Gatorade and Saltines save lives.... December 16, 2014

Hi all!

This week was...rough...

My companion got sick on Tuesday evening with sinus infection, body aches, cold...the works. And then on Wednesday I woke up with a terrible stomach virus which kept us confined to the apartment for a few days. This is about the worst thing to happen as a missionary because the worked is completely ceased and appointment are lost and then people are lost track of! Man. I've still got some traces of the virus but am trying to push through and just get back to work. I look forward to being able to eat more than gatorade and saltines :) for heavens sake, tamale season begins next week! 

We finally got out on Saturday morning to work on the house building service project. It's coming along fast and is such a blast! We just blast Christmas music and work all morning. 

Last night Claudia, our favorite investigator, dropped us. It was so sad. She was crying the whole time and when we left and had to say goodbye to her and her little boys we were all crying. It was the worst feeling ever and the closest thing I've felt to Christlike sorrow. She is so tangled up in her sin and so afraid of what her punishment will be and that God hates her but she isn't willing to give up her sin. She thinks that the the solution is to just stop all the reading and praying and learning so that it doesn't hurt her so bad. I am really sad for her. I hope that one day she can truly know that God loves her. 

I am excited to get back to work this week and make up for lost time. I love the people in my ward and am feeling more comfortable each week. The Spanish is inching along and I'm trying to take advantage of having a native companion!

This Christmas season continues to soften hearts and bring joy into each day. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that He lived as the perfect example to us and that He still lives and loves us each individually and completely. This season is a wonderful time to focus on Him and develop habits that bring you closer to Him that will last throughout the whole year.

Onward, Ever Onward

Hermana Dearden

No new pics this week...So here's one of me and my favorite, Sister Bleak, after playing quidditch a few weeks ago. :)