NINE MONTH CELEBRATION LUNCH at PANERA
Hermana Cano with her husband and daughter who are both members
Hermano Lerdo with his cute wife
12/16/13
Pues
mis queridos...
…lets
just say it has been a pretty fantastic week!! So many miracles I can't even
count (it makes it difficult when we try and count our blessings...) No
obstante.
It all
started with last Monday. We had a super awesome combined noche de hogar with
the two part member families we have been working with (who, after this past
week, both are no longer part member families!). We watched the Restoration
video and after had a bit of a testimony meeting. The Spirit was just so strong
as it confirmed to us all the real truth of this message. Both families have
been waiting for this step for a long time, and were both very ready to take
it. Then as we get out of the noche de hogar, we see we have a missed call. The
number was from out of state (not utah), but we figured we should return it
just in case. Well we ended up talking with an hermana who lives in Kansas and
told us how she has an elder in her ward who has a sister that lives in our
boundaries and wants the missionaries to come. WELL. Tender mercies of the
Lord. We have been trying so hard to find new friends to teach, and they just
call us! Well we went the next day and met her, unfortunately she was super
busy, but we set up a return appointment for the next day. When we went back,
we ended up having a super powerful first lesson. She had explained that they
all grew up catholic, but no one in her family really practiced. Then her twenty
six year-old brother moved to Utah about four years ago and met the
missionaries. He was baptized and now is serving a mission! She is so willing
to learn and said that she really would love to have more of that foundation
for her family. We went back on Saturday and had another lesson and got to meet
her adorable eight year-old daughter (coincidence...? I think not!) We talked
to them about the Book of Mormon and they committed to read it every day
together and pray about it to know the truth! They both seem very intent and
really do want to know. I am so excited to work with them. It feels like a huge
responsibility, but as a family member of a missionary... she is definitely
receiving a lot of help from the Lord! They couldn't come to church yesterday
because she had to pick her mom up from the bus station at the same time and
now they are on their way to Austin for Christmas break... BUT. I am so excited
because she is going to talk to her brother on Christmas!! And it is going to
be awesome.
We
have also had some awesome opportunities to work with some less active and new
members this week. There is a new family that moved into our ward this last
month and we got to visit her and just share a brief message. She opened right
up to us about how she was primary president in mexico, but after she moved to
California she was inactive for a while, but now she is so ready to have a
fresh new start with this ward and be really involved. Especially since her
husband isn't a member (yet) and she wants to go to the temple, clearly. But he
hasn't really shown any interest in it. Well, guess who came to church this
Sunday? Her husband!! He decided maybe he will learn more about it, so we are
hoping to start really working with him!
Well,
the climax was last night, with the baptism of Hermana Cano. It was really a
beautiful service. Since she has been investigating for nearly twenty six years…
almost the entire ward as well as many from other wards were there to support
her. The speakers did a great job. I especially loved Suzie Tzorin. She is the
most darling returned missionary. He talked about baptism, but she also really
focused on how this is just the first step. She said with her investigators
they always talked about how the goal isn’t just this one time in white, it is “tres
veses en blanco”. Three times in white. First baptism. Then in the Temple. Then
in the Celestial kingdom of our Father in Heaven. That is really where it is
all pointing anyway!
This time
of year has been so fun to be in the mission field! We have been sharing a lot
of messages focusing on Christmas, and it is so fun to talk about the real
reason for the season. In Luke 2:10-11, “And the angel said unto them, Fear
not; for, behold, I bring you good tiding of gat joy, which shall be to all
people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is
Christ the Lord”. Well what are the good tidings? That a Savior has been born.
A Savior. What does that really mean? Well, John 3:16… “For God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish but shall have everlasting life.” So then, why do we really
celebrate Christmas? We celebrate not just the birth of a child… but that this
child grew up to do what no other could do, and those who believe in his name,
will receive the ultimate gift of eternal life! What isn’t to celebrate??
So
Merry Merry Christmas! I love you all so much. Have a great day and remember to
serve others. Replace fear with faith. God is so good.
les quiero
demasiado.
Hermana Draper
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