July 12, 2010

A birthday at a place just like Los Hermanos

Me and our housemate, Sister Lee!

Cute princess hat

Hello!

We went to the mall again last preparation day. And you know how much I loathe the mall. Well, it was actually fun this time because we split up and Sis W went to the girly stores and I had fun at my stores with my pal Katie. Ha ha! I found Skippy Jon Jones books at Barnes and Noble and read them to my friends. I got them hooked.

My favorite senior couple, the Hallows went home. We came out the same week last July, so it's extra weird for me not to have them around. But we're getting new ones! And the other couples are getting more and more comfortable with being themselves around us.

This ward is so great with introducing us to their friends and family! We have, yet another person we are now teaching because she wanted to join in for a lesson. Woohoo! The work moves forward.

Exchanges this week was AMAZING, as always. I love talking to people. I feel like Sis W and I are always late, so we've gotten out of the habit of talking to everyone on the street. But it was so wonderful doing that on exchanges. So fulfilling. this one lady was kind of rude, so Sis Burton (my temporary companion) said "That means someone elect is right around the corner." We talked to a few more people after that and just had a really good experience. We taught this hilarious woman. She was the best ever! Big-boned African American with a good, wholesome and silly humor. Loved her. We also taught this older man who "would get baptized if I weren't Catholic." We asked him if he had asked what God wanted him to do and he said "But they will say that I need to be Catholic." No, not your friends. Heavenly Father. He's 85. So cute.

We had interviews with our mission President this week, too. We had us bring our area book. Scary! He looked over ours, asked me a few questions, then said "Onto more important things" and then with concern, "How are you?" He is fabulous. He helped me a lot with some things I have been struggling with. And his darling wife gave me ideas of how to keep my companion from getting trunky :) Ten more days. I'm going to miss Sis W so much! She has been an angel to me.

Saturday, we had the sacred opportunity to attend a funeral of our mission president's counselor- Doug Beck. I was asked to sing in a special choir, which I am grateful for. We sat on the stand throughout the service, so I was able to watch his family's reaction to the different talks and special musical numbers. Let me just tell you- it was the most Christ centered funeral I have ever attended. And that is exactly how Pres Beck would have liked it. He came to our last Zone Conference (which I did not attend but heard about). His cancer was so bad at that point that it took him about an hour just to get back to his car. He needed several people to help him get dressed that morning. He is the best example of diligence and endurance that I have ever known. He loved the Lord with ALL of his heart. Next week I will copy some of the notes I took from the funeral. One thing that stood out to me was that messing up when you're younger doesn't mean you can't grow up to serve a mission or marry in the temple or qualify for the Celestial kingdom. This is a Gospel of love. And forgiveness. And hope.

We had two really profound lessons yesterday. We have a recent convert who has still not received the gift of the Holy Ghost. He prayed and taught us all so much. He was asking for forgiveness of some poor choices and said he didn't feel like he was worth it. Then he said "Whenever those feelings come, my daughter calls or someone reminds me that they love me. I think you gave me my daughter to teach me how you feel about me, as Your son." It was beautiful. We were all crying. I know that God loves all of his children. Yes, bad things happen, but that doesn't take away from His love. God IS Love!

Keep being missionaries in your own way. Please go to the temple for me, since I can't. Miss you, love you.

Hermana Roo