22 June 2010

Happy Father's Day, Dad, and Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! Hope they both were enjoyable and not tooo stressful with the move.

Well I have to say that this transfer was the one where I got the faster confirmation on companionship ever. Even though I have had really great companions my whole mission, sometimes you don't know why you have to be with specific ones or what you are supposed to learn from them until later in the transfer or even after it is over. I love this companionship and am excited for the best transfer ever. My companions are both awesome and together we are a great companionship. Hna. Rodio is like a little ball of sunshine in our companionship. I love being back at the VC and feel like I can be more involved in improving the work there. We have so much fun as a companionship and yet are able to get tons of work done. The Lord keeps blessing me with transfers I don't deserve. I just hope that I can make a difference for good in the lives of my companions, just as they do in mine.

Rogelio's baptism went wonderfully on Saturday. Not many of the ward showed up which was disappointing but common for the ward. However, as Sis. Rodio said, Rogelio was there and Heavenly Father was there and that is all that matters. Hna. McBride and I worked harder for this baptism than for any other in my mission. That isn't meaning that my other baptisms weren't as meaningful, but they didn't need as much support from us the missionaries. I felt like we really had to fight for Rogelio and help him keep his spirits up. It was so worth it. Rogelio is a rougher looking man. He has longer hair, a large black widow spider on one side of his neck and a smaller spider on the other side and an earring in one ear. Those are my favorite baptisms, to see people who once were some of the hardest-hearted people in the world become now the cleanest and happiest. What made his baptism and confirmation even better for me was what happened last night. We went over to Armando's (the recent convert we have FHE with every week, sorry, but I really forget how much I write about these people and so I never know if you know who I am talking about) anyways, Rogelio also lives in the trailers and came last night and it was a miracle. I felt like I didn't even recognize him. He was smiling and joking around with the kids there. He was happy and I had never seen him that happy in all the time meeting with him. I had been praying for him to recognize the remission of his sins when it came, to really be able to feel it because he was a little worried that he had been so bad he couldn't be forgiven and last night I got the answer to my prayer and I know he got the answer to so many of his. That happiness he feels right now is a testimony that the he has received the Holy Ghost and is allowing its influence in his life. I hope that he never loses that. Sometimes those of us who have been members of the church longer sometimes forget what if felt like not to have the Holy Ghost so we don't recognize that it feels any different to have the Holy Ghost and we take it for granted. Let's never take that for granted and always recognize that the happiness in our life is attribute to the fact that we are blessing with the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Juan Ortega is also starting to get that more and more in his life and he has decided to be baptized. He is really excited about it and knows that he has made the right decision. We were a little hesitant when he asked how soon can I be baptized and we told him that the soonest was in about 3 months (he has some repenting to do before then). But he took it super well and since he doesn't know any different he said "3 months sounds great!" I really love that I am here in Liahona 4th. I love serving a mission and can honestly say that this past transfer and this past week have been the happiest 7 weeks of my life. I have been happy before, but the joy felt when you give your life to share the gospel can only be described in the words of Alma: "My joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God... Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel..."

Desde Mesa con amor,
Hermana Ladd