A Concussion? Perfect. (week 17)

Okay so this past week was sooo insanely crazy. well, they all are but this past one ESPECIALLY was. Hermana Tauteoli left the mission field and went into the mission home yesterday. I didnt realize how hard it was going to be to say goodbye to her till we were driving away. I was seriously so blessed to have her as a companion, and as my trainer. She taught me so much and the missionary I am today is partly because of her and her example. But I know the Lord has big plans for her. I will be taking over the area and getting a new companion tomorrow! So exciting! :)

So this week started out really good. We had district meeting on Tuesday which was awesome and the spirit was really strong. We talked a lot about what we could do to be baptizing weekly and to be working hard. We talked about how numbers dont matter and as long as we are doing what we are supposed to, then everything else will fall into place. It was just so great! And then I played Silent Night as the closing song while the whole district stood around the piano. Seriously we have the weirdest district in the whole mission. I love it. So then later that night kinda turned the whole week around. We were at the church making Chocoflan. Which is SOOOOOOO good!! Its flan with chocolate cake on the bottom. To DIE for! But anyways I was standing in the hall talking to one of the youth and she had my backpack. I was trying to get it from her and I think I laughed and threw my head back right as the relief society president swung the door open! And WHACK.... that door hit my head so hard that everyone in the hall heard it and gasped. Everyone was like "Why didnt you faint?!?!" or "How many fingers am I holding up?!".... haha it was so painful. Then I had to bike home in the dark. What a fat bust. I went home and crawled right into bed I was in so much pain. And  I was so out of it and asking really weird questions. Basically the rest of the week was a blur.. I have been sick since then and its just been miserable! But i am starting to feel better so I hope nothing serious happened!

So Janie ACCEPTED A DATE! She has had a date before but then we realized she had a really big law of chastity problem! So then she didnt have a date for a while because we were trying to figure things out. We reextended the19th of October to her and she accepted. She is so ready to be baptized!! And she is willing to do whatever she needs to to get a divorce and get baptized. She is so solid!! I love her so much. She has done so much for us and we just love her to pieces! We also have an investigator, Leonor, and she fed us on Wednesday night. Definitely made Hermana Tauteoli and I SUPER sick. hahahaha and then we taught her the restoration. She knows a lot! But when we extended a date to her, she started crying and explained to us that she wants to be completely sure before she commits to anything! So we are praying really hard for her!! She is so great! Love her.

There is a lot of stuff going on in our ward and we REALLY need to have more unity, love, and charity within the members. So we are trying to set up activities every week that the members can attend and invite friends to! This week we had a movie night! It was tons of fun. We got a popcorn machine from a member and made popcorn! Everyone LOVED it. We watched The Testaments. haha it was such a good start to what we are wanting to do with the ward! I really am so grateful to be serving in my area. Its perfect and the Lord knew I needed to be here. I was in Houston 4 while Hermana Tauteoli was with all the departing missionaries at the temple and I just started bawling while I was praying because I dont want to serve anywhere else. This place and the people are so special to me! I love being a missionary more than anything!!!

So as I said before, Hermana Tauteoli went home. So what happens Sunday night? We get fed 3 TIMES IN A ROW!!!!!!!!!! First we went to Moniques and she fed us Peruvian food. Then we went to Janies because Eslendy made us hot wings, mashed potatoes, and macaroni. Then we went to the Diaz's and they fed us the spiciest food ever! Haha it was sooo fun but i was so sick! more sick than i was already!

It was quite the interesting and busy week. One thing that I learned this week was about testimonies. They are so powerful. Each time we bear our testimonies, we are forgiven of our sins.  D & C 62: 3, 84:61. When I read those scriptures it really stood out to me that we need to ALWAYS be bearing our testimonies. Whether it be with words or with our examples. Because the Lord rejoices when we do. I know that this church is true and that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. And the temple is so special. We got to go today and it was amazing :) LOVE my life!!!!

I love you all so much and thank you for your wonderful examples, love, and support!!!! Hope you all have a great week!!!

