Count Your Many Blessings

This was definitely the hardest week of my mission but we also had so many miracles. "Vale la pena" was definitely the theme of the week that we had to remind each other. The song "Count Your Many Blessings" comes to mind. We seriously are so blessed by our loving Heavenly Father. 

Well the hardest part of the week.  Francisco dropped us. He told us that he has been lying to us all long and he wanted to be honest. He isn't living in harmony with God's commandments and doesn't want to change. He came to Sacrament meeting yesterday and then pulled outside and said sorry but he wants to keep living the way he is and knows its wrong. My heart broke. I cried for the first time on my mission.  I think I better understand what Heavenly Father feels when we sin and disobey his commandments. He still loves us but is heartbroken. We are going to continue praying for him, one day he will come back.

Let me tell you about Hermana Melix. She is the greatest. Such a funny lady. She is awesome and calls us all the time with great referrals. She made us all dinner the other night. Boiled mixture of cabbage and hot dogs. Grandpa and Bopie would have been in heaven haha. Let's just say I have never had a meal quite like that before. She gave us what she had and she is so sweet. It is so humbling.  You would all LOVE her. One of the referrals she gave us is an awesome family! They have desires to come to church. We have met them once for a few minutes and they seem great so we are excited to start teaching them.

So I read an article this week that has seriously changed my life. In the June 2013 Ensign there is a talk by Elder Kevin Pearson called, "Improving your Personal Prayers". I would love to invite all of you to read it because it has truly changed my whole mentality of prayers. After reading through it I have changed my prayers and feel so much closer to my Savior. My favorite part was when he talks about Aligning our will with the Fathers. How many times do we go to pray and ask for help before trying to understand what God wants for us. Please read it, I promise that if you apply the principles your communication with the Lord with be stronger and you will feel more of this love.

Remember our lovely primary class on the stairs? Well guess what!!??? Diana (our superstar of the class that begs for homework and LOVES reading from the Book of Mormon) talked with her mom and we stopped by and her Mom Tere invited us in!! We taught them the Plan of Salvation and her mom loved it! The whole family (except the dad who is working) comes in and participates, asks questions and wonders when we can come back. It is such a blessing. No wonder Jesus always surrounded himself with the children. I feel so blessed that her heart was open and we are able to teach the family now.

So remember that crazy Sunday when we invited Gabriel (the guy off the street) to come to church and then he moved and we couldn't find him? We have been praying hard and guess what!? We were tracting and found him and his brother!! He, his brother Pepe and their cousin Jose all came to church yesterday!! We then went over after church and had a lesson with Gabriel and Jose. They LOVED church and have already started reading the Book of Mormon. We invited them to be baptized and they said yes and are pretty excited! They will be preparing for that first week in September!!! MIRACLE!! :) The Lord answers prayers.

We helped the Aleman's move out to Rancho Cordova this weekend. I will miss those cute girls so much and just pray that Hermano and Hermana will come back to church and help their kids be baptized. They are now in Elder Russel's area (he came out with me) so they are in good hands!

Well I love you all so much and hope you have a great week. The Lord is watching over and blessing us. My faith and understanding of the gospel have really increased this week and I know that everything happens for a reason and the Lord has his timing. He placed so many people in our path at exact moments that were possible because of our diligence. I am so grateful to be serving a mission right now, I am livin' the dream. Las quiero!

Con Amor,

Hermana Thomas

New East Sacramento District

Moving the Aleman Family to Ranch Cordova