This
week was pretty dang awesome! (Can I still say "dang" on a mission?)
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Hermana Dolores (investigadora) bought a NEW puppy!! and well, I
fell love...and after our lesson with her,
Camila (the puppy) jumped on my lap
and fell asleep...I about died it was so cute.
Tuesday I traveled with Hermana Eliason (who has THE EXACT
SAME BIRTHDAY AS ME) for 3 hours by bus to Aguascalientes to work on our VISAS
for companion exchanges. And man, the buses we took were SOOOOO nice...like
AIRPLANE nice. Touch screen TV's with DISNEY MOVIES. (Yah, you read this
correctly). Presidente Villarreal said that when we are traveling we can WATCH
the movies as long as they are edited/uplifting. We also had sketchy ham
sandwiches with a can of Sprite, and chairs that recline. Well, I definitely
watched "Rise of the Guardians," and "Wreck It Ralph" en
Español on the way back to Fresnillo. The other American elders that were with
us to work with their VISAS watched "The Hobbit." One of the elders
left for his mission before The Hobbit came out and I told him, "Elder, do
you want to have MORE joy in your life?" "Well, yes" he
replied. "Then you must watch The Hobbit." and he did! And he thanked
me :) Hahaha!
While we were traveling back to Fresnillo, and while I was
watching “Wreck It Ralph,” or “Ralph el Demoledor," our bus got stopped by
soldiers - that was pretty freaky! One soldier walked on the bus "Everyone
off the bus with your bags" and one of the elders (who finishes his
mission in 1 week) tells me, "Well, they're gonna’ frisk us." "WHAT?!?!"
"I'm kidding....they are just going to check our bags." I almost
died... but yeah, all they did was check our bags outside while one soldier
checked inside the bus and they asked where we came from - they were really
nice! And the elder's had a box full of Book of Mormons and they gave out 3 to
the soldiers - HOLLAH! It was a really fun day and Aguascalientes is
BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
When I was in the Mission Office in Aguascalientes, I got dad's
letter that he sent 5th of January, I got mom's letter (the copied letter)
she sent beginning of February, McKayla Shill's letter, and a letter from the
Stake Presidency. REMEMBER: Only send letters, your love, your support - EVERYTHING
- to the mission home address:
Mexico Aguascalientes Misión
Hma. AubriAnna Winsor
Prolongación Adolfo Lopez Mateos #98A
Col. Trojes de Alonso
20116 Jesus Maria, AGS
Mexico
The rest of the week, we walked to Zapata (a colonia in
Fresnillo, which is about 1.5 miles away from where we live) trying to teach
people and visit. But no one is EVER home, or they make an appointment with us
and then when we return, they are either not there, or sleeping. And it is
getting SUPER humid/hot in the middle of the day here; shade does NOT exist in
Zapata.
On Thursday I finished 1er de Nefi - POR FIN!!! It's a lot
harder, but a lot awesome-er reading the scriptures in Spanish!
We contacted a menos-activa, Hermana Mari, who hasn't been to
church in a LONG time. She is a 4 year convert and hasn't been to church in 3
years. She is VERY loving and friendly and she has 5 dogs ....CINCO PERROS. One
is named "Socks" and he is a puppy/Golden Retriever, and he likes to
jump on laps and therefore, my dress was covered in paw prints by the end of
the visit. But hey, I know how to wash clothes BY HAND (that's right mom, I am
turning into a big girl). A member went with us, Hermana Rodriguez, and I am SO
thankful for the support of the members. Her testimony of the Book of Mormon
helped SO SO SO much as we taught.
After 3 stinkin' weeks, we found Manuel and taught him!!! We
talked about why Hma. Moreno and I are here, what is our purpose as
missionaries, etc. because when we originally contacted him THAT was his
question, "Why are we here? What are we doing?" And we didn't really
answer it well in the first visit. So we just bore our testimony on why we are
here and how the Gospel has blessed our lives; it would be selfish if we didn't
share what we know with others.
AMAZING experience: We contacted a FAMILY! La familia Rodrigues Ramos, with 5
kids! We talked about how God is our Loving Heavenly Father. When we asked the
mom who she would like to say the opening prayer, the 8-year old, Yamixa,
wanted to say the prayer! We taught her how and when she closed she said this,
"When I was praying, I felt something very happy in my heart. I want to
feel that again." WOW. Oh just wait, there is MORE!!! When we talked more
about how we can live with our families forever, we asked Yamixa what does she
love about her family. Her face got real serious, her lip started to tremble, she
looked at her mom, "Mi mama....mis padres...." and she burst into
tears and ran towards her mom, giving her a big hug as she cried. I cannot
describe how powerful the Spirit was in that moment, and SHE'S 8 YEARS OLD!!!
