HAPPY HAPPY EASTER!!
I love that you all painted eggs and dressed up for Easter Sunday (dapper dans right there). Tonight we are having a FHE with the Janett Olivarez family, and FOR SURE we are coloring eggs (probably with markers, but hey) so we'll have a little taste of Easter down in this place too. Actually, instead of M&Ms around the stairs we had a "sweet" Easter Sunday. AH! The Lord blessed us so much this week! I can never remember who I have told you about and who I haven't....
We are sharing with a cute girl whose name is Susana. She is 22 and is dating a member who is reactivating himself. They had a child together about 10 months ago, and are now looking to get married, but are looking to do it in the right place! He is currently living in Santiago, studying, while she is working here and living with her mother. While she has a Catholic background, she has been very open to all that we have taught her. Even though her motivation and support come from her boyfriend, we have tried to focus her on gaining her own testimony of the restored gospel and receiving her own answers to prayers. She has steadily progressed for about the past month, and she was finally able to assist church with us this past week (she has assisted church the past couple of times in Santiago with her boyfriend). Afterwards, we had a baptismal interview, in which she left feeling very comfortable with getting baptized in 2 weeks!! WA-HOOooo I had never seen her smile as big as when she came out of the interview. Needless to say, we are very excited to have her take this step, and have them be able to form their young family on the foundation of the gospel and be sealed for eternity one day!!!
Also, a young man of 15 years, Cristobal, who has been attending seminary everyday and steadily developing a testimony of the gospel also had a baptismal interview this week. He has formed friends in the church, but more than that he has formed a deep commitment to really turn his life around and do what is right. We shared with him this week, and talked to him about moving up his baptismal date...since he is more than ready. He's been wanting to repent even more, but we tried to explain to him that becoming a better person is a lifelong process, and that baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost will help him in doing this. We asked him if there were certain commandments that he is struggling with, he said that he just still had some "vicios" (I'm not sure the exact translation) concerning the Word of Wisdom. We put on our worried looks, and asked him what they were. "pan pan pan pan pan" he said. whew...we all just laughed. There has got to be worse things than eating bread!! The bread here is surely going to add 20 pounds to any missionary who eats it, and is definitely not healthy, and he realized what the real purpose of the commandment was. Very wise youngin'...it was really an eye opener for us as Hermanas...that we could all improve daily on keeping the commandments with a little better exactness. Guess that means the delicious banana bread Hna Robertson makes should maybe be takin easy. :) Anyway, we were more than ecstatic to see him come out of the interview with the news that he will be baptized this week!
The Lord is blessing us with such great people, and I hope that I can become more and more the missionary that the Lord can trust with His children. This is a great responsibility, and I realize that there is much progression and growth that comes slowly and steadily; I pray continually that the Lord will magnify me, so that my weaknesses will not hinder the work, but that He will make up the difference. Just like Mitch mentioned this past week, it's hard not to see the type of missionary you want to be, and know that you need to be and should be eventually, and not become impatient with yourself. I think in the beginning of being here I let that paralyze me from doing anything, but now I'm slowly and surely progressing. I think the "growing period" will come soon enough with Hna Hardy leaving in 3 weeks. Anytime anybody mentions when she goes home she says she's not leaving "yet." She seriously doesn't want to go home. She has been such a good missionary, and the President's replies to my weekly letters do not fail to mention my responsibility to pick up where she left off. haha hooo no pressure.
And I quote: "Thanks for your recommitment and thanks for being you and being a good missionary. Do all you can to learn from Hna Hardy. We are counting on you to continue her legacy. That is to baptize. i know you can."
Thank you President.
We are working really hard and trying our best to be good little Hermanas here in Consti. It is so beautiful and I feel so blessed to be doing what I'm doing right now. It was so special to be able to testify of a living Christ this week, to a Christ that is able to help us, understand us, and guide us through our sins to a life of peace and strength, where we are happy and optimistic and loved.
Oh, and may I just mention I have such a hardcore family. Hats off to the coolest couple of the year who rocked it in the tri...woot woot!! I'm giving you a big ol' WHS cheer clear from Chile. Congrats!! Jed, you're next once you get your thumb all worked out. Maybe you could get away with having the excuse of needing to play nintendo games to do those finger exercises after all. (p.s. did Amanda get a hair cut? - looks cute in the pics!) But it sounds like you're going to have to do more than that if you're going to keep up with Curt on the field. WAY TO GO! awesome job on squishing those silverwolves. 'at a boy! Just keep the playing to the field and not to the ladies...speaking of which - since when did you get so popular that you could just turn down royalty opportunities left and right? haha keep bein humble.
Elder Child! so normally I don't get your letter until the week later (like you get mine normally I'm thinkin) but mom forwarded yours before I got off last week and I just took a quick peek, and checked out your numbers!! wooo! haha but short story: I left the ciber thinking they were your numbers for the week. I pretty much had a heartattack and told my companions, and some others in my district...we were all pretty much amazed and feeling like failures with our numbers. It got me really motivated though, to have 93 lessons with members in one week! haha I knew you were a hard worker, but I had no idea how bad you were tearing up the streets of Pasaje. :) Needless to say, I read through your letter just now a little closer, and I realize it was for the cambio. (which FYI is not "change" in English..it's "transfer" -- don't worry I'm having the same problem here). I am still VERY VERY impressed with the work you're doing over in Guayaquil!! Keep it up! Tear it up bro-ha! oh, and do you think you'd be able to skype me as well for mother's day? Mom- thank you so much for the packages! You are fabulous..I do have to say I see people sweeping the streets all the time here, and I love thinking about you doing the spring yardwork. Also, Bird nests are adorable. Thank you so much for your letters. Daddy-ohhhh good job! you made it through! How was your walk around the farm? got any inspirational ideas (besides the bike trail) of what to do with the place? :)
Welll, I love you all So SO SOOO much! I feel so very blessed to have such amazing family! The church is SO true. xoxoxo
con MUCHO amor!!
Hermana Child
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