5/30/16--Sickness and Miracles

Well the rest of my Monday last week was pretty good. We went to Yanci's house and had dinner with her. We had a good discussion with her. She had a couple different questions for us so we did our best to answer them. She asked more about meaning of the scriptures. It made me realized in Young Women's all the time they would tell us to share the gospel with friends and it was ok when someone asked a question to say you don't know but you will ask the missionaries. Well now I am a missionary and people do ask us questions to many things both for themselves and for their friends. I am grateful I have the Holy Ghost with me to be able to answer those questions. Then we went to the Fuentes to have a Noche de Hogar which is family home evening. It was fun they feed us too. So did I mention I am gaining weight. Their cousin is visiting and she is a returned missionary of six months. She is from Honduras. She served in Guatemala and she is getting married next month to a missionary who was in her mission. A www crazy!! Lets up just say there isn't cute enough missionaries in my mission. Plus j don't want to get married that fast. Hermana Williams and I like to tell people that they changed it to were Elders serve for two years and they change Sisters from 18 months to 18 years because we love it out here so much and don't want to get married. Anyways we had a good lesson with the Fuentes in obedience. Their daughters are super cute and super fun.

Tuesday a day full of adventures. So we had district meeting which was good. I like my new district not the same as the last one. We lost our district leader last week and he was Hawaiian and he liked doing a Hawaiian word of the day each district meeting. So now I know some Hawaiian. The new district leader is cool and good as well just different. He is a little more chill and relaxed but hard working missionary. We also have the ASL sisters so it fun to see them sign. Then we had lunch with Marleny a less active. She makes some good food. We always leave full. We had a good lesson with her we are trying to get her to church. When we left we were driving to our next appointment when a car accident happened right behind us. I didn't see it because I was typing up our lesson report but Sister Williams did. So we pulled over to help out make sure everyone was ok. Everyone was good. I called our next appointment to reschedule and say sorry luckily it was a recent convert we were headed to and she understood and was willing to set up a new appointment. Then we called the police and they came. They were both Hispanic so we talked to them in Spanish. They were in shock from the accident so they were in even more shock when we spoke in Spanish. Then the police officer and everyone else was shock we stayed to help and make sure everyone was ok. They were impressed. It is kinda of sad that they were shocked we made sure everyone was ok. Then we had dinner and Hermana Williams took a nap. Then we had a recent convert lesson with Anguie and it went well. It is cool seeing people grow so much in their faith.

Wednesday Hermana Williams slept the entire morning while I studied. Then we had a lesson with Lourdes Lizma who is a recent convert in the English ward but speaks Spanish and prefers the lessons in Spanish so we teach her. The lesson was great and her testimony is strong. She was so cute she asked us questions about being a missionary. She was so interested in what we do. As well she is so excited to go to the temple to be sealed after she did baptisms for the day about a month ago. Then we went to the doctor and found out Hermana Williams had the flu. Gross. So I drove for the next couple of days because she would sleep in the car on our way to lessons. Then we got her medicine and a nap. Then we had a lesson with Erika and Lindsey. Really simple and short. Then we had a lesson with our investigator Myriam and her friend was there. Her friend asked some questions and it went well.

Thursday was weekly planning and napping for Hermana Williams. She slept a lot because she was sick. Then we spent the rest of the afternoon looking up referrals and knocking doors and Hermana Williams taking more naps. In the morning we did have a lesson with a investigator and her less active husband. They are both living the gospel we just need to work towards baptism and marriage.

Friday we did a lot. Hermana Williams was feeling better so we got our move on. We had six lessons that day. We started with Geraldine, Kevin, and Kelly. They are a mom (Kelly), a daughter (Geraldine), and son (Kevin). They are a solid family they are doing great! Then a new investigator named Diana who it was our first lesson. We have high hopes for her. Then a less active named Hermana Quispe. She makes dinner for us about every Friday. She is awesome. Then we had a lesson with an investigator named Ana who is a mom of a daughter and two boys. We have had a couple lessons with her before. Right at the end of her lesson her daughter Nancy and her friend walked in. So we had a lesson with them they have so much potential. They had a lot of questions for us from religious to if we are like normal people. Then we ended the night with a lesson with a less active named Rossy. She is super sweet and feed us more food. She has a big desire to come
back to church. So we will work hard with her.

Saturday we helped some of the members start learning a Hawaiian dance for Father's Day. We were watching a video and helping them learn it. It was so much fun! Then we did some knocking and referrals. Then we had a lesson with Milargo (mom), Javier (son), and Monica (daughter). They are related to a member. We had a good lesson with them and there is bright hope in their future. Then we went to a members house to have dinner at their party. They were having a family party for Memorial Day. There was a bunch of food. I was so full by the time I left. Wow but it was all soooooo good!!! Then we had a lesson with Cesar. It was a deep lesson. He needed a little push in some areas but now he is doing great!

Sunday we went to English ward to translate for Kelly, Kevin, and Geraldine. Well Hermana Williams translated for Kelly and I just helped Kevin and Geraldine where ever they needed help in understanding what was going on. Then we hung around for a little bit and had our correlation meeting. Then it was ward conference so their was a bunch of other people. As well a lot of translating going on. So a recent convert from a couple months ago showed up which was awesome because his mom didn't want anything to do with the church which she told us like the second week I was here. So sad!! Her son the one who came is deaf so Hermana Williams had to translate into English so the ASL sisters could translate it into ASL. Lots of translating. Then we listen to the next two hours in Spanish and English. My head hurt after that because it didn't know which language it wanted. Then we had dinner and Hermana Williams had a nap. She is feeling much better but is tired still a little bit. Then we had a lesson with Wendy and her mom stayed and listen which was awesome. Then we went to Erika's to have a FHE but Erika was asleep so we just had it with the girls. Cool part was their less active step dad listen from the other room. Both Hermana Williams and I saw him praying afterwards. We hope we touched his heart. Then on our way to the next less active house I had mentioned how thirsty I was and Hermana Williams couldn't offer me her water because she was still a little sick. Cool part was at the less active members home her son gave us Gatorade. Such an answer to my prayer. Then we saw some fireworks which I know we're meant for my mom cause it was her birthday! So if you haven't said happy birthday to my mom go for it!! I know it is a day late but she will still take it. Happy birthday mom!

Today we had a phone call with Cesar to read scriptures together. It was a short quick lesson. Then we did laundry and stood shopping. Then we played soccer for a couple hours and now I am finishing writing this.

So I am trying to read the Book of Mormon in six weeks and I am doing good so far but I came across a scripture that to me is why I am on a mission. It is Mosiah 18:30 and this is the part that is why I am on my mission: "how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever."

My favorite part about being a missionary is seeing the light of Christ growing in the eyes of others. Seeing them come to love the gospel and wanting so much from it. Seeing people soak up the gospel with everything they have. Most importantly seeing them come to know Jesus Christ and what he has done for them. I love my Savior and Redeemer. I know he died on the cross for me and for you. I know he suffered in the garden of Gethsemane for me and for you. Use the atonement it is here to help us learn and become better.

I love y'all! Have a great week!
Con Amor
Hermana Ashford