My dearest family!

Hello my wonderful, amazing family!

 

How fun you are all on vacation!!! It sounds like you all are having a blast! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIE!!!

 

Wow! What a week it has been. I have had so many tender experiences this week where I KNOW that Heavenly Father is looking out for me. He takes care of his missionaries, that is for sure! I have lots of stories to share this week.

 

First, we have a brand new town in our area called Juanico. I dont think missionaries have been there hardly at all, just lots of testigos (Jehovah Witness missionaries.) We walk and walk and walk some more...easily 10 kilometers a day. easily! Everyday we see small milagros, but Thursday was amazing. Hna Harris and I have made it a goal to accomplish all of our weekly and daily goals of finding people and the number of lessons we will teach. We made it a goal not to go home at the end of the day until our goals are completed. Everyday we move forward with faith that the Lord will guide us to those who need to hear our message of the restored gospel. I want to tell you about a specific day, because it was amazing! Thursday. We got off the amnibus and began walking...walking down the dirt road, headed to the campo. We just kept walking and didnt really know where we were going. Every once in a while, we would see a small little farming house. We would clap at the entrance (p.s. you clap at doors instead of knock or ring the doorbell, super different!) and then introduce ourselves and then get to know them, and then talk about the gospel. We were having so much success and people wanted us to come back another day to teach them more. We kept walking, passed a house the first time. The people of the house were on their porch drinking their mate, they didnt look interested, so we kept walking. The road ended and so we decided to go back. We walked passed this particular house one more time, the people were still outside. We both received a strong impression or thought to go and talk to them. So thats what we did! We began talking and found out that the wife, Gabriella, is a less active member and was baptized 14 years ago! We had no record of her and we found her which was so cool! The husband, Oracio and the son, Gaston are not baptized. We taught them a little about the Book of Mormon and they really wanted us to come back and teach them another day. We made a cita, appt, and then we left. We were so happy as we were walking away because we met the rest of our goals. We decided to pray and thank Heavenly Father for placing these special people into our lives, but then Hna Harris said,¨We need to invite them to be baptized, and you are doing it.¨ We both new and felt like that was what we needed to do. We walked a little ways back to the house and with my poor spanish, I asked them if he would be baptized. (Oracio and Gaston). They didnt understand me very well, so Hna Harris repeated what I said. And they said YES! The most firmest yes I have ever heard. We told them that we have a date set for Sept 21st. It was the most spiritual experience and we were so thankful that we listened to those quiet promptings of the spirit! The whole day was just full of miracles. Heavenly Father puts people in our path everyday.

 

I have learned a lot from this experience, how important it is to follow those quiet thoughts. The spirit is not loud at all. I have learned the every good thought comes from God, and is a prompting. We didnt know why we were walking and walking miles and miles, we just kept walking, there was a reason and we didnt know the reason until meeting these sweet people. And I have learned how important it is to ¨Not judge a book by its cover.¨This sweet people were so dirty and without showers, no teeth, and living in the middle of nowhere. it would have been easy just to walk past, say a quick hello, and to be on our way. But I am so thankful to Heavenly Father for placing them into our lives. It was just a miracle.

 

Speaking of the campo, wow is it beautiful! Just miles, or kilometers, of farmland. Lots of cows, pigs, goats, and sheep. I love it!

 

Another special experience was on Wednesday at our Zone Conference with President Newsome. The hermanas in my zone...ah i just love them. I had a tender experience with my sweet friend, Hermana Sandoval from Columbia. She told me that she had a secret to tell me. She said,´I don´t know, but when I first met you a few weeks back, I had the strongest impression that I knew you before, like we were friends in the Pre earth life.¨ She hugged me tight and wouldnt let go. The spirit was so strong and I knew that it was true. I remember Nettie telling me that before I left that I will meet many people that I have already created a relationship with before this life. It is so true.

 

Our sweet investigator, Monica, asked me to pray in english after one of our lessons with her. The funny thing was, was I couldnt! I could not pray in english! Monica is a great investigator. She is so poor, but so humble. I wish you could see what people live in here.

 

Mom, you are going to die! Since its getting warm outside and almost summer, the bugs are coming out of hiding!!! And by bugs, I mean COCKROACHES! And they are HUGE! like the size of my finger! It is terrifying. We have screamed several times and literally pray at night that we will be safe from the cockroaches.

 

Gosh, missions are the best thing in the world. They are hard, but they are the best. I am learning so much. I am coming closer to my Savior and my Heavenly Father. I LOVE the scriptures more than I ever have before and I understand what I read. Anne, Cami D, and Sister Wormell and more people have written me emails, and I just dont have time to email them back. Please tell them that I love them and thank you! Please send me letters in the mail, with extra stamps, if you can!

 

I love you all MUCHISIMO! Have fun the rest of the week on your vacations and have a great 11th birthday ANNIE!!!

 

Until next week,

Hermana Coon!