Why I Am Here

Tuesday had to have been one of the most spiritual days on my mission and I can’t quite put a reason as to why, but it really was. We had a great lesson with Olivia and she really opened up about the difference that the gift of the Holy Ghost was making in her life. We watched a Mormon Message that touched her so deeply! She also opened up about how she has dreams sometimes where she can run, and ride bikes, and swim. She doesn’t and hasn’t ever asked Heavenly Father, “Why did you give me this trial of polio?” but instead sees it as a huge blessing. She mentioned how sometimes she really wants to wear high heels but there is just no way. L It broke my heart, made me cry a bit. Then she joked about how if she hadn’t been given this trial, a lo major she would have been going to the clubs or on then street corner haha. Then we got her to come with us to Julie. HOLY COW! She was fantastic! She was just so sure of herself. We asked Olivia to invite Julie to church and boy did she do it. It was perfect! We even got to help Deiri and Yayoy do some of their family history. We are really working on Olivia and Deiri being able to go to the temple and do baptisms.

We set another date with Maria de la Luz, and we are praying that everything can be arreglado by the 25th of October. We need the divorce to go through of her husband and still need to find her a new job. It was sweet though when we invited her, she wouldn’t even let us finish asking her the question before she said, “Yes, I want to be baptized”! It was so sweet. Also Olivia is just doing amazingly. When we stopped by with her on Thursday and taught her about eternal marriage and temples, she so willingly accepted the commitment to prepare to go to the temple. She is so happy and excited about it all…and we are too! J

So to be honest, we have kind of had a couple of hard weeks when it has come to teaching, because we have been really putting our trust and faith in the Lord, and prayerfully decided to stop visiting a lot of people who liked it when we came, but weren’t really progressing. We could get lessons, but we felt like the Lord wanted us finding more of the people who are ready now. We chose a couple of formers and went by to see a lady named Olivia (different from our recent convert obviously) and she let us in. We were pretty bold with her and told her that if she wanted us to come by, she needed to come to church…so she did! It was fantastic. The next night, so Sunday night, we had a lesson with her and the sweetest member, Hermana Corral. Long story short, she felt the Spirit VERY strongly and she decided to be baptized the 18th of October! J We are very happy about that!

The Astudillos are progressing a ton. They have now come to church for over a month without stopping! J They want to get their patriarchal blessings as well as get sealed in the temple.

THE BEST part of the week was going to the temple yesterday. Our mission president had us praying that we would feel an abundance of the Spirit at the temple and that I would receive a spiritual confirmation that this is where God wanted me, right at this time, with my companion in this area and everything. Well we also did a fast on Sunday for that same purpose. The entire day was hermosisimo! Like always, President Miller spoke to us in a sealing room after. It was so nice.

But, the best part was really receiving my spiritual confirmation later on that night. We had talked to Ana (my first convert) a few months back about going to the temple and she said yes, that she wanted to prepare, but we really hadn’t brought it up for awhile. Anyway, last night we went over to see her and we started talking about it and she started crying and told us she wanted to go through before I left for home! I was crying, she was crying…it was just the best feeling ever. I know that Heavenly Father wanted me here in this very moment as well as the last year and a half. His children are so precious to him, and it makes me sick thinking that I might have never met these people that I hold so dearly if I would have chosen to take another path in my life. We will now be discussing a lot with the branch president to see if we can get her ready in time, but it is really looking like she will be able to make it! J

I know Heavenly Father has his hand in so many things. He has put me in every single place that I needed to be as long as I was listening. Although I don’t have all of the pieces yet, he hasn’t let me down and will keep showing me line upon line until I can return into His presence if I remain worthy.