Letter #60 11/30/15

We ate outside and rolled in the leaves and just had a really happy time.
#turkeyandtacos (......Literally......I love Hispanics)

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Okay, first off can I just say that Heavenly Father is literally THE GREATEST. I just can't even tell you how filled to the brim with gratitude I have been this past week. 

First things first, my mission president completely ruined the surprise, so don't feel bad for telling me before Christmas.. Haha. I guess Sister Wilson happened upon the excitement plastered all over facebook, so President Wilson called. He asked, "Do you want me to tell you where your brother is going or do you want to wait til Monday?" Obviously I jumped right on that and we hurriedly rushed outside the library we were at so we could talk more excitedly on the phone. He told us that he received his call to serve in Latvia.. My reaction was, "Is that even a real place..?" He said, "Of course it is" so we just believed him. Hahah, casi.. When he told us it was near Russia I was like, "Heavenly Father knows Devin SO perfectly!" and when he told me that Dev isn't leaving 'til the 30th, I started crying and was reminded that Heavenly Father also knows ME personally. I have been so touched, over and over and OVER again on my mission that Heavenly Father KNOWS us. It's like, the number one thing I have learned and I'm grateful for that knowledge. 

All the Hermanas in our house and their mission guesses for Dev....#fail
Hermana Howard deserves some sort of prize for Germany though.

Lunch with President Wilson

This week was definitely an emotional roller coaster. Like, whoa. First off, we ate some bad soup.. I mean, it was really GOOD soup, but.. it about killed both of my companions. Not sure what happened, but they were out. And I was left unto myself and it only destroyed me a tiny bit, haha. THEN Satan just hit our investigators with all sorts of crazy darts. Pray for J and E and for El. They are so close and it just reminds me of the experience of Joseph Smith. As He knelt down in the grove, Satan knew it was His last chance. He was enveloped by the thick darkness and in the very moment that He was about to give up, the light came. I know that as we just keep on keeping on, even when it's hard or things don't make sense or we feel alone, the blessings will flow. 

ALSO. Miracle of the century! On Sunday morning, we headed home quick after our coordination meeting to eat so we didn't die. The other Hermana's called us on our way back and said that they had an investigator waiting for us at the church.. uh, what? When we got to the chapel, we met G. He is GOLDEN. He has been investigating for three weeks in the Henrico branch, then found out that He actually lives in our area. He is just full of light and ready to go! He came to church, the baptism after church and the stake Christmas fireside.. I WAS DYING. We'll keep you posted on it all but he is so wonderful. It was just neat to see the Lord's hand working in real time. Heavenly Father sees our efforts and sends us beautiful blessings. I'm so grateful. Plus he's the cutest old Bolivian man and I LOVE BOLIVIANOS! So yay. :) 

LOVE YOU SO MUCH. ALL of you. <3 Take care!

Letter #59 11/23/15

I love my sisters and people from Mexico and Mexico.

I've been sick as a dog so #dontjudgeit

Hermana Chee is a real Native American, born and raised in the Four Corners. :)

I love my companions and miracles and our amazing ward and the Spirit and talking to everyone and CHINCHES.

THIS WEEK reminded me just how much I love being a missionary. Just like it's easy, at times, and if you're not doing everything you can to stay converted, to remember that you do have a testimony, or that you have felt the spirit, sometimes it's not always easy to remember how much you love being a missionary. Things are hard, life is stressful, you feel like you fail others, yourself and the Lord a lot more than you'd like.. But then, there's like all of the other beautiful things that sometimes just hit you like 3,000 bricks and you feel like crying tears of joy/screaming from the rooftops that you LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! 

I love my companions: Okay, can I just tell you how much fun we have always? It's such an incredible tender mercy to be with two of the neatest, most dedicated missionaries on the face of the planet. We're the cheesiest companionship, so full of love and silliness. Heavenly Father knows exactly what we need. And they're both going home so at times life is really emotional and needless to say I cry a lot but they've really taught me how special it is to serve the Lord. 

I love miracles: TOO MANY TO COUNT. God is so good.

Chicken fiesta=ALL MY DREAMS COME TRUE.  The day you arrive in the Richmond, VA mission
they make you way hungry and excited and tell you that your mission life will not be complete until you've
stepped foot in this restaurant.  We think Pollo Party has a nicer ring to it, but hey.

The sweetest lady ever aka Sister Worthen.  We helped her open jars and reach high things
and she shared her old book collection and her story of sacrifice, traveling 4 days to SLC to
be married and sealed on the same day back in the 40's.  Needless to say the Spirit was SO
strong and I cried and I love being a missionary!!!!