The impact a family can have is HUGE. I know the family is central in the
Gospel and I know families are FOREVER! I testified to Yamixa, "Yamixa, estos
sentimientos pueden durar para siempre .... siempre! Sólo se puede sentir este
tipo de alegría, paz y felicidad a través de su hermano mayor, Jesucristo. Se
puede vivir con su familia con estos sentimientos para siempre. "
I am SO grateful for my family, I am grateful for my parents and
their love and guidance and discipline, I am grateful for each and every one of
my siblings....Caleb, Kim, Sean, Kenlynn, Danny, Mel and Britt....I love you so
much, you have no idea.
ANOTHER AMAZING EXPERIENCE! The elders in our zone had a baptism Saturday and
Martin said he would go with us! So we walked to his house before and his sister,
Miriam, answered the door,"He is sleeping." My thoughts exactly:
"You have got to be kidding me." Then she said, "Can I got with
you?" Uh...DUH! She went, got ready really fast as we waited outside, then
the door opens, it's Martin!!! He and his sister accompanied us to the baptism
in the chapel!!! And every baptism, President Villarreal has asked us to ask
the people at the baptism, "After witnessing this amazing experience and
change in this person's life, who would like to be baptized?" Well, Martin
(18 years old) and Miriam (17 years old) were in the very front to see the
baptism, and Martin has a date to be baptized. The elders ask the question - we
wait....and wait - and then Miriam AND Martin say, "We do!!!!" I
literally could hardly believe it. I shook my head a couple times.....what did
I just hear? And they told us that they were serious!! So we are going to start
teaching Miriam also!!! AHHH!! AND AND AND AND, Miriam and Martin went to
church with us THE NEXT DAY! Oh my gosh, I am so happy I got to experience
that!!!!
A "not-so-amazing" experience: Well, the same day we
went to church with Miriam and Martin, I had woken up that morning at 1am vomiting
violently. I slept for about 3 hours before that and then woke up with
"ganas a vomitar." When the alarm went off Hma. Moreno me dijo,
"Esta enferma?" "Si, pero necesito ir a la capilla con Martin y
Miriam," and I did! I took it easy, I remembered what Mom would do for me
(ONLY water and other clear liquids for 6 hours)... and we walked to the
investigators house while I concentrated on not vomiting! We walked with Miriam
and Martin to the chapel and AS SOON as we set foot in the chapel, I booked it
to the bathroom and vomited again. It was pretty embarrassing to be in front of
investigators, incredibly sick. But they understood and they went to class with
us and everything!
After the last class, I literally couldn't move. I was either
gonna’ faint or barf. So other members took Miriam and Martin home, and we
walked to our house. Well, I have a stomach/kidney infection AGAIN. Gosh
dangit!!!!! I tried SOOOO hard to keep healthy, to drink A LOT of water and eat
A LOT of fruit!!!! GAH! Oh well, if I could ask for anything, pray that this
infection will go away!!! I am not in a lot of pain, I just can't eat
much...only liquids. When we went to the hospital to pick up medicine, the
medic said, "You again?" bahaha. Yes, me again - the Americana.
Giselle and Miguel didn't go to church on Sunday, so we
have to push back their baptismal date. Giselle...gah, she likes to hide!
We'll meet with her once and for 3 weeks we have NO idea where she is, she
doesn't answer her phone...NOTHING. And then all of a sudden, she'll answer her
phone all excited and we meet with her. And then NOTHING FOR 5 WEEKS. She likes
to hide!!! Please pray for Giselle, Martin and Miguel.
Sorry there isn't a lot of pictures, but know that I love you
ALL!
No tengo ninguna duda en mi corazón, sé que Jesucristo es mi
Salvador sufrió dolores, tentaciones, sufrió todas las cosas - lo sabe todo.
Nunca estamos solos, nunca. Estoy agradecido por las palabras de los profetas
en el Libro de Mormón y la Biblia, sé que ambos son las palabras de Dios. El
evangelio es que Jesucristo es verdadero! Te quiero mucho y recuerdo, pase lo
que pase y disfrute!
Adiós y nos vemos en 431 días más! :) haha!!! TE AMO!
Con amor,
Hermana Winsor
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FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS
HERMANA HUFF!!!!!
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