first week of the new Transfer

hello everyone. well we've had a pretty good week we have two new investigators. the first is Pola she is from Mexico, she lives with a member and she took her to church one day and she liked the classes more than sacrament meeting, well because that day was fast and testimony meeting and she didn't enjoy it because she affirms the same conviction for her church being true. It didn't make much sense to her in that manner. Anyway she only goes to church when she is in Mexico, she is of some branch of Christianity. We think since we are Christian too she should come to our church because it is closer. However, she likes to go visit her family on the weekends since she works all day 5 times a week as a maid for the member., even though it means that she is slowly distancing herself from God. We taught her the restoration and it was great except she went off on a lot of tangents, but we didn't want to interrupt her, and tried the best we could to relate it to what we wanted her to understand like Joseph smith being a Prophet and how much God loves us that he will give us a guide in these days as in the days of old and asked her to meditate on that that knowledge can mean to her in her life. Since we know that reading and gaining a testimony of the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon to be the word of God is essential in knowing if everything else about the church is also true, we tried to have her know what it is and how it can help her in her life. She doesn't want to read anything else but the bible, and believes we "praise" Joseph Smith even after we explained that he was only an instrument in the lords hands to bring His  complete church back on earth. We decided that our next lesson would be to show her how the Bible and The Book of Mormon work together, and also answer her list of questions so we can research them together. It'll be fun we are excited :D They are both really sweet ladies they even gave us fresh eggs from their chickens and offered to show us how to cook tamales and homemade flour tortillas!!! yum

we also did service for the Muniz family wow they are splendid!! her here are some pictures

we taught a women named Beatriz she is a sweet sweet lady about late fifties. we went over to visit her and she told  us to come in so we came in and she told us to wait, so we were in the living room waiting awkwardly while she was being shown a presentation from a Cutco Rep in her kitchen. I took a peek to see who she was talking to. at first I didn't know it was for kitchen knives I thought she was buying a  weapon and planning a savage murder attack, so I thought this lady is probable a psycho and what have we gotten ourselves into?! but then after waiting and waiting some more I asked my companion if we should leave, she told me perhaps so I asked sister how long will you take, would you like us to come back a different day? she said yes I will probably be done in about 45minutes,so yes come back a different day please. weird right? if I didn't ask her she would've just had us waiting, haha people are so funny. so we went back a different day and did a get to know you /how to begin teaching. She loves Mormons because one time she was invited to go to a baptism and everybody went out of their way to introduce themselves to her and we so friendly, she said that that is the way we all need to love one another. She lost a 24 year old son and so we told her how this message will fill her with hope. she seems happier when we left, she said she will get baptized only if she gets a confirmation that it is true. Hurrah for Israel!! 

then we got feed a feast for break fast conchas( Mexican sweet bread) and pizza and tortas aka big Mexican grilled sandwhiches,,, so yum!

Transfer News and Some Fun in the Sun!

 You will never guess what President called me to do! I just got training a missionary for three months, now Sister Baros is off to train herself and becoming a sister training leader, oh I'm so proud of my baby! that same day she also had a heat flash and was so thirsty but she only had to go to the bathroom tons of times and still l couldn't quench her thirst, then I had her lay down and put some peppermint on her and another sister put her wrists in ice cold water, then we asked her if she was ok but she started crying, haha I remember that feeling you just sort of get a bit delusional and have emotional waves, but don't worry this happened a bit before she got her new assignments. then president told me that I would be training a new missionary as well, crazy. Im excited tho, although I wanted to be with an experienced missionary but I also see the benefits from training, especially to continue to put into extra practice all the awesome stuff ive learned with my last with a fresh new moldable companion. Plus I know this is a sacred trust from the Lord, he knew that I would do my best and that I will help her become a powerful missionary, which then will be beneficial to the whole mission because we all influence on each other and learn from one another, I know that as I do my best just as I did with Hermana baros they will become great leaders and be great examples of humility and love for others. The lord has so much in mind for me, I cant wait to see the trails that await us these next few transfers, because although they are hard and at times not pleasing they are learned from and we are more converted as we rely on the saviors teachings.

hello my friends these are some pictures of the last sisterhood night with all my house mates, the really gorgeous one is sister Garrett, I also trained her.

Temple Trip!!

