Living the Dream: Best week yet! Oh wait, every week just gets better and better! :)

I LOVE being a missionary. This week was a week of miracles! We have been struggling to get people to church and we had 4 come! We have been working really hard with the Hernandez family. They are a part member family and Ashley came to church! she is 9. She came with Alan (he is 19 and is a memeber. working on getting ready for a mission!!) and Hermano came (recent convert of 2 years). We are working with Ashley and are hoping to teach Christ (14) and Alex (16). We are having a Noche de Hogar tonight so that should be great. Also, the elders have been teaching la familia Timalach but Magdelena told them she would feel more comfortable with sisters teaching her, so we get to teach the whole family now! :) We are so excited, it will be a lot of work but we have the Lord's help so everything is going to work out. We will get them married and then have a baptism! They also came to church yesterday. Our district had 24 people to church and one of the Spanish elders 9! MIRACLES!!! So that was pretty great and crazy! Hermana Pitcher has a beautfil voice so she volunteered us to sing in church Sunday... haha. The Theme was missionary work, the branch presidency spoke and the missionaries did a special musical number. Hermana Pitcher, me and Elder Gilray all sang "Senor Te Necesito" and Elder Fernandez played the violin, and Elder Hart the piano. It turned out pretty good! I was super nervous though haha.

There are so many great things happening but i don't have enough time to tell you details about each one. Mom, you are always asking me who the family can pray for so I am going to list out their names and a brief sentence on what is going on so you can include them in your prayers if you would like :)

We made a lot of progress with Gabriela this week! We stopped by the house and her husband was kind to us and actually invited us in! We were able to have a real lesson and the spirit was so strong. It feels so great to testify from your heart to someone you love. We also went over on Friday and did some service and she made us lunch and we taught her sobre el evangelio de Jesucristo. She kept saying "I want to have the spirit with me all the time. I really want that." She is progressing but having a hard time making it to church. She was so surprised when her husband let us in their home. She said, "Your prayers are working Hermanas!" haha. The Lord DOES answer prayers. I knew that and she knew that, but it was such a testimony builder. We are praying that his heart will continue to be softened!

I had a great exchange with Hermana Sharp! I am soo glad she is back, we had a great day. It truly was a blessing. She is trying to work so hard and is so strong! I know as she continues to lose herself in the work she will continue to feel better. Crazy that she is in English work for this transfer but she is really loving it so that is great! (the pic is us at dinner with the familia Aguilar).

Hermana Pitcher and I had our 9 month party together last week. We can't believe we are 1/2 way through. I can't believe how time flies. I am learning soo much and I am definitely a better person than I was 9 months ago. The last 9 months have been the happiest of my life because I am truly trying to live and understand charity. I love that even though we mess up and aren't perfect, we have a way to try to be better each day! I love my Savior and that I can repent and one day become perfect, just like him.

I hope you have the best week ever. I love and miss you all so much! Can't wait to hear how the family missionary council goes :) Just come up with ideas that you can all do together to share the gospel. Pray for experiences and the Lord will grant your desires. Alexis emailed me about a cool experience she had with sharing the gospel with a passenger on her flight. I was so excited for her! Things happen when we open our mouths and testify of truth. We are all missionaries and we must work together to build the Lord's kingdom on earth!

Con Amor,

Hermana Thomas