Semana 33 en Ceres

Querida familia y amigos --
        This week was a wonderful week! We worked so hard and we had lots of lessons! Despite having preparation day on a different day, interviews, and district meeting we were able to have a very productive week!

Tuesday:  We had a wonderful lesson with J and L and their family. We talked about prophets and played the prophet game with them. The children loved it and J really seemed to understand it.

Wednesday:  We had district meeting and had a wonderful language study with the other hermanas. We also tried something new today and were able to teach two extra lessons and have two return appointments for this week! Maybe two new investigators! yay! We also had a wonderful lesson with the familia P with the Hermana M from the branch.  We love teaching with the Hermana M because she always bears such a powerful testimony and she knows how to help people feel comfortable and she shows her love to everyone in a way that they feel special. How grateful I am for her! E(the daughter) also participated a lot more in the lesson.

Thursday: We taught the PMG lesson at church for all of the members. It went wonderfully! We did the activity about the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the steps on the pathway) and the members now understand the importance of following all 5 steps and helping others do the same. Our ward mission leader was thrilled and so were we. We also used primary songs to help teach about Faith and following the example of Jesus Christ. I love Primary songs! They teach in way that is very easy to understand. We also taught a lesson to S. We finished teaching the Plan of Salvation. Hopefully her work schedule will change so we can teach her more.

Friday: Dia de amor y Amistad or Dia de San Valentin!!! We had dinner with the familia M and we all dressed up in Valentine colors. But the most exciting thing was the lesson we had with the Familia P again! We went with a different member and it went really well. They all finally opened up to us and we are now creating a plan to help them feel comfortable in coming to church. We can't wait for them to meet more members and come to church. We also discovered as we were teaching the plan of Salvation that they love puzzles. Everything was making sense to E through the puzzle that I have of the Plan. We will continue to use this knowledge to help us teach to their needs. We also received cute stuffed animals from the familia A when we were out and about.

Saturday: We had a wonderful lesson with a woman named S and her family. Unfortunately, we can't continue teaching them--they only speak English,so the English Elders will be teaching them. But, the lesson was wonderful! What a Spirit was there! As we asked inspired questions, they learned about the Plan God has for them. They all participated and they want to learn more! I love teaching the Plan of Salvation! The branch party was also today! A lot of people came and everyone participated!

Sunday: We taught a few less active families and it went to church. I was grateful that I got to go to church and renew my covenants.

          How I love this gospel! I love the Plan of Happiness that God has for us! I love my Savior! I know that He lives and He loves us! I hope you have a wonderful week!

Los quiero!   Hermana VanWie


Hermana W and Me at the Branch Valentine's Party

 

Semana 32 en Ceres

Querida Familia y amigos --

This week has been a crazy week!  We were working with Hermana DLC (the new sister from Peru) all day on Wednesday while her companion was in some meetings. We had a very busy day! We had 5 wonderful lessons while she was with us. It made the day very interesting because we were speaking en puro espanol and we had the opportunity to teach her english. She is a wonderful missionary and I love being able to speak with her and improve my language skills. We are continuing to help teach her English a little bit every day. As we are doing this, our Spanish language skills are improving too.

 One of the lessons we had was with the familia P. We also had another lesson with this family later in the week and the Spirit was so strong in that lesson! Everyone was able to recognize it. Although they are not quite sure about baptism right now, they want to continue learning. I was thrilled that they were able to recognize the Spirit and that they wanted that feeling in their home. As we were beginning to leave after the second lesson, they quickly invited us to stay for some hot chocolate and pan (mexican sweet bread)--they wanted that feeling to stay in their home. We are excited to teach them again this week with a member. 

 We also had a wonderful lesson with S this week as well. We invited her to be baptized and she agreed! We just need to help her feel like she knows enough. We are excited to teach her again this week. I know she will progress quickly now that she has baptism as her goal and we know that that is her goal as well. 

I went on an exchange with Hermana S this week. We found a lot of new people and learned a lot about ourselves as we lost ourselves in the work. I know that this is how we come to know more about ourselves and about our Savior--through losing ourselves in the service of others. 

Hermana W and I had a wonderful lesson with the O family about prophets. We are continuing to use activities to explain gospel principles and we used the game of "Simon says" to explain the importance of prophets. The boys loved it and were able to explain it to their dad and they related it to the importance of going to church. Hopefully they will come to church and start progressing again.

This Sunday was a day of miracles and tender mercies! The O family came to church!!!!!!!!! The boys loved the classes and the parents seemed to enjoy it as well. The youngest boy (he is 4) sat perfectly through during church and was quite content to be there and was reverent through almost all of church. I know that was because he was able to recognize something different--he was able to feel of the Spirit. They were welcomed by all the members that remembered them and were helped by members they did not know to feel comfortable in classes. We were so thrilled! The Relief Society (church women’s auxiliary)  gave a wonderful lesson on the importance of visiting teaching this Sunday as well. (Visiting Teaching is a program in the church where go visit and help each other.) We were so excited that everyone participated and truly seemed to understand the importance. 

I know that Visiting Teaching and Home Teaching (a similar program for men and families) are Divine Callings that have been given to us as members to help others continue coming unto Christ--it is a way that members are called as missionaries. I know that Family History is also a way that members are being asked to be missionaries.  I know this is the work of Salvation – The Lord’s Plan of happiness! This work is being hastened and we are part of it! I know our Heavenly Father has given us the Plan of Salvation in order for us to be able to help our families and friends come closer to Him. I know our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to be happy.

Thank you for all of your support and for all that you do to help hasten this work!  Los extrano y los quiero!  Que tenga una semana maravillosa! 

Con amor, Hermana VanWie