Buenos Dias Mamita,
Familia, y Amigos, J
Thank you so much
for the scarf! It's beautiful! Don't you think? ;)
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| All scarfed up and ready to go! |
You're so great to me mama. The other picture is of my district last transfer
(plus Zone Leaders in the front). It is still pretty much the same
missionaries, except we have a new DL (District Leader) and one Elder
replaced (I think I mentioned that last week, didn't I?) Anyway, my district is
pretty hilarious and I quite enjoy them.
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| Ta DA! |
We have district
activity twice a transfer and they are always a lot of fun. We usually do
things like play Volleyball, Frisbee, or Chair Soccer, though last time we
played that game where you tie balloons to your legs and you try to pop other
people's balloons. It was pretty hilarious. Sadly Elder Neily is going through
some rough times right now, medically, and will be going to the doctor today to
get some testing done. Hopefully he will be able to stay out and not have to go
home early. We are all praying for him.
That's so exciting
that Christine got her call! Woot! Tell her I say "Felicidades!" She
is going to be a super great missionary and I am very excited to talk with her
in Spanish after our missions. J That's cool about ReyLynn too! It
seems like everyone is coming to California. Elder Neily's girlfriend also just
got her call to a California, Spanish-speaking mission. "El campo blanco
esta ya para la siega" (D&C 4:4), especially here in California!
Although there is a bit of opposition here too.
Even now, sitting
here at the library, there is a man who keeps yelling out every few minutes,
saying things like "Mormon's are so stupid, how can you be so
stupid?" "Jesus Christ loves us, why are you teaching lies? Lucifer
isn't the brother of Jesus!" Yeah...it's interesting. He also keeps
warning everyone who walks by to be careful because there are Mormons here and
that we might teach them lies. Good stuff, huh? Oh, being a missionary is so
fun sometimes.
We have seen some
great blessing this week though! Well, first off, we texted Fernando yesterday
just to see how he was doing and we were really confused by his response. He
basically told us that he was so sad and his heart was in a thousand pieces
because we stopped coming to see him. Yeah...I was just as confused, especially
because he is the one who told us to stop coming because he didn't feel ready.
He is a little emotional, as you can tell, but hopefully we'll be able to see
him soon and help to resolve his doubts and concerns. He has a ways to
go, but I'm sure he will accept the gospel some day soon!
Also, an
investigator fell into our lap this week that is very promising, named Oscar.
He called us actually, being an "Antiguo" (or Former Investigator),
as he used to be taught about a year ago. He is having some hard times in his
life right now and decided to call us, because he remembered how good he felt
when he used to meet with the missionaries. Apparently he was almost baptized
but didn't go through because his wife had no interest and didn't support him.
They are now separated and he very much wants to be a part of the church again.
Another blessing came with Oscar, as he told us to please go visit his
neighbor. We talked with her and apparently she was baptized back in college,
hasn't been to church in 10 years, and has no idea where her records are, but
wants to come back to church. She says she never doubted the church was true
and still has a testimony, but she is now ready to live the life that the
gospel requires. She is so sweet and we are so grateful to help her back into
the gospel.
Both she and Oscar
came to church on Sunday, as well as Magaly and the kids, but we are still
having a hard time getting her husband Christian to come, as well as Maria and
a few other investigators. But we are very grateful for those who are coming. J We got to teach the Gospel Principles class this Sunday, as the teacher was
sleep deprived from working so late. Hermana Ruiz mostly taught, but I added a
little, and it was fun stuff. We have also had a lot of "hijackers"
in our lessons lately, so we're thinking of having training on how members
participate in lessons. Hijackers are those members who come and don't let you
talk and feel that they need to teach the whole lesson for you...it's pretty
frustrating. Especially when we spend 4 hours every morning in our studies and
preparing for this lessons with careful prayer and consideration. Hopefully we
fix the hijacker problem soon.
So Intercambios
(exchanges) are tomorrow! I'm not really sure why, but I am once again, going
to Escondido with Hermana Schwegler! I am so stoked! I feel like it is a tender
mercy from the Lord, and He knows how much I learned from her last time and I
know I am going to learn so much more, once again. She is also training this
transfer, so her Greenie will come here with Hermana Ruiz. We set goals for
every exchange, and I'm excited to see how I can help Hermana Schwegler, as
well as get some great insights from her. She is so crazy...ha-ha I love it. We
had a Zone Training this week and we are now trying to work on more effective
planning. We also have Zone Conference next week, as well as our Temple day
(which I am so STOKED for!) Woot! It will be great!
Oh, random, but I
was going to tell you to feel free to send talks for me to read mama. J In the MTC I really didn't have time, and here I
still don't have a lot of time, but I can squeeze them in here and there ;) Our
mission president expects a lot from us, so we definitely keep busy, even
during our "down time". I am still working on the Book of Mormon
Challenge in Spanish (I told you about that, right?), I'm working on updating
and organizing the P.I.s in the area book, and we also have a new
challenge to memorize all 42 points of the 5 lessons with a scripture reference
for each point. It's fun stuff! I am so trying to keep up my reading in Our
Search For Happiness, and hopefully get started on Jesus the Christ soon. (All
of these, by the way, are not to be done during study time, only "down
time", like Lunch, or at night after planning - so it's a challenge to get
it all done, ha-ha).
Well, I love the
Vidals, they take such good care of us, just know that J Hopefully I'll get a picture with them soon. The
Branch here is pretty great though. I am glad to hear things are going well,
and that Grandpa is good J Tell my cousin Chad I say "Hi
Chaddy! You were in my dream the other night!" Ha-ha, he was. I don't
remember the dream, just that he was there. Oh, speaking of dreaming and
sleeping and stuff, I am no longer having any problems with sleep or staying
awake during my studies. How awesome is that?! Such a tender mercy from the
Lord. For some reason I wake up around 5:20 every morning, lie in bed, half
dreaming half awake, until the alarm goes off at 6:15, and then I am so awake
the whole day. It is so weird, but I won't complain one bit! I hope you can get
sleeping better too mama! You are seriously my hero mom, did you know that?
Hermana
Ruiz respects you a lot too, just because she knows how much I admire
you J I miss you tons. Thank you again for the package,
for all your love, and your emails! Remember to send more pictures, and I'll try
to remember to take more (sorry, I'm really bad about that). Plus, my camera
isn't that great, so maybe I'll buy a new one for my birthday or something.
We'll see. Oh, tell Jilli thank you for the letter and I will write her back
either this week or next. The mail system here is so lame...we just got the
mail yesterday for like the last 2 weeks. Oh well, at least I get it
eventually, I shan’t complain.
I wish I had my
study journal here with me, so I could share some of the wonderful things I've
learned this week. Perhaps I can just share my testimony about the Book of Mormon,
and how it truly is the keystone of our religion. It is so powerful, full of
the spirit, and truly evidence of the restoration of the fullness of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the Atonement in our lives, and that it
is through "faith unto repentance" (Alma 34:9-17,) that we can truly
use the Atonement in our lives. I am grateful for the ability that we have to
change and better ourselves through His love and sacrifice for us, and how
real His gospel really is.
Con amor,
Hermana
Escalante
P.S. I love my siblings...please tell
them individually how much I love them J and Grandma and Grandpa too!
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