How to be a Good Companion

Hi Everyone,

It was a better week for me. No, we didn't get a bunch more investigators or commit anyone to baptism. But I learned a lot.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it before, but I love and appreciate the priesthood and for those who are worthy to hold it. My companion and I both got blessings from Hermano Hernandez Tuesday morning after a little earth tremble. It was the first one that Hna Garcia ever experienced and she was pretty freaked out. So Hermana and Hermano Hernandez phoned us to see how we were, and came over to our house and Hermano Hernandez offered to give us blessings. I wasn't going to refuse. In this mission I´ve learned and experienced even more how powerful the priesthood is. Things that were said in the blessing were things I really needed to hear as I've been a bit discouraged lately. The Lord really truly is mindful of us.

And this week alone I've learned a little more about how missions really are inspired. We're not just here to inspire those that aren't members, those in the ward, and those less active. But we as missionaries are here from each other too. I received a letter from Hermana Kind on Tuesday and I want to share something she wrote me.  'This mission is just as much for you as it is for the people you teach. You have the area, experience, companion, ward, district, zone, etc. for a reason. Maybe we won't see for a while or maybe tomorrow we will, but the point is that God has a plan. And just as it is for Hermana Jones. People she needs to meet, experiences that will grow her faith and testimony, an area or companion she needs to love.' She also included in her letter that I've helped her in ways she can't describe in English or Spanish. So...I am helping people. Sometimes I don't see it, but I am.

So tonight we have an appointment with this guy and we're not sure what to think. A member really wants him to learn, and he's really methological and confused about a lot of things because he reads according to the wisdom of man, not God. Hermana Garcia was saying yesterday that she wanted to talk to Elder Rodriguez (one of our zone leaders), who really does help us understand things better whether in zone classes or district classes. Last night, he phoned us. He told us that he was reading in his Preach My Gospel and he got the impression he needed to call us and share what he learned. 

Zone leaders are inspired for their zone, district leaders for their district, sister training leaders for the sisters in their area. They KNOW when we need their help. I've had plenty of help from all of them this week. And of course, my mission president. So missions are inspired. They're all inspired by God.

Wednesday we went to the Stake Centre in the central of Orizaba for our every 3 month interview with the president. The STL's were there, though they were done their interviews. So after Hermana Garcia went out with Hermana Zarate for a bit, Hermana Zarate asked if she could borrow me. So keep in mind that I was still struggling with inner struggles here. She said to me 'I know you're not happy right now. I can feel it.'  And we talked for a bit, I told her my concerns, and how I was feeling. And she gave me some words of council, and some words of advice. And shortly after we came back, it was my turn for my interview with Presidente Cordova. He said that he's proud that me, the only Canadian, is here on this mission. He's been our president for only a month now but I could already feel his love for us as missionaries. When I asked him how I can be a better companion, he said this to me. 'Love. That doesn't mean just giving your companion a hug. It means caring for her and worrying about her.'

So we're late, but Thursday is when we really started talking to each other as people rather than just missionaries. People as Tessa and Alma. And with that, we feel our companionship is a lot stronger. It's sad to think of all the time we've lost in the mission. But I have so much more love for my companion now. 

On Friday, I decided to put my bug spray on for once. Hermana Garcia loved the smell of my organic bubble & bee spray so I let her put some on too. I told her a week before that I'm a hippie, because of my shampoo bar and the organic things I have and stuff at home. So we were in a taxi to one of the neighborhoods we were to visit. The taxi driver said to us "Are you two wearing perfume? because whatever it is, it smells good." Hermana Garcia told him "No...it's organic bug spray. We're hippies." And I'm just like 'but we're not just hippies, we're also missionaries.' so we had a little lesson with him as he drove us where we needed to go.

That night...we ordered ourselves a pizza. Well...Elder Boyd did for us and we paid him back. So while we were eating our pizza on my bed Hermana Garcia says to me 'I've always wondered what it was like. Just eating some pizza and hanging out with your friends. Now I know.'  Hermana Garcia....she hasn't had the best luck with people back at her home. Hermana Garcia and I aren't just companions, but now we're friends too. And these past few days I've enjoyed learning more about her life, her dreams, and her epiphany of why she is on the mission, why she's experienced the things she has in her life.  What she hopes for.

