familias (Week 13)

Javi, a boy in my ward! He is super smiley and has tons of energy hahah

This week went by sooo fast!  I can barely remember what happened haha.  Also, we are not going to the temple until October because we have various conferences and other things scheduled for September.  This week we had lots of rain as well as super hot days.  Also it is safe to say that Hermana Batalla and I may overdose on tortillas, rice, and beans....haha good thing we walk a ton here!

pondering in how many tortillas, rice, and beans we have eaten here as missionaries......

Also this week was Hermana Batalla's 21st birthday!  woohoooo Feliz Cumpleaños hahah unfortunately birthdays are not super exciting here....still have to work all day long.  But of course there was a birthday cake.

We had a cool experience on saturday with a family we have been teaching....Familia Aguilar (I have mentioned them before).  Oh how I love this family!  We have been teaching them for about a month, and they treat us like their own kids haha the mom, Olivia, always has a Coco Cola light ready for me in a glass bottle ;)  So they have been experiencing weird/spooky feelings in their home, and they feel that there is some unwanted spirit lurking around-- so we told them that some elders could come and give a blessing on the home to invite more peace and comfort (for those reading this who aren't mormon, all the men in our church hold the priesthood:  special authority from God to baptize, give special blessings, etc. and it is the same authority that Christ had on the earth and his apostles)  Sosaturday night Elders Melara and Martinez came and said a beautiful prayer to bless the home-- it was so neat because every member of the fam was present, about 8 family members, and the elders also gave each person a special blessing of comfort (for a blessing they place their hands on their heads and say a prayer that is inspired from God).  The spirit was so strong in the room, and the whole family was so grateful to have recieved individual blessings of comfort.  It was so sweet to watch all of them smile at the end of their blessing.  This experience was especiallly great because Olivia, the mom, has expressed concern with why only men in our church hold the priesthood and not women.  It was so great for her to see that the priesthood blesses BOTH men and women-- it is just the role men have to perform these blessings, just like women have the role to bring children into this life.  It is the way christ set up his church from the beginning.  I am so grateful to have access to the priesthood in my life, and I have seen miracles come from it. I know without a doubt that it is direct power from God, and I am so grateful that Dad and Jordan have the priesthood in our home :) And that whenever I need a blessing of comfort or when I am sick I know that they have the power to act in the name of God and provide me with this comfort.

"that the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness" DyC 121:36

sweet oliviana, 11 years old.

some of the family with our "Plan De Salvacíon" diagram haha!

I had the opportunity to teach a lesson in english!  Some members of the Aguilar Familia are learning english, and they wanted to practice with me :)  I taught them all about the Plan of Salvation in english- what happens before we come to earth, our purpose in life, and what happens when we die.  haha it was soooo weird teaching in english!  I had to speak in "spanglish" because I am so used to speaking these terms in spanish haha!  you'd think it'd be really easy for me in english but it was surprisingly difficult!  When you speak in your native tongue words have different meaning to you, like saying "God" has more of an impact on me than "Dios".  It's really interesting.  But yeah it was cool speaking in english haha!

"For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yeah, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors"Alma 34:32

We are also teaching another family, familia Luna and it was especially great because the bishop and his wife came to teach with us!  This was special because the bishop rarely goes out to teach with the missionaries.  It was great to have the bishop formally invite this family to church.

Some families in my ward (who I go to church with):

Familia Sanchez:  Alma, the mom, is like the "missionary mom".  When we are near their home and are thirsty, hungry, or need a bathroom haha we always stop by this house.  they have been members of the church for 4 years.  She loves to cook- homemade tomales and tortillas de harina....flour tortillas mmmmm. and every week she bakes these "ïmpanatas" which are like rolls with jam in the middle.  Their family is always pulling jokes and always says "äyyyy juera!!" haha which is blondie in spanish.  they are full of energy and blunt about everything.

Familia de Ola de Mar:  Ola de Mar means "wave of the sea" haha!  Ola is the mom and this family is so humble and the happiest kids you will ever meet.  The mom is suchhh a hardworker and does everything she can to provide for her children.  Their living situation is very very humble...and yet they have so much to give to others and always thinking of others first. They have been members of the church for a  year.

more pics of of the kids in this family:

other church pics:

every thursday night the women have a meeting all together haha it is very sweet to watch!

  other members in the ward

i love being with families every day.  It really makes me miss my own!  But it's so great teaching families because I have the opportunity to share with others the things I have learned in my own family and the blessings I have gained from those teachings in my life.

"train up a child in the way he should go:  and when he is old, he will not depart from it" Proverbs 22:6

Well this week we have a conference and of course more teaching every day!  miss you all!  until next week!

c o n  a m o r

hermana riches