This has been the first good week I've had in a while, haha. Lots
of good things happened this week. Someone told me this week for every
raindrop that lands on a sister missionary's nametag their future
spouse gets musclier. And for elders, their wives lose weight. I hear
it's been raining a lot in Argentina too, were gonna make a good
lookin couple.

     Starting with Monday night, we were down in an area we hardly
spend any time in, and it was getting late. We were going to try to
contact one more potential investigator and then head home. It was a
woman Hermana Landa and I had street contacted almost about a month
ago. I remembered the woman hadn't seemed incredibly interested, we
only spoke for a minute then she had to go but gave us her address to
come by one day. So we knock and a man comes out. We asked for Rosa,
and he said she was busy, but that he was a member of the church. Both
of our jaws dropped, haha. (Mind all you Utahns this isn't Utah. Our
attendance to the branch is about 30 people a week including
missionaries and we only have five or so less active members on our
records.) This really was a miracle! We sat down and started talking
to him, and wow. He was baptized three years ago, and has an
incredible testimony. He had moved into his cousin's house (Rosa)
after he and his wife divorced but never attended church and never
told anyone his address. He shared his conversion story with us, he
said that he knew we were his angels, that God had sent us to find
him, like He always has in his life. No question about it, we were
meant to find him. And for the first time ever, he attended the new
branch here in Lancaster on Sunday. It was fast Sunday, and he got up
and bore his testimony for the first time since he was baptized. He
shared how we had found him, how when we knocked he had said 'how did
they find me? I didn't tell anybody.' Haha. His testimony was so
powerful. He shared all of the things that had happened throughout the
week that could have stood in the way of him coming to church-
including his car's motor bursting into flames Sunday morning. But he
still came. He asked everyone to pray for him, but promised that he
was back, for good. The branch is in desperate need of leadership
right now- lacking a first counselor, secretary, elders quorum
president, and I feel like God hand picked him, haha. He is definitely
needed right now. He is so strong. At the end of our first visit with
him that night I felt so prompted to tell him that he was needed in
the temple, that he needed to start preparing. He has never been, so
that's his next step!
     We had an amazing week with Jose and Julia. The story behind
them... We started teaching their daughter Martina.... Then one by one
the rest of the family started joining when we would come- until we
were teaching Martina, her mom and dad, her husband, and her three
daughters. It was kind of crazy, trying to keep up with all of them
and assess the needs of each. Some would be in some lessons and not in
others. So last Sunday Jose and Julia showed up at church, and Jose
started asking questions, lots of them. We were shocked- he had never
said a word in any lessons, and we realized he was the only one who
had never missed a lesson. But in each one he would sit and listen
quietly and intently not saying a word. I guess we assumed he was just
being polite by coming or not interested. Tuesday night we went with
Hermana Mateo (relief society president) and had an awesome lesson
with them. Turns out Jose had met with missionaries in Santo Domingo
(Dominican Republic) before he came here five months ago but he never
mentioned it. But he said that nothing had come from it. Hermana Mateo
shared how though she joined the church later in her life, she too had
seen the missionaries many years before she joined- but they didn't
stop to talk to her. She said even if they had- she was 17 at the
time- she wouldn't have accepted the gospel then. Jose added that he
knew that when he previously met with missionaries before he knew it
wasn't his time then, but now is. He accepted our baptismal
invitation. Another one we were definitely meant to find.
     That same night we got in to teach a family that has never let us
in before. They moved here from Utah a few months ago and immediately
stopped coming. The wife was only baptized less than a year ago. We
had a real breakthrough with them, they committed to change. Another
miracle!
     Carlos is still pretty sick.. He wasn't able to come to church
this week. He really wanted to be there. But he is still progressing
every day slowly. Prayers would be appreciated.(:
     This week we met some really cool new investigators. Rafael-
quite the character. Also ended up being quite the challenge to teach,
but if he opens his heart a bit he has so much potential. And Suzie-
we found tracting. Rarely do we find people, if ever, who in the first
visit understand so clearly the restoration. She was so excited to
read the Book of Mormon and pray about it.
     So we met this family last week that we've started teaching
English. They are Muslim- so we are not allowed to teach them. But
when we met Fardowsa, she let us in and I knew that there was
something we needed to do for that family. It was especially
difficult, and awkward the first time we went when we quickly realized
she didn't speak English and we certainly didn't speak Somalian, so we
just sat there trying to figure out what we could do. Somehow we
managed to ask if she wanted us to help with her English, and we've
been going back since. Turns out they arrived to the United States TEN
days ago from South Africa. We are trying to help her husband get a
drivers license so he can get a job- so we go over the booklet with
him, and practice reading and writing with her. It's pretty rough at
times, haha. He is a very serious, intense guy. But they are so
grateful. They have nothing- but the small house and few things in the
pantry that the government provided. They are refugees. It was so sad,
all they had was a bag of flour and a few misc. spices and a few other
things. They didn't understand what any of it was or how to cook or
eat it. He thought the flour was some kind of 'pottage.' So our next
things we want to do is try and figure out what we can help them cook
with what they have. Mom- maybe you could send a basic recipe for
bread?
     As I I was thinking about them, I remembered the talk given in
conference 'Refuge form the storm.' As I read over it again, it was
exactly what I see in this new young family. I had never realized that
there really are refugees in every community.
     "The Lord has instructed us that the stakes of Zion are to be “a
defense” and “a refuge from the storm.” We have found refuge. Let us
come out from our safe places and share with them, from our abundance,
hope for a brighter future, faith in God and in our fellowman, and
love that sees beyond cultural and ideological differences to the
glorious truth that we are all children of our Heavenly Father."

