September 29, 2014

My dear family and friends!

The work is continuing and the weather is cooling down :) Which are both huge blessings.

This past week was great! We met lots of new people. I think looking back on my mission I have always seen so many grand miracles when we have members with us. Its when we find the most people and see the most miracles. Im a strong believer that when we have a member, God has a miracle that he is about to surprise us with because ive noticed that God really likes to help member's faith and testimony grow by showing them these little miracles when they are out with us. For example, the other night we had a member coming out with us to a visit for the last hour of a day, the visit fired and we asked the member if she would mind accompanying us as we contacted. she was more than happy to be with us. We offered a prayer before we started to let the Lord know where we were going to be contacting. I was praying and specifically asked for him to guide us to at least ONE person who had a DESIRE to know more. As we were wrapping up our contacting out in a small nearby pueblo we got on the bus to head home. The bus driver was super friendly and we started a conversation with him. Long story short. He was interested. He had questions because he said whenever one of "us" get on the bus he notices that we are happy. he said we have something special in our eyes and that that sparks some curiosity in him. We ended up talking to him the whole way to the members stop where right before she got off I heard her whisper to herself, "wow, la oracion de la misionera fue contestada" or in english, the missionaries prayer was answered...  I know that that member already has a very strong testimony but i know that somehow that little prayer and contact helped her testimony grow. I love the little miracles that occur all around me all the time! God is a God of miracles. He lives and miracles exist.  and one of my favorite quotes, "Coincidenences are just small miracles where God chooses to be anonymous" They are all around us, we almost always miss them. but oh life is so much prettier when we search for them in our daily lives. I can promise you that if you search, you will be surprised. Count your blessings... and most of those are miracles inthemselves. 

I love you all and consider all of you great miracles in MY life.

love, Hermana Hair

22 Septiembre 2014

Buon Giorno!! (Buenos Dias in Italian)

This week has been strange. But thats how every first week of a new transfer is. So in other words.. I guess its been a normal week. ha. 

Given that I have only been in Valencia for one transfer, Hna Dorgia and I are learning the bus system and our area together. I kind of knew our area but there are still many more things to learn. and we learned a lot this week! 

We were able to get back in contact with Maria the paraguayan lady , apparently her phone had been stolen and she is in the process of getting a new one so thats why we couldnt get in contact with her but she is excited for general conference and wants to prepare to be baptized. so thats great!

Good news, the youth who had baptismal dates a month ago are still good. Alejandro is now in cataroja and the elders there are still visiting him, Fernando came to church these past two weeks and is slowly coming back. I think he is still confused because he hears things from his grandparents who are very catholic but I know he cant deny the what he feels when he is at church. He tries to push those feelings away though because of his family telling him confusing him but i know he just needs time. Im just really happy these two boys still have contact with the church. I know God has a great future planned for these two. 

Everything is great here in Valencia, its cooling down slowly. and the sun is setting later, fall is on its way  Hna Dorgia and I rented bikes today and went for a short bike ride around Valencia then hit the Old historic center and saw some great old cathedrals and other old buildings:) it was really neat. I love the architecture here. 

I also found out this week that I love the italian language. Hna Dorgia is teaching me italian and I am teaching her english:) its been really fun. I can half way pray and half way testify in italian! She and I get along great! its like we were friends forever. I love what I do! I love missionary work, I love talking to people and having people say they see something in different in us and then us having the opportunity to explain what that something is. i love every day although i wake up tired, I wake up happy. 

Here is a picture of Hna Dorgia and I while we were waiting for the elders in our ward so we could take a train to cataroja for our district meeting with the 4 missionaries there. 

love you all!

Hermana Hair 

(Sorella Capeli) ;) 

16 Septiembre 2014

NEW TRANSFER, NEW COMPANION, SAME AREA.

okay thats about it... ha just kidding. But thats the main news. 