yesterday after our lunch break we received a call from a man who got our number from a member that he is staying with. He asked us if he can get a priesthood blessing because he wasn't very good and was about to give up on his faith. He told us that he was baptized as a Mormon and hasn't come to church in a rally long time. He said Ill try o be here when you get here. So we rushed and picked up the elders and went over to his house. he wasn't there and so we waited for like 40 minutes we were talking to the member and she told us that he might be drinking with her husband and when she went out we were came to a conclusion that we cant give a drunk man  a priesthood blessing. He walked in the door and  introduced himself and I thought for a second to tell him to sit down and talk with us, but I dint take action. The elders told him that we would like to comeback a different day when he was sober. He said that "well if that is the way it works alright then." and walked out the door. we all left the house and walked by him while he was siting outside and said bye and took off, all five of us without offering to help him or listen.  We all felt bad about it but it didn't even cross our minds to just listen to him before we judged him and turned him away. Well he called us as soon as we parked out side of our apartments. He expressed his feelings on how sad and how much it hurt him to see  that we didn't even show that we cared. As  missionaries we are not going to turn away from people just because they have family problems, addictions, or broken hearts . You will listen to them and show compassion and try to help them. I don't even care about me, but I just wanted to tell you that you just cant do that to people, they need your help. As he was telling us all this it cut us all to the very core. he went on to say that I never ask anyone for anything  ever and  this was a huge step for me to want to ask for help from the church and I feel that God hasn't answered my prayers and when I saw that you left it confirmed to me that God isn't there. So we repented and apologized to him and told him that we are imperfect humans and missionaries and we shouldn't have judged you without getting to know you first and if Christ himself would've visited you, he wouldn't have turned you away but would've listened to you and loved you regardless. We, as his representatives, didn't live up to that name we wear on our badge. Nevertheless, we thanked him for showing his faith and humbling himself enough that he asked for help and for loving us enough to want to teach us this great life lesson about compassion. We asked if he can give us another opportunity to come back and show to him that we care about him. He was so happy to hear that and gladly accepted. We went back and opened up to us and we all shared personal experiences with him about faith and how God is always there and how he has helped us in our difficulties.  He really appreciated the tears we shed to express how God has helped us and to do it in front of others because that showed him that we cared. He talked about how ever since he left the church no one even cared and it would be nice if when I died someone will remember me and wanted to cry. No one in this world he said wants to be alone, no one to talk to and to not feel loved, all I can ask for is to have someone care about me. Then an elder offered him a hug and he said of coarse and they hugged, he was overcome by so much love and started to cry, even said that his heart skipped a beat. I was right next to them as this happened, so I tried to avoid the situation and walked away quickly, with my head tilted to the side, to the other side of the living room and my companion acted as a magnet right behind me and asked: "where are you going"

"we can't hug him I'm just trying to get away."

so she sat down and he came towards her with his arms extended and she extended her hand to shake his and said "sorry I can't hug you." and one of his arms came down to his side as he gracefully kept his other arm up to shake her hand and said "I know". Then we all shook his hand, but the love in that room was so strong and all I wanted to do was hug him and cry with him. Which would've been appropriate, but I wimped out.

we taught my mommy this week about the importance of setting goals in life and ponder about the things that you do now and how it effects your future. also shared 2 nefi 4 and related nefi's experience with hers. WE are going to teach her again in a month or so just to let her ponder on what we've been teaching her, and let her make the choice on her own.

we have learned so much this week about love and I had the best companionship inventory in the history of my mission on Friday it was so edifying and we recognize how far we have come, and how she was an answer to my prayers of wanting to be more converted unto Christ, and how together we've been able to learn effective communication and unity. Its was a very sacred moment we shared together and I love her.

Baptism of Rey Dominguez!!:D

here is your favorite missionary during personal study time ;)

hello this week was  wonderful we were able to have the baptism of REy Domingues. His faith has grown so much and i have a good feeling that he is going to be a strong faithful member of the church and he is going to serve with all his heart. WE love them so much he is so cute!  he always texts us with all his spiritual experiences. we love them they treat us llike family.

Oh i got to speak on sacrament meeting about my conversion , it was so good, i also talked about my momma and how I am teaching her and how much i LOVE her! we should all love each other as much as i love her because we are all children of God. i shared this scripture alma 36: 24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 

ok we taught  my mommy on Friday!! it was so special we taught her about faith and repentance, the lesson was great but it got even more spiritual when i shared  a personal experience we shared together! this is what i explained to her during the lesson

Joseph Barton, Bishop Pond (now brother Pond;) were over at our house. My mom and i were really angry and frustrated with each other, so my mom decided to  invite them over. They came and listened to my mom i admitted to her that i was being very prideful and didn't care of how upset she was at me, i didn't think i needed to change and that i needed to work things out with her. Also she had a hard time forgiving me and we just didn't feel any love in that room. they made us hug but we didn't feel sincere. Brother Barton asked if she would like a priesthood blessing and she did, then i got one as well. Immediately after that we felt the power of God and his Strength come over us, which gave us the ability to forgive one another and to have a mighty change of heart that caused us  to want to repent.
The love that came over us was so strong that we knew God loved us and that he has the power to give us the strength to reconcile and to have that peace and joy we cannot get on our own. Humility and Repentance before God and each other  is so good, and if you feel like you have the capacity to do it, pray with all the energy of your heart so that you may be filled with his love and strength to overcome. Her and i cried a little bit and i know that she will come around some day. We invited her to check out the church because she will never know if she will like it or not if she doesn't try it out. She smiled and said ok. except she will be going to the watsonville ward, because it is in Spanish. Well love you all and pray that you will all be led to those people that are ready to hear the gospel. 

service project at vicky zazueta's

God's Plan for the Family

this is the visitors center trip we took last Tuesday. we took the Correa family from Puerto Rico, they are really firm in their religion. the other day she texted us after we had dropped her and wanted to know if there is a day that we can go to the visitors center. my companion and I were super excited thinking that perhaps she had a sincere desire to know if our message was true and to give it another try. We had a good time at the visitors center especially the "God's Plan for the Family" part, my compabnion ans I showed her with the computer on how Book of Mormon and the Bible work together,  but she wasn't super eager to learn about what the Book of Mormon had to say although her family was really nice about it and actually wanted to look up scriptures. WE also watched the Mormon messages about the Modern day prophets, but it wasn't something she seemed to not care about. It is sad to see that some people choose not to ask God and to learn and study for themselves before they immediately reject it, but we know and have faith that we planted a seed in her heart and that someday they will want to learn for themselves if this is true. 

On the other hand our investigator Rey Dominguez and his wife to us there, he is already helping us in missionary work and he is so great and sincere. He is getting baptized thiscoming Saturday, a year later him and his R.M wife will be getting sealed in the temple. Yaay I am so excited!!