     This week I feel like my call was expanded- I felt like we were
really able to be led exactly to those who needed us- some who are
newly investigating, some, like Jose, some who are already members but
had been lost and needed found, and non members- like Fardowsa and her
family.

     My nerves are growing every day as I await transfer calls.. A
whole week.. Let's just say I will be pretty disappointed if I do
leave. I've been so stressed out about it. However, I was given a
little reminder this week that no matter where I'm serving, in the
branch or not, my Spanish call is needed. Hermana Smith, my comp from
Hanover, sent me a video of Gino- the member from Peru we had found.
He was at a ward event of some kind speaking. He recounted his story
of being away for ten years, then the day we found him, and where he
is at now. It was bittersweet, he expressed his happiness in being
back but also his regret of how much time he had wasted. It is also
harder and harder the stronger he grows in the church knowing he
cannot raise his family with the blessings of the gospel. But he stood
up there and shared he was back for good, and never going back. Gino
is still working with our investigators Laura and Juan regularly.
Unfortunately they are unable to be baptized because they can't be
married without papers. But they are still attending church.. When the
time is right hopefully they be willing to make the sacrifice. It is a
big one, but an important one. It felt like a reminder to me that
there is so much good that can be done anywhere you go. That I wasn't
called despite the lack of many to teach in Spanish, but because of
the few that are out there waiting to be found.
     I am so unbelievably grateful to have the opportunity to work
with the most amazing people there are. I love my Spanish calling!

Love you!
Hermana Sears

I feel like I'm actually fulfilling my calling here.  It is just so easy to love these people the second you walk in the door.  I am not nearly ready to leave here....

How is THIS a missionary apartment!  But it is....

Hey fam.
     Sorry I didn't write last week. Also sorry these get more and
more boring every week. I don't journal at all anymore so these have
kind of become that for me.. I wish I had more to report this week.
     It's been a rather disappointing week. We hit a major roadblock
with Victor. He's faced with the decision to either get divorced and
risk losing his house, car, and possibly residency here and his kids,
or not get baptized. The problem is that they are already separated,
she has the kids in Texas. There's more to it than that.. But anyway,
this is going to be a much longer journey than we thought with Victor.
His conversion will have to be solid to make a decision like this.
Honestly what I feel is that God will recognize his faith in taking
this step and things will work out. How could they not if someone were
doing the right thing? Obedience always brings blessings, right?
     Anyway, it's crazy how much we as missionaries invest in every
person we teach. It's annoying how much I care about them sometimes.
     Carlos had a stroke this week, but he is okay. He was not able to
come to church yesterday because of it, but he is already planning on
being back next week. He loves being there, and learning. He wants to
become a better example for his kids and grandkids. Better late than
never? His family is so supportive of him coming, and so grateful to
us. We hope there is potential in the future of his two sons- both in
their 30's, to come. His wife has also not come yet but is so sweet.
She's from El Salvador and has such a love for the Savior. She would
make such an amazing member! Haha. Carlos plans on inviting them when
he feels a little more prepared.
     It was kind of a somber week for the branch. A member passed away
unexpectedly and suddenly this week. He was such an amazing guy, spent
his entire life in service of the church. Everyone is definitely
feeling the loss of Hermano Calix. He was on the other side of the
branch, so I only saw him three times since I've been here. Once at a
baptism my first week here- he performed the baptism. The second time
he was volunteering in the DC temple baptistry in temple whites. And
the last was at his viewing, in his temple clothing. Pretty good way
to remember a guy who left such a huge impact not only on the branch,
but the entire Hispanic community here. He came here from Honduras
with his family. He was only 50 when he passed away. But his wife is a
rock. She's a strong lady.

