October 24, 2016 - and a really, really good week

Hi family!!

This week was really really good. 

Miracle!!! So Alejandro and Maria Elsa went to a Noche de Grupo on Friday night, the member was super great to go to their house to pick them up with all their four kids and bring them there cuz they live suuper far away and they really, really liked it. On Saturday, Alejandro told Maria Elsa that he wanted to be married and baptized as soon as possible, and told us that on Sunday when they came to church!!! so we are so so so so happy!!!! So, we just need to figure out if we could plan things for this weekend.... it's just there's the worldwide service day on Saturday in the morning, and we need to ask the members if they could on Saturday night, and do the baptismal interviews like tomorrow!!! But we are so so so grateful for the members here who are being wonderful with them, and for the Lord who really is changing the heart of them and helping them realize the blessings of the restored gospel!! So happy. So, hopefully this weekend, or the next!!!!!!! 

Also this week we went with Bryan! He had had a fecha for the 22 of October.... but... he didn't stop drinking coffee and we couldn't really see him because he had a lot of karate tournaments. But, we went with Humberto, who is seriously the coolest convert ever, and he gave a great testimony about how the sacrifice is worth it, and how Bryan should just start drinking hot chocolate. So we put a new date for the 5 of November, so hopefully he can do it!!! 

What else was cool this week... ummm..... oh, last week we found a 20 year old kid named Diego who said that in the bus he sat by a missionary and she gave him a book, and it was the Book of Mormon, and he said he'd read like most of it!! so we explained to him the Restoration, and he said, he felt something! That listening to people from other churches, he had never felt something like that before, that he just felt good, and felt like it all made sense!! So, we're hoping that we can keep meeting with him and that he can go to church and really really feel that this is all true!! 

saying goodbye to friends she'll see at BYU

jump roping for a lesson at leadership council

And yeah. I love you all! Have such a great week!! 

October 17, 2016 - a hard week

Hi family!!

This week was..... honestly a little hard! But it's okay. Because I know when it's a hard week, the next week will be a lot better. and, sorry, I don't like to just share sad things.... but, this is really what's happened this week! 

We've been blessed with some really, really amazing investigators who love going to church. Hazel and Ariel had 2 months going to church, and were progressing.... slowly, but progressing. But, some members said some things to them last week, and now Hazel tells me she's pretty sure she won't go back to church again. She said she'll still let us come over, but she doesn't want anything to do with anyone else in the church. Sooo that was kind of hard to hear. But hopefully in a few weeks or months they'll decide to come back, because I know that they know that the church is true. 

and, all week we've been really excited working with Maria Elsa and Alejandro.... Tuesday we went with a great member who shared their testimony about how he would never leave the gospel, Friday we went with a member who helped them learn to make cafe of corn cuz dropping coffee was really hard for them and they committed to doing it and they really liked the corn coffee, Friday a member made pupusas and we all sold them to help them have the money to get baptized and they said for sure they were coming to church on Sunday..... and they didn't show up. So we go visit them Sunday night, and they say that now they can't get married and baptized because they're  having a lot a lot a lot of problems as a couple. So, we testified about forgiveness, about the power of the gospel, and all that.... and we're going to keep working with them. But it's just sad to see people so close have so many trials so fast, and the enemy making them feel like they can't change more... and it's just sad, because they say they've seen so so many changes and blessings as a family. But, we know that with the gospel is how really every family can have happiness. We know God doesn't want to see them separated.... but together, as a family, so that they can be sealed. So, we're going to be praying a lot and keep working with them. 

And... we were super excited because Humberto gave us a reference of a family, a mom and dad with five cute little boys all under the age of 9,  and they came to church!!! But the husband told us flat out that he was pretty sure that he was going to go back to his old church after Sacrament Meeting. 

But, it's okay that all these things are happening. Because I know that the Lord wants to see how much faith we'll have, how willing we'll be to keep working and keep loving and keep trying.... And, I honestly feel like Alejandro and maria Elsa will be able to get married and baptized. When, I have no idea, if I'll be able to see it or not. But we're going to keep sharing our testimonies, keep helping them see the blessings in their lives and noticing the changes. Same with Hazel and Ariel. Maybe they won't go back to the church while they're here, but I know that someday, they'll come back. 

Honestly, experiences like this I'm really grateful for. They help me a lot to recognize how blessed I really am to have the gospel in my life, make me super grateful for my ancestors who listened to the missionaries and were faithful and sacrificed to help us have this knowledge, grateful for the people I've met here, for the members and their testimonies.... but mostly grateful for the power of the Atonement. I'm grateful that I can change and repent, and that I know that these people I love here also will, one day.

I love you all so much!! Have a great week. :) 

October 10, 2016 - chequo de mes

Hi family!!

Everything is great!!

I am sorry this week there is not very much time. But everythi​ng​  is great. 

