Fun Sunday

So this week has been crazy.  I have my first progressing investigator in a while. Her name is Julissa and she is 15.  She is part of our Honduran family.  She is so cute and fun, but is 15 so it’s hard to make stuff stick with her.... haha but I love that family so much.  Yesterday my companion  and I got to take the kids to primary and the 3 year old did not want me to leave her.  She just kept holding on to me.  Finally after singing I am a Child of God we were able to sneak away.  It was so fun.  So next week is transfers and we are almost positive that I will be leaving.  It’s really sad cuz I have been here 4 months now and feel like part of the branch, but I know its time to go.

We also got to celebrate Pioneer day and for the activity we had breakfast - of corn on the cob, and meat and bread.  Then we got to go on  a "trek".  It was a walk around the baseball field.  I don't know why but it was just soooo funny!   We had a ton of fun with our branch.

Much Love to all!

Hermana Grove

It’s raining miracles!

So just wow!  This week has been amazing!!!!!

First miracles:

The first was Tuesday Night.  We had just been leaving from english class that no one came to when a member from the english ward grabbed us and was like, hermanas there is a guy here who wants to know more about the church and he isn't a member, he just walked in.  So we went running to find him!  We did and taught him an AMAZING restoration lesson in the chapel and the spirit was amazingly strong.  But he was YSA (Young Single Adult)  so we passed him to the YSA sisters and apparently he is amazing for them too and they have gotten to teach him. 

Then number 2:  Was Wednesday night.  OK, this one has 2 parts. 

So last week we picked up this new investigator and we weren't exactly sure how solid he was just cuz he didn’t really set firm appointments so, we finally set a firm appointment with him for at the church building.  We honestly weren't 100% sure he would show up,  but low and behold when we pulled into the parking lot there he was!  And so we taught an amazing lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and gave him a church tour.  So fast forward to the next day we go to see him and knock 3 times, we can hear him inside and see his car there so we just sat down in chairs right in front of his door and waited like a minute.  He finally came out and was like hold on hold on I just got out of the shower - so he hurried out to see us.   Then on Sunday he came to church!  And when we saw him pull into the parking lot we were just so amazed - of course he was running a tiny bit late and so he came running across the parking lot to see us and come to church!

Part 2 to Wednesday was we had just finished our lesson with the investigator above and were gonna go play football with the branch.  So we go get our clothes and when we come back in there was a young man looking for the addiction recovery class, but the class wasn't there so we just sat down and taught him about the Atonement and a little about our church.   He said that he didn't believe in coincidences and that he must be in the church with us for a reason,  my companion and I just looked at each other and were like...  ya we think so too.   But again like the night before he was YSA so we passed him but the elders haven’t heard from him yet :(

Ok so now for the rain part.  On Saturday we got to go on exchanges and so I was in a different area.  And we were going to find some potentials, but a monsoon hit and so we decided that the Lord's work doesn’t stop for a little rain. (ok for a lot of rain)   So we ran around this apartment complex looking for the right address and in the process got totally soaked!   I would have a picture but forgot my cable today (oops) but my shoes are still wet from that day!

Then Church:   We had a family there who I have been working with since day 1 out here and they finally came to church for the first time in 5 years!   Again picture would be inserted here.   But I was just so thrilled to see them there and they were so cute and happy.  Then we had another investigator there from a less active family too who is almost not less active anymore.  And then another less active!   I was just so amazed at how much this area is growing.

And now for my bit of spiritualness, is that I have been obsessed with the scripture in Matthew that "with the Lord all things are possible"  It really is so true!  Just like how the perfect love of God can cast out all fear I know that with the Lord's hand and his help anything is possible!

That's all for now

Love Hermana Grove

Miracles

So this week has been an amazing one of miracles!

I dont even know where to start.   So this Wednesday we found out that one of our investigators was living with her boyfriend and so we left her with the challenge to pray about what to do.  Well come Saturday we show up to see 3 cop cars outside their house and the family all outside watching (not what you ever want to see pulling up)    It turned out that her boyfriend had been drinking the night before so they went and spent the night somewhere else then he was drinking again Saturday and got in a fight with her daughter.  So her daughter called the cops and he got taken away.   So we got to help her see that that was her answer to her prayer and that he was a very bad influence.  Then she went to church this week too!

