Week of MIRACLES (week 22)

I am going to be typing this email like a mad woman because there is just too much to tell and not enough time!!!! This past week was probably the best week of my entire mission minus having a baptism!! we taught 30 lessons. 30 LESSONS. that seriously never happens!!! Usually appointments fall through and we have to think about what we need to do next. But this week everything just worked out perfectly. From that said, I have such a strong testimony of obedience. EXACT obedience brings MIRACLES!!! and BLESSINGS!! and its amazing what the Lord does for you when you are being exactly obedient. Okay now onto the greatest week ever!!

So last week we had a training with the assistants and we were told to pray to the Lord as a companionship and ask Him how many people were going to be baptized in our area this year. So that we would be submitting to the Lords will and doing what He would have us do! So on Tuesday before district meeting we did that. We received confirmation that 7 people will be baptized in this area before the end of the year. Meaning we have to find 5 more that are prepared and ready for baptism!!! That was seriously the coolest thing ever and I dont know if I have EVER felt the spirit that strong! That just set our amazing week off. So after district meeting, we ate really fast and then went to our appointment with Elizabeth!! Hermana Moreno usually comes with us but she couldnt that day. So we went over there anyways. Turns out she couldnt meet with us either which was for the best! So then we went to go see Maria. She has been depressed lately and struggling but she is such a trooper. I love that lady to death. But we taught her about tithing and she is excited and ready to start paying it. She really doesnt even have much money but she wants to pay it because she knows she has to! SOOOO AWESOME!!!!!! Then we went to teach Gabby, who is the awesomest member ever! She's been a member for almost a year and is so strong! She fed us some tamales and then we taught her about tithing too! Tithing is so fun to teach. I think we taught it like 10 times this week! But after Gabby, we didnt have anything set. So we tried Dora, a less active. She wasnt home so I felt like we should knock on the neighbors door. Turns out she was baptized in like 2006 and is currently going to another church but still!!! Another less active in our area that we had no idea about!!!!! that was sooo cool and she really opened up to us and was so nice!! And she said that we could come back. sweeettttt. we definitely will. Then we decided to knock on the doors of the Elders neighbors. We have been told to knock on doors efficiently. So like if we are finding formers or less actives and they arent home, then knock on their neighbors door. We thought we would talk to the Elders neighbors! One guy opened the door and turns out he used to take the discussions and he is cuban. So funny but so hard to understand! Then we had dinner and we tried some potentials! We talked to tons of people. An athiest who told me I had a really nice watch (definitely gave him a family history card), a hispanic baptist, and the dad of another potential! Super exciting :) Then we went to Hermana Barrios and taught her the Word of Wisdom because the last time we went over there she was drinking iced tea. we cut right to it! I love teaching basic commandments.

So then on Wednesday, oh man we biked to Timbuktu and back! We had an appointment on one side of the area and she ended up not being there. Then we went to the other side to teach a less active, about tithing. Then we went back to that other side of the area, well its actually not even in our area. The other hermanas just gave us that complex because we dont have many members. Anyways so we went back and Hermana Moreno was just about to leave but said she would be back in 10 minutes so we were like "okay we will wait for you!". well... 30 minutes goes by till she actually gets home. Luckily though, her neighbor started talking to us while she was gone and turns out he is a member too!! His whole family in Honduras are members. He is so inactive now but we gave him another book of mormon and told him he should come to church! It was way cool! So then Elizabeth was busy so we just taught the Morenos! We read about the 2000 stripling warriors! Such a cute family! Mom, I feel kinda like you when I am there because every single kid talks all at the SAME time and like 1 million miles an hour and I leave there with the biggest headache. Good thing I love them! So after that lesson we went to teach Janie and her girls and we watched "Good Things to Come". sooooo good. Janie is doing really good by the way! We fasted with her yesterday to make her baptismal date. She didnt come to church but she fasted! SO AWESOME. well not that she didnt come to church but that she still fasted. It was a good lesson though. Then we went to try Dora again and she LET US IN! She hasnt let us in for like 3 months! Such a miracle!! And the spirit was really strong. We had no idea what to share with her but I just got the feeling to ask her why its important to go to church. Kinda bold, but it was good. I have learned to be really bold lately. Loving, but bold. Because this gospel is so important and you have to be loving and bold with everyone! Anyways so we talked about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. Then we had a dinner appointment with Karla and Leonor! I love them too. They fed us my FAVORITE food ever. Its guatamalen. Fried platanos with black beans, creme, and cheese! SOOOOOO DELICIOUS!!! I was seriously so happy. And we got there and their friends who arent members from Guatemala were there! Surprise member present lesson with 3 non members. We taught about the Atonement :) And the guy told us he could never be a mormon because we dont drink coffee. Oh well. We still planted a seed!

