Adventures in Mesa: The Gospel of Christ Is What Will Help Her Overcome Problems

(Email 4-28-14)

Buenas tardes familia! Como estan? Todo bien?

We had a great, busy week this week! I don't know if I am going to be able to fit it all into one email, but I will try and summarize it the best I can. It’s so crazy, after I live through a day, it feels like it happened a life time ago. I have to read my journal to even remember what we did.

Monday Hna Brons was still sick, so we stayed home and I just studied.

Tuesday we went and helped at the Resek's to get ready for the ward sock hop. The sock hop was the young women's fundraiser to raise money for girl’s camp, and they asked us to help out with it. Hna Resek had a bit of a crazy week, so we went over and painted a black and white checkered dance floor. It was fun. Then that night we went to the Visitor’s Center with Jime and Lupita and watched “Joseph Smith, Prophet of the Restoration,” film with them. This family is so great. They showed up 10 minutes early to the appointment! Seriously, normally we have to like pull the investigators by the ear to get them to go anywhere with us or to even be home for appointments, but they are so willing to do everything! Lupita is only 22 and loves to talk to us. They like learning, so that’s good. We are trying to go pretty simply with them. They really liked the movie, but came up with some kind of interesting ideas about why Joseph Smith's children all died and about the scene when the devil tries to stop him before the First Vision, but we tried to clarify it. One thing that's hard about them is that they don't really understand that we believe different things than the Catholic Church. She is always telling me that Mary is Mexican, but then I always say back that she lived in Jerusalem with Jesus haha. She always wants to feed us too! It’s wonderful, but we always have to explain that we aren't hungry/already had dinner, etc., but Sunday she was like, “you have said no too many times, you are coming over for lunch today.” So she gave us a giant bowl of pesoli (no idea how to spell that...) she is super. I think if we can just clearly explain the differences and why, she will accept it well. They also came to a baptism with us on Saturday, and that was great. They really liked it. And they all came to church (and her brother Miguel), and we are having a noche de hogar with them and the Reynas tonight! Yay!

On Thursday we had exchanges with Hna. Luna in
her area and that went really well. I always learn so much from exchanges. I
came back from it though just feeling like lately I had lost some faith/and
vision of who I was as a missionary, and hadn't been putting in as much as I
could. So I decided I needed to repent. And that's what I have been doing.
Since then I have really been trying hard to put in my absolute 100% into the
work. I just don't want to risk letting any of a God’s children miss their
opportunity. So I am trying hard to study and plan really well, to really
discern needs, to ask inspired questions, to be bold, to open my mouth with
everyone, to teach when I find/find when I teach. There's always more we can
do. Faith is taking the steps forward showing God you want to work, and that's
when He can bless you and enlighten you. We have seen lots of miracles since
then too. We are both just trying hard to be better. Last night we took the
greatest little member out with us, but we didn't have anyone to teach, but we
didn't want to let our time with her go to waste. We said a prayer that we
would be able to teach someone with her, and were able to have two powerful
lessons in the one hour we had with her - when it looked like all of our plans
had fallen through. She was so bold too, and just shared a strong testimony of
how the gospel was true and how they could know it. It was such a great night. 

My birthday was seriously so great. Way better than I ever imagined! Thanks so much for all the love, gifts, presents. It was so great. I felt so spoiled. And God blessed us so much that day. We were able to teach a lot of great lessons and help a lot of people, and that was just the greatest feeling. There’s nothing better than truly being able to serve someone and help them feel loved. I even saw a fireworks show that night! We taught someone that night outside at a little table, and fireworks started going off!

On Thursday we asked our ward mission leader to check on Paula and see about her baptism plans because we hadn't been able to get a hold of her. He texted us saying that she said she had a problem and couldn't get baptized. That was a little heart breaking. We went over on Friday and Renee wouldn't let us in. But we just waited until Paula was free, and then she let us in. She just looked so weighed down. I guess more stuff happened with her ex-husband. She just cried, and we just hugged her. She is trying so hard to be strong for her children. We are trying to help her understand that the gospel is what will help her overcome these problems, instead of just being something to have when her problems are done. We are really trying to stress the importance of studying the Book of Mormon and the blessings that come from that.

We are trying to help her increase her faith to come to church again because she feels like she can't come because of her problems. Please pray for her. We are just trying hard to follow the spirit to know her needs and how to best help.

This week I decided to start doing something that the elder from the 70 said he did on his mission - read 10 pages of the Book of Mormon a day. I have been doing it for about 4 days so far, but I absolutely love it. I am learning so, so much, finding so much guidance and answers. It is really strengthening my testimony of the Book of Mormon. There is just something so special about that book, and it helps you and fills you so much. It takes pretty much my entire study time, but it really is enlightening me. I love it.

We find out transfer news on Saturday! There's a good chance that I will be leaving, but we will see. You never know what to expect.

I love you all so much and I hope you all know how much I love my Savior and His gospel. Never take for granted the knowledge that we have and never miss an opportunity to share it. It changes eternities. There is nothing more important than this.

See you all in 2 weeks on skype! I will let you know more details next week!

Con amor,Hermana Haynes

My Birthday!