no one has visited him for 6 weeks, but he has been reading! We never were able to set a firm appt with him before because he never knew his work schedule before, but we did this time! Tonight! I am super excited and really hoping it goes well. 

 

A family in our branch.

Sorry I feel like this email is kind of lame, but I don't really know what else to write. I miss you all so much! It is weird to be spending the holiday season away from you! We aren't really allowed to do anything on Thanksgiving unless people invite us to, so it will probably be a pretty low key day staying in the apartment. We do have invitations to a Thanksgiving dinner though, so that will be fun! I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and know how grateful I am for all of you! 

Alma's Positivity

Something that I have been thinking about lately is how God has created individual plans for our lives. He has created the specific experiences that we need to teach us and help us to qualify for salvation. Everything happens for a reason and He is truly involved in the details. In my personal study today, I was reading Alma 26. I love Ammon's gratitude and example of positivity. Although they suffered so much, he did not dwell on that. He focused on the miracles that God gave him every day. He focused on the mercy and goodness of God and the love and relationships he was able to create. I know that because of Jesus Christ, we can always have hope. He overcame all, so that now we can overcome all as well. There is nothing that we have to face that we cannot come off conqueror. I am so grateful for that knowledge and the hope that it gives me to keep going forward with a smile on my face every single day. I love you all so much!

 

In the area where we work.

Con amor,

Hermana Haynes