So on Thursday, GET THIS. We finally taught Elizabeth with Hermana Moreno. She said she had read a little bit of the Book of Mormon and we asked her what she read and she opened up to 2 Nephi17:21. Seriously stop reading this and go read that scripture. RIGHT NOW. you will die!! its the funniest and most random scripture ever! But somehow we tied it to Jesus Christ and that God has a plan for us! It was a good lesson though :) Then we had planning! After planning, Hermana Hernandez went with us to visit Maria and Janie. Hermana Hernandez is really scary and kinda mean just so you all know. But it was perfect that she came! We had a great lesson with them and she even brought dresses for Roxana and Gabby for the primary program that we had yesterday :) too cute. oh and we FINALLY had an english class! Hermana Trujilo came. She doesnt know english and her son doesnt know spanish. She is seriously the cutest and humblest lady ever!

Friday, also amazing!! We just went finding in the afternoon and talked to lots of really awesome people that said we could come back!! Then we watched the Restoration video with Janie, Maria, and Bruno, Marias son. This is the best part of the day though. We went over to teach Leonor. She is FINALLY progressing!!! is been a good 6 months but she is finally progressing. So we taught her the plan of salvation and at the end we were talking about the kingdoms of glory and we asked her which one she wants to go to. She said "well obviously the celestial kingdom!". We were both really quiet and I asked her what she needs to do to get there. She was like "well follow the commandments and Jesus Christ, and get baptized." YES!!!!!!!! now remember, the last time we extended a date to her she cried and told us she just wasnt ready. This time she brought it up herself! She asked us some questions and we answered them for her! Then we extended the 1st of January to give her some time. She said she would pray about it and keep reading the Book of Mormon. AHHH!!!! SHES SO COOL!!! And then she said the closing prayer and she cried! She just really wants to know that this church is true! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. its the greatest thing I have ever done!!! :)

Okay so skip to Sunday! Basically it rains every sunday here and its terrible!! Because 2 of our investigators didnt come to church because of the rain. It was the PRIMARY PROGRAM though!!! its even better in spanish :) I felt the spirit 25 times and all the little kids we teach saw me crying! rude! haha all the kids are so cute though. And to see my recent convert, Roxana and her cousin Gabby up there singing all the primary songs and saying their parts, gave me the greatest joy  I have ever felt!! And when they saw me and smiled so big, ahhh my heart MELTED!!! I love them all so much and they are truly my family. I knew them in heaven and I found them on earth. I told them in heaven that I would find them and I did. I love this work so much and I am so grateful to be a part of it. Maria even came to church and brought Bruno! Maria was sooo sick but she knew she needed to be there. Such troopers! They are so converted. This church is SO true!!!! And its so happy!!!

I just want you all to know that I KNOW that this church is true. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. I know that they love me and they love everyone so much more than we can even imagine. I am so grateful to be a part of spreading this work forward!! ANd I love you all so much!!!! Thank you for all your love and support and I hope everyone has an amazing week!! :) keep the faith!!

Con Amor, 

Hermana Dorian 

2 Nephi 9:6-7 -We WILL  be resurrected one day :)