     Alright how but the funniest part of my week? So one day we knock
on a door, and this Puerto Rican guy answers the door.. And starts
freaking out because he thought I was Ms. Brazil. For literally ten
minutes solid he was freaking out and taking selfies with me hahah.
When he finally understood that I was American he was still so excited
and trying to show everyone the pictures he took. Then told me I
should quit being a missionary and be Ms. universe a couple hundred
times hahah.
     Okay now for a weird story. So, this week we went to the Light of
The World Church.. We are allowed to as long as it doesn't interfere
with our church meetings ,obviously. Someone had invited us on the
condition that they come to ours after. It was the weirdest
experience.. I swear their church is the closest thing to our church.
There were too many weird similarities. Temple similarities, etc.
Also, this week was their general conference with their prophet, which
we were invited to in DC. But yeah, they sure were prepared for us. As
soon as we walked in two men came over and started bashing. One of
them had obviously spent some time studying the Book of Mormon so he
could contradict it with the bible. After thirty minutes of that, (I
just sat and took it like a man) the service started. It was a Spanish
congregation. People were getting pretty rowdy, hahah.
     The church (of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) is true! It was
interesting going to another church though. It was nice being around
other people who do care about the gospel and having God in their
lives, but also sad knowing they lacked a full comprehension of Him. I
couldn't help but just sit and imagine them as members of the church
one day hahah.

     Things are good. And slow. I'm just dying for transfer calls in a
few weeks to see if I'm leaving already... President Johnson told me
in my last interview they're not sending out anymore Spanish sisters
to the PPM mission, as in Hermana Smith (my last comp) and I are the
last ones. So there is a good chance my Spanish area will be a short
lived dream and elders will be doubled in. I've only been here for two
transfers though.. And at this point it's going to be 100 times harder
to have served in a real Spanish area,  then to leave it so soon ,than to
have never served here at all. I just feel like I'm actually
fulfilling my calling here. So leaving will be a hard, huge
transition. It is just so easy to love these people the second you
walk in the door. The problem is that the areas that are heavily
populated with many Spanish speakers are the most dangerous. Honestly
though I've never felt unsafe here. President Johnson is just very
safety-conscious.
     Transfer calls are the fourth of May..... So start praying mom! I
am not near ready to leave here.

Love you guys!
Congratulations to my bf Maddie getting married this week, you made
the most beautiful bride!

Hermana Sears

This weeks anime convention made street contacting a lot more fun this week.....

Fransisca and my "bff" Daniel

Carlos after conference

Hello!
     Wow... I have two weeks to make up for. I'll start with
conference. I kind of forget everything when I don't send my weekly so
not a lot to report. Well, it was my first time watching it completely
in Spanish obviously. And probably the most spiritual experience I've
ever had watching. When I was more focused on the spirit than on
understanding every word perfectly I found myself forgetting I was
even listening in a second language.
     So victor is still doing so great. We are still working with him
towards his baptism on the 30. It's been cool bringing different
members from the branch out to all his lessons to share their unique
testimony of each principle we teach. One in particular we actually
had with Hermana Landa and her parents.. They came to pick her up from
her mission, so we invited them to come teach with us! It was perfect,
Hermana Landa's dad is from Mexico as well, and as we taught the word
of wisdom he was able to relate with the struggles and history of
Victor. The branch president- President Gogna, and his wife also came
out with us as we taught tithing. The fact that Victor has accepted
all these principles without question is a huge sign of how much his
faith has grown. He is always so excited to talk about what he's
reading in the Book of Mormon, and he listens to general conference
talks by President Monson every day at work. He loved conference.
Afterwards he asked us to show him the font, and when we showed him
you could see how happy it made him. Hearing him share his experiences
about praying nightly is also so humbling. He and his wife are
currently in the process of a divorce and she has the kids with her in
Texas, he struggles a lot not seeing them.
     Carlos also came and enjoyed conference. It has been so different
working with him, he is in his seventies. We move very slowly with
him, but he is making changes also. His wife has no interest herself
but always just says she's glad that he's finally changing.
     Hermana Busath is great. I have quite a bit of responsibility on
me right now in the area and with those we are teaching as I am the
only one that can communicate with them right now.
     The work is going well here. We're keeping busy, that's for sure.
And working with some amazing people. Sorry for such a boring week but
I sent lots of pictures to make up for it!

hermana sears

PS- We're pretty Lancaster now- someone gave us a pair of Jordans and a pair of Lebrons ( Victor!)

The Branch!