Venga lo que Venga, Disfrutalo.: Catholic Monk and Lettuce Juice (Mar24)

Buenas tardes! :)

I have passed week 20! And I am comin' up on my 5th month on my mission! WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?!

We had a district meeting on Tuesday (well, we have one every Tuesday...duh) and Elder Rios shared the scripture in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10:

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when

he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."

I LOOOVE this so much, I can barely stand it! We cannot live in this life alone....I cannot succeed on my mission alone. I can understand why marriage is a commandment and companionship in missionary work is a revelation from God! He loves us SO much, He never wants us to be alone - and we never will be!

So if you remember last week, I made 2 goals playing soccer with the Elder´s in my zone. Well, Elder Rios said if I can make 3 goals WITHOUT help....he will buy me tacos. TACOS. This is MAJOR...I need tacos, and I need to practice my soccer skills. haha!

On Sunday we ate with la familia Hernandez and Hermano Hernandez made us his very special "agua de lechuga"...yeah, Lettuce.... But here is the thing, it was SO good! I had about 4 cups of it..and Mom!!! It is super healthy! (yay me!) It has bananas, lettuce, carrots, guayaba and oranges!! I can officially add to my list of "Weird Things I have Eaten on My Mission", Lettuce juice.

We visited Dolores this week and her brother, Pablo, had just returned from his Catholic Monk Mission in FRANCE. He had been there for more than 3 years! We were kind of nervous before we met him, "Will he argue with us? Will he contradict?" But surprisingly, he was SUPER nice! We taught him and Dolores about the Holy Ghost! And he listened and bore his testimony AND gave the closing prayer! It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but he did have a THICK French accent with his Spanish. I told him how hard it is for me to remember English, and he said, "Wait until you return to the United States...it is going to be even harder." hahaha. It's true! But, it was really awesome getting to know him...very kind, very humble. And YEP. WE TAUGHT A CATHOLIC MONK!

La familia Logoria delivered to our house HUGE hamburgers and Crunch Bars for lunch!!! Amu-ika

We visited Hma Mari (menos activa) and when we walked into her house, it was obvious that she had smoked VERY recently. We taught about her baptism and asked her, why she REALLY wanted to be baptized... what were her feelings. She told us that she couldn't describe the feeling, it was "tan bonita." I asked her why she really wanted to follow her Savior into the waters of baptism, she said, "I wanted to change, and I knew this feeling that I had, I wanted that feeling forever...but I don't have it now." I testified, "You can have this feeling AGAIN! Forever! There is no need to feel like you failed, get up and dust yourself off.... you can feel that feeling again!" Then I paused, "Hermana Mari, before we started visiting you, how many times did you smoke?" "A pack a day." "And from the last time we visited you until now, how many times did you smoke?" "Three times, one cigarette a day."

From smoking a PACK A DAY, she only smoked 3 times...one cigarette each time. WOW. I KNOW when we have the desire to change, we can! We need to use our faith and trust in the Atonement. Many people may say, "She still smoked." Well, that's obvious - but she is smoking LESS. The Atonement is working through her, she is recognizing bad influences around her and taking them out of her life so she can resist the urge to smoke. She is a living example of the FAITH and the HOPE. Please keep her in your prayers...I know she can stop smoking! She is doing all she can to return to church and she is doing ALL she can to see her family again!

Once again, Martin and Miriam did NOT go to church...therefore the baptismal date has changed AGAIN. On Wednesday, we taught them about "following the prophet" and the mom was there. It was SO awkward and incredibly uncomfortable. We asked questions, 3 words were spoken...no one wanted to talk. I was sitting next to the mom and her back faced me the WHOLE time. I can tell you now, the Spirit was NOT there. Satan is working INCREDIBLY hard with them, and they are losing their desire to be baptized because the dates keep changing. Please PLEASE pray for them more!

Tomorrow we have ANOTHER district meeting.....and it's going to be in English. Remember how I am the ONLY American in my district? Yeah. This means tomorrow, I am going to be teaching in English. EVERYTHING in English. I am MORE nervous than before when I taught in Spanish. We will see how this goes tomorrow!

We had a pretty cool experience Saturday. We received a reference and we went to go contact! We found the place but they told us no one with that name lived there. Aw crap. Ok, as we stood outside wondering what to do, a man passed us...and he kept looking back at us...and again, and again. I thought it was normal because I am INCREDIBLY white. But my companion thought it was super suspicious.

We left and as we were walking, the SAME man tries to pass us but then asks me, "Cual es su iglesia?" "La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Ultimos Dias...los mormonas." "Ah! Tienen un templo en la ciudad de mexico, es TAN bonito!" We then got talking more and we asked if we could talk more in his house. He told us he is rarely there but he wanted to attend our church! We gave him the time and direction, and we said goodbye! His name was Luis, and he never came....but that's not the point! It was an example of someone whose heart is SUPER prepared for this Gospel!

On Sunday for Sacrament meeting, I PLAYED THE PIANO!!! "Paz Calmanse" "En un lejano cerro fue" y "Conmigo quédate Señor". It felt SO good and many MANY of the members were surprised and asked if I could play the piano next Sunday! I accepted! Wish me luck! :)

Well, another week done...haven't been sick in DOS MESES!!! I know I can do this mission....it is possible! I am SO happy to be a member of the TRUE church of Jesus Christ.

I love you all family :) DIOS LES BENDIGA! :)

Con amor,

Hermana Winsor