Monday, August 11, 2014

Week Five

Dear Fam,
Hmm, what can I say for this week?  There hasn't been anything toooooo exciting or different happen, but it's been a pretty good week all the same.  We had divisions on Wednesday and so I went to Concepcion which is about an hour an a half away and stayed with Hermana Burningham.  She's from Utah, but only talked to me in English maybe twice.  She's a great sister training leader though.  We had divisions this week, which were nice.  At first I was a bit intimidated with Hermana Burningham, I don't know why, but she's a great sister training leader.  I was a tiny bit surprised to find that I missed my companion a lot when we separated for divisions, but it was a nice surprise!

Some of the things we need to do better are always have a copy of Book of Mormon with us.  I've been keeping an extra copy in my bag for the last few days, just in case the opportunity arises and I can give it to someone.  We also need to keep on top of our area book, and we spent about two hours yesterday updating everything.  We had only updated it once since I've been here, but don't worry, I'm going to make sure we do it each night from now on! Concepcion is colder than Turrialba, I had to sleep with an actual blanket!  Also there are a TON of small hills so the whole two days I was there all I did was walk up and down and up and down them.  My legs definitely got a work out.

We usually only teach 15-18 lessons in a week, and the Elders in our district leach at least 30 a week.  I think one of the reasons we don't have a ton of success is because our lessons are an hour or longer.  However we're going to change that.  We have to!!!  President Wilkinson says that they shouldn't be more than 30 minutes.  The problem is my companion, though a great teacher, loves to talk, and I don't understand enough to know how I can interrupt them and explain things faster and with more simplicity.  It's a work in progress I guess.
We haven't had Rosa's baptism yet, even though every letter I've written I've said we are going to on Saturday!  The problem was her family couldn't make it this Saturday, so right now we are planning to have her Baptism this Saturday.  I hope it works out!
My Miracle for the week:  Hermana Burningham had Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal.. Mmmm so yummy.  No, but we really have had real miracles.  For example, one day Hermana Burningham, one of her companions (she's in a trio) and I were in the bus.  We all were sitting in different seats and a family of three got on the bus.  There were a lot of empty seats by other people, but each one of them decided to sit by one of us.  We all had the opportunity to chat with one person of the family!  I don't know if anything will come of it, but it was a cool 'coincidence´.
Another cool experience is that there's a hermano in the church, Eloi, who is very very friendly and always happy.  He's been a convert of three years and has had a lot of problems.  His body is twisted a little, and so though he can walk he can't do much else.  We've never had him participate in lessons with investigators before, but I decided to ask him if he would accompany us to teach Sileni.  Sileni is a woman who lives alone and her house is always sad when we enter.  However, when we taught Sileni with Eloi the atmosphere was so much more happy, and she started crying when Eloi shared his testimony.  It was a great experience, although when we sang the hymn at the first Eloi sang super loudly (he has a good voice though) , and it was a hymn we didn't know super well so we started singing the wrong notes.  Well, Hermana Munoz and I started smiling, and then giggling!  We couldn't hold it in!  We definitely didn't bring the Spirit, but luckily Eloi asked if we could sing Teach Me to Walk in the Light as well.  By the second verse we were able to control ourselves, though I still couldn't stop smiling.

Tell Ellie happy birthday for me last Friday!!! I wrote happy birthday to her in my journal, so I didn't forget her! 
What, Joey only had four puppies?  Not the usual 7?  That's sad that one of them died.  Celia and Benson are having a boy!  Yay!  Ahh, I'm so excited!  It sounds like all of the family is returning home, I miss you guys!
I've definitely seen improvement on my Spanish.  There are times when I pray in English to help my companion learn the language and half way through the prayer I switch to Spanish without realizing it.  This week more than others I've definitely seen the gift of tongues working. 
Scripture of the Week: All of Alma 26 is so great, but I really loved these two verses, and they pertained to me, and all missionaries away from home!

 
35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you,there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we,since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, evenunto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and allunderstanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a mercifulBeing, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believeon his name. 36 Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my lifeand my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption fromeverlasting wo. Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who hasbeen mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree ofIsrael, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, Isay, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful ofus, wanderers in a strange land. 

Thank you for your love and support!
Les Quiero!

Hermana Bratt

Us with Eloi

A Birthday Party for a Sister in Our Ward


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