Con Amor, Hermana Dorian

I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD (week 16)

Oh my wow! this week was seriously the craziest! I honestly don't even know where it went. Couldn't tell ya! I feel like just yesterday was PDAY. But this week was great!! And of course soo much went on so I will try and remember everything!! So last Monday, after P-day we went to go teach Janie. She wasn't there but her brother, who is also our investigator Jose who just got out of jail was there. So we got to teach him. He has met with missionaries before and has a Book of Mormon. So we started talking to him answering his questions. It was such a great lesson and the spirit was really strong and we were able to answer some of his questions with scriptures! We asked him to be baptized but he said no. Why? Because he knows who he is and he doesn't want to get baptized then go and do bad things and give the church a bad name. But he wants to change his life because he doesn't like the life he had before. He is kinda crazy and he told us all the crazy things he has done in the past. Okay not all of them but some of the things he would do with his siblings. So we invited him to read and pray specifically to know that these things are true!! We have had one other lesson with him since then and again he turned down a baptismal invitation. But he is reading and praying which is great!! So then on Tuesday we had district meeting. And I had to give a talk. In Spanish. What a bust. haha it went great though!! I love my district so much! We all have so much fun and laugh a lot and its great!! So then after that we got to go do some service for Janie! She moved apartments in the same complex so we packed up her kitchen and took down all the stuff from the walls to get a head start! Then on Wednesday we had exchanges. I went to H 9 W which is the other sisters area in our ward/district. I have been there lots before so it was fun!! I was with Hermana Knopf for the day and this is her first transfer. So I got to really use my Spanish. And I realized I know a lot more than I thought I did. haha I love that realization that I know a lot more!! Its really coming. And it's so fun speaking a different language!! But anyways so we tried to visit some people and they weren't there. Then we went to get bug spray because we were dying. The store didn't have any!! lammeeeeee. so we got eaten alive. alright that's cool. haha we went and talked to some less actives though! super cool and this guy, eliassar, told us this story about when he got saved by a "servant of God" aka THOR. He said this guy that saved him was REAL big. It was the funniest thing ever! gotta love Hispanics. They sure can talk!! But then we went to get the car from my companion and went to teach our bishops family the restoration! And as we were sitting there eating pie, the elders in Houston 1 (our bishop lives in Houston 1 boundaries) walk in!! it was a bit awkward. but it was funny! they are awesome elders! after our lesson with them, we had a meeting with the ward mission leader and his ayudantes. then we had a noche mormona at a members house with an investigator! The spirit was way strong in that lesson too! It was awesome. Then we switched back comps!! Thursday, we had weekly planning! fun. then did some service for Janie again! Then we had a noche Mormona with members in our area and we just ended up teaching the members because no investigators came. oh well... stuff happens. We helped Janie move some more after that. We did a lot of service this week.

Friday was the best. Fridays are my favorite days! We had studies then our apartment got inspected. Then we went to go help Janie clean some more. After that we went to go visit Monique in Sugarland. Her husband just had surgery so we taught both of them. We watched "Only a Stonecutter" and it really touched them and Leo wants to share it with his boss. They are so awesome and once again the spriti was so strong and it was just a wonderful feeling in that home. Then, we had a relief society party! It was for a members baptism but also a going away party for Hermana Tauteoli!! She is leaving me! NEXT TUESDAY. man... im gonna miss that girl. She's my crazy tongan!! ;) But it was a way fun party. LOTS of food. I'm tellin ya... Hispanics know how to party!! :)

Saturday, we went and visit Hermana Paula and everytime we go over there we end up talking about marriage because she really wants to get married. Shes really cute! Then we went and played a game with our recent converts Eslendy and Eliud! Mom. you will be happy to hear we played that, "DONT EAT JACK" game! sooo fun! and we related it to a million different doctrinal things. so fun! Then after that we went over to marias. And GET THIS. She sells food Friday nights and we got there and she told us she hadn't sold much food the night before. So Hermana Tauteoli asked her how much she sells floutas for and she said $7 for a plate of 6 floutas.  So yep. We bought some!!! SOOOO WORTH IT!!! I was really worried I wasn't going to be able to eat 6 floutas though. I had just been fed at Hermana Paulas, and then at Eslendy and Eliuds, and then I was supposed to eat 6 floutas??? well... I DID IT. I honestly cant tell you where they went because I was really full to start with. but I scarfed those things down. they are sooo yummy!!! So anyways, then we had correlations and just went to go visit a bunch of people. It was a good night.

Then GET THIS again!! Yesterday, the Primary President was running around kinda freaking out at church because she didn't have a piano player for the practice they were having last night at the church. She was standing there talking to us and out it comes from my mouth, "Yo puedo!" (I can). WHAT? Did I just volunteer myself to play the piano??? Yes I sure did! So I went and practiced for 2 hours. I played a little bit for the practice but got so nervous that I couldn't play much! But its okay. I am developing my talents and I am determined to play better at the end of my mission! hahahaha what a bust.

