What a great week!
It is finally starting to warm up again and Mario got baptized!!! I don't think I have talked much about Mario, but he was the most prepared person I have ever met to accept the gospel. Every lesson we taught, he just soaked in everything and accepted it without hesitation. He did not receive much support from his family in his decision to be baptized, but he told me that it doesn't matter to him because now he has a new family in the church! how cute! Mario spoke in a fireside this sunday with a few other people that had recently been baptized, and it was so neat to hear that the similarity between all of their testimonies was that they all felt like they are "home" and that they have a "family" in the church. I hope that I can always keep that in my mind and remember that there are still so many others that want to come home and feel like they are loved, but that they just don't know it yet or don't know where to find it. As missionaries, we really are just inviting others to come home.
Also this week we met with Roxana. She wants to go inside the temple (We just have to get her baptized first), Viviana, an inactive is starting to come back to church. We were able to go on A TON of member splits this week so we could do two things at once, and lots of great things have been happening! The whole spanish program and mission in general is picking up a lot of momentum and great things are happening everywhere! Our goal as a mission is to get 300 baptism by the end of the year, but if we keep up the rate we are at now, I think we will get way more!
These past few weeks, it has started to hit me that my time as a full time missionary is coming to a close! I still have 5 months left, but the clock is ticking! I want to be the best missionary I can, and I want to work hard until the very last second. I hope that I come off my mission with no regrets, I want to leave everything "on the field," so PLEASE keep me accountable, ask me how my goals are going, remind me that July is coming soon! Other than that, just remember that God loves you and that we are one step closer to home when we come closer to Him.
(sometimes my thoughts come out super cheesy in emails, sorry, haha)
Hermana Peabody
Well, I do love how Ashley shared that those who find the Gospel of Jesus Christ feel like they have found "home," and that as missionaries "we are really just inviting others to come home." I think we all feel a bit at "Home" when we feel the Spirit of God, because we are His children and we did live in His presence before this Earth life, and we hope to be able to live at "home" with Him again some day! What a blessing it is to have this knowledge and I am grateful for the peace, joy, and true happiness that comes from knowing that we can live with God again, and with our families, FOREVER!
I'm glad Ashley wants to serve well, right up to her last day, and I have encouraged her to do so. Five months will go by so quickly, but she will most likely make every second count!
This week is transfers week, so we will see if Ashley stays where she is or gets moved. Until next week. . .
It is finally starting to warm up again and Mario got baptized!!! I don't think I have talked much about Mario, but he was the most prepared person I have ever met to accept the gospel. Every lesson we taught, he just soaked in everything and accepted it without hesitation. He did not receive much support from his family in his decision to be baptized, but he told me that it doesn't matter to him because now he has a new family in the church! how cute! Mario spoke in a fireside this sunday with a few other people that had recently been baptized, and it was so neat to hear that the similarity between all of their testimonies was that they all felt like they are "home" and that they have a "family" in the church. I hope that I can always keep that in my mind and remember that there are still so many others that want to come home and feel like they are loved, but that they just don't know it yet or don't know where to find it. As missionaries, we really are just inviting others to come home.
Also this week we met with Roxana. She wants to go inside the temple (We just have to get her baptized first), Viviana, an inactive is starting to come back to church. We were able to go on A TON of member splits this week so we could do two things at once, and lots of great things have been happening! The whole spanish program and mission in general is picking up a lot of momentum and great things are happening everywhere! Our goal as a mission is to get 300 baptism by the end of the year, but if we keep up the rate we are at now, I think we will get way more!
These past few weeks, it has started to hit me that my time as a full time missionary is coming to a close! I still have 5 months left, but the clock is ticking! I want to be the best missionary I can, and I want to work hard until the very last second. I hope that I come off my mission with no regrets, I want to leave everything "on the field," so PLEASE keep me accountable, ask me how my goals are going, remind me that July is coming soon! Other than that, just remember that God loves you and that we are one step closer to home when we come closer to Him.
(sometimes my thoughts come out super cheesy in emails, sorry, haha)
Hermana Peabody
Well, I do love how Ashley shared that those who find the Gospel of Jesus Christ feel like they have found "home," and that as missionaries "we are really just inviting others to come home." I think we all feel a bit at "Home" when we feel the Spirit of God, because we are His children and we did live in His presence before this Earth life, and we hope to be able to live at "home" with Him again some day! What a blessing it is to have this knowledge and I am grateful for the peace, joy, and true happiness that comes from knowing that we can live with God again, and with our families, FOREVER!
I'm glad Ashley wants to serve well, right up to her last day, and I have encouraged her to do so. Five months will go by so quickly, but she will most likely make every second count!
This week is transfers week, so we will see if Ashley stays where she is or gets moved. Until next week. . .