We don't really do anything for Halloween though. But we get fed enough here with all of the hermanas taking care of us that I guess we don't need any candy anyways. But our ward did have a sweet Halloween activity! Basically everyone dressed up and they just had a huge dance party. I love that we're in the party ward of El Paso.
Man this week was a roller coaster again. And I seriously don't remember like any of it. I'm going to have to start writing things down to email.
We're still finding lots of people to teach so we're super pumped! But a lot of them are basically impossible to find again so we're working on getting really solid new investigators. But the ones we can find are doing so amazing! Hermana Smurthwaite is doing great! She's learning Spanish super fast and we're starting to really teach more unified.This month of November is going to be awesome!
Funny story. I'm still adjusting to the whole P-day switching to Mondays thing so basically this whole week I kept taking us to do things a day early, like we always have lunch with a certain member on Wednesdays and so we show up on Tuesday instead and just had a nice little accidental visit. I'll figure this out one day!
So probably the hardest part of this week was saying goodbye to an incredible investigator and friend. Cecilia decided to move back to Juarez so that she could better keep the commandments (that's a whole long, complicated story) but so Friday we went over to teach her one last lesson and say goodbye.
She shared with us her amazing story of battling cancer and how she was told that she only had a few days left on more than one occasion, but how in that hospital room she found God and had the faith enough to be healed each time. She told us about how since that day she has been searching for God's true church on the earth, and her search is finally over. She is so converted and she is going to do amazing things in Juarez. It was bittersweet to see her go because I know that she's doing exactly what her Heavenly Father wants her to do, but goodbyes are just hard. But I'll see her again soon I'm sure!
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| Saying goodbye to Cecilia |
And an awesome miracle story for the week! There's an investigator that we taught once way back in September, and a lot of things were going on in his life and we just haven't heard from him since. So Sunday we're in the chapel and we turn around, AND THERE'S JUAN MANUEL!
We were so happy to see him and it'll still be a little bit before he can really regularly meet with us, but that was such a sweet surprise. We got to teach him a quick lesson and he even stayed to watch a baptism that the elders had after church. Tender mercies!
This week I've been thinking a lot about what the Atonement of Jesus Christ (His sacrifice for us) means in our daily lives. My one New Year's resolution this year was to understand the Atonement better and it's been so amazing reflecting on what I've learned so far this year. I can testify without a doubt, because I've been able to experience it in my own life and see it in the lives of so many others, that what the Savior heals stays healed. Whether it be sins we need to repent of or emotional burdens, the Savior can fix everything. We just have to let Him. I love the chorus of the hymn 'I Stand All Amazed',
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!
He truly is Wonderful. I love my Savior and I love being a missionary!
Have a great week!
Hermana Martin