Anyways this week was really great. I really just love my mission soooo much and I feel so blessed to be serving my Heavenly Father and helping his work move forward. I read a really cool talk this week in the May Conference issue Ensign titled "Its a Miracle". Everyone should read it. But one line he says is "faith overcame doubt". Lets let our faith overcome our doubts. Don't ever lose faith in the Lord. I love you all sooo much!! thank you for your love and support!!!

Love, Hermana Dorian

The Mosquitos Are Out To GET ME!!!! (week 15)

Oh man oh man this week has just been so wonderful and it FLEW!!! So I dont have too much time but I will try and recap on everything that happened!!! And i will try my best to remember everything that happened.. but it is so hard to remember!! Anyways, sooo

Tuesday: was PDAY. and then that night we went to go visit a few people and ended up going to the church to see if the relief society needed anything or the young womens!! We didnt really know exactly why we were there but then we found out! We started talking to our bishops wife and she really needed someone to talk to!! She is having such a hard time and just started crying like 4 times while we were talking to her. Its hard for her because last sunday a lot of people got up to bear their testimonies and all they did was talk bad about our bishop and stuff like that. it was hard to hear and see and we even had an investigator at church that day! that is why we are working to strenghten the members! because they cant even support each other. it was great to talk to her though and i think we really helped her to build up some strength to go on!

 

Wednesday: Such a fun day!! So we got to borrow the other hermanas car because one of our members just moved to Sugarland which is like 20 minutes away and she needed some help with her house! So we went over there for most of the day and helped her clean and organized and cook and stuff like that. it was so much fun. monique is like my older sister! we have gotten so close to her and i am so grateful for her!! haha while we were there though she goes, "can i tell you something?" and i was like " yeah sure!" and she pauses and goes, "you've gained some weight." BAHAHAHA i was dyinggg!!! its so true though and after she said that i was like oh crap! i really am gaining weight. Like for reals i might just see how much i can gain. Asi es la mision! I am glad people notice. But then we gave the car back around dinner time and we went to visit a less active! We had a cita with her but she wasnt there. Her mom was though!! And she let us IN. she never has done that before. it was such a miracle!! So we talked to her and got to know her and she opened up a ton. Then she invited us over for dinner and we told her we were going to share a message as well when we came over for dinner and she was like okay thats fine! MIRACLES. I love that lady. Her name is Leonor. Then we went to visit a solid member that hasnt been coming to church and she was sooo out of it and we thought something was wrong. She has just been so tired and busy though and she came to church yesterday which was great!!

 

Thursday: Weekly planning.. always sooo fun.. haha Hermana Tauteoli goes home in 2 weeks so she was sooo stressed so it was a little longer than usual but it all worked out! We taught Janie and read the Family Proclomation with her. She really liked it! Then we went over to say hi to some members! Not that exciting of a day but oh well!

 

Friday: such a great day! Friday we had la fiestas patrias! It was a ward party and they do it every year to celebrate mexicos independance day! every country brings food and we brought hot dogs and oreos! it was soooo much fun!! it was a wild party. hispanics know how to throw a ward party. and our district just made it so fun so it was awesome. hermana tauteoli made her hawaiian drink, otai. yum! and we helped monique make peruvian food! i am going to peru someday!! we also helped Maria make fun and she gave us helotas! MY FAVORITE FOOD!!! corn on the cob with mayo, cheese, and chile. soooooo soooo good. :) And then we went to the high school by the church because marias daughter had a volleyball game and no one else was going so we went! great day!

 

Saturday: we did exchanges and hermana carlson came to me! we taught three lessons in a row. to maria, her son jose, and janie! it was sooo wonderful! and jose is a new investigator and he is reading the book of mormon. and he just got out of jail! super awesome. i love that family!!! haha but then we went to correlation meeting which was an hour and a half long and the lights kept going out because there was a huge storm outside. funniest thing ever!

 

Sunday: Sunday wasnt too exciting but janie came to church!! and then we visited a bunch of other families and it was a good day.