Hermana Scoville left to Vila Franca, a little place outside of Barcelona and today I picked up my new companion. Hermana Dorgia!! She's Italian! Do you remember her? Her very first day on the mission in barcelona, before she had her real companion, she came out and worked an afternoon with us and stayed in our apartment, this was in april. And i cant really remember if I told you all about it. but anyways. she is my new companion. she is beautiful and super sweet! but she is learning english. This is going to be my first companion who i cant really speak english with. it will be weird. but she wants to learn so we will work on that. 

I am still her in Valencia and hna Dorgia is very excited to be here. We are still focusing on finding new investigators. We find some every week but its always a few who ever want to really progress. We did find a lady from Paraguay called Maria who has real intention. she wants to learn more and wants to know if this is true and if it is she said she wants to get baptized. so thats great! she is a super nice, 25 and has such a humble spirit. I already love her. 

Well.. Valencia is cooling down. . okay not really but i like to think that the mornings are a bit cooler:) I think it should start to soon. Im a little worried that I dont know the area as well as hna scoville did. but its okay, getting lost a little bit is part of the mission experience.  It will be a great transfer. 

I would love to hear what you all are learning in your book of mormon studies. 

love, 

Hermana Hair

8 Sept 2014

Happy Monday ! 

So starting Sept, all the members and missionaries in the barcelona mission started reading the book of mormon together. Its a challange that the mission president and the stake presidents put together. The challenge is that everyone needs to read two chapters in the book of mormon every day and by the end of december we will all be done with the book of mormon. The challenge is WONDERFUL!! Its the best thing ever invented, but really, the members are taking this seriously. Yesterday in Sacrament almost every person that testified talked about the book of mormon. Its obvious that when we read the book of mormon a natural consequence is that we want to testify about it. We have a had a recent convert, that we have been having difficulty meeting with regularly because of her health and work , that is now enthusiastcly asking us to come over for a little bit every day to read the book of mormon with her because she wants to accomplish the challange. Its great to hear people relating what they teach in a class, or in a talk, as they always throw in something that they found in the book of mormon that goes with their lesson/talk I love it! 

The book of mormon is the keystone to our religion. Everything starts with this book. The sacrifices that all the prophets in that book went through to preserve their words and history should be appreciated and we can show the lord our gratitude to Him and for the prophets by just simply reading the book. I know that everytime I read it My testimony of it grows. God wants us to read it and to ask him over and over if the book is true so that we can see that everytime his answer is the same. We can feel that its true. I feel that its true every day. I invite you all to keep renewing your testimonies of the book of mormon, I know that everytime that we do that, we are blessed beyond our expectations. 

Have a great week reading the book of mormon:) This church is true. Without a doubt, I know this church is true. 

Love you all! 

Hermana Hair

September 1, 2014

Happy September, 

At the end of every week I always feel the same. Tired but happy :)   Well this week had its ups and dons like all the other weeks. Our fechas grandmother came into town and said that she did not agree that alejandro be baptized so the baptism was called off. But she said it very respectfuly and nice and we returned that same respect and love by letting her know that we respected her decision. Alejandro is moving down to a pueblo near cataroja for school so he the elders down there will have the privilage of continueing his visits. He's a great kid and I know he will be baptized when he turns 18 and is allowed to make that choice for himself. His prayers are incredible and so sincire. as if he was a mature member of the church. I always loved his prayers. every time without fail he prayed for the missionaries and for the truth to continue to spread around the world. I love him!

besides that everything is going well. a lot of people were out of town the last week of august but now in sept, which is when everyone told us they would back, we should get things going again. 

I dont have much time left but I wish everyone the best with school and work and life! 

I just had this thought come to my mind and wanted to share it with all of you.- The trials in life arent about how strong we are when they hit but how much stronger we are when we come out of them. Its not about how quick we come in our out of a trial but its about where our heart is when we are going through them.- Dont know why that just came to my head but maybe you or someone you will talk to this week will need it. Its definately something ive learned by experience . 

I hope you can all feel my love and gratitude that i have for each and every one of you. Thanks for being so special to me.

love, 

Hermana Hair