September 23, 2013

Hello Hello! 

Querido Presidente Pace, 

This week is zone conference and I am looking very much forward to it! I love zone conference. Its like the one time we as missionaries get spiritually recharged. We always give and give and by the end of the day sometimes it feels like we are spiritually drained but conferences always recharge you and you walk out with more spirituality and excitement than when you even first started your mission :)

So this past week has been better, we have been continually getting more and more busy. I feel like we have a few of very good investigators with potential but yet their progression is slow. I know that there part is something we can not control but we will keep doing our best and bringing the spirit to every lesson and letting him be the teacher . We have a couple, Miledi and Oscar who we have taught the restoration to and they want us to keep coming but they said that the whole story is not convincing for them that they have talked it over with other people as well and that they think it was gutsy and out of place for Joseph smith to say that all the churches were wrong. basically they said they arent convinced. we emphasized the importance of reading the book of mormon because it really is the key. If they can gain a testimony of its truthfullness then they will know Joseph smith is a prophet of God and that his gopel really has been restored. They said they would read and pray. because they said they have been praying but havent gotten a response yet but they havent really been reading. so we encouraged them to continue with reading and praying and promised them that they would receive a response. I pray that they will have a spiritual experience and as we continue to teach i have faith they will feel the spirit and it will testify to them in their heart of the things we teach. 

Hermana Williams is still doing great, her spanish seems to be coming along pretty well. We need to do better at speaking more spanish between us two, i think that will really help her and me. Everyone here says that fall is beginning and all the stores now have their big chunky winter jackets and boots out. I am actually looking very forward to winter. I feel like I have half a suitcase of untouched sweaters and scarfs. Its going to feel like a whole new wardrobe.! Its crazy to think that winter is approaching though, that means christmas. I love christmas time and its the best time of the year to be celebrating every day of the christmas season by teaching and talking about Christ. Time has flown by! Come November, I will only have one year left on the mission! Crazy. 

Well I am so happy to always be hearing about all of your lives and experiences. Keep busy and always keep stregntheing your testimonies.

Mosiah 2:41 - love sharing this with members so thought i would share it with all of you. 

Keep smiling and keep going! Love you all so much!

much love from lleida! 

Hermana Hair

September 17, 2013‏

Hello everyone! 

This week has been a lot better than last week for me. I have been loving being with Hermana Williams she really has opened up and came out of her shell a bit more and I love her optimism and faith. She is never hesitant when it is her turn to initiate a contact or when I give her time to speak. She listens and takes advice very well and is always so happy to help me in my personal goals as well as our companionship goals. An investigator that we visited last week and this week is Miledy and she commented on how much better Hermana Williams pronounciation is in just one week! She does seem to be bit shy still with her spanish but I am encouraging her to speak up . I gave her the challange of asking every person we talk to (member, investigator, contact) at least one question, any question, when we are just chatting with people. That way people will know she is understanding the conversation and will include her more and start talking to her as well instead of just me. 

So I feel like our pool of investigators kinda went downhill a few weeks ago so trying to get that back up and going has been tough. In our ward we have a new RM, his name is Israel and he became the new ward mission leader. He still has the missionary work fire and is very determined to "fill our agendas" and help us as much as possible. I am excited for this change. Hopefully, it can be just the thing that Lleida's ward needs to dive into the obra misional (missionary work). I never really understood the importance of the members help in the missionary work before my mission. The members ARE the missionaries. I often wonder to myself what I was doing before my mission and why i wasnt helping more in the missionary work. I guess its different in Utah but still, that is not an excuse, it really is every members responsibility :) help the missionaries!! they would really appreciate it.. I would know. . haha. 

Well since I am training I am expecting to be here till the beginning of December. Because the training program is for two transferes (12 weeks). But with president Pace, no one ever knows what he is going to do , so Hermana Williams and I might be split up mid training in ocotber but I highly doubt that. Wherever the Lord needs me is where I will be. 

I love you all so so so so so much! Keep strong and firm in the Gospel! 

love, Hermana Hair

fotos

Pictures from a member from the ward who invited us all over to eat last week before Hermana Blanco left.

September 9, 2013

So this week has been full of ups and downs. I was sad to leave Hermana Blanco, it really was a bitter sweet goodbye. I hadnt realized how much we had grown together and how good of friends we had become and how hard our seperation was actually going to hit me. But my new compañera is HERMANA WILLIAMS. She is from Tampa, Florida, she is 19 and so ready to work. She likes to dance and swim and has a strong testimony. She is working on her spanish but speaks and understands a lot more than I thought she would. Which is great!  She is a bit more quiet but hopefully with time we can become great friends as well. 