 

I have to get off now but i just love being a missionary soooo much!! We have been seeing tons of miracles. This is the greatest and happiest gospel and work ever!! it is so true! I am so grateful to be here. OH! and on a side note, for some reason the mosquitos have chosen to ATTACK this week. My legs look like they are diseased and i think i might be slightly allergic because my bites do not look normal... haha its so bad though. i couldnt stand in one place for too long or else i would probably be dead from so many bites. what an exciting life!!! I LOVE IT!!! thank you for all your love and support and feel free to write me or email me! :) Love you all!

Love, Hermana Dorian :)

When In Doubt-Watch Legacy (week 14)

So I hope everyone had an amazing week this past week!! This week was a slow week but it was really great! So Tuesday we had Zone Meeting which was great. Its always great!! I am so blessed to be serving with such great and hardworking missionaries in the best mission ever. Anyways so we talked about applying the trainings we have recieved this past week.  Then we had planned to get dropped off at a members home kinda far away to serve her. We got there and she wasnt there. WHAT A BUST. So we visited another member that lived close and talked to her for a little bit. Then we went back and she was there but she was going to pick up her daughter from school and said we could serve her when she got back and she really wanted us to go with her so we did. She is really struggling and needed someone to talk to and she always spills her guts to us. We are happy to help her in any way we can but sometimes its hard. We think something is wrong but we arent sure. We just try to be there for her!! So we got back and she said she didnt need service. Uhh.. okay? So yep, we had to back all the way back to our apartment in the RAIN! hahaha and my tire was a little flat. What an adventure! haha and we had to book it back so we could make it to our appointment with our investigator! I am pretty sure we didnt get a chance to teach her.. then we didnt have anywhere to go but we tried to visit some people and helped a girl take groceries to her apartment. Then that night we did exchanges. I went to Houston 2 with Hermana Hogan from the MTC! I love that hermana! I even got to meet her before the MTC so its been fun serving with her! We had a good day and i got to be in a car again :) yay! haha it was an awesome day! then i got back to my area wednesday night and hermana tauteoli said that all the people they visited were like "where is hermana dorian??" even our less actives mom that i didnt think liked me very much!! and hermana tauteoli told them all i went home! what a weirdo... hahaha! and they were all so sad. I was almost crying when she was telling me this because i just love all the people in my area soooo much!! The members are amazing and our recent converts are so great! I have SO much love for them! And that night I hit that point in my mission where I was praying and I said, "Heavenly Father I dont want to go home!! i want to stay here forever!" Its true. I just want to be a missionary forever! I love the people here with all my heart and soul and I love my Father in Heaven so much. And I love this opportunity that I have to serve a mission and learn things I never would have learned elsewhere. I know this is where I need to be. And I am not going anywhere! ;)

So the rest of the week we were in the apartment for most of the day. Hermana Tauteoli ate a bowl of red meat on our exchange and she cant eat it or she gets really really sick!! It attacks her joints! So we were in the apartment most of the day till Sunday! poor thing!! but we were able to go out a little bit which was nice. Sunday was awesome!!! Janie finally came to all 3 hours of church and loved it!! She was even participating in class. She really is the best and such a miracle!! If you all would keep her in your prayers that would be amazing! :) But after church we finished our studies and then went to visit a couple less actives and Janie! We got to teach Karla, la familia Moreno, and Janie! And they were all such great lessons!! Except we didnt have time to teach Janie. But all of our lessons were so great! And Karla told me my spanish is getting a lot better. HALLELUJAH! I really hope so!! haha i love spanish. But then Monday, was a holiday. But we had district meeting and then visited our recent converts. Maria is doing great and she is ready to start fasting and paying her tithing! Such a miracle!! I love her so much!!! And we got to teach Janie about keeping the sabbath day holy which they struggle with and she committed to keep it!! So we will see how that goes :) She just gets everything and its amazing.

So this week i studied the story of the brother of jared. Everyone should go back and read Ether 2 and 3. So amazing. I learned so much and its amazing to see how the brother of jared at first didnt have much faith!! and he asked the Lord to do things for him!! but the Lord answered him with questions and made him go figure it out himself then report back. Which is what he did! And then because he came back to the Lord with so much faith, he was able to have the veil removed. I absolutely LOVE his story and I learned a lot from studying it again. I know that this is the true church. And I know that it has been restored again and we again have the power and authority of God. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live and they hear and answer every single one of our prayers. I hope you all have a wonderful week! :)

Love you all and thank you for all your love and support!

Con amor,

Hermana Dorian