October 21, 2013

Buenas dias!

Okay, another just fantastic week. This`ll be short and sweet because
ther isn`t much time and we`re going to the beach as a zone today, but
funny story first. I know Dad will cringe and not be very happy with
me about this, but it`s too great not to share. So Wednesday night we
were going home from teaching clases de Ingles at the chapel and there
weren`t many buses running, so this bus driver let us on and we were
the only people on the bus. But, he didn`t make us pay so we weren`t
going to say no. Then as we started heading back to Girasoles, he
pulled over and stopped at a tienda. As we started going again, he
opened a beer and started drinking it while he was driving! We had no
idea what to do. It was either get off in a scary area and walk home
or continue on with this tipsy driver. We chose the latter because it
seemed safer and we made it home! Whew!

This week we were teaching Silvana about the Plan of Salvation. As we
were teaching her about how she lived with our Father in Heaven before
this life, I just felt so strongly of the Savior`s love for this
special daughter of God. It was so incredible to be able to tell her
that I knew with all of my heart that she chose to come to this Earth
and that truly she is a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father. I think
sometimes we take us being children of God too casually. Yesterday we
were visiting a recent convert, Rudy, who was baptized with his 11
year old son. His wife doesn`t want anything to do with the church
right now, but I`m praying she will someday. The little daughter,
Alejandra, requested that we sing Soy un Hijo de Dios, and as she sang
with her whole heart and as loudly as she could, the words meant more
to me than they ever have before. Even though she is only 7 years old,
she knows exactly who she is: a unique and treasured child of a
perfectly loving and merciful Father in Heaven.

Mauricio will be baptized on Saturday! He came to Saturday and Sunday
sessions of stake conference with us and attended a baptism. He used
to be a coordinator for a Catholic church,so it`s all very new and
exciting to him, and yesterday he expressed some fears about joining
the church. But, his fears were resolved during our lesson with him as
he told us he knows Joseph Smith was a prophet and the Book of Mormon
is true. We shared the scriptures in D&C  38 where the Lord says, ¨Be
ye strong from henceforth, fear not, for the kingdom is yours.¨
Mauricio always reminds us that all he wants is to be able to make it
to the celestial kingdom and he knows that in order to do so, he has
to be baptized. I love the scripture in D&C 39 when the Lord says to
James Covill, ¨Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling
on my name, and you shall recieve my Spirit, and a blessing so great
as you never have known.¨ How beautiful is it that our Father in
Heaven has rpovided us with a way to be cleansed with filthiness of
the world and our sins. All He wants is to bless us. We just have to
give Him the opportunity to do so!

I`ve decided I never want to come home, sorry mama y papa! Being a
missionary is the most wonderful thing in the whole world. I don`t
ever want to take off my plauqe. This work is true and it changes
lives. My heart is always so full of gratitude that the Lord is
letting Hermana Chant and I work in a little part of his vineyard here
in Girasoles. One more thing, members are everything. When we have
lessons with members, investigators truly do progress faster and the
Spirit is so special and sincere. It blesses the lives of the memebrs
as well. Get involved mi familia! You all have a plaque engraven in
your heart! One of my favorites right now is Alma 28:14 when it talks
about how there is a reason to sorrow because of the sadness in the
world, but much more reason to rejoice because of the light of Christ.
Christs wins, Satan loses. So, share the beautiful lights and message
of the Gospel!

Que la vaya bien! Brazos y besos!
Hermanita Haynie (everyone calls us hermanitas here)