Hi! How are you all? I feel like it's been forever since I last wrote. So much has happened. Feels good to sit here and write you all. Okay, can you believe we're already a week into October? Wow! Well, we found out on Tuesday in our district meeting that we had transfers and were at the bus terminal early morning. Hermana Cozzens got transferred. Honestly, it was really hard to see her go..we started to cry as we said goodbye at the terminal. We both felt that yes, the mission goes on and we'll continue to have great experiences with new people but a very rich part of our mission was ending. I enjoyed these past two changes so much with her. She really is one of my very best friends now! However....every goodbye means another hello, ¿verdad?! My new companion is Hermana Machuca from San Salvador, El Salvador. She's been on the mission for almost 16 months, just about to turn 23, studies marketing, baptized at age 14, has like a Mexican-ish Spanish accent and ya, seems like a good missionary. I'm looking forward to working with her. We'd always see each other and talk a little bit at Zone Conferences and activites and she always seemed way fun...so it should be good!
Okay, so we were able to watch ALL sessions of General Conference this past weekend! It was SOO awesome. The church downtown had all these different rooms set up for people to watch in Spanish or Guarani...and even a room for us missionaries to watch in English which was def a special treat! I seriously enjoyed every word. It was like a spiritual feast! I'm so impressed with our church leaders and how they are so on top of everything and share exactly what we need to hear in these latter days. I've felt an extra power or boost this past week as we've taught people about the restoration and how we have a living prophet and apostles on the earth today! They truly are men called of God.
The work goes on here. Still trying to help and prepare Gladis for her baptism. We found a couple of way great girls who are in their 20's who came to Conference and seem to be interested which is exciting! We have lots of people who we just really need to find out they are really going to progress or not. At times it seems that tradition and culture are the two biggest battles we face here. Trying to get people to see that they believe the things they do because of tradition no mas and not because they have a personal testimony. Many times in the Book of Mormon we read something along the lines of how "the traditions of their fathers" affected generations for good or bad. I really can understand that now, and how traditions have a huge impact on ones life. We see it every day and it's an ongoing battle for sure.
So here's some sad news. Gloria, who was baptized in July, her son Osvaldo has totally gone into the deep end. The thing is, it happened so fast. Before Osvaldo was baptized in June he did drugs, drank, smoked, robbed, etc. he totally changed, was baptized, baptized his mom, has been off drugs for about 6 months or so, would always plan FHE's with people from the ward, activities with youth, etc. he really is such a good guy! But just last week he fell again out of nowhere. Satan works hard. We saw him one time last week and he was just like shaking...his body craving for more drugs. He told us he had sold all of his things to buy more drugs. He's totally addicted. It' so sad. At that point he did have plans to meet with the Bishop, but since that time he has left and hasn't come back. We don't know where he is or who he is with. Of course Gloria is devastated. It's been a really rough week for her. O noticed she has been relying more on prayer and reading the scriptures more to find comfort and guidance. She seems to be doing a little better but really, I just feel so bad for them.
I really am so grateful for the Gospel. I know when we learn and apply the teachings of Christ in our lives, we will receive blessings and find happiness. The key part is the applying part. We have to do our part. Of course if we do these things our lives won't automatically be perfect, we aren't perfect, no one is....but we have the opportunity to repent daily, find peace, learn more, progress and as we say here...!seguir adelante!...keep moving foward.
Well family, I hope all is well with each and every one of you!! Thanks for all your love and support!! I hope you have a great weekend! Sounds like you all have some fun plans for next week...fall break!! So fun! Oh, this is random, but we just did our grocery shopping and in the supermarket here they have Christmas trees up! Yay for Navidad!
Okay! Love you all!!! You're in my prayers. The church is true!!
Okay, so we were able to watch ALL sessions of General Conference this past weekend! It was SOO awesome. The church downtown had all these different rooms set up for people to watch in Spanish or Guarani...and even a room for us missionaries to watch in English which was def a special treat! I seriously enjoyed every word. It was like a spiritual feast! I'm so impressed with our church leaders and how they are so on top of everything and share exactly what we need to hear in these latter days. I've felt an extra power or boost this past week as we've taught people about the restoration and how we have a living prophet and apostles on the earth today! They truly are men called of God.
The work goes on here. Still trying to help and prepare Gladis for her baptism. We found a couple of way great girls who are in their 20's who came to Conference and seem to be interested which is exciting! We have lots of people who we just really need to find out they are really going to progress or not. At times it seems that tradition and culture are the two biggest battles we face here. Trying to get people to see that they believe the things they do because of tradition no mas and not because they have a personal testimony. Many times in the Book of Mormon we read something along the lines of how "the traditions of their fathers" affected generations for good or bad. I really can understand that now, and how traditions have a huge impact on ones life. We see it every day and it's an ongoing battle for sure.
So here's some sad news. Gloria, who was baptized in July, her son Osvaldo has totally gone into the deep end. The thing is, it happened so fast. Before Osvaldo was baptized in June he did drugs, drank, smoked, robbed, etc. he totally changed, was baptized, baptized his mom, has been off drugs for about 6 months or so, would always plan FHE's with people from the ward, activities with youth, etc. he really is such a good guy! But just last week he fell again out of nowhere. Satan works hard. We saw him one time last week and he was just like shaking...his body craving for more drugs. He told us he had sold all of his things to buy more drugs. He's totally addicted. It' so sad. At that point he did have plans to meet with the Bishop, but since that time he has left and hasn't come back. We don't know where he is or who he is with. Of course Gloria is devastated. It's been a really rough week for her. O noticed she has been relying more on prayer and reading the scriptures more to find comfort and guidance. She seems to be doing a little better but really, I just feel so bad for them.
I really am so grateful for the Gospel. I know when we learn and apply the teachings of Christ in our lives, we will receive blessings and find happiness. The key part is the applying part. We have to do our part. Of course if we do these things our lives won't automatically be perfect, we aren't perfect, no one is....but we have the opportunity to repent daily, find peace, learn more, progress and as we say here...!seguir adelante!...keep moving foward.
Well family, I hope all is well with each and every one of you!! Thanks for all your love and support!! I hope you have a great weekend! Sounds like you all have some fun plans for next week...fall break!! So fun! Oh, this is random, but we just did our grocery shopping and in the supermarket here they have Christmas trees up! Yay for Navidad!
Okay! Love you all!!! You're in my prayers. The church is true!!
My new companion...Hermana Machuca!
Hermana's Cozzens and Sargent with Gloria!
Renato with Hermana Cozzens and Hermana Sargent!
Hermana's Sargent and Cozzens!!
A monkey that was chilling on the garbage can outside our apt one morning! Crazy!
me and fatima
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