On Saturday, the four of us missionaries got to eat together at the house of Hermana L. As her house is a little farther than others in our area and when it's like that, we can eat together. Part of the walk there after the bus, was among fields of sugar canes with the mountains in the distance. Beautiful. To me, it was a special experience.  After  the meal and Elder Boyd sharing an experience, he told her we would all sing O My Father. It's one of my favoruite hymns, and after we finished the Spirit was so strong. Hermana L also asked if she could get a blessing. Elder Moreya gave it and it was such a beautiful blessing.

Yesterday we all ate at the Stake President's house for dinner. There we had spaghetti and meat sauce...which is the first time I have had spaghetti like that in the mission so it tasted heavenly. We found out that he served his mission in Veracruz, and at the time when men were serving for 18 months.   His wife is a wonderful piano player. 

Elder Boyd wants for us all to sing a musical number his (and most likely my last Sunday in the area). O My Father, in the tune of Come Thou Fount. In the middle of it we'll be singing a verse of Come Thou Fount. And at first Elder Boyd wanted all of us to sing an English verse...but we're taking pity on the companions of ours that don't know English. So essentially, for one verse, I'll be singing a duet. Never would I have imagined before the mission. But here, where we sing a lot ... you get more comfortable with our singing voice. Our practice went well, so I look forward to when we can sing it infront of the congregation.

It's another week of more learning. I'm studying lesson 2 of PMG this week for those that want to follow along.

Take care

Cuidase.

I love you all.

Hermana Tessa Marie Jones

Mission Life.....

Attachments 

We haven't heard from P. at all. When we call her she doesn't answer, and when we pass by her house she either isn't there, or she isn't answering. I wonder if that's what happened with the first set of missionaries that had her.

We have new people we're teaching. S and K. Elder Boyd told us about them. He has a few family members that have been baptized in the church. He's talked with missionaries before and has all the pamphlets. I'm a little confused in that area. Like... they've been going to church in S's mom's ward or something like that. S told us we're the first hermanas to teach them. He also loves The Word of Wisdom. Their living room is this salon for health drinks and stuff like that. The thing that's holding them back is they aren't married. S's trying to go through a divorce right now, so when that´s done... they can get married and get baptized. They came to our ward on Sunday, and S said that he wants to keep coming back
.
It was Elder Moreyas's 20th birthday on Tuesday so we had cake. The Elders phoned us in the evening to come to a members house for more cake. Apparently it was a surprise party for Elder Moreya. We came late. The cake was really yummy, and apparently it was cheese cake. I don't like cheesecake... but this one was yummy. These members are the family Guerva. For some reason their house reminds me of Grandma Palmer's house. I don't know why...or how. But it just does. So that's another one of my tender mercies here. Tanía (daughter) is facebook friends with Elder Moreya's family and they sent her a video message for him to hear. So that was really neat to watch.

We went to Cordoba this week on Friday. There was an EFY going on there and because of a win in Rock Paper Scissors, we were some of the missionaries that got to go, along with our Elders, The Escamela missionaries and the two sets of missionaries in Cordoba. On the bus there I was talking with Hna Kind and she told me she made homemade cookies with some members. She said they weren't perfect because they forgot the brown sugar and they were a little crispy... but that they were good. I am so jealous!!!! Cookies from the bakeries here are good, but there's NOTHING that beats homemade cookies. I really don't understand why the people here don't make them.

Our purpose here at this EFY was to answer the questions the youth had. Hna Garcia said to me 'I feel like a celebrity', which I thought was pretty funny.

There are a lot of jovencitas that want to serve missions. Our dear less active D. being one of them. Last Sunday we went over to her house to tell her about the EFY, and while we were there the YW president came over to tell her as well. She loved it and was just so animated. She told us she bore her testimony and she wants to start going to church more to try and set an example for her mom so someday she will make the decision to be baptized. She says to us 'Just get baptized for me when I die´' and we're just like 'F., that's not how it works. This is for people that didn't have the chance to hear the gospel when they were on the earth' F. also wants D. to wait to go on a mission until she gets a degree in something. D. is still in high school, so I hope that F. in time will let her go on one sooner.

Sorry... but I have no idea what else to write. My mind is blank. So... I hope all goes well at home for everybody.

Love you all,
Hermana Tessa Marie Jones
　

Tender Mercies

July 21, 2014

This week.  


