The One Where Mis Ojos Son Azules

 Hey yall! Sorry I missed writing last week. We went to the temple, we played a lot of pickleball, my shoes broke so I was being a lil homemaker and sewing them back together, and I just got too stressed to write. But I am back and better than ever!! It is transfer week and I am going to be staying in the Foothills YSA ward... and training a new missionary again. Crazy. Pray for me and her. Anyways, let's get into it......

Some happy things and what I learned from them:

• TWO of our recent converts got to go to the temple this week! SAANY and KYLE!! Yay!! We got to go with Saany! He loved it so much!! He texted us before and told us that he was just going to watch today, because he was nervous (we decided to ignore that text) but his friend convinced him to just go for it!! He got to baptize Sister Stoddart and I for our ancestors and it was literally such a full circle moment lol. We helped him get baptized and then he baptized us loll. 

• For a long time, we have been trying to get in contact with this one member who has been struggling a little. We went over to knock her house on Wednesday. She wasn't there, but a guy named Tony answered. We asked if he wanted to hear a message of Christ. He said of course!! He told us that he had a come unto Jesus moment and has been looking for ways to change his life and take steps towards that. I was like "oooo ooo I know the answer to that one. BAPTISM!!" in my head and then the spirit was like "no, you actually do know the answer, so just say it out loud" SO we invited him to be baptized right there, first contact, and he said yes!! Sadly he is not YSA aged, so we had a pass off lesson with the sisters in his ward. But it was SO cool!! He's on date for June 15th yay Tony!

• We had an AMAZING lesson with our friend Carlos this week. He LOVES the plan of salvation. He makes me realize how lucky I am to know that God loves all of His children so much that he is going to provide every one of His children with a perfect place for them in the end!! Sadly, we found out that he lives VERY far away from us, so #sendhimtoothermissionaries again, but its ok, I have loved getting to be a part of these peoples' conversions!

• We have been getting in contact with SO many inactive members who are ready to come back to the fold. It actually brings me so much joy!! These members have remembered the joy that they felt as they drew closer to Christ and are wanting that joy back in their life again. 4 of those less active members have started coming back to church this transfer. Literally so cool.

Some hard things and what I learned from them:

• Some days this week have been hard to keep going. Sometimes it gets tiring when I feel like we are doing the same thing over and over again. But this week I tried to focus my prayers and my thoughts more on others than on myself. It helped a lot.

• Some of our friends are facing a lot of adversity right now and are not really progressing. Its really hard and I feel super helpless. It feels like I cant do anything and I hate that feeling. Prayer is like the only answer right now. Sometimes it is so hard to just trust in the Lord, because it makes me feel helpless. But then that is just my pride getting in the way. I still have a lot to learn about trusting in the Lord fully. 

Some funny things that made me laugh:

• SO many people have been commenting on my eyes since I have been on my mission. Its so weird. This week it happened two times! First, this guy started being mean to us and kinda bashing, but then he looked into my eyes and stopped and said that my eyes were exactly like his wife's, who had passed away a few years ago. He stopped bashing us and just gave us life advice and was so kind! Kinda weird that I reminded him of his wife (he was like in his late 50's) but very glad that it made him stop yelling at us:) The second one was in Spanish, when we went on exchanges and I was in a Spanish area. This guy just goes, "Me gusto sus ojos." ok. 

• We were SO late to a member lesson, because we were biking there. they watch us pull up after a treacherous bike ride and we are literal TOMATOES!! I literally had a vein poppin out on my head. EMBARRASSING lol.

• One of our members got up to bare his testimony on Sunday and he starts talking about how last time he got up there, he was shaking so bad because he was nervous that he ripped a humongous hole in the butt of his pants!! I literally LOST IT!! I was laughing so hard, but was trying to keep it silent and I started crying, tears just flowing down my face, I love this ward.

• I got to go into a Spanish area with our STL. It was so funny, I can understand a lot of Spanish, but I can't speak it to save my life. SO funny!! I was literally just silent the entire day. And if you know me, that is NOT like me. 

Drum roll please Sister Rose time!!

This week I have focused a lot on praying only for other people. Nothing for myself. This has been really cool. The spirit prompted me to do this as I was studying Enos, specifically verse 9

" Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites; wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them."

It really has made my prayers feel so much more meaningful. I have been able to feel the love that God has for the people I pray for and in turn, for me. I have been able to really focus and receive answers for how I can help His children and how I can bring God joy. I have never had such meaningful, heartfelt, and amazing conversations with God in my life than this week as I have prayed for only other people. I love it! Kneel down, pray right now and pray for someone that cones to your mind. 

I love yall!

Sister Rose