One Year!

That’s right a year ago I was in the MTC freaking out about learning Spanish (Spanish has only gotten a little better since then).  But with that year mark came the stomach flu - but hey I got exactly what any missionary would want (a day in bed), so I guess it was worth it in a way.  Also on that day was when a girl I taught in New Mexico got baptized (she is the first person I have taught on my mission to get baptized) and then I found out that the next day a guy I taught back in New Mexico also got baptized.  But the best part was Saturday (the next day).  We had a baptism of our own in this area.  It was the first time that I have found, taught, and been there for the baptism of someone. Ok, also the first time I have been there for a baptism of my own anyway. It came with a crazy day of our car door breaking and us having to run around everywhere but it ended well.   It was so funny though.  I have spent the past year of my mission feeling well not so great just because I didn’t have a baptism and now that I have, I feel exactly the same - it doesn't matter!   Baptisms don’t make a missionary successful.  All that matters is that we try our best and we do what the Lord needs us to do.

Hermana Grove

Valentine’s Day!

So we learned that Valentine’s Day sucks as a missionary.  Sooooo for Valentine's Day we went around and heartattacked (cut out cute little hearts and wrote on them and taped them to their doors)  our members and some of our investigators.  They all loved it so much and it was a great thing to keep us busy and distracted from the holiday for the day.  We would prepare all the hearts we had cut out and decorated and get tape on the back of them then sneak quietly to the door and put them on real fast (the tape was super loud) and then we would knock loud and run as fast as we could to our car parked around the corner.  It was so fun.  We only got caught once but the member was so cute.  She looked out the window (she heard the tape) and we were just like "shhhhh" so she went   O ok   and closed the blinds and then let us finish.  It was just a fun day to make others feel special.

Other than that there hasn't been anything else to exciting going on out here.   It’s been super warm so we have been working on our tan lines.

But we did have an awesome experience yesterday of being prompted by the Spirit.  We both felt the need to knock on a door that we knew there was no point in knocking on.  But we felt we should so when we did we knocked - no answer.  So we knocked again a bit louder - no answer and for some reason we both felt to knock again (we rarely ever knock 3 times)  and this time even louder.  And yep we had it confirmed that it was very important that we knocked.  It’s so great to see how Heavenly Father is mindful of all his children and will put someone in their path to help them when they need it.

Hermana Grove

Welcome to the Dirty T

This was what I read in a note for my day of exchange.  It was so true, it was dirty Tucson!   I went down south to the true ghetto of Tucson this week.  And wow was I incredibly thankful for my current area.  If you have ever seen the gangster movies where people get shot at in their apartments, ya that’s what this looked like.  It was crazy!   But the people were so nice and I got to learn a lot.  I really noticed how sometimes we take for granted the fact that we are called to represent Jesus Christ and all we wanna do is see our friends.  But there was one Elder that really helped me remember that during a dinner.  This Elder seriously changed the way I see my entire mission.   So this is what happened.  I was all happy to have dinner and we were having it with the other 4 Elders so it was gonna be a fun time getting to know them and making new friends and all right?   No....  This one Elder made us all talk in Spanish and include the member feeding us (you know like being polite and nice)  and then it was time to share the message since after dinner we always share a spiritual thought of some form.  It usually is just a random nice scripture that we like but this Elder had a whole lesson planned!   Using a bible, video and singing a hymn and everything.  I started that dinner just kinda laughing on the inside about how stuck up this guy was being and left feeling so humbled and seeing how much better I could be.  It’s crazy the twists and turns we take as missionaries and how much it changes us.

Hermana Grove

Another day hiking...

February?!?!

Wow!  That means that it’s been just about a whole year that I have been a missionary!   It’s crazy how fast time has gone by.    

So not to much has happened this week.    

We basically do the same thing everyday, it’s just trying to find people to teach which involves a lot of walking around but it means we are working on our tans and exercising.  I’ve even lost a bit of weight lately!  So exciting.

We apparently have now turned into moms to our elders cuz we are constantly having to find dinner for them and making them desserts.  But we love them so it’s worth it.

Well that’s really about it.  Have a good week everyone!

Hermana Grove