Gratitude

November 16, 2014

The weeks just go by faster and faster. This week as I have been doing personal study I have been re-reading the conference talks. This is the first time I have done it, but I love it! There is a lot of stuff I remember, but I learned a lot more and different things stick out to me now. I love it and I can't believe it took me so long to finally do it.

This month our mission is focusing on gratitude, so in our Zone training we had a cheesy circle and said what we were grateful for. It was kind of cheesy, but also really special. As a missionary, there are a lot of little things you realize you are grateful for, like pass-along cards. But we find that there is gratitude for everything we have, even trials and weaknesses. On a mission, your weaknesses are pointed out to you very quickly, but through Christ and this work, those weaknesses turn into strengths. One of the things I am so grateful for is my weaknesses. I am so grateful that I can make them my strengths now, rather than waiting until I get home. I am going to grow so much faster out here than I would ever be able to at home.

We were supposed to have a surprise party on Tuesday for Hna Haubner, but one of the other Hermanas let it slip, so she had to pretend to be surprised. Whoops! You all know it wasn't me, because I'm really good at keeping secrets ;)The party was fun, we had a really good dinner and Hno Maldonado gave a little speech about Hna Haubner and it was really sweet.

On Wednesday, my companion went to the temple, so I went on exchanges with an English sister and it was so much fun! I taught my first Skype lesson to Sister Ellis's brother's girlfriend. It was also the first missionary lesson that I have taught in English. It went so well and she wants to be baptized and meet with the missionaries in her ward. Also, we went to go pick up some food from one of the members of the Spanish ward, but she wasn't home and we met a man named Roberto who proposed to us. So that was really weird, haha. Sister Ellis now thinks that that happens to us all the time :) It doesn't, don't worry. We also taught a lesson in Spanish, so when I say we taught a lesson, I really mean I did because she didn't know any Spanish and this was one of the members who speaks zero English. On the bright side, I was able to take care of it on my own. Not as good as it could have been, but the Spirit was there and it didn't really matter what I said as long as the Spirit was teaching her. Then we taught another lesson in English and it was incredible. We taught a girl named Lynnise who is getting baptized this Sunday and she is so ready! We talked about the Sacrament and had a little part of the lesson in the chapel and it just went perfectly.

We switched back companions, had dinner and then went back to work :) We taught an Evangelical woman and she was really interested in everything we were saying until we brought up the Book of Mormon. By the end she said she would come to our church when we go to hers. Looks like I get to go to an Evangelical church sometime soon...as a LDS Missionary, haha, it'll be fun!

Things are going well with Jilma. She still hasn't gotten her answer, but she has been reading everyday and is still coming to church. We started talking about the need for baptism with her starting with the Fall and we think she understands it, but doesn't feel it. We just gotta keep praying for her!

Good news with Byron! He moved out of Hna Portillos house! Bad news, he came up to us randomly at church yesterday and said that he is going on Tour in Europe with his band on Tuesday and he won't be back until January, but he will be baptized when he returns. So on the bright side he will be baptized and the divorce will be final when he gets back...but that is almost 2 months that he won't be with any missionaries. So, we aren't really sure how this is going to work out, but it will! Just keep praying for him too!

We made decorations for a birthday party for a service project and I will include the picture. We actually did a lot of service this week! We blew up balloons (which I have had practice with that one year Trevor asked Cory to Prom and we filled her room) and hung streamers and it looked so good. And then we also helped Sister Helmick unpack and clean her new house. She is hilarious and I wish I could explain to you how awesome she is, but I can't!

Last night we had a "New Members Fireside" where all of the recent converts speak. It was really, really good and the new members are so strong and we just love them all. They love the missionaries because we are the ones that bring the message to them.

Sorry the email isn't as long as last week. Also, I love all of your emails and letters, but sometimes I don't have enough time to respond. But I do love and miss you all. I will have a lot more to say next week. By this time in a few days I'm gonna have my little greenie! Wish me luck and pray for me!...I'll need it!

Love, Hermana Moberly