What's up amigos?? I hope you guys are all thriving and that you can see God's hand working in your life, cuz I can promise you with certainty that it is.
This week was fuego here in Navarrete. Actually one of the best things I could imagine happened. About a month ago, we baptized this kid named Jostin. Since then, we've been visiting him every week to reteach the lessons, and occasionally his dad is around. Well the other day we had a lesson that was completely focused on Jostin and what he remembered about Joseph Smith, but his dad was there! And at the end of the lesson I just had this prompting to ask Bery (his dad) what his thoughts were about getting baptized and he was like, I want to. Then two days later, out of the blue, we got a text from Melina, Jostin's mom. It said, "Bery and I talked and he wants to get baptized then we're gonna get married!" Then she called us and told us to read the texts. She and Bery are thinking about eternity here!! He wants to get baptized, then they want to go to the temple and get sealed so they can be together forever! We explained that they have to get married legally first, but then eternity is where they're headed!! I was over the moon. Still am, actually. I'm so so happy for this family. I have been working with this family since the first week that I showed up in Navarrete and I can see the love in their family and the Spirit that has entered their home.
The one thing that makes me sad is that transfers happen next Tuesday and I am probably headed out. I want to go to Melina and Bery's wedding so bad but I'll probably just have to settle for seeing pictures. And hopefully flying back to the DR in about a year to go to their temple sealing.
Other fun stuff that happened this week:
My comp got robbed by a little girl who walked up to her and just took her bracelet off her wrist and kept walking.
I got to do some manual labor! That doesn't happen much. The bishop texted the Elders we ward share with and told them the García family needed help and to go there the next morning. They asked if we could come and bishop's response was, "I don't think it's work for sisters". So naturally we went. The service project was spreading out two humongous piles of dirt to raise the ground and prevent future flooding. It felt good to just shovel dirt for a few hours and I sweat through everything I was wearing.
We tried coconut water. I already knew it was gross but my comp is new to this country and had to have the experience for herself.
The bishop's daughter turned eight and got baptized on the same day and it was a HUGE fiesta. We're talking multiple epic balloon arches, tons of food, pounding We Don't Talk About Bruno in Spanish so loud that I couldn't even hear myself singing along in English.
The church is true guys! It is so cool to see the joy the gospel brings families. I was thinking about this yesterday in church as I made the list I always make of people who came to church. We had seven nonmember friends there and eleven recently baptized converts. And those people are part of the Navarrete 1 ward family. They have callings, they have friends. They are part of the church and it's changed their lives. It's so powerful to watch the gospel of Jesus Christ change people and to see their eyes brighten as they come to understand truth and the Savior's love for them. Jesus Christ suffered and died for every single one of us. He did it for you, specifically. Spend time praying, it changes your life.
Love you guys! Disfruten su semana tanto!!
pics!
1. painting service project
2. shoveling service project
3-4. pics from taco tuesday fiesta
5. mission tour!!!
6. made this for a member who asked for it after she saw my handwriting 😂
7. baptism fiesta
8. sometimes it's the little things that remind you of home...
9. coconut water :/
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