Mercy

Hi everyone!

This last week was super incredible! I am excited to tell you all about it! I will try and be brief about it all because truthfully it is a lot.

Well last week my plan was to send you a bunch of awesome pictures that we took at that ecological park that we went to buuuut as I was trying to upload them the computer I was on gave my memory card a virus. (This happens a lot in Mexico in the internet cafe's that they have here because there isn't a lot of protection and people just got on bad sites and whatnot.) So without saying too much more... I have lost all of the pictures from all of that transfers that I have been here as well as more than half of my time in my last area in Palmas. There is a little hope because one of the elders that works in the offices here is a computer genius (according to his companion) and so I will be giving it to him tomorrow to see what he can do. Let’s all pray for Hermana Naut's memory card.

We visited a lot last week a family that we had dropped and then magically ALL of them (5) came to church last week. The problem in this situation is the mom. She truly has the heart of stone that the scriptures describe. HOWEVER, on Friday night we had a SUPER AWESOME and SPIRITUAL lesson with them. The mom had promised to do the last prayer in the lesson before. She fought and fought to not do but I finally sat down right next to her, took her hand, and helped her do it. She squeezed my hand off and on. When she ended the prayer she started to cry. Her family truly needs the gospel. It was incredible to see her open up like that. She said that she knew that these things were going to help her family. Her husband was happy to finally see her open up. But then a big disappointment happened when her husband called us Sunday morning saying that they wouldn't be going to church with us because her wife didn't want to and that they were going to go to a Catholic mass. He expressed that he really wanted to go but needed to go with his family. We have a family home evening with them tonight so we will see what will happen. I have been praying a lot for her and today I got an excellent email from my dearest friend Kristin Katich which has given me a new insight on how we may be able to help her. 

Kristal, our recent convert, since her baptism has had 6 epilepsy attacks. She had three last week so we went and visited her last Monday and last night. She is seeing a general doctor because neither of her parents work (because the mom doesn't want to and her dad is depressed) and so she is the head of the house and it's hard for her to find a job because of her medical condition. No one wants that liability/responsibility. She needs to see a neurologist and is aware of it but is unable to pay for it. We are talking with the Bishop and the Relief Society pres. to see what we can do. 

On Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning I was in divisions with another sister. On Wednesday morning we were blessed to find the Granados family. It is a mom and a dad and their 4 living children. I say living because about 8 years ago one of their children at 5 years old passed away for heart problems. They have another daughter who is 5 years old who has a medical problem as well. She was born with lack of oxygen so she is disabled. She doesn't do anything for herself but is the sweetest angel in the world. They are a very humble family. They don't have much. They accepted the invitation to come to church with us but the girls were worried because they didn't have skirts. Let's just say that I, now, have less skirts and that they looked AWESOME on Sunday! They are so willing to learn. They all have little to no education so we are teaching them to read and write with the gospel! Their oldest daughter stayed on Sunday to do an activity with Young Women's and us!  We look forward to seeing them tomorrow. 

We had 8 investigators and 9 less actives in church yesterday. It was incredible. My testimony of the mercy and love of the Lord for us is so big and so perfect. I feel sometimes like I am so unworthy of the miracles that I am allowed to see every day but I am utterly grateful for them. One of the investigators that came yesterday is named Karina! We have been working with her for like 2 months and she FINALLY came to church with the whole less active family that she lives with. But what finally did me in was seeing the mother and grandmother of a member named Cheli that came to church yesterday. Cheli is a returned missionary. She accompanies us a lot of times every week, is very faithful, loving and worthy to serve and share the gospel in every moment. She as well as many members of our ward has often times called her mom and grandmother a lost cause. We have visited both of them every week since we have been here. I will not lie, sometimes we felt the same thing. But we love Cheli so much and she knows as well as any other member that if a missionary stops visiting a less active member or family it's because they also have "lost hope" or have just gotten tired of the same things. But we didn't give up because we believe in miracles. 

Finally, I just want to say how much I love my companion. I feel blessed to have her. We don't just get along, but we strengthen each other in every moment. The spirit is so strong in our companionship and we just keep working. We aren't perfect but we try to do the best that we can. Something that we learned together today was something about how a companionship (or a couple) should share love. Sometimes we choose to make a joke out of our weaknesses. And sometimes when we do that, other people also feel the right to do it. But what we came to the conclusion to today was that that should never be the case in a companionship or couple or whatever type of relationship. A person is very aware of their weaknesses and if they have a true desire to get over that weakness they need help and support. Although we joke about certain things sometimes, we need to be aware of the necessity to help our companion to overcome that weakness. We must lovingly support and lift our companion instead of laugh with them or at them about their weaknesses. The Savior was always helping and lifting others. Although jokes rarely have the intention to hurt someone, we all know that when it is something personal, deep down, it hurts. So we must be aware, and love and support our companion. If it is important to her (or him) it should be important to us. We must treat it as if it were ourselves and do what would lift us. 

Three months from yesterday I will be home. It seems unreal. I feel like it's been a dream. i am excited to see my family but sometimes I wonder how I will ever adjust. I love Mexico. I love what I am doing. I hope to bring all that I have learned here home with me. I am an entirely different person with different hope, love, wants and dreams. I look forward to seeing my family Sunday. And I just keep working as hard as I can. 

I love you all so much.

See you soon

Hermanaut

91 days

Also, next week is transfers. I honestly hope to stay here for the last two transfers of my mission, but we will see what happens. Pray for a miracle!

***For some reason the pictures would not post.  Please check my Facebook page. ***