Jan. 26, 2015:
We were able to visit the temple this last preparation day! So special! :) I LOVE this picture ofHermana (Sister) Guevara and me! We are so excited to have a temple here in Trujillo! What a blessing for the people here and for the people who are waiting for their work to be done! I seriously have missed the temple so much! I love remembering the amazing feelings and experiences I was able to have in temple in Lima and the temples in Utah! But I cannot wait to go to the Trujillo temple in June!!!! What an exciting time! This work is so special! It is really hard but it is so amazing at the same time! What a blessing that I can be a representative of Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father and help the people here in Trujillo. Many times a day I am reminded of the story of starfish on the beach...the man who is throwing them back into the ocean one by one. Someone makes the comment...there is no way you can save all the starfish...but we can try our best...right?! Sometimes I get discouraged with all the work we still have and the people who aren´t progressing...but I need to remember this! :)
Photo of Jennesa playing "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul" at a baptismal service last Saturday (her companion is holding her music).
Dear amazingly, marviollso familia y amigos (marvelous family and friends) !!!
Oh how I love getting to write you! I am always amazed at the support I have...thank you all! :) I got some more mail this week!!!! From Mimi y Papa, Welch´s (earmuffs, possibly for Junio[June] or Julio [July] ;)), and Marissa Brunner!!! Muchos Gracias a todos (Thank you all so much) !!!!
This week was a tough one for sure but we did see some neat miracles as well. It was really hard this week because we had a really exciting lesson with one of our investigators, Gissela. She was excited for her marriage and we even set a date-Feb. 20...she even said her husband was softening his heart some and being more willing to be married. We were really excited! We went back the next morning to tell her about the time and place of the wedding this past weekend so she could see how it was...but as we walked up to their apartment complex...we saw all their things out on the sidewalk...it was really odd. There were two police cars. When I noticed that all the things were theirs...I gasped and said...Gissela! Luckily the policemen didn´t hear me. Hna. G (Sister Guevara) told me to just follow her, so we just walked past. We watched from a distance and we could see her future husband, Joe moving the things from the sidewalk inside. We were really worried. Later that day we went back and were ringing their doorbell when one of their neighbors saw us and informed us that they didn´t live there anymore! We were shocked! And to make it worse...Gissela didn´t have a cellphone at that time. We think she got a new one and we have been trying to contact her but she doesn´t answer or respond. We are so heartbroken. This is a time when we have to really trust in the Lord´s plan for us and for our investigators. It is sure hard sometimes.
We were able to help with a wedding and two baptisms this last Sabado (Saturday), though! What a blessing! We helped with decorations and food for the wedding in the morning and then for the baptism I was able to play my violin, "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul"! I LOVE this song so much! What a blessing to have the music! We also helped with the reception in the evening!
Pretty neat how Heavenly Father works in mysterious ways. We had asked a member to come to one of our lessons. He has a taxi so we were waiting for him but he was really late. We were bummed because the family we had a lesson with was only available from 2:30-3:15ish...by the time he picked us up and we got there we had about 5 minutes. But....we were able to talk a little bit about temples...Victor (amazing member) was able to share his testimony...and at the end when Jaime (menos activo [less active]) mentioned that his daughter was still sick (2 anos [2 years old]) Victor offered right away to give her a blessing! So amazing! Jaime jumped right up and brought her in the room...she was sleeping! Really neat experience! And Victor helped jump Jaime´s car tambien (too)! What a neat experience! Members are the best!
RANDOM:
-Oh my heavens tabetsy! It is SOOOOO hot! My neck...oh my dearest...and my face! I´m pretty much just a raccoon!
-Mosquitos are a part of my life here...a family had a little fiesta (party) on my ankle...I have about 5 on my ankle! :(
-On Tuesday I ate SHARK!!! Isn´t that crazy?!
-Wednesday-ate a chicken toe...I was offered a whole foot...but I just tried a toe! :/ Interesante(Interesting)!
FUNNIES Y INSPIRATIONALS:
-Uggghhh...we have this member who always laughs at my lovely Spanish! He comes to church sometimes...but anyway...when we talked to him he said...to my companion...I don´t understand her...why is she speaking English? Basically! Oh my heavens! He really tests my patience and I kind of have to remind myself that I am a missionary...so that I´m nice and smiley! :)
-This sweet member of our ward has cancer and she is bedridden. We with Hna. (Sister) Mathis andHna. (Sister) Ascencio were able to go and visit with her yesterday. We were able to sing her two favorite hymns and I was able to accompany on my violin! So special! What a neat spirit!
I love you all soooooooooooooooooooo much! I hope you remember that you are special and that Heavenly Father has a plan for you personally!
Love,
Hermana Coleman :D
