Tuesday, March 11, 2014

New Language Study Technique: Eating Jalepenos

Well this week, we were so happy that Gerardo decided to make a covenant with the Lord and be baptized. It's a big step to take at the age of 15, but he's more than ready. It was so exciting to see all the youth participating in his baptism - giving talks, saying prayers, leading the hymns, even giving him an official welcome to the Young Men's program.


In other big news, this week we got to eat stuffed jalapenos! Picture this - whole jalapenos, stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon and grilled. It was the most delicious thing! I highly recommend it! Lots of people around here tell us that eating spicy food will help us learn the language faster. I think it's true too!
You know when someone tells you something and you just know in your mind and your heart that it's true? Well that feeling comes from the Spirit, and the Spirit comes when missionaries are called of God and testify with power and authority. There's a story in the Book of Mormon where the missionaries testified with such power that "it were not possible that they should disbelieve their words." What an incredible power that came to those righteous missionaries because they taught the truth and the lived what they preached.
Have a wonderful week!


Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Favorite Skunks and Quotes

Lately we've spent a lot of time on the far edge of our area. South of Las Cruces there are a few little towns- Vado, Mesquite, La Mesa, San Miguel- and we get to teach people in all of them! I love driving down the highway and seeing pecan orchards and fields! Every part of the world is beautiful in it's own way. However, with new terrain, comes new critters that I never saw all that often before. There's one neighborhood where we see 2-3 skunks every time we go!


Our new district leader, Elder Chamberlain loves inspirational quotes - he even keeps whole books of them! This quote about the refiners fire really caught my attention. The Lord leaves us in the refiners fire for a purpose. That purpose is so that we will become purified, so the Lord can see his reflection in us.


And I guess it was just a week of inspirational quotes! I went on exchanges so I got to visit a different area for a day. Sister Yenchik and I got to spend the day teaching on campus at NMSU. That was a new experience! I also got to steal inspirational quotes off the walls of their apartment. Here are a few highlights:



Well everyone, hope you have a lovely week!

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

A Tri-panionship!

Christ has always sent his missionaries out two by two (see Mark 6:7) but once and a while, He'll make an exemption. We have been privileged to be in a tri-panionship this transfer! That's right! I'm serving with TWO companions - Hermana Escalante and Hermana Callaway!


Aren't they just the adorable! We've had a great first week together! The three of us are just loving the missionary work every single day! We have a lot of fun together, maybe a little too much fun sometimes...


Monday, February 17, 2014

Mexican Hoedown!

We had an incredible ward party the other day to celebrate the five year anniversay of the Miranda Ward. (A ward is a large congregation of the Church.) Before 2009, it was the Miranda Branch (a smaller congregation). So to celebrate, we had a party, with a pioneer theme!


Aren't those decorations great! Everyone who wanted to dressed up like pioneers! This is Sister Chavira in her pioneer get up!


Sister Chavira is the president of the women's organization (the Relief Society) for the ward and she serves with all her heart! She's only been a member of the Church for three years but she is giving everything she's got to the Lord. What an example!

Doesn't Adrian look dashing in his pioneer outfit! He's quite the incredible little man; this guy recited the first Article of Faith in front of the whole congregation in church on Sunday! (http://mormon.org/beliefs/articles-of-faith)
And what would a pioneer hoedown be with out a little dancing? In our case, the dance was in the style of old Mexican folk dancing! Our little group of 6 women from the ward and 2 guys had a lot of fun!


And who doesn't want an excuse to dress up, right?




All and all it was an exciting and exhausting night!


Have a wonderful week!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Drum Roll Please . . .

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, children of all ages, presenting the incredible (...drum roll...) Hermana Escalante!!!!


Sister Escalante and I have been working together for just over a week now and we are having lots of fun, sometimes too much fun!


This picture is right outside our front door! Las Cruces is just like Hawaii, without the ocean.


If I've learned one thing on my mission, it's that the Lord is ALWAYS closer than we expect. To be that's a comfort, and also makes me want to stand a little taller, be a little better.


So do you want to hear a miracle story? Every night, we take time to plan for the following day. When we do it with the right attitude, it can be a time for God to direct us and put us where He wants us to be. The other day during planning, an interesting thought came to us that we ought to walk down a specific street, Stull, and talk to whoever is outside. Normally our plans are a little more specific than that, but we felt like that's what God wanted us to do.
The next day, we drove to Stull, parked the car, and went for a walk. The first man we talked to told us how his mother recently passed away and he wants to know where she is. We began to explain how death is a part of life and how there is more to come after this life. He was eager to listen, to read about the Plan of Salvation, and to learn more about God's plan for him.
Miracles happen every day. We just have to look for them!



Have a wonderful day!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

No Time This Week

"Well everyone, I wish I could share powerful mission stories and impart great words of wisdom today, but I just don't have the time. For a great mission story, read http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/16?lang=eng

For details on my own missionary adventures, you'll have to wait until next week. Patience is a virtue!"

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The Great Plan for Making Us All Happy

I think we all have a goal to be happy. Sometimes we'll even make plans on how to achieve happiness. But why rely on our own plans when the One who created the heavens and earth "and all things that in them are" has also created a plan for us that He calls the Great Plan of Happiness or the Plan of Salvation?

That's right! He sent us here from His presence with a purpose. Life has a purpose. Death has a purpose. So this past week, we got together with some other missionaries and drew a step-by-step of the plan of salvation on the sidewalk in the park!


 
I couldn't capture it all in one picture, but you can find more details at http://mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation
Also, the mountains here in Cruces are beautiful, especially at sunset!


And here's my lovely companion Sister Rivas! Isn't she great!

 
In a world where the answer to all of our problems seems to be in the medicine cabinet, here's an alternative solution to those trials in life. Enjoy!


Hope you all have a wonderful day!