Hi fam.

     Hi again. This week has gone surprisingly fast, considering I was sick all week. Funny story, never take anti nausea meds on an empty stomach. Hahah lesson learned. Anyway, I think the stress is just getting to me.

     I'll start with my Spanish amigos. We saw Temo and Omar Monday night, the ones from Mexico. We hadn't seen them for a while, but they has both been reading in the Book of Mormon. Temo told us every time he has read he feels paz, peace. They both said they plan on attending our church when they return to Mexico in November. It's too bad the Spanish people I teach here can't even come to church because we don't have a Spanish branch or ward. Anyway, they are both giving us their family's addresses so we can send the missionaries in Mexico to them. Las familias son eternas.(: I guess all I'll really be a part of with my special Spanish speaking people here will be to do the hard part then pass them on to the missionaries back home in Mexico.  

     This week we saw Nefdali, he is something. We committed him to baptism, but he stopped me mid sentence as soon as I said baptism, he was like woah, when I change I plan on changing for the rest of my life. I need some more time to think. He wants to read the entire Book of Mormon first. I guess he studied religion in college, so he wants to make an educated decision, which is awesome. We know if he commits, he's committed. 

     This week we got to spend some time with a sweet less active lady in the ward. The one who just returned from seven months in the hospital. She served her mission years ago in Argentina, so I have been spending my language hours practicing Spanish with her. This week we practiced teaching the Plan of Salvation with her, really we just wanted her to teach it back to herself. And at the same time, rekindle memories from her mission. Two in one. It really has made her so, so happy. She's a special one. We are going to take her to teach Nefdali with us. 

     Lamont has been able to teach with us a few times this week! First we had him teach Book of Mormon class with us. He was so excited to help, and didn't say a whole lot, but simply shared with the class the happiness that has come into his life. 

     Guess who else came to Book of Mormon class? Alphonso! Why is this so amazing? Because he has not set foot in the church building in five years. We invited him, and honestly didn't expect him to come. But he did! Before he left the bishop gave him a priesthood blessing, in which he challenged Alphonso to remember what he needs to do, to keep coming. 

     The other lesson Lamont came with us to teach was for Robbie and Bruse, the two guys from volleyball. He's already getting experience with missionary work.(: 

     Robbie has been reading like crazy in the Book of Mormon, we've seen him quite a bit this week. He has been doing quite a bit of research, in fact he's read everything from the Articles of Faith to the missionary handbook.. Haha. He wants to come to church, but his parents won't allow it. He may have to wait til he's 18. 

     Interesting story of the week- we were in the infamous island Wednesday night and there was a major drug and prostitution bust in the apartment building we were teaching in. 

     We did see Phyllis this week.. She has been praying and for now she said that the Catholic Church has been loyal to her for so long, she feels she needs to be loyal to them.. I didn't think she would let a social aspect influence her decision. But she agreed to continue praying and not close herself off the idea of "becoming a mormon." 

     We went to visit a less active lady who's been in the hospital all week s few times this week. She's great, we call her grandma Hartman. They're the ones who let us ride their tractor and we've always got an open invitation for grilled cheese sandwiches and pickles, they don't let us leave without one, haha. 

      We seem to spend a lot of time at Butler hospital. It is just up the street from us. This week as we were leaving a nurse stopped us. She told us she had noticed us here many times, and asked who we were, that there was something different about us. We got to tell her about missionary work, and ended up talking about families and sharing the family proclamation to the world with her. You never know who's watching.

     

     I saved the best for last. Shekera was baptized yesterday. Unfortunately their parents chose not to come still, but it was such a sweet day. One of the speakers, Sister Popa, spoke about the potential that that family has, how one day they would go to the temple together to be sealed. The spirit was so strong, it confirmed that to me- that yes, one day they will make it there. 

     And again, as we sang "families can be together forever" at the close, the whole room was in tears. 

     The Plan of Salvation, with the gospel of Jesus Christ as our roadmap are the literal way to "happily ever after." I love being a missionary and helping people see what true happiness is.. There are so many here who need that. 

"So often we get caught up in the illusion that there is something just beyond our reach that would bring us happiness: a better family situation, a better financial situation, or the end of a challenging trial.

      The older we get, the more we look back and realize that external circumstances don’t really matter or determine our happiness. We do matter. We determine our happiness. We shouldn’t wait to be happy until we reach some future point, only to discover that happiness was already available--all the time. Let us resolve to be happy, regardless of our circumstances. I pray we truly learn to live." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

"Why do the good suffer as well as the wicked? I believe it is because He loves us so much more than He loves our happiness. 

‘The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’

'For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.'

We have much reason to hope. Joy can be ours if we are willing to sacrifice all for the Lord" -James E. Faust

Hermana Sears💜

Ps. The church is true 

http://www.mormon.org/graciasael

Jesus es el hijo de Dios y nuestro Salvador. Por causa de Él, hemos conquistado la muerte, nuestra vida adquiere significado y podemos vivir con Dios de nuevo.