We found R. this week in her little shop, and she told us to come back in the evening for a lesson. It was our last lesson with her, but it was such a spiritual experience. We had a lesson on faith and read quite a few passages from the Book of Mormon. She would go a few times and read a few more passages out loud that she really liked. She told us she knows our message is true, but she just can´t accept it right now because her husband and her kids don´t want it. She told us that she feels tranquila when we come around, and we let her know it was the Holy Ghost. So...she´s not a member right now, but I know that some day in the future she will be. She´s so prepared, it´s sad to see that her fears of her family are larger than her fear of God right now.


So...P and her daughter. We found P. on Wednesday and we finished the first vision with her. And we invited her to be baptized if she gets an answer, which she accepted. Her date fell since she wasn´t at church on Sunday, but I hope we can get one back up. Her daughter was upstairs sleeping during that lesson. I wasn´t there at the lesson on Friday because of divisions, but apparently A. (daughter) doesn´t think the church is for her, so some prayers her way would be nice. We´re going to  try working with the youth to help her out. And P. is still confused and looking for an answer. Prayers for her too, pretty please!!!


Tuesdays district class... Elder Boyd phoned us in the morning before personal study and asked us what our goals are this transfer, and to study that for personal study and talk about it for 5 to 10 minutes in class. It was a neat experience.  Hna Kind, who was last, didn't have a whole lot of time. But what she did share really touched me. When we were walking to our meal, Hna Garcia said to me 'I love Elder Boyd's district classes!' Me too.


I saw Hna DeFriez!!!! On Wednesday Orizaba and Cordoba had a joint conference to meet the president and she got transferred to Orizaba. Oh...it was such a nice surprise. We talked 75-80% Spanish with each other- Spanish is becoming a better part of me... but I still have LOTS to learn.


Friday... divisiones. I got to work with Hna De Orbe in Orizaba, so I got to see some more of its beauty. There was one part f the day. We were sitting on the grass for a few minutes and she said to me ´lets each say a prayer in our hearts with the power to do some good contacting´' So...one contact was this old grandma. And for some reason, I had the impression to contact about trials. So after my little blurb, she says to us. 'I know I´m sick. I go to the doctors and they say there is nothing wrong with me...but I know there´s something´' She also told us she has asthma. And after... that´s why. I knew that was why I had the impression to talk about trials, as she´s facing a bunch right now.


Another contact we had...she just happens to be friends with the ward mission leader in the Orizaba ward.


Sunday we got to eat at a birthday party for a member´s sister and sister in law. Hna Mari. She has the cutest little niece and nephew. Her niece was having lots of fun playing with my headband...placing it on me in weird places on my head. My glasses too. I have tender little mercies here...some which I want to share later., as these little tykes are here when I don´t have the little cousins to play with.


This letter is short, time passed by fast.


Love you all!


Hermana Jones

Jeckyl and Hyde

                                                                           July 14, 2014

I swear, my letters are like Jeckyl & Hyde

So... we basically don't have anyone.

R...last week she told us that she was sooo busy with buying things for her little shop she wouldn't have time until the following week. We'd try and see if she had any time like 15 minutes... but no. J J doesn't want anything. So this week, we phoned her and she's like `'no hijas, I told you the following week. I´m so busy.' This was the week she said she was free. We´re going stop by her house tonight and if she doesn´t accept us, we´re sadly dropping her.

P and her daughter.... I have no idea what happened with them. So we had an appointment with them on Tuesday. We came a little earlier to their neighborhood to see if a member could come with us. When we walked by their house.... I swear I saw their door open. The member said she couldn't join us. So when we came back to their house, the door was closed with a sign that said 'Sorry, we had to leave, see you Sunday :)' So...we went to visit a convert. When we finished our visit at the converts house, and P's door was open, the note was gone. We just felt.... so betrayed. So we decided to pass by their house another day this week, they weren´t there. And then Saturday we decided to pass by. We stopped by the the H´s first (the recent converts) to see if they would come with us. Hna wasn´t there when we came so, no.' So when we leave there house we see P and her daughter walking down the street to their house. We wave to them and either they don´t see us or they ignore us. So we go up to them and greet them...ask them how they´re doing and all that. 'Oh, we´re so tired and hungry and we just want to rest' and stuff like that. We ask them if they´re going to come to church on Sunday and mention that it'll be special since we had ward conference on Sunday. They say of course they will come." 9am right?" Yeah... no estaba. So we´re gonna stop by this week for another chance.

