Otra Vez

Once upon a time I was in college (this was many moons ago) and it was finals week and I thought I was really tired. Then I became Sister Shaffers companion again and we both wanted to work so hard that we found out what true exhaustion is. I think she may secretly be trying to kill me but is cleverly disguising it. We haven't had a real dinner in like a week haha.

So what I hope you got from that is 1) I am very tired and 2) SISTER SHAFFER AND I ARE COMPANIONS AGAIN!!!! Transfers happened and Sister Shaffer has once again made it down to Queen Creek. We are so pumped to work together especially now that we kind of know what we are doing (lol) and can kind of speak the language (again lol). 

Last transfer Sister Fuimaono and I spent a lot of time finding and our area is literally booming right now because of it. We have people falling out of the sky right now and we are running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to manage it all. Hopefully this next week we will get our feet under us a bit more though. The only thing I wish I had more of was time. We never get to half the things we need to do especially now with a YSA ward to juggle on top of our Spanish one. We share the YSA with our zone leaders and they have four wards and I don't know how they do it. I was called Spanish for a reason for sure. 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEEK:

Daniel got baptized and spoke at the new member fireside and everyone agrees he is the tenderest thing ever and we taught him how to dab.

The Torres Family ( which apparently is the Rivera family...oops haha) is coming back into activity, Lorena had her baby which is the cutest thing ever and Marisol and Lorena committed to being baptized! Sergio is working really hard with Bishop so that he can be the one to do it and I can't say enough how flawless that man's hair is. I just want to write a poem about it or something. It's magnificent.

We had a bomb lesson with Lupe and he committed to pray about baptism on February 24th. He actually brought it up even before we could and is excited about the idea of it all. He's tricky to get in with but comes to church every week and wants it! I also really like being able to talk about art with him (he's a tattoo artist and paints and draws on the side).

We got to go visit with Gloria and recap all our fun times together. It really was so good to see her. If everyone could keep her in their prayers that would be awesome. She's really struggling right now but it's all going to be okay.

It really has been a crazy week but Sister Shaffer and I are so pumped to be back together and so ready to give this transfer everything we've got. I know we are going to see miracles this transfer and I know we already have. The longer I have been on my mission the more I have seen that it truly isn't us that are doing the work - yes we go out and give it everything we've got but it is God that leads and guides us and gives us those miracles and blessings. These past few transfers as I've had to be out of my area more I've seen God taking care of it when I couldn't and it truly humbles me. He knows when we are trying. He knows when we are giving it everything we've got and He blesses us for it. The only thing He asks is that we are out trying, putting our whole selves into this work. I know God leads and directs this work because it is the salvation of His children. No one desires for us to succeed more than He does because no one loves them more than He does. I can testify to you that you have a loving Heavenly Father who is cheering you on, picking you up when you fall, and doing everything He can to help us live a joyful life, which is much different than a happy one. 

I love being a missionary (even when I'm exhausted) because I love my Father in Heaven. 

To the Moon and Back!

Hermana Showalter