Week 39

This week I got to go on divisions in my very first area with my step daughter Hna Castro. It was very trippy but also the most delightful joyful day of my life. I took her around and introduced her to a bunch of people we'd taught when I was there (cause she's brand new to the area and they don't have anyone to teach yet), and they ALL remembered me and that I'd left to San Miguelito which was happy and surprising to me especially considering how bad my spanish was back then. 

 

Revisiting Vista Alegre, my first area
The mural has been redone since when I was there (see old letters for comparison)

Maricela

And we visited Wilberto and he tried to give me a huge hug which was sweet but also the most awkward because I resisted it cause we totally can't hug men but anyways.

Wilberto

The thing that really just TAKES THE CAKE is that the Hermanas found Tamerlan about a week ago (the very same Tamerlan who I met on my first night in Panama and when he decided not to get baptized I totally cried about it while I was videochatting my family that week) and we went to visit him. I yelled "buenas" and before he even opened his door he went "Tolman!" and then while we were sharing he told us super confidently that he knew for a fact that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God and that even though other churches are good and fine, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true church on the earth and the Book of Mormon is the word of God and referenced all the commandments that we taught him and then if that's not just the best thing ever, then he said "And I'm getting baptized!" and invited me to come to it. Basically I just died. Also I told him how powerful it was to me how the spirit can work through two blind gringas who barely speak Spanish and that it's just another testament that the gospel is true because it can push through any barrier.

Tamerlan

ANYways. We also had back-to-back conferences with the Second Counselor in the Area Presidency, Brian Taylor. A few hot things I wanted to share:
1. You can never do more for God than he can do for you.
2. The most important commandment is the one you're having the hardest time keeping
3. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and if you keep it closed when you teach, you're closing the mouth of God.
4. His wife, Jill Taylor, described how if we see ourselves in a mirror from far away we look pretty nice but as we get closer we start to see our imperfections like the stain on our shirt or our messy hair or acne but when we get there we'll see that Jesus Christ is beside the mirror to receive us and that we shouldn't freak out if we feel like we're becoming more aware of our weaknesses cause it's a sign we're coming closer to Christ.


That's all my lovelylittlllllechildrenofGod
Have a great weekbyeeee

Cartoonish José

Blanca and Family

Always check the bus seat in front for gum before sitting down and resting your knees against it ;)

Family Picture with my mission daughter and newborn granddaughter

Hna Hopkin and I after back to back Zone Conferences in the city

Remaining members of our original MTC District after 9 months

Hermana Beckstrand

Normally we just trudge through the rainstorms (cause if we stopped working every time it rained, we'd never be working ;) but this one had us taking shelter in a chino.