And E? We had an appointment with her on Saturday morning. We were getting ready to leave the house and we get a text saying that she´s busy all day and she´s been thinking a lot and thinks that she'll stay in the church she was in from when she was little. We were sad. We had a plan to set her on a date for baptism and everything.

So... I´ve been doing a lot of thinking. Though I would love love love to see a baptism here, maybe my mission in Ojo de Agua of Orizaba is to plant seeds. I really truly believe that E will be a member some day. And I hope for P and her daughter as well. Hna Evelia said one time when we came to visit her that she had quite a few encounters with missionaries before she accepted them. I hope for them. Hope that one day they can see the happiness and hope this gospel brings.

So while that brings me down... I must think of the things that bring me up. Like Hna L, the one that´s less active because of her health. We like to visit her a lot because she´s all alone in her house. She´s 86 and has a hard time hearing so we basically have to shout to have her hear anything. And she loves feeding us...whether it be gross soup with intestines or pan dulce or toasted bread, what have you, because she appreciates our visits. Or gives things to us as gifts. I have two little tuppaware containers from her. So yesterday we were talking while Hna Garcia was in the washroom. About the family, how old we all are. And so she asks me 'Do you have a boyfriend at home?' Me `Nope´Hna Leanor 'Why not? You´re 20!' Haha... good sweet old Hna Leanor.

Oh Monday night... Karen Hernandez (daughter of Hna Cookies) got set apart to be a missionary...and right now she's in the CCM in Mexico City. We asked Hna Cookies if she´s heard from her yet... but has not. Hna Cookies appears to be doing well with the absence of Karen.

So I have a request. Can someone send me a Canadian Flag? A small tiny one is just fine. And a Canadian map. And a little tiny Canada pin, or something.

Wednesday we has a zone class, as it was the first week of the transfer. I love our zone leaders. They talked about using the atonement in our mission. And showed this video with spoken words of Henry B Eyring and Jeffrey R Holland. That when we ask why a mission is so hard... look at the example of Jesus Christ. His life was far, far from easy. He had people who hated him from before he was even born. He suffered for ALL the sins, hardships, and everything for every single person that was, is, and will be on the earth. I never will be able to comprehend His suffering, and to Him I will forever be grateful. That if His life was as hard as it was... why should we expect missionary work to be easy. And now I think of something from this past General Conference. I forget who said it, but they said Life wasn´t meant to be comfortable. If that's just life... how should we expect a mission to be comfortable. So I´m trying not to be discouraged, trying to doubt my doubts.

Another thing that I´ve been thinking about from zone class. At the beginning of a transfer, before the topics, all the missionaries go to the front to introduce themselves. On the board is who they are, age, time in the mission and some other randoms. This random was ... What you like to do in the mission. So for me... I really wasn´t sure. I couldn´t say I love seeing the changes in investigators cause they drop us before we can help them more. I haven´t had any baptisms, so I couldn´t say that. I said that I loved eating with the members ... which I do. And for some reason that made everybody laugh. So I´ve been thinking. There are some less actives I love to visit. I love seeing the recent converts and helping them to see the testimonies that they have.

Something I still don´t love is contacting. But I do it anyways, because we can´t find potencials without doing so. There are occasions where I really don´t mind it. Speaking of which, I contacted this girl named F last week,. She´s 17 and lives with her parents. So we went to her house the other day and her mom comes to the door and in a round about way says that she doesn´t want us teaching her daughter. She said F told her parents about us. I put her name in the area book for some future missionaries in the area, as I hope within time her mom will soften up and let her take the discussions.

Well, I hope everyone at home is doing well. I hope that this next week goes better, and I´m excited to meet President Cordova as he'll be coming to visit us this upcoming week.

Love you all,

Hermana Tessa Marie Jones

Transfers

Okay.... so the big news.

I will be in el barrio Ojo de Agua in Orizaba 6 more weeks.

And Hna Garcia is going ..... nowhere. We get to be companions for another transfer, and we both get to see Elder Boyd die as a missionary and Elder Moreya graduate from being trained. 

