Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day everyone!

Hermana Newbill and I barely realized that it was a holiday today haha. WWIII could start and we probably wouldn't even know about it. And even then an investigator would probably tell us about it but I probably still wouldn't even know about it because you know, Spanish. I have an announcement though: last Wednesday, on the 27 of August, 2014, I woke up to myself sleep talking in Spanish. I mean I've only wanted to dream in Spanish for the last 8 weeks of my life sooo pretty big deal.

Well this week felt infinitely better than the last. My first week I kind of felt like a deer in the headlights but this week I felt like a deer in maybe only one headlight.  Haha maybe next week ill just feel like a deer.

This week was even busier than the last! We taught 41 lessons...my comp said that's the most she's ever taught in her mission! She keeps telling me that eventually when I get transferred to another area I'm like not going to know what to do with myself. We pretty much teach half our lessons in Spanish and the other half in English but everyone

has a Latin American background. Most of the lessons we teach in English are with kids who are 2nd generation Spanish speakers so they just know the Spanish that their parents yell at them when they're in trouble haha.  I'm able to understand and talk about gospel principles in Spanish pretty well but when the people we teach actually start opening up and telling us their whole life story that's when I go into what I like to call the " just smile and wave boys, smile and wave"mode and pretend I'm understanding.

But anyways I'm loving missionary work and meeting all these new people from all over am am learning about their cultures and traditions. Ive even gotten used to kissing all the

Spanish speaking women on the cheek whenever you say hello or goodbye.I was so awkward the first time a lady tried to kiss me on the cheek haha. I'm learning that it's important to talk to everyone that we canand that we pass by on the street about the gospel. Even if it's just inviting them to church or giving them a little pass along card. We

don't have much time for finding people since we usually just drive from appt to appt but when an appt falls through it's fun just seeing who we can find around the area. It's made me really grateful that we have a car though... There's been a lot of neighborhoods where we'll be walking around then have to just go back to our car because men are

just weird and creepy and rude. Haha except this one time we were walking down this street and this guys rides by on his bike and was like "hey there pretty ladies" and Hermana Newbill goes "um ya keep on going" and he was like " weeooooowwww......" Haha I guess I can't really describe it but it was pretty funny.

I also learned that, in Hna newbills words, " when you lose investigators, it's okay because God always puts new people in your path if you look for them." There were two people we were teaching who had baptismal dates set that suddenly decided that this church wasn't

for them and didn't want to be taught anymore. But later that night we went to go contact this referral we got for like the 7th time but as usual she wasn't there. But there was this guy who was waiting by a tree on his bike and when we turned around he came up to us and was

like I want to talk to you guys about your church, will you teach me? HE asked US to teach him. Haha it was a nice change. We haven't been able to meet with him yet but I'm really looking forward to it. Then again last night we went to go contact this same lady and again she wasn't there. But this man came up to us and kind of hurriedly gave us a card with his number on it and said I just really need someone to talk about church with and to help me change my life. Again we were like woah! This is too easy! We ended up walking with this man back to his house and he explained to us that he had a drinking problem and realized that he didn't like where his life was heading and needs to stop but it's really hard for him. He said that he was actually on his way to go get a drink right then but them he saw us and felt like he should talk to us instead. It was really cool. We showed him the Because of Him video ( which EVERYONE needs to look up and watch really quick if you haven't because it's amazing) and bore our testimonies of Jesus Christ and his atonement and set up a return appt with him. Ahh he just wants to change his life so bad and this is the

way to do it! I'm so excited to teach him again! Haha we have met so many people while knocking on this referrals door though...and I plan to just keep knocking on it whether she opens or not because it's been like a magnet so far for other people.

So we've got 4 baptismal dates set for this month. One is with a guy named Justin, the only white person we're teaching haha. He's awesome and came to church for the 2nd time this Sunday and really liked it...hes had a hard life though and is kind of awkward and is like 33

and still at home living with his parents. I can tell he's really looking for a change for the better in his life though. The next is Hilario. Hilario is like 45 yrs old and is a spiritual

stud. Like seriously he's so ready for baptism, even though he doesn't really feel like he is because he doesn't understand everything perfectly yet. But he comes to church every week and always reads and prays and loves learning more about Christ and this gospel in our lessons. And there's joe who I've only met twice but has been being taught with

some members of the ward and is in his 20s And Alfredo. Alfredo is so amazing! He lost his leg recently because of a blood clot and has been having a lot of problems with it and had

to leave his job and move in with his brother recently. He does so much though and wants to get back to work so bad. He said that ever since we started teaching him and he's been praying more that he's been a lot happier and has seem Gods miracles in his life more.

I think the thing that's helped me the most this week was remembering that by "small  and simple things are great things come to pass. There's a scripture in DC 1 that says "that the fullness of my gospel may be proclaimed by the weak and simple unto the ends of the world" When I got here all I could think was wow I am so bad at this. I can't speak Spanish and I am so bad at explaining and teaching things why did I even do this? What was I thinking? There are so many people out there who are so much more qualified and cut out for this than me. But then I read that and just realized that I need to trust God a lot more

than I have been. I need to trust him more than I trust myself and I need to trust that he knows what he's doing with me. Out of all of his children, God has chosen the weak and the simple( aka me and every other immature and inexperienced 18-21 yr old who decided to serve  a mission) to do his work. To do his most important work. DC 3:3 says that "remember that it is not the work of god that is frustrated, but the work of man." Yeah I might (and already have several times) mess up while I'm teaching and being a missionary, but it's okay as long as I'm trying my best bc God has a plan and a work and I can't frustrate

that, I can only do what I can to help bring it to pass. And I feel so blessed that I get to be a part of that.

Well I hope that everyone has a great week. There's so much more I wanted to share but it takes so long to write everything out! Paz y bendiciones though, Paz y bendiciones

Love,

Hermana Baugh