Living the Dream: Long and Great Week!

WOW!! What a long and hard week but also very rewarding. Last p-day we went over to Hermana Jimenez's house and learned how to make tamales. It was so much fun and I think she loved teaching us and having us over! We got a lot of great pics!

We had interviews with President and Sister Lewis this week which were great. He really helped me understand better "how we can become perfected in Christ." I have the best Mission President ever!

Omar- Ever since we taught him the word of wisdom he hasn't been drinking coffee (and he has had it every morning for over 40 years) so that was awesome to hear!! Omar and Marta have been reading the pamphlets together and answering the questions on the back and he is really searching the scriptures. He wants that spirit he feels at church always and for his whole family. We just need to work on getting his divorce papers from his first wife, so he and Marta can get married. It is probably going to take some time, so I don't know if I will still be here for his baptism but I am so glad he is being truly converted. Light just radiates from him. They are moving this week but I think their place will still be in our area.

We had to drop Francisco last night and it was devastating. He finally got down on his knee's and prayed to God. He said he felt so good, goosebumps, tingles, etc. He said he would get baptized, he knew it was right. But then he asked God if he should go gamble. He had a feeling of "no," but he still went and lost everything. He is blaming God. He said he put his faith in him but he didn't follow through when he really just put his faith in money. He told us he is done and is giving up on God right now. All we could do was testify and invite him to continue to pray and he said he would. My heart just ached the whole time. He received his answer but didn't listen. Agency is so frustrating but I guess that is how God feels with all of us sometimes huh? We also had to drop Andrea because she said she doesn't want to be baptized anymore and doesn't know how she feels about the church anymore (her sister in law is a Testigo de Jehovah and has been staying with them so i think that really influenced all these "changes").

We are so blessed in our area. Every day we are having miracles and are zone as well. This week while tracting we knocked on a door and met Leticia. She is sooo great. She is Christian and let us in on the spot. We got talking with her and I just felt the spirit tell me, "YOU tell her I love her". So I testified to her of God's love for her and how is watching over her and wants her to be happy. She started just crying and was so happy. She works on Sunday but it looking for a new job then she can come to church! She is amazing and even came to English classes this week. She has a 15 year daughter and wants to hear more about Young Women's. It will be great!

We were able to participate in "Mormon Helping Hands" service activity this week at the Thomas Edison school as a Stake. It was SO much fun and the school looks so great now. We got to paint all the yellow fence bar things. I LOVE DOING SERVICE!! It brings everyone together and even la Familia Aleman came and had a great time!

I have learned a lot this week. The Lord is preparing hearts to receive the message of the restoration . Look up Alma 13:22, 16:16 and 32:6. The Lord truly is preparing hearts and minds to accept and desire this gospel especially here in Sac town! I feel so blessed to be able to share it. Also in Moroni 6 we talked about being nourished by the good word of God. Jesus (our less active friend) helped me to remember that through the atonement of Christ we can all be nourished and feel of his love. He knows everything we have felt and are currently feeling. I am so grateful!

We have been so blessed to find a lot of new people and have a big teaching pool right now. We just need to work on getting them into the water :) haha. the hardest part. Why is it so hard for them to come to church? We had ward conference this week and President Hansen said something that really stuck with me. "Senor te doy la vida mio." Right now I am giving my life to the Lord. All my needs to be focused and centered on him because really 18 months is not a lot of time. How can I go beyond and make sure I am giving my all? I love him and am so grateful to be his servant right now (and always).

Well I love you all and hope you have a great week! I LOVE being a missionary and I LOVE my life right now and have never been happier.

Con amor,

Hermana Thomas