6th Semana en Ceres

Querida Familia y amigos --

      This week was great!  We had a wonderful zone meeting in which we talked about how to better plan according to our area and how to motivate ourselves when we are making goals. We also talked about the importance of being accountable.

     This week Hermana PO and I taught some wonderful lessons and found a new area within our area that has not been tracted (contacted) in for quite a few years. We are excited to start working in this area and finding more of the prepared people that Heavenly Father has prepared for us. We are so excited for this new area! We already found a few people that are very interested and a lot of dogs! Everyone there seems to have little dogs that like to be guard dogs and try to scare us off. It makes it an adventure.
     This week we also taught a lesson to C. She is progressing wonderfully and we had some bonding time with her--she taught us how to make Pupusas. They are delicious! We have a church tour with her tomorrow and we are so excited! She has a testimony of the gospel and wants that for her family.  
     We also had a wonderful lesson with S. We finally found him and he has been reading the Book of Mormon. He knows it is true! We are so excited that he is starting to turn his life around and is making good decisions again. We are starting to try to get members to get to know him and encourage him in this process of changing.
      We also met another new investigator yesterday. Her name is B. She too wants an eternal family and we are so excited to share with her.
      We also stopped by I and C.  I and her husband were there and we had the opportunity to talk to them. They are in the process of moving, but we were invited by her husband to come anytime we want to visit them. Today we ran into I again and we heard from her that her husband talked to all of his family about the missionaries and gave I official permission to talk with us. He said that he could tell that she was happier when she was around us and that we bring a special feeling into their home. What a miracle! We are so excited to share more with him!
     I also learned of the importance of working with the ward Priesthood leaders (leaders of congregations). We had the wonderful opportunity to visit with our branch president for an hour and work together to receive inspiration for the area. He told us more about the history of the area and what has worked well in the past. He was also able to give us much needed direction on places he feels there are people that are prepared to hear the gospel. How grateful I am for inspired Priesthood leaders!
     This week I was also studying in Jacob 5 (a book in the Book of Mormon) about the Allegory of the Olive Tree. I realized that we, as missionaries, are truly working in the Lord's vineyard. We are helping Him graft in parts of the branches of the tribes of Israel. He is the master of the vineyard and knows what is best for each part of His vineyard. We should be asking Him daily, "What could I have done for my [part of the] vineyard?" (Jacob 5:41). As we labor diligently, the Lord will help us. I love Jacob 5:72: "And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their might; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the vineyard in all things." We are servants in the Lord's vineyard. When we follow His commandments and labor "with all our might" He will direct us and be there beside us working with us. How great is our calling as missionaries and as members of the church!
     I know this gospel is true. I know that Heavenly Father loves and watches over each one of His children. I know that missionary work is a divine and marvelous work.
Love you all so much! I hope you have a wonderful week! And Happy Birthday, Nathan!
--Hermana VanWie