This past week I have been praying and going to the Lord in fervent prayer to help me accomplish all my goals that I have for this transfer. I received a very clear answer this past week one night during my prayer. It was a thought that came into my head right after asking for guidance and help, the words were, "okay, (as if it was a confirmation of everything I was asking for) now go and do it" I know that the Lord is willing and ready to help us in anything we ask him. I also know that we just have to go out and do it. We are the medium which miracles come to happen. I cant wait for a miracle to happen I have to be out there and giving it my all and be in a position that invites miracles to come about. I have been growing every single day of my mission. there has not been a day that has gone by that i can say that i have not learned something new or increased my knowledge on something. 

One of my goals is to work with the members a lot more that is something hermana Blanco and I started to try doing but hadnt really figured out the best way to do . PMG says that member references are the best ones and we havent really gotten any here in lleida but that is something i want to work on. Part member families and menos activos is right up there on my list too. I want to fortify the ward so that when we bring in new members the ward will be a strong foundation they can stand on. Finding news is something we do daily and I have been seeing many miracles in contacting. If we ask for people who are ready to listen to the gospel then the Lord will do just that AFTER we go out there and do our part. 

I love you all and I attached a couple of pictures. The black and white one is of Herm Williams and I in the locotorio. Its in black and white because today was a hurry and rush getting ready day ha. but the other picture is when we were dropping our mini missionaries off last week at the train station. The elders came to help with their luggage. 

Have a wonderful week! 

love,

Hermana Hair

September 2, 2013 - DRUMROLL PLEASE

Buenos Dias Familia Y Amigos! 

So I thought about leaving the good news for last but I just couldn't do it. This next transfer................ I will be in................. Lleida... still. But don't you worry it will be a whole different experience because I will be training a brand new missionary!! Crazy I know. I will be excited to share with her my whole grand 12 weeks mission field experiences (a bit of sarcasm intended). I heard that Hermana Anderson and I are the youngest trainers this transfer (according to mission time) She also only has 12 weeks out on the field. I really do hope I can be a good example for my trainee and that I can help her grow just as much as my trainer helped me grow. And I know for a fact that my she will be helping me grow too. This really is a humbling experience that I am so grateful to have. 

 So transfers are usually on Wednesdays but we are receiving 44 new missionaries! So transfers wont be until thursday because they need the extra day to get papers and fingerprints and all that fun stuff done. So how they do it here is that we -the trainers- go to an all morning training session where they tell us all the secrets to training (ummm probably not,  But i wish) But they do give us instructions and then we all eat and mingle with the new comers and then all sit in a room and the president calls one person up at a time tells them where they are going and then tells them who their trainer is (that is when i found out who im training too) so its an exciting process but next week I will give you all more details and a picture , if i remember my camera cord. 

So this past week we worked with the mini missionaries and sent them on the train home this morning. It was a very nice experience, a bit frusterating at times, not going to lie, but still a very good experience. It was interesting to see the difference between 17 and 19 year olds. They had a very difficult time getting out of bed and other little things like that. It was a good reminder for me though when I would have talks with my mini on the street about obedience and how our time is really the Lords time and that that is why it is so important for us to stay on schedule. I feel like my mini really understood by the end of the week, although it was still hard for her but I know this experience was good for both her and myself. I feel like it was sneak peak of what is to come! although I feel like my trainee is not going to have those same problems, and will probably be teaching me stuff, I know that it will be great! I am very grateful that I have this opportunity to train!! I really really am. I am praying that I will be able to do everything the Lord expects me to do and I know with help that anything is possible. I really have enjoyed being with Hermana Blanco, she is a wonderful missionary who is always striving to be the best she can be and to learn from everyone she meets. I love her and appreciate everything she has taught me and for the time we had together. I feel like all the missionaries I have meet on this mission are absolutely fantastic and I cant wait to see all the wonderful new missionaries that are about to arrive. 

My goal for this next transfer is to really get working with the members and get references from them. I am praying with all my heart that I can find families and see a family baptism this transfer. I know the Lord answers prayers and I know that with faith and diligence all miracles are possible. 

