Another Great Week in Trompillo

Another great week down here in Trompillo! I don't even know where to start.

Jovita is literally golden.  We had an activity on Thursday for Father's day (down here it's in March, no idea why) and Jimi and Jovita came.  When Jovita came she asked me in a super quiet voice "Hermana Willes, you guys wanted us to read the first chapter in the Book of Mormon, right?" I said yes and then asked her if she had been reading it (we had told them to read it before Saturday) and she said yes! I don't think I've ever been so happy in my whole life.  Then she said she felt really good when she reads it.  We taught her on Saturday and we asked her how she feels about having the gospel in her life and if there is any difference. She said that she feels more peace and she's so grateful. I just love her so much.  Whenever we teach, she's sooo attentive and she always tells her kids to listen to us, which is a literal miracle.  We've started teaching their eight year old daughter, Susa, and she is incredible.  We asked her how she feels about her family and she said,  "I love my family so much and I know that's how Dios feels for them, because He is our father." They are golden.

Victor is reading the Book of Mormon and he came to church ALL BY HIMSELF.  He always comes with his daughter, but she had to go to another ward and he still came! Miracle.

  

We had a conference with Elder Grow this week, which was awesome.  I'll send pictures of me with Hermana Adams and our companions.  I was sooo stoked to see her.  And to meet all the other hermanas.  I am literally serving in the best mission in the world, with the best missionaries.  We had the conference all day and I have honestly never felt the spirit so strongly or felt so much power in one room.  Hermana Murga and I had the privilege of having personal interviews with Elder Grow.  He is incredible.  We talked about my family and serving a mission.  It was incredible. I was crying of course.  I didn't want to leave the office because the spirit was so strong and peaceful.  At the conference, we talked about receiving personal revelation and also how we need to talk with everyone, especially families.  Hermana Willard said something about families that has really stuck with me this past week.  She said,  "You need to talk with everyone and teach as many people as you can because someday you are going to be mothers and fathers.  And you're not going to pick and choose which children you want salvation for and which you don't.  You're going to want it for all of them because you're going to love them so much.  That's how Heavenly Father feels.  We are all His children and He wants all of us to return to Him." Hermana Murga and I made a goal to talk to everyone.  So, last night, when we went to a menos activos  (less active) house and they didn't live there, instead of just saying, "Gracias" and going to our next appointment, we talked to three girls that were there.  It was one of the most powerful experiences I've had.  They had such special spirits and we are going to teach them on Saturday.

Missions are awesome.  The Church is true. 

I love you all! Hurrah for Israel!

Hermana Willes

Hermana Willes and Hermana Murga 

and the other companionship that lives with them

Hermana Willes reunited 

with Hermana Adams (MTC Companion)

Hermana Willes, Hermana Murga, 

Hermana Adams and her companion

 Hermana Willes and other missionaries 

in her district with Victor

 Hermana Willes and her district

 Who doesn't love Olaf? :)

The Lord always finds a way to accomplish his purposes

Well, this past week I hit my one month mark in the field! Crazy!

This past week was really great, we had entravistas con President and Hermana Willard. They are so awesome! I’m so glad I am able to serve with them.

We have noche de hogar with Jimi and Jovita tonight and we hope to help Jimi progress.  He has questions, he just won’t ask them.  But we’ll pull them out of him! Jovita is awesome. When we teach them she gives us her full attention and always tells her kids to listen too. When we told them we were going to do family home evening Hermana Murga asked if they wanted a message or a refreshment and Jovita immediately said "Mensaje!" It was like Christmas morning, only better.

  

The picture I sent last week with the old woman is a menos activa who can’t come to church because she has health problems.  We try and visit her every week and we always sing hymns and then share just a short scripture.  She is truly an angel.  I just love her so much! 

