Una Semana De Muchos Milagros (...and other strange things) November 25, 2014

Hi All! There are so many things I have to say! What a wonderful week! We had a multi-zone conference on Saturday and Elder Corbridge from the Seventy came. He gave a wonderful training and we all left inspired and enthusiastic. They fed us a Thanksgiving feast for lunch and my companion and I got to got to catch up with a lot of friends. We talked to a sister that had served with my companion two transfers ago in our area and she asked about a girl named Jennifer that they had taught. I had never heard of her before and my companion had forgotten about her. She is 16. Was taking the lessons and was amazing and then just disappeared.  On Sunday we decided to stop by her house and found her and her dad there. They were so inviting and warm and happy to see us. We shared a message about Christ and His Atonement. As I bore my testimony of it the words flowed easily as I concentrated on the Spirit instead of Spanish. The Dad said my testimony was beautiful. The Spirit was so strong and I felt an immediate love for them. They invited us to come back the next day. We went back and taught just Jennifer. She told us that she could feel the difference when she was meeting with the missionaries and reading and praying to when she wasn't. In her prayer she thanked Heavenly Father that we came back to her and that she has the opportunity to continue on the journey that she previously started. She is incredible. We have a return appointment for Friday and her and her Dad are coming to the church tour tonight! Last night Diana was baptized! Mi primero bautismo! It was beautiful. I am so happy for her. It was a very special day for their family, with their son returning from his mission as well. He was sitting beside me and took his tag off his suitcoat and just looked at me with wide eyes. It was so sad!! I felt bad for him. I guess I just love being a missionary. Oh and there were so many people there, they had to open the overflow! Lots were investigators. It was wonderful. Yesterday we had a crazy preacher man come to our door while we were doing language study. He was trying to tell us that salvation is free and that people who think we need to do works too are so wrong and blah blah blah...I hate bible bashing and contention and know they aren't the right way to go so I just tried to keep things light (not that I really had a chance to talk anyways) but he just started ripping on Joseph Smith and the church. He was basically telling us that we had been brainwashed. It was ugly and MEAN. I didn't know what to do but I knew that he was taking the spirit from our home and that I did not need to and really could not stand there and allow him do that to our tender souls. I was scared and unsure but with a surely divine boost I stuck my hand out in front of me and said, "I need to stop you right there. We respect your beliefs and only ask you to do the same for us. We know the truth. We are strong in our beliefs. We appreciate your efforts but you need to leave." I then shut the door and turned the blinds. My companion just looked at me like a deer in headlights. It was crazy. After reflecting on the whole experience I just realized how incredibly sad it is that people spend so much energy and time going around tearing down others beliefs. That is not how Christ taught and I'm so glad it's not how we do either. It is always an invitation to others to find out for themselves. Nothing is forced. Our job is to present it to their hearts but they have to open their hearts and accept it for themselves. When experiences like this happen it just fuels my conviction. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and he was an amazing man and endured so much. No man could ever endure that on his own and especially for something that wasn't true. The fact that people still tear him down is only proving the gospel to be true, as it was revealed in the doctrine and covenants that it would happen. This church is so true yall. :) My companion is teaching me how to play the ukulele! :) It's so fun! She sings alto so I play and we sing hymns together! I love it!  Also I am so excited to the He Is The Gift Christmas campaign. I know that so many miracles are going to come from it if we all do our part! Sorry this was scattered! There is never much time. :) Have a wonderful week and take time to truly to be grateful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All we have is because of Him. Much love, Hermana Dearden PS:my sd card broke :( pictures coming next week...