One of my favorite parts of this week was that we knocked on a door that we had visited like... a month ago, or more! And the daughter answered the door and the first thing she said, Have you guys eaten? she had like 20 years. And we said uh...no! So she made us food and we talked to her and got to know her... and she told us that she was raised Catholic, but she doesn't really believe in God, in religion, in scriptures. So, we had a lesson with her about faith. And it was super interesting ... I had never taught someone before who didn't believe in God. I was j​us​t trying to think of Ammon And Aaron teaching the great Lamanite kings, trying to take what they did believe to help them realize that they did believe! And we talked about the faith, and everything. and.. I have been meditating a lot about the faith in these last few days. really... all we do is for faith! the ordinances.... baptism, sacrament, all of that.... could just be actions that don't mean anything if we don't believe that they mean something. But, we believe in God, believe in Christ, believe in these actions and these symbols and they give us happiness, peace, and joy that so many people in the world don't have because they don't belie​ve! 

So anyway. I have a lot of thoughts that I don't really know how to put into words.... but I'm so grateful for the faith I have in my Savior Jesus Christ. T​hat we're not only in this world to live a good life and love other people... but that there is so, so, so much more. 

chequo de mes - all the missionaries at their one month mark (and trainers)

October 3, 2016 - miracles with Conference

Hello family!!

It's been a good few days since I've talked to you!! I absolutely loved General Conference. I learned so so much. I am so grateful we have a prophet and apostoles today. It's such a blessing!! That so many other people do not have, and don't realize what they are missing! I wish everyone in the world could feel the joy I feel in watching General Conference, that every person had the knowledge of this great experience we have every six months! I loved Elder Anderson's talk, and Elder Cornish's, and Elder Eyring's, and Elder Nelson's.... but really, all of them were so wonderful. I felt like the conference on Saturday was really focused on missionary work, so I really liked that, and it motivated me to share the gospel more, and love the people here more. And, I couldn't help but think about Spencer the whole time I was seeing the missionaries in the MTC choir. I can't believe he leaves today to Spain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spain will be so blessed for my favorite little brother being there. :) 

And, we saw some miracles with the Conference! Bryan went Sunday morning, and right after the session my companion said that he stood up and said, Well, I'm going to fight to be able to be baptized the 22nd of October!!! I was watching in English, so I wasn't there, but she said he was super concentrated the whole time, but especially in the talk of Elder Ballard... where will you go if you leave the church? And it's incredible, on Wednesday he was drinking 6 cups of coffee a day, and he told us on Sunday he has cut it down to two and a half!!! So, we're amazed and super happy that the Lord is working so much with him, and helping him change his life! and, Bryan loved Conference so much that he decided to stay for the afternoon session!! 

Recently, I've been noticing how much they talk about JOY in the scriptures, and joy with the gospel.  A couple weeks ago I read President Monson's talk about Finding Joy in the Journey from 2008... we have that Liahona in the house, I have no idea why, but it rocks, and since then I've just really been paying more attention to joy, striving to find joy in all the days, walking in the rain, in the sun, visiting the people here. And then I noticed this week as I was reading the scriptures that from Alma 17 to Alma 29, in the chapters where Alma and Ammon and all of them are preaching to the Lamanites, it mentions joy at least 22 times... I might have counted wrong. And then, I noticed that so many people in their talks talked about joy... finding joy where we are... how being grateful in all things we are joyful... joy from repenting, joy in sharing the gospel. Really, this gospel is about joy!!!! This life is about joy. And, really, it's so true. All the things that help me feel joy, are things that have to do with the gospel. My family, seeing other people change their lives, repentance, steps of the plan of Salvation.... all have to do with the gospel. And, I want to keep helping other people find joy in the gospel.. not just here in the mission, but my whole life. We are so, so blessed. :) 

Love you all!! Happy October. :) Love, Hermana Moon 

September 28, 2016 - ashes, ashes

Hi!! 

Everything is great. :) Sorry I probably won't write very much.... because we went to the temple today!!!!!!!!!!!! It was wonderful. :) But, so, there is not too much time. 

Umm... what's been happening... oh!! We were super, super blessed last week in finding three new families. And they are all super interested in the gospel. They all have challenges.... they all have member who works on Sunday. But, they are willing to learn, and we have been loving inviting people to General Conference, and they are all really interested, so hopefully we can see miracles with that!!! Two we just felt like we should talk to them, and the other is a refernece from Humberto....who is like the best member missionary in the world. Yesterday he sent us a message, saying that he had two more families who wanted to meet us. He is so so wonderful. God prepared him so much to receive the gospel, and now he is so so happy to share it with everyone he meets. It is so fun. So, yeah. We are excited to keep teaching these families, and hopefully see them progress!! 

And, we have an investigator named Bryan, he is 19, he came to church on sunday for the second time, and he loves coming to church!! And we invited him to pray for the 22 of october... we're going in like an hour with him with a family so hopefully we can see more miracles with him!! :) 

Other great things.... Man. I loved the women's conference. I left inspired. And I am so, so excited for general conference!!!!!!! And, the temple was wonderful. We are so blessed to have the gospel, because we have  the knowledge of things like the temple! And general conference!!!! When I think about those things, it inspires me to talk to more people so they can have the same blessings. 

Oh! And something exciting! haha like I said Christmas is coming last week.... and it's snowing too!!!! ;) haha the volcano exploded so ashes have been falling all around so that's been exciting! 

okay!! Anyway. I love you all so much!! Have a wonderful week!! 

​so, yeah. we had to walk around like people in
China living in a polluted place with these mask things.​

yay temple!

Love, Hermana Moon