We are really happy we get another transfer together. She was telling me multiple times this past week I don't want to leave, there's so much I want to do here. We were with Elder Boyd when he got the call and were listening to what we could ... So since I'm finished with my training, I{m a junior companion and she's the senior companion. And now we have an extra hour in the day to go out and teach.

So this week has been a good one. One that I've needed.

Tuesday's District Class: Elder Boyd chose to talk about the Book of Mormon and the importance of it in teaching. So at the end of his lesson, he asked me and Hermana Kind to teach her companion/mother about The Book of Mormon. Elder Boyd was like ... I know you've never taught together before... but go ahead and teach. So we had a little lesson. It was good, we explained important things. But I would say it was just good. So after that, Elder Boyd asked us to come out to the hallway with him with our Book of Mormons. So...out of the chapel we went. He then told us to go into separate rooms, and with our Book of Mormon in hand, pray. Pray to get another confirmation that the Book of Mormon was true. I had a feeling of utter peace during my prayer ... peaceful peaceful peace. And I knew that was another confirmation to me, that the Book of Mormon is true. When we both exited our rooms, Elder Boyd told us to go and teach Hna Orta again. It was the same message, but it was different because we weren't just teaching based on our knowledge. We were teaching based on the Spirit.  

The other missionaries in the room could feel the difference as well, feel that Spirit. They didn't know what we went and did so after our lesson Elder Boyd asked what they thought we did. Answers like ... "yeah they went out and talked about it because communication between companions is important...." Which it is.Very Important. But then he told them that we didn't talk to each other at all. We prayed and had a communication with God.

When I was in the MTC, in devotionals, countless times, we were told that we shouldn't just be a companionship, but I tripanionship with the Holy Ghost being our third companion. During training the past week, we relearned to remember to have the Holy Ghost be a part of our lesson... because without him a lesson isn't gonna go anywhere. And... I learned something for myself. I know we should listen to the the investigator when they're speaking so we can help them out ... but it is CRUCIAL to also listen to the Holy Ghost. Which also means...quit thinking about what you're gonna say when your companion is speaking, which I have had a bad habit of.  It's a little harder when its a different language. But as I have been striving to do that... I noticed a big difference.

Hno N is a member in the ward. He's this vijito and we love him. He's also a recent ward missionary, so we went out with him on Thursday for some help. He wanted to go knocking on doors...something we've never done as it can be a little dangerous...we street contact.  But this hermano was determined. He also picked a street that was very Catholic. There was this one door, this lady answered and said she needed God in her life and she had no time but to come back Saturday. 

So Saturday came, and Saturday was a rainy day. But rain or shine, we work. She is a lovely person. She's at home with her baby but doing school part time while her husband is at work all day. She told us that she didn't think we would be coming as it was raining... and she was in her room praying saying that she needed something more in her life.... during the rain ... when we knocked on her door for her lesson. Her name is E, and we had a lovely little lesson with me not worrying about what I was gonna say. We gave her a book of Mormon and before we asked her about praying or anything she said that she planned to pray about it after she read it in night. She is prepared!

Friday night we went to go search for a former investigator named P. From the end of 2011. Well, when we knocked she let us in easily. She told us that she has a brother in the States who is a convert and she's noticed a big change in his life. Also there was her 15 year old daughter, and I forget exactly what her name is right now. So.. after our lesson we asked if they had any questions. No... P was feeling quite content about everything- And when we invited them to come to church they were like Yeah...we'll go! Animated about it.

It was Testimony Meeting. Both Hna Garcia and I decided to go up, as we weren't sure who was leaving, and we decided to wear my matching dresses and get all prettied up. P left the room after a little bit and whem we went to to see her, she told us she felt this feeling she had never felt before...that it was a feeling of this great peace. We told her it was the Holy Ghost, and she could continue feeling those feelings and receive the blessings that were shared in testimonies if she continued learning with us and coming to church. Her daughter loved Sunday School and Young Womens, and P enjoyed Gospel Principles and Relief Society with us. I LOVE THEM!!! They too, are so prepared. Because of that... I know we have to work hard. We're gonna do it.

Don't have much time to write, but I want to tell about C and D. They're less active and they are wonderful people. C told us last week that he was gonna come to church this week. D too. There were people in the ward that were so happy to see them! C told us later that day that he hadn't been to church in a year. We asked him how he felt about going again and he said to us "in all honesty... I felt good."

