August 13, 2012

This letter won't be too long because I had to do a survey for President Ashton and it took up 20 minutes of my hour of email... :( sorry!

Well.... by the time I leave this mission I should be fluent in Spanish! I have ANOTHER spanish companion. :) The Lord is aware of the people we are teaching, and the missionaries that need to be here. Marlons family is mostly spanish speaking, and I was so worried about them after Sister Perez left, but the Lord knew before we did that we would be teaching their family. He has the perfect plan already layed out. I worry too much... :)

While I'm on the subject of Marlon.... please keep him in your prayers! He wasn't at church yesterday so we will be re-extending his baptismal date for another weekend. I hope they are doing ok.

Anyways, my new companion is Hermana Moreno Cordero from Cadiz Spain! She is actually a spanish missionary here, but President put her english this transfer. So I am now an english teacher ;) haha We have fun doing lots of charades (sp?) and guessing what each other is talking about, but it's helping my spanish improve. The ward members are so surprised that I've been through 4 missionaries already while I've been there. :) It's fun though. I'm learning to deal with change a lot better. And my district leader gave me the perfect topic to speak on this week in our district meeting, "Learning to improve ourselves through change".

With all of my companions from all over the world I'm going to be in debt after my mission because I've told each one of them I'll come visit after our missions... :/ But it'll be fun! Hopefully y'all can come with me!

Sister Moreno's mom owns a bakery in Spain so she told me I'll have to come out there and visit so I can learn how to make the food there.

HOW IS MY FAMILY DOING?! It's great to hear from you. :) It sounds like everyone is safe and happy. That's what I pray for. :) I'm glad Emma and Tanner had a fun time while they were out there, and I'm glad Norene was able to come visit even though it was really short.

Be safe this week traveling to St. George!!!

Dad, I will send ideas for applying the scriptures to our lives in a letter to you! Our new mission president is really focusing on this for us so I hope the notes I send will help. :) Good luck.

This week has been really good. Last tuesday night, right before transfers, I went and had a sleepover with the Alief Sister missionaries while Sister Perez was in a new missionary meeting with the incoming missionaries. It was so much fun getting to go serve in another area for 2 days, but man I'm going to be so sad when I leave Maplewood. I love it in this area!

While I was in Alief we staying in a members home and 2 of the incoming sister missionaires came to sleep there too.... one of them is from my high school! Small world huh? Alli Washburn is serving spanish speaking here. :) Whenever the new missionaries come in they all ask if the time has gone by fast (which is what I asked everyone too when I got here) and I really can't believe how quickly the time is going. I only have less than 11 months left. Before I know it it's going to be conference!

This week we were able to visit with 12 less actives in our ward, and it makes me so sad to hear each of their stories of why they don't come to church anymore. These are just a few of the circumstances we saw this week.....

-After being sealed in the temple 5 years ago they are too tired to wake up on sunday morning to come to church. And "they don't have enough time throughout the week to spend together, so sunday is their day."

-Getting offended so she went to the bishop and asked to take her names off the roles of the church.

-Husband getting addicted to medication, and she can't drag all the kids to church by herself.

-Feels of guilt (Satan) for getting molested as a child. She doesn't feel worthy to come... :(

and simply just loosing their testimonies.

One lady we visited late saturday night hurt my heart after I asked her what her Savior has done for her in her life, and she responded quickly.... I've never really though about it. Kinda like she didn't care.

I am so grateful to be able to work with these members, but it is so sad to see what Satan does to get them to leave our Fathers arms. I'm excited to bring them all back, because Christ always has Him arms open to receive us.... no matter what we've done in the past!

I love y'all soooo much! I'm grateful to have a family, and friends who love our Savior just as much as I do. :) Keep in the Faith!

Erianne

persevera hasta el fin :)