Wow! This week was crazy, busy, wonderful, stressful, and just about everything else too.
So on Tuesday night we ended up in the emergency room for my companion. Turns out the problem is with her gallbladder. It's acting like it has gallstones but it doesn't. They diagnosed it as bilinary colic. After getting home at 2 AM we were exhausted! It took a few days to get all her prescriptions and the insurance worked out. I had to go into total mom mode because she didn't know how to handle any of that stuff. I was so relieved when that all was over.
On Thursday we just walked all day. Probably about 6 miles. It was a lot of fun though. We found lots of people to talk to and just made a good time out of it. The weather is fantastic too! That night we set out to start caroling. We were both really reluctant and nervous to do it. The very first door we knocked on let us in, spoke only spanish, and said we can come back next saturday! Total miracle. Then we were all motivated to keep caroling and had a good time even if we didn't sound so hot.
On Friday we had interviews with President Miller. Love that man. He told me I'm in the "sunset of my mission." Boo. We talked about what I am going to do to make the last 3 months the best. He dropped some hints about me training this upcoming transfer [this Tuesday]. We'll see...
Then we gave a training in district meeting. It went good and we played a fun game with it. Our district meetings are always really good thanks to an awesome district leader! It really makes such a big difference.
Then we gave a training in district meeting. It went good and we played a fun game with it. Our district meetings are always really good thanks to an awesome district leader! It really makes such a big difference.
On Saturday we went to the stake nativity event with Jackie and Gabriel. It was beautiful! Not as good as Huntsville Stake's though. wink emoticonOn Sunday they made us a big dinner. They are a lot of fun but we still have a lot of work to do with them. Then we had the Christmas Devotional. So good! And after we had choir practice for the rest of the night. Christmastime is busy busy.
Another miracle is that we got a call from a young couple, the fam Rodriguez, that just moved here from Juarez. They have been married for 5 months. He is 24 and she is 20. He is a member and she isn't so they called to have us come over and teach her. We went last night and they are awesome. Ericka, the wife, really doesn't have any church background. She has never really prayed either and I just saw such a light in her countenance appear as I testified that God is our Heavenly Father and how He wants to hear from us through prayer because He loves us so much and we are His children. The gospel is so wonderful, isn't it?!
Yesterday we had a zone conference in Las Cruces with Elder Bennett from the Seventy. He is AWESOME. It was so wonderful and the spirit there was so strong. He promised us that if we would follow the prophet by always inviting people to baptism in the first lesson that the baptisms in this mission would double. He reminded us that we are here to find the elect and how to identify them. He also talked a lot about the importance of staying faithful to the prophet's guidance, especially as the world continues to spiral down in wickedness. He told us that it's only going to get harder and that we need to decide now that, no matter what, we will not stray. I am so grateful for this time of my life to be on a mission and to be able to focus 100% of the time on only the things that matter most. I know that it will never be easier than it is right now to live the gospel. He said that almost no one becomes better after their mission than they were during their mission. Now is the time for me to strive to be the best version of myself possible. It is no easy feat but that is why we have the Savior, Jesus Christ. I love the hope that the Atonement provides. No matter what we have done (or haven't done) and how far we have strayed, it is never too late to come back to truth and righteousness and the path that will lead us back to our Father in Heaven. 3 Nephi 9:13 heart emoticon He wants that for us. He wants us to have eternal happiness. And honestly He doesn't ask for much in return.
Con cariño,
Hermana Dearden
Hermana Dearden
WARNING: Lots of pictures coming your way today!
pics: We taught the youth a "How to Teach the Gospel 101" class for mutual
pics: We taught the youth a "How to Teach the Gospel 101" class for mutual
Riding back from Zone Conference,Nasty Shampoo, and Weird chips we just had to try!
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