Mi querida familia,
Well, all I can say is that SO much happens in just one short week.
We had changes this past wednesday and Hermana Andrade went to the southern part of Paraguay called Incarnación and I am here with a "local"! Her name is Hermana Páez and she is from my "home" stake haah de lovely Ñemby- what a small world! When the mission is waiting for more missionaries, they call members that are interested in serving missions to serve for just one change or six weeks. She will be turning twenty-one this november (just like you jess!) and is preparing to serve a mission. She is probably the most humble person that I have ever met. I dont know how to explain it. She just wants to serve the Lord. She is extremely extremely shy but that doesnt stop her from sharing her testimony and serving as a missionary. Ah, she is such an example to me. She comes from an extremely humble background and I am very excited to have her as my companion!
Oh and a tender mercy from the Lord, H. Willnauer and H. Arnell were both having changes also, so I got to see them...two of my BEST friends! H. Willnauer is going to take harnells spot in.... ÑEMBY!!!! Ah she is going to take such good care of everyone! H. Arnell also told me that Midium and Norma, although they still havent been baptized are doing really well and come to church activities every once and a while! It is just a matter of time with the both of them!
Andd that Vincente is not doing very well, but that Marcos and Elias havent missed a DAy of church and come every sunday with a white shirt and tie! Ah that made me SOO HAPPY!! H. Arnell told me that there was a family that they started teaching who live around the corner of Marcos, Noelia and Elias and their son, who is the friend of Marcos, was baptized and the family is going to be baptized also soo they all go to church every sunday faithfully! Oh our God is a God of miracles!
Liliana is preparing to be married and wants to be baptized the first weekend in September...woohoo! She is very humble and loves to read the book of mormon. She works selling candy and has a little girl (7) named Fio.
We also found two investigadores "de oro" this week called Mia(36) and Ana(19). We are just starting to teach them, but I will let you know more!
Do you remember Martita?! The less active member that is 23 with a little girl nambed Yessica who hasnt been to the church in years!? Well she came for the first time yesterday and she looked so happy! When we introduced her to Hna. Ñunez, she told her "I am so happy because I have come back to church"!
This past saturday, Fabiola and Max were married! We stopped by for just a little bit and they were so happy! As we stepped out and started walking toward our next lesson, I just couldnt stop smiling. Max was less active for years and they have been living together for a while but now they are married!!!!! I just was so happy as I thought about how she just finshed a commandment and the next day she would finish another commandment being baptized. Oh it was so beautiful to see!
Family, sure do love each and every one of you. There is a scripture in DyC that says that Zion cannot be built without the laws of heaven... ahem or something like that... basically we cannot be a part of or "bring to pass" the salvation of souls or the "work and glory" of our Father in Heaven without sacrifice and consecration. It is so true...if we want people to repent and increase in their faith... ect. (live the Gospel of Jesus Christ) we must be willing to do what HE did..and be submissive, meek and humble (Mosiah 2;19 or cap. 3?) and willing to submit ourselves to whatever He seeth fit and willing to sacrifice all that we are and have to the service of others and to this work.
I love the Gospel. I love my savior Jesucristo y amo mi Padre Celestial. Espero que mi sacrificio puede cada día traele a ÉL gozo. I hope that my sacrifice can bring, each day, joy to my father in Heaven.
Les quiero.
amor,
su Hermana Jones
ps. The mission changes you. I am sitting at a desk and there are cocaroaches in this cyber that we are using. yup. and I am just sitting here calmly typing.
Included below is a letter that Natasha wrote to be read at Jessica and Dan's wedding luncheon on August 11th.
"Dear Jessica and Dan
Jessica is one in a billion. You will never find someone else as special as my baby sister Jess. She is the most incredible person and literaly is a light in my life.
Oh how much you have grown up! You are so so beautiful. From when you were little and would pretend to pass-out when you had too much homework or when I was thirteen and talked to my friend Hannah Bambrick because I was so worried that you would never grow out of your Sponge Bob phase haha an you never really did... but neither did Dad!
I remember how when we were little I would spend two or three hours cleaning my room and reoraganizing my furniture and you would spend those three maybe five hours playing school with Nick and Alexandra. You always make people feel special and so happy. Dan, I can not even begin to tell you how lucky you are to get to marry my sister! She is an example to me and I am sure to you in so many ways.
Jess, you always made me so happy...from when we shoved cough drops and gum in Chad Herstein´s locker, to honking the car horn in front of Mike and Loris house at midnight on a regular basis, or doing the thousands of things that we thought was funny but nobody else, to driving from seminary to school or laying on your big bunk bed talking aobut our lives, hopes and worries until dad or mom would tell us that we had to go to bed...I always know that my baby sister would be there for me and would make me happy... Dan she is going to be such an incredible wife and mom. She will make you so happy.
Now you are getting married! Turning the page in your life and starting a new part of your journey to reture to our Father in Heaven...ah! This is so exciting! His hand is so evident in your life! But now you are moving forward with your best friend... and hand in hand and step by step you will start to work and grow and love together every day to be able to live together forever as a family. Heavenly Father must be so happy right now. I am so happy for you two!
From down here in hot and beautiful Paraguay I hope you two can feel the huge (and a kiss for you Jess) and all of my love that I am sending for you Jess, my baby sister, and Dan my new big brother. I know that Alexandra and other loved ones (cat for sure ;)) are and will be at your side on your special day. Congratulations you two... FAMILIA PORTER!!!! I couldnt be happier and more excited!
amor,
Natasha ;)"
No comments:
Post a Comment