I love our ward: This ward is chalk full of some of the most amazing recent converts that ever exist. You've met Hermano M through pictures, and I don't know if I've sent a picture of Hno R yet but they're both SO incredible. We had this reachout night with the ward last night, and they both got assigned to go out with us. Instead of visiting members, we were assigned to visit a few of our investigators that will be getting married and baptized soon (Namely J y Es, and El). We had just the funnest night of missionary work ever, but Hermana Powell was SUPER sick. So after we visited, we went back to the church and Hno M gave his first priesthood blessing ever. The spirit was SO strong and I was just so grateful for the priesthood, the love and understanding that I've received of the priesthood on my mission, and just for good humans who love the Lord and serve Him with all that they have. 

I love the spirit: We had the most special experience on our exchange in Swiftcreek. I can't even express it in words because it was just so special, but basically they have this investigator named J. He is just the most incredible teenage boy. He comes from a really difficult home situation, but has such a desire to do good. We had the most incredible experience with him as we read from Alma 7:11-12. He had just told us about some things that happened at home the night before and the spirit was tangible and he was like, "guys.. you're making me cry" and, naturally, tears were streaming down my face and I am completely full of love and gratitude for the atonement, that, even though he feels alone in all of it he isn't. We never are.

I love talking to everyone: This week we have had a goal to sweep out the corners, be super thorough in talking to EVERYONE.. and it's been so much fun. We haven't been perfect, but we have definitely seen miracles. When we were on our exchange with swiftcreek, we needed to eat. We decided on chick fil a because, of course. And things had happened the whole night to kind of deter us and stop us so we ended up getting there at a really weird time. When we walked to the door, we held it open for this lady. I just started talking to her and we became really good friends really quickly. It was crazy, because she was just super open to learning and I just know that she was placed in our path at that exact moment. It's been really cool, because at first we didn't meet a prepared person every time we stopped someone on the street, and we passed out a ton of cards, but as the week has gone on Heavenly Father has trusted us with even more people that are really prepared. I know that Heavenly Father only really desires a willing heart from each one of us and that He will work miracles in our lives and the lives of the people we meet. 

“Brothers and sisters, this is the Lord’s Church. Let Him guide you through constant prayer. With a prayer in your heart, talk to everyone you can. Don’t prejudge. Don’t withhold the good news from anyone. Talk to everyone, and trust in the promised power of the Spirit to give you the words you should say. Let them make the decision to accept or reject your invitation. Overtime, the Lord will put into your path those who are seeking the truth.”

I know its true. Our Heavenly Father needs us. He needs YOU. 

And.. I love CHINCHES: AKA we have bed bugs. Disgusting, no? I still haven't gotten bit, but my companions get destroyed every night. Hahah. So instead of crying every day, we just draw bed bugs on our fingers and laugh at how incredibly hilarious our life is. 

Okay, LOVE Y'ALL <3

Look what I found??! I MISS BURKEVILLE SO MUCH! We went on exchanges with the
Midlothian sisters, the area that took all of Burkeville Spanish.  I had a nice little trip down memory lane.

Letter #58 11/16/15

If you could only see what's going on in the background.  We work a lot in this

apartment complex called "La Mancha" which translates to "the stain" and it's a

wee bit sketchy.  Some hermanas got mugged there once, but don't worry we are

best friends with the spirit while romping through "La Mancha".  We've actually 

seen TONS of miracles where the Spirit is just so real and tangible and guides us.

Hi, I learned this lesson a lot this week. I'm so grateful for a
lovingly patient Heavenly Father and Savior who care more about our
progression than our failed attempts at perfection. This weekend,
Elder Arnold from the quorum of the 70 came to stake conference and
the spirit spoke so deeply to my soul. It was really neat. I know that
we have every reason to have joy and love life because THE ATONEMENT
OF JESUS CHRIST DOES THAT FOR US. If we let it. It's been incredible
to see the growth of one of our investigators, E. She was
almost dropped before I got here, but the missionaries got a strong
impression that they shouldn't drop her.. And, she's completely
changed! She just decided that she wanted to change, so she came to
church, agreed to a baptismal date and.. Told us about how they
literally had no food in their house but that she was able to put
something together to feed her kids and she KNEW it was just a direct
blessing from Heavenly Father. And now, her boyfriend who wanted to
nothing to do with the church or learning from us told her that he
feels like he needs to start coming.. What?! God blesses us when we do
what's right. Elder Arnold the story from the New Testament when the
disciples were struggling in the midst of a crazy sea storm, and Jesus
Christ walked on water to come to them. The interesting thing is that
he waited until the 4th watch.. Almost all night to help them out. He
knew they were struggling, but he waited, knowing that their endurance
would bring them great blessings. I know that Christ always comes to
the rescue. That his blessings are real. And that they will come as we
live what we know and press on in faith and hope and love!

PS-  At stake conference, something was going crazy with the
translation system and microphones, so the song that goes something
like, "put on my boogie shoes, doo doo" kept coming over the speaker
in the CHAPEL as Elder Arnold tried to speak.. uhh.. hahahah. It was
the most hilarious, uncomfortable thing I've ever experienced. Like,
do we dance? Or, try our very hardest to keep a straight face? Haha, I
did a little of both.