Hna Garcia and I are excited about this next cambio together. We already have some plans to help out the ward in general and I'm excited to see them fill out.

With Love,

Hermana Jones

Satan is a Turkey

Buenas Tardes,

There are changes coming. Come tomorrow we´re getting a new mission president. Presidente Cordova. And I´m almost done my training. ... I don´t know how I feel about that. I don´t feel ready. But then again... who is ready for everything. Hermana Garcia thinks that she´ll be the one leaving... so I guess we´ll see next week what the verdict is. I had another little breakdown this week. Except this time it was on Saturday. Maybe part of it is the end of my training and not feeling ready. There are times that I feel inadequate... that really I´m not a good missionary and I can´t help people. Sometimes I feel like there is some truth in that because I can´t always help my companion in the ways I want to. That I sometimes forget what the Lord has given me...the authority to teach His Gospel and I have fear. Once again, Hermana Garcia knew what to say ... and Satan is being a big turkey.

Also with the end of training... something that Mom told me in a letter when I left the MTC: That if I waited til my Spanish was perfect and the lessons were perfect I would never leave the MTC. I guess that applies with training. If I didn´t stop training until I was 100% confident... I would never stop training. Here it goes.

Also... I was told on Friday from Elder Boyd that Hermana Blankmeyer needed to return home due to health reasons. Keep her in your prayers.

PDays we still have personal and companionship study in the morning. Part of my personal study was from lesson 1 of Preach My Gospel ... How the Gospel Blesses Families. This was the scripture I found that I really like:  Jeremiah 31:1 At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

The insight I got from this scripture. The Lord knows us all personally. He knows what we need as an individual person, as we are all different. But it applies to families too. Each family is different and require different things to help them grow. The Lord knows each family personally just as he knows us. We are His people. HIS people. How amazing is that?

So... there are some people here that I just absolutely love. One of them is Hna N.  If you remember... she´s the less active who´s husband was a mission president and doesn´t feel comfortable enough going to church because she doesn´t have friends in the ward. Well she has a lot of wisdom. We went to go visit her the other day and she asked us how we were doing ... how the teaching was going. Well you know... not as well as we want it to be, and she just knew what to say to cheer us up. Forgive me because I can´t quite recite it right now. I want to come back and visit her after the mission. She also told me that my Spanish has improved. I still have a long way to go, though.

So this week we picked up R´s son JJ as an investigator. He´s 17 and he eats books. As in... he just reads them lickity split. We were just like...well we have a great book for you to read! We´ve had a few lessons with him, and he and R came to church on Sunday. I asked R how she was after Gospel Principles and she said she felt tranquila. I´m really sure what the translation would be in English... but it´s a good feeling. JJ however wasn´t so sure that it´s for him. We think part of the reason  is because he is a boy and was sitting with his mom, and two hermanas. That he needs some fellowshipping with people his age. The Elders offered to teach some lessons with him, so I think that will definitley help.

So a man hugged me on Thursday. Don´t worry, it was approved by Presidente Treviño. Well, it was Presidente Treviño. The inner zones headed to Veracruz on Thursday for a last conference by Presidente and his family.  I'llmiss them, they are awesome and so full of wisdom. But since Presidente Treviño is a 70, I hope to hear him speak in a future General Conference. Part of what he talked about was three trees, all with different goals. The third tree had the goal to grow so its branches would reach the heavens. That tree was also the one that didn´t get chopped down in the end. I hope I can be that third tree. 

One message from Hermana Treviño is that in the mission, the Lord permits us to have two different kinds of days. Days in the garden of Eden, and days in the Garden of Gethsemene. And to use the atonement everyday in the mission. I like that she said the Lord PERMITS us. The hard days suck, but I must remember the scripture in 2 Nephi 2:11 ... there must be an oppisition in all things. And Ether 12:27, that the Lord gives us weaknesses so we can become humble and have those weaknesses grow into strengths. And that there is a reason in all things.

Take Good Care of Yourselves.

Les Quiero!

Hermana Jones

she got her letters!

hermana garcia y hermana jones

:)

missionaries love selfies. a lot.

the mexico veracruz mission!

goodbye president! :(

if you're looking for a good book... this one right here.

