Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday Dear Mommy, Happy Birthday to you!

Last week was so frustrating when it lost my email. Right before time ran out and I clicked send, the email system logged me out. The weather was really cold for a few days right before the weekend, but for the last 2 days it has been back up in the 90s! And it is November! It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. I am really excited for both this year. They have been putting up Christmas lights at the temple since the beginning of October and will turn them on at the end of this month. I've heard that Christmas lights are crazy, and that we are so busy, but I've also heard that that transfer is full of miracles. I guess you all will find out about it when I do! We had a mission fast a few weeks ago, because the mission's goal is 400 more baptisms by the end of the year. We are going to have a White Christmas down here in Arizona and I am so excited to see it happen.

Last week for Halloween, we had some awesome activities. First of all, the English ward that meets in our building and our branch had a huge activity with the community on Friday night. They closed off two streets for it. On Saturday we had a trunk for the English ward that Rosalva's son goes to and we live in. Also that night, we got together with the elders in our district at one of their activites. Again, it was huge and for the whole community. It was in a park. We had a trunk, some elders had a trunk, and then the others put together a Tree of Life thing. The people had to hold onto an iron rod through a dark tunnel to a tree in the park the elders had decorated with christmas lights. There they got their candy or precious fruit. All the elders were dressed up as nephites. It was a lot of fun and I took some pictures so you will get to see them at some point.

I wrote about the Farnsworth family a few weeks ago. Sister Farnsworth is absolutely amazing. She is just soaking up the gospel, eating, sleeping, drinking it in. She reads all the standard works, plus the Liahona, plus the Gospel Principles and Joseph Smith manuals. AND, she tells her family in Mexico about it! The companionship (easier that saying Hermana Blades and Lopez, and I) was talking about it the other day, about different ways we can tell people are truly converted. First of all, they start looking forward to the missionaries coming over. At church Rosalva always asks to make sure we are goig to come visit her again throughout the week. Also, they love learning about the gospel. She reads with her husband and her son and always asks her husband to help her understand what they study. Also, they start sharing the gospel with those around them. If only we all could have the fire of an investigator or new member! We have come up with a competition for our ward to try and help them remember their conversion, because most of them are converts. It is like phase 10 but they have different missionary challenges. It is no surprise that the Mestre family, our awesome investigators, are winning right now. Speaking of the Mestres, I don't remember how much I've been explaining about their situation, but Hno. Mestre is married in Mexico and they have been working with lawyers here and there so that he can get divorced and they can get married. However, it has been almost 5 months now. They were supposed to find out the week I came into the field if he was divorced but because of the process they keep saying 60 more days, then 60 more days. They are so ready to get baptized and could really use the Holy Ghost. They have so many questions and study so hard. We want them to be part of our Christmas miracles. Presidente Kleinman our branch president called President Bassett Monday and they are going to call the Area authority over Arizona to see what can be done. I will be sure to keep you updated. I know that we will have their wedding/baptism before Christmas, I just know it. Along with Rosalva and her son (who haven't been committed yet but will be) that will be 5 baptisms for our little branch. Not only do I know that the mission will make its goal of bringing 400 more souls to Christ, but I know that our little area can help and add the the miracles. It is really great to see the work progressing. We found out in Zone Conference that the 4 Arizona missions are right now the strongest in the US. We are seeing so much success down here in Arizona, but we need to keep finding the people here that are ready. The field is not only white, but whiter everyday and there are more and more people ready to accept the gospel.

De Mesa con amor,
Hermana Ladd