We taught Victor twice this week and the first time was really tough.  He has a lot of questions and in English I could anwer them but in Spanish I haven’t quite gotten to the point that I can do that yet.  He had issues with prophets and why God would only call some people if we are all equal and if others have just as much faith.  And, why God would only give His truth to one church if a lot of them believe in Him.  All I could tell him was that I know the church is true because I know the Book of Mormon is true and that if he reads it, he will find all the answers he needs.  When we left, I just felt super discouraged because I felt like I hadn’t said the right thing and I just kept praying Heavenly Father would be able to help us. So, on Sunday, in gospel principles, guess what the lesson was on? Prophets! And so, he was able to receive his answers through that class and then again when we taught him last night and explained more about the priesthood and the Book of Mormon! It was such a testament to me that the Lord always finds a way to accomplish his purposes and the world isn’t going to come crashing down because a nineteen year old from Utah isn’t fluent in Spanish just quite yet!

Anways, this email is short, but the church is true. I feel the spirit testify that to me in every lesson and even just when I’m walking down the street.  What a privilege we have to build the kindgom of the almighty God here on the earth! 

Hurrah for Israel!

Hermana Willes

It Felt Like Carnival Was Forever!

Well, two whole weeks! (Hermana Willes wasn't able to email last week because all the missionaries were on lockdown during the Carnival celebration in Santa Cruz.)  It felt like Carnival was forever.  Carnival is like Festival of Colors only everyone is drinking and breaking as many commandments as they can!  We studied in the morning, like usual, and then had a schedule of things to study.  We read the whole mission manual, the whole book about adjusting to missionary life, watched a billion videos on the work of salvation with the members, and deep cleaned the house.  I was dying to get back out and teach. 

So, we had an awesome experience with one of our investigator families, Jimi, Jovita, and their three kids.  They had been street contacted by my companion and her trainer, but then they could never find them again.  So, a couple weeks ago we found them and Jovita, the mom, was washing clothes and said she didn't have time to talk.  But, we were like "No, its fine! We're here to help, so we'll help you wash your clothes!" So we did and, honestly, that has made all the difference.  They came to church the Sunday of Carnival and, since it was testimony meeting, I was kinda nervous.  We hadn't really had a real lesson with them yet and we knew the Dad had problems with the Word of Wisdom.  After the meeting ended, they had to leave (we did too because it was Carnival and we had to get home) and we planned to meet with them on Wednesday.  We went on Wednesday and they weren't there.  On Thursdays, we had an activity with the ward and when we showed up no one was there.  My companion, being the good missionary that she is, was like "let`s go get Jimi and Jovita!" So, we grabbed a member to be our companion and off we went.  When we showed up at the house, the Dad came to the gate and, with tears in his eyes, told us he wanted to change, that he wanted a testimony like the ones he had heard on Sunday and he wanted his family to be happy like the families he had seen at church.  He had major drinking problems during Carnival, but he wanted to change.  As heartbreaking as it was, a part of me rejoiced.  I just keep thinking "We can help you! You can change because the gospel is true and if you listen you can have everything you want and more!" We taught them that night about prayer and committed them both to pray and then tell us about it the next day.  We went back on Friday and only Jovita was there, but she told us that when she prayed she just felt so peaceful.  We gave her a Book of Mormon and then committed her to baptism.  The spirit was so strong and I was so happy I couldn't stop grinning! I knew I was going to love our investigators, but I didn't realize it was going to be this much! Tonight we are having family home evening with them and I'm so excited! They are so awesome.

We are still working with the Dad of a member.  Every time we teach him, he says "Your testimonies are so beautiful.  I'm super catholic." He has a lot of questions, which keeps us on our toes.  We're working on teaching the rest of the family as well.  They are all super awesome and they just need that little extra motivation, which I know will come when Natalia leaves on her mission.  He always prays for us and he knows a little English, so he loves talking to me in English.

Anyways, the work is progressing here.  The Lord has been so kind to me, helping me with spanish and always granting me tender mercies everyday.  The church is true and I'm so grateful for the privilege I have of building the kingdom down here in Santa Cruz.  Hurrah for Israel!

Hermana Willes

Hermana Willes and her companion, Hermana Murga

Hermana Willes with President and Sister Willard

Hermana Willes with one of her cute Bolivian friend