Bendeciones

Hello My Wonderful People,

Yeah, being a missionary is hard. One thing that I was told over and over in the MTC was that obedience brings blessings, and exact obedience brings miracles. I talk about obedience because we were looking up scriptures on it the other day because we wanted to share that message at a comida and with some less actives. I was getting ready for church in our room while Hna Garcia was in our study room...sala....whatever you call it.  Just thinking...I´m being obedient, where are those blessings....where are those miracles...where are those people that just want to get baptized and recieve even more blessings then they could imagine. When I feel discouraged, I get on my knees and pray to my Heavenly Father ... because he knows exactly how I´m feeling. I was also feeling a bit homesick this past week.  I asked him for some help, and he definitely gave me some. He gave me some encouragement.

After a bit, Hna Garcia came in the room and asked me what was up. Last week, there was a day where we both happened to study the Atonement and we had a great discussion about it. To remember that I wasn´t alone ... and Satan knows how much power I can have as a missionary so of course he´s gonna want to make me feel alone.

All of the talks at church are what I needed. And the lessons as well. There are some recent converts in our ward...they were the baptism on my first week. This weekend the ward had a temple trip to Veracruz (menos missionaries) and they were able to go. Obispo Ramos asked them to come and give a testimony about it. They were beautiful. The temple is a house of God, and I miss having the oppurtunity to visit the temple as often as I did before I left on the mission. But one mercy is that I´ll be able to see it on Thursday.

At the end of all the meetings, we were in the chapel and the daughter of a  family of investigators from the elders came up to me and 

said ¨¨Do you know somone named Ali ... Ali Grant?¨¨

¨¨Yeah, she´s my best friend.¨¨

¨¨She found me on instagram, and wanted me to send you her salutations.¨¨ 

I needed all of that. They were all blessings. The chapel is my home away from home, like I am so happy to walk inside it.

Tuesday for our district class ... our whole district was there for the first time... which means our zone leaders were there, as they travel different districts in the zone. So after our class part, we had practices. I hate practices. They make me really nervous and teaching a made up person for me is a lot more nervewracking than a real person. Elder Rodrigez (ZL) was our investigator. We both told him before we begin that we don´t like practices. We were struggling a little, so Elder Rodrigez paused it and said to us ¨Okay, we´re gonna do something a little different. You´re gonna teach me as myself, Elder Rodrigez... with my own needs.¨ 

The whole teaching experience changed... from something nervewracking it was to something where you could really feel the Spirit. He´s almost done his mission and he feels overwhelmed with all the things he needs to do when he goes home. I wanted to, and did, share my experience at the beginning of the mission here in Mexico. My first few weeks were especially hard and overwhelming for me. Helped him remember that the Atonement was there for him in his overwhelmedness. After our lesson with him, he told me I was able to help him a bit. It felt so amazing to be a help to someone.

On Monday, we went to this little shop by our house. Before we left, we set up an appointment with her. We were able to have two lessons with her. The first lesson we had Hna Cookies come with us and it was such a help. She invited Rosario to come with her family to an FHE for this night. We´re looking forward to that. The second lesson was a short one as we had little time. The second lesson her husband was there. And I was able to teach them something that I had decided to study that morning. Through that experience, I know that I was guided by the Holy Ghost.

On Thursday morning, we had a lesson with the zone leaders to this investigator that they´re giving to us since she actually lives in our area. Oh... the Spirit was strong. It was so cool to teach alongside the zone leaders. At the end, Elder Figuroa beared a testimony to her... and after him I just felt so strongly to bare mine. Like none before. I could tell she was touched. When Hna Garcia and I were walking home after (as we had weekly planning to do) she asked me ¨¨How did you do that? You spoke so well!¨ ... The Gift of Tongues is real.

This week we were able to make aquaintence with a less active. She´s 86 and says she doesn´t go to church because of her health. We invited her to go with us and she agreed. We told her we´d be at her house at 8am. Well... Sunday morning we were lot later than 8 because I had my own needs. So when we went to do our rounds to see if our investigators could come with us (which didn´t happen) we went knocking at her door and yeah... no one was there. So that was really disapointing to us. When we got to the chapel we stopped in the baño for a minute. And out of a stall came our less active hermana, so it was a joy to see her.

So yes, they weren´t exactly the blessings and miracles I was thinking for this week, but looking back at my letter I wrote... I did recieve them.

Take Care Everyone.

Love,

A Little Hermana In Mexico