Letter #57 11/09/15

Mis nuevas companeras! :)

OKAY. Drumroll please. Guess where I am just guess...!

Hahah, okay you don't have to guess, but I will just say that I have spent the last few weeks of the mission swooning over stories of Chesterfield and dreaming of serving there and.. Heavenly Father has every intention of fulfilling our righteous desires and dreams, I'm sure of it! It reminds me of something one of our members, Alex, said last night in a lesson with our sweet investigators J and Es. They are completely ready to be baptized, they just need to get married. We were talking about a day this week we could go to the courthouse to complete the paperwork for their marriage license, and they were talking about just how strict Jorge's boss is and that they didn't know how they were going to get work off to both be able to go. After raising the concern, Alex was like, "Do you want to get married? Do you believe the Lord can bring to pass a miracle in your life?" And they were like.. Yeah.. and he was like, "okay! Then you'll get work off and you'll get married and baptized." And the spirit just bore witness to my heart that- yeah. That's right. Heavenly Father CARES. And He will help us. So we set a faith filled appointment to go to the courthouse on Tuesday morning, then they called us late last night and told us that he got work off this morning. Sometimes Heavenly Father is so incredible in answering our prayers so fast. So, we got the license all figured out this morning and I GET TO ATTEND A BEAUTIFUL HISPANIC WEDDING. It's fun get dropped right into the third quarter of the most beautiful conversion story ever. They are just the sweetest, most prepared humans and I'm so grateful to get to know them. 

Speaking of.. something that is so weird is that, from the moment I entered el barrio de Chesterfield, EVERYONE has looked super familiar to me. And all of the investigators that we are teaching, it's like I know them from somewhere. I don't know how to explain it, but it's super weirding me out. Actually, it's not weirding me out, because Heavenly Father's plan is so perfect. I have struggled a lot this week, but I have learned SO much. I've been blessed so much to be put in this beautiful ward, to get to serve as an STL with Hermana Gonzalez, who, by the way is like the most perfect human in the whole world, teaches like a pro and can express every feeling of her heart in spanish. (Curse that mexican heritage- SO jealous) and HERMANA POWELL! It's like the high school world and the mission world have collided, haha. Love it! They are both so incredibly wonderful. And, with that, I have been bombarded with TONS of feelings of inadequacy. And it's been so silly, but so real. And I've been praying lots and Heavenly Father is SO good. Yesterday was the most amazing day, getting to know everyone at church and just these little moments where, as I tried my very best to give everything over to the Lord, He blessed me to do the things I couldn't do. And I am grateful and learning and STOKED to be serving with two of the most amazing missionaries with all of my pre-earth-life pals here in Chesterfield. I miss everyone back home (Charlottesville, haha) but Heavenly Father is helping me! 

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! 

La Hermana Yost :)

Letter #56 11/02/15

My Scarlett...Sometimes Heavenly Father promises you'll meet your best friends
on your mission and then you do.  His promises are sure!

I can't even put into words this week or this transfer or my mission to this point. I AM SO LLENA DE GRATITUD. Like, ah! It's unreal. Heavenly Father is absolutely just the most Loving. And He gives us this beautiful opportunity to feel THAT BEAUTIFUL, ALL ENCOMPASSING love in little increments that just make your heart burst and your soul soar. I have been crying (a lot) at the thought of leaving an area I have come to call my home (#Cville4ever) and also, yes. Just because Heavenly Father has blessed us so immensely this transfer. It's just these beautiful little miracles he just drops into our laps, or the moments where you just feel SO HAPPY and you're like, what? And then you remember that you're a missionary and that you have the neatest calling EVER and that you're not the same as you were before. It is SUCH a blessing. 

HE CARES about His servants, each and every missionary. About the ward members that just try to do good. He cares about every single sad, lonely, boracho (drunkard), because they are all HIS. He cares about you and He cares about me. 

HIS LOVE IS GREATER. And I am so grateful. 

Becca is getting transferred tomorrow.  I am always a little bit sad when she gets transferred and has to leave the people she loves and that are so good to her. While emailing me today she said "I am really excited!  I am becoming a Hermana Training Leader, so that's crazy!  I don't feel near good enough or anything, but it will provide a lot of growing experiences and a LOT of opportunities to serve." I am excited that she gets to have this opportunity! :)

Sweet recent converts Beti y Francesca

My BFF America and her dad, Hno Aguilar

Saying goodbye to my heart and soul.  It's really neat when parts
of you Patriarchal blessing come to life.....Mah ladies.

Sweet Hermana Vilma aka my hero.

Goodbyes and Halloween mean food!

No proselyting Halloween and Hermano Taco. hahaha, Mexican
resaurants are the happies place nowadays.  (Recent convert Victor too--love him!)

I GOT TO RECYCLE this week!!  Happiest of all the days! :)

Charlottesville, you just get me....Never forgetting this place.

Becca and the cute Gray family.