Exchanges and learning to be bold!

On Wednesday we had exchanges! I went out of my area with Sister Garate. It was super fun! J Every single person we saw except for one I already knew from our week as the terrible trio.  We saw Catana again (the one that had a seizure thing the first time I saw her). Well she did it again and I knew exactly what to do. Apparently she hasn’t done it since the first time it happened, and Sister Garate wasn’t there the first time so it kind of freaked her out a bit. But all was well and we had a really good lesson with her.

On Thursday we went to see Maria de la Luz. She is still just plugging along. After we talked about how there isn’t a lot of good shows on TV anymore, she decided to stop watching TV for her baby Carlitos. Her husband still isn’t on board, but he is willing to get a divorce from his current wife somewhere in Mexico so that they can get married.

In the mission, I mentioned that we were working on doing 15 minute visits with members, well our best and most successful one so far was on Thursday. They were a couple who live in the elders area, but we called them earlier in the week and set up an appointment with them. We hardly knew anything about them, but it was so perfect. They were so happy that we came to visit them. They have only been in the branch one year and don’t really have friends. We were able to get to know them, share the planned message we had for them, and leave them happy and on a spiritual high. They are going to be helping us with our investigator Miguel.

Olivia is just LOVING LIFE! I have never seen her so happy ever…she came to the activity on Friday and had a ball. She also helped set up for the activity on Thursday at the church. We talked about patriarchal blessings this week and she can’t wait to get hers.

We had another fantastic zone training this week. It was about raising the bar, removing apathy and complacency and being more consecrated. It was a really good training and I think all of us had way more desires to remove any little thing in our lives that are keeping us from being 100% obedient. I loved it.

On Friday we also were able to teach Maria de la Luz with Hermana Bautista. It went really well. Maria now knows a lot of the branch members which is good. We also helped Deiri finish up her tortillas for the activity and I know feel confident that I can make them myself! J So exciting!  The cultural activity was a big hit. There was a lot of really good food, and we were so excited to see so many less actives and recent converts that we are working with. There was a little talent show at the end with some of the cutest little talents. Amorcita all dressed up like a cowboy sang a primary song, Pte Bleak played the violin, Elder Stewart played the guitar, and I kind of got forced to put something together, but it turned out pretty good. I sang, “I am a Child of God” while playing the guitar. Started in English, then went to Spanish, and then the last verse I had the crowd join in and we clapped. It was cute and the little primary girls were up there with me.

On Saturday while we were contacting, we met a guy who lives in Santa Fe, but when he was 16 (over 30 years ago) he lived in BUHL! No joke. When I said I was from Idaho, he asked me where. At first he didn’t recognize the name but then started describing Balanced Rock. J La Roca de Balancia! It was sweet! They weren’t interested in missionaries coming to them in Santa Fe, but he said that they used to come to him in Idaho, because he worked for a Mormon bishop. I can’t remember his name, but it was years and years ago.

On Sunday at church, we heard the testimonies of so many of our favorite people! First Ana got up there and talked about how she wanted to serve and had prayed to have the chance to do it and soon after, President Bleak received the revelation for her to be Primary President. She is doing amazingly! They will be starting temple prep classes next Sunday which she will be attending! I am praying they will be finished by the end of my mission. If not, we will all just have to come back together. J Deal?

Olivia also went up and gave her testimony. She did such a great job! Holy cow…she seems like she has been a member for ages. She talked about how the missionaries found her and how she loved us so much. It was really sweet…and loud. J She speaks very loud and while she was giving it, she was holding the mic with her hands and when she finished she pushed it up completely. It was so cute, because you almost couldn’t see her because she is such a chaparita! She is very content and happy though, especially with her decision to be baptized. She told all the visitors to get baptized.

Also the Astudillo family came again! Yay…it is so fun to work with progressing less actives. Hermano ended up sharing his testimony and making all of us cry, especially his wife. He has gone less active a few times and she is a recent convert and so it means a lot that they are coming back. They are such a special family to me. She loves us like sisters! J

Last night we did a family home evening with the Astudillos and Ana. We did a fun little scripture chase in learning how to use the scriptures to answer your own questions. It was so fun! Good thing one of the little twins was asleep. It was still pretty nuts without him. We had to eat in three different occasions in about 2-3 hours so that we didn’t offend anyone…I felt horribly sick last night and this morning. It is crazy how much you will eat for people you love! J

I read something about consecrated missionaries (and yes this includes you member missionaries) that I love! It was by Tad R. Callister,

We preach by the way when we talk to people in parking lots, when we speak with people in elevators, when we speak to people in the stores or on the bus or at the gas station. Consecrated missionaries preach by the way at all times and in all places, both day and night. Sometimes we have missionaries who are so worried about offending people that in the process they never ever save them.

Is this true for you? Are you too afraid to open your mouth to your friend because it might offend them? Well, if you do it out of love, there is no way that they should take offense. And if they do, one day they will understand. The reason it is so important that we open our mouths to everyone is that every time we do it, we exercise faith, which then invites the Spirit. This then makes miracles happen. Let’s open our mouths to everyone and be bold about it too!

Love you!

Hermana Nye