Then on Thursday we had a relife society activity making bread and had 27 women there!   which is a huge turn out.  everyone had so much fun and the bread turned out so good.   Then we followed that up on Friday with a talent show and had at least 70 people there!   and everyone had a ton of fun!  I got to participate and us as missionaries put on a skit of what would happen with Abraham and Issac in our day - it was SO funny!

So now on Saturday we chose to go to Yard Sales to find people.   So we went around and struck so lucky!   we first contacted a guy who has been looking for a church to go too.  Then I got to contact a deaf family.  My year of ASL paid off finally!  haha I was so happy and we really saw that we were ment to be there cuz the next closest missionary who knows ASL  are the ASL elders about 20 miles away.   then We met a woman who is firned with a member in our branch and we chated with her and are going back soon.  But with all that since we chatted with the last woman so long she just gave me a pair of shoes that I wanted.

And to top it all off We had 4 investigators at church!   one came with his less active family.  and then we also had another less active member come to church too!

So something interesting we did this week was we were extra bold but loving.   like the less active family to the investigator we sat down and were really bold and told her that she needs to turn her life back around and read Helaman 7 which is a very blunt chapter of scripture.   It is crazy to use the power and authority that we have been given but I know that if its with Love and the Spirit it works and its the Lord's Hand guiding us!

So basically this week rocked and our branch prasident was so happy we did a happy dance together yesterday :)

Love Hermana Grove

Fourth of July!

So this week was Fourth of July which was so fun!

We went out that day with the intent of making memories and getting eggees.  (it's like a snow cone,  and this is very important)    So we started with a visit to a member and received a watermelon.  Then went about trying to find people and seeing people like we normally do.   We kept not having the time to stop at eggees though.  Then we had dinner....  At dinner we got fed the equivalent of 2 dinners!  First, a classic plate of beans rice and pollo then after we finished that we were given Sonoran Hot dogs!    We thought we were gonna explode.  So eggees was out of the question then.  Then we booked it down to another appointment where he fed us some cookies.   But then we had to be in early so we went back towards home and on our way went to get eggees - yep even though we were full we were very determined.   But then eggees was closed!   They closed early for 4th of July :(    So heart broken we chose to settle for ice cream at Circle K.   While paying, the cashier saw my tag and asked if I spoke spanish so we started talking to him in spanish and he wondered why two super white girls were speaking spanish.   So we left him with a mormon.org card and our phone number.   We went home convinced he will be our next person to be baptized.   So we enjoyed our ice cream and watched fireworks from our our little window while standing on my companion's bed so we could see over the little wall outside.  Now fast forward to the next night.  We are walking to our apartment and a car pulls up and the man was a member of the YSA ward so we talked and left him with the challenge to give away a mormon.org card.  We shared our experience of the previous day and he goes,  “That’s my friend!  I’m about to go see him!”   So he had us write our number on the card and this Circle K cashier was given the same card and number two days in a row!   There is no way that was a coincidence!

So other news is that my Spanish is improving so much.  I even am part of conversations at dinner now and can know most of what is going on at church!   It really is crazy that just four months ago I knew barely anything and now I have conversations in the car and at dinner and everywhere in Spanish just like it’s a very normal thing.

So it was a good week!

I hope that everyone has a good week thank you for reading about my fun adventures here!

Hermana Grove

Working Harder

So this week has been amazing!    We are working so super hard it’s crazy.   It makes me appreciate my uncomfortable rock of a bed.  I sleep on it the whole night.   We are seriously determined to help out this area and our little branch.   And because of all this we had one of our investigators come to church for the first time!    I was so happy and the whole branch knew it and welcomed them with open arms.   We have also been working a ton with our less active members and trying to find any others that live in our area.   We only have 5 more to find and are super excited to work with them.  Basically my new companion is amazing!   We both want to work crazy hard.  We both like running in the morning - which is kinda hard to find.  And we both just like having fun and aren’t totally stressing out if we aren’t perfect  (which is the best thing you can possibly do as a missionary)

Our Mission President sent this quote out today and I love it so much I want to keep it and want everyone to read it.  It’s from President Hinckely “Don’t be gloomy.  Do not dwell on unkind things. Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face. ‘Accentuate the positive.’ Look a little deeper for the good.  Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with great and strong purpose in your heart.  Love life.” 

It’s also Monsoon season so last night was a crazy wind and bit of rain storm.   We still haven’t had a huge monsoon yet but it’s getting here and it really is so amazing and fun!

Much Love

Hermana Grove