Semana 31 en Ceres

Querida familia y amigos---
This week was a busy week. We said good-bye to Hermana M (and helped her finish packing on Tuesday. She is such a great example of living the gospel and serving with all your heart, might, mind, and soul. I know she will continue to be such a wonderful influence on so many people. (one of the other sister missionariesin their area completed her mission and went home this week.

            We are now very excited to be able to work with Hermana DLC from Peru.  (a brand new missionary who came from Peru to serve in CA)  She is so sweet and is so excited to be here serving a mission! We are excited to be able to speak to her in Spanish and perfect our Spanish and to help her learn English too.

I am very excited for this transfer. This week we found 5 new investigators. We are excited to help them progress in the gospel and experience the blessings of a gospel centered home. We found them both through street contacts and harvest blessings. One family was truly a miracle. Their names are J and A and they actually have a son that has been playing basketball at the church with the youth for about a year. We offered a Harvest Blessing and then proceeded to share a scripture and J told us that he had previously been trying to serve the Lord everyday of his life, but right now was just really too busy. He wants to find a way to do so. We were so excited because that is exactly what this church is all about--serving others and by doing so serving our Heavenly Father and Savior. As we talked and bore testimony A was able to recognize the Spirit for herself. She recognized it even before we pointed it out to her! We are excited to teaching them again this week. They are truly prepared. I have seen how the Lord has been guiding us to people that are need of our help and to those prepared families that want a better family relationship and a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ. 

We taught a class this week for the members as well.  We were thrilled that the members now know the importance of doing their home and visiting teaching. (a program in the church where members visit and help other members)  It helps support the branch leaders and the recent converts and less actives. Through inspired questions we were able to help them remember of how they felt when they were recent converts and what they wished people had done to help them feel more welcome.

The Elders also had two baptisms this week. We had the wonderful opportunity to give a message in the middle. For one of them we sang "Senor te Necesito" and were able to bear testimony through word and song that we always need our Savior.
We also had the opportunity to go to another baptism of a woman named I. After she was baptized she said, "That felt good!" How true that is! It does feel good to be making a decision that pleased God and to feel of His approval. I am so grateful that she was able to have this experience and to now have the opportunity to make more covenants with our Father in Heaven. After she was baptized our  Branch president did something I had never seen before that is a wonderful idea--he introduced the home teacher and visiting teacher to the recent convert right there as part of a welcome to the branch. Things are starting to change and we are so excited to continue helping the branch!
We also have been continuing to teach using activities. This week we used a puzzle and we drew our families. With J and L we drew our families and explained why they are important to us and then we talked about what we need to do in order to have them with us for eternity. With the Familia O we made a puzzle using the things they like to do and the things they like about their family. But we kept two of the puzzle pieces. They could not finish the puzzle (a smiley face)  without these two pieces--the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ. They understood it very quickly and seemed to enjoy it--the boys definitely did. It truly is amazing how children's brains seem to understand so much better through object lessons. 

                 This week I have been thinking a lot about letting our light shine. I love the scripture in Matthew 5:14-16 that says, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before me, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." We truly are the light of the world. Through examples of faith and love, others can be brought closer to our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. In 3 Nephi 18:24, it further explains how we can be this example, "Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up--that which ye have seen me do." As we strive to follow Christ's example and live our lives even as He did, our light will shine forth and will grow brighter.

                   How grateful I am for this gospel and for Christ's example for us to follow. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to better myself each day with His help. I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are always watching over us and want to help us--we just need to ask with faith.

I know that God loves us and wants us to be happy. He has provided us to be happy through His plan of Happiness, the Plan of Salvation. Thank you for all of your love and support. I love you all so much!

Los quiero mucho!
Hermana VanWie

 

The Picture is of all of the Ceres Hermanas at Stake Conference en Espanol.

Hermana W, me, Hermana S, Hermana DLC