I love you all so so so so so so so much! Thanks for all your prayers and sweet words. 

love, Hermana Hair

August 26, 2013

Dear loved ones!, 

IM A SENIOR COMPANION! Well... for this next week at least. ha. I dont know if they do this in the states or in other missions but boys and girls of ages 16-17 are allowed to go on "mini missions" they are usually when the mission has an odd number of missionaries for a transfer and a youth comes out for six weeks and serves a mini mission with a missionary. But this time the Barcelona Stake wanted to do it as an activity so there was supposed to be like 40 mini missionaries coming out but actually only like 14 came out to do it. But the activity is only for 10 days so we received our minis Saturday morning and they are staying with us till next Monday. They are both 17 years old and very short. The members on Sunday thought they were like 13 yrs old. ha. I feel very privelaged, grateful and humbled that out of all the missionaries my companion and i were one of the ones chosen to have the minis. We are both still working our area but now its like we can go double time because we split up, each with a mini, and do twice the contacting, lessons etc. Its awesome!  it has been so fun working with them! I must admit I was a bit nervous with the thought of having all the responsibility on me and being basically the senior companion, it was a tender moment when Hermana Blanco and I departed and each went our seperate ways with the mini missionaries. However, I have loved the experience and continue to enjoy it. I've realized how much you really rely on your companion in a lesson and the importance of having your companion at least testify and bare their testimony of what you were teaching. I also love how the mini missionary is watching your every move , it really makes me want to be the best example for them. I feel very humbled and grateful for this opportunity of being able to be with a mini missionary. We still have this whole week left with them but I can already tell it will be a good one. Although, thier feet are already hurting and one of them even had their heel start bleeding very bad, but we took care of it and their feet are feeling better today, at least that is what they have told us :) 

The lesson I have learned this week is that you really only see miracles when you rely on the spirit.  A very small miracle happened yesterday when I was with my mini. One of our lessons fired and our back up plan was to go to this nearby park and contact families, (families are always in the park sunday afternoons). However when the mini asked me where we were going I had the impression that we should go see if this family was home- a family that we have been trying to get a lesson with but never can - right as we turned the corner i saw the whole family, mom, dad and four kids sitting outside their building. We walked up to them , started chatting then asked if we could share a message. They are a very nice family and while I was teaching I could just picture them all in white. I hope that one day they will all be in white and enter the water of baptism. I have faith they will. 

Other little things that happened this week

1. While contacting a Romanion Lady and her daughter, the lady basically told us her whole life story and before I knew it I was giving her the biggest hug I have ever given a stranger I just met while she wiped away tears. I bore my testimony of the gospel and how it can bless us in every aspect of our lives and She then said she wanted to be my friend and asked if i could take down her number. . easiest contact of my life so far! 

2. We (H. Blanco and I with our minis) walked by this park where there are always a bunch of Romanion kids around. They always say Hi to us so we have this small relationship with them. They all of sudden rushed to Hermana Blanco´s and my side and hugged us and asked if they could take pictures with us.... ummm okay . haha. So we did. 

3. My mini and I contacted a family from India and they started saying how they always see me walking around with a different companion and how they are always commenting to eachother that i look just like this Indian actress... yeah surprised me too. haha. They even gave me the name of the actress, Ravina Tondon (not sure if thats how its spelled.) Look her up and tell me if its true, Do i look like im from India? haha 

Well, this Saturday we find out who gets transfered next week and who stays. So my next mondays email should hold some exciting news. 

Love you all and keep growing in the gospel and stregnthening your testimony. Best way to help your testimony grow is to share it!! 

con mucho amor, 

Hermana Hair

***Here is a picture of Raveena Tandon*** 

August 19, 2013

Okay, this might be a very short letter... Well this past week was ... hmm..  a bit tough. Our baptisms didn't fall through because they went with their birth dad to Barcelona, and we aren't really sure what is going on but we want to talk to them and find out once they get back. The Elders had their baptisms and it was actually a very nice baptisimal service. 

I have learned this week that when things get tough you just have to keep going. Things aren't going to get better if you don't do anything about it. I know  that its discouraging when you dont see the results of your work but honestly , I feel like a missionary is happy when they are working. Even on discouraging days, as long as you feel like you gave your best you are somehow filled with a sense of peace. Maybe not at that excat moment but you are later reassured that you have done all you can do and that you are going to do it all over again the next day. 

I really am loving the mission though, and the work and how it brings out the best and worst of you! haha I was talking to my companion today and she said that its like with every transfer that goes by something that you dont like about yourself surfaces, usuaslly your weaknesses, and you have to work with it, fix it and mold it into a stregnth. 

I know that we, full-time missionaries, are set apart to be disciples and representatives of Christ. We have the power and authority to teach, preach and help guide God's children onto the right path. I am so grateful that I have a loving heavenly father who loves me and is with me 100% of the time. The atonement is real. Its there for us. Not just for forgiveness but for stregnth and comfort. Lets use it, all the time. 

I love you all, 

Hermana Hair