We're American...

So yeah, we're American...President's Day and such has brought me to email you today. Well, I guess I now know who really loves me because the woman who birthed me beat you all to sending me 2 new cd's and a really cute Valentine's day card! Then my grandma sent me a package of all the bits and pieces of my grandpa's mission farewell (I haven't been able to listen to it yet because I want to have a calm, uninterrupted amount of time to do it all at once and when I don't have to rush somewhere and have my makeup look good. ;) and yet again another heartfelt letter...Like mother like daughter I guess...you two are so caring and loving and I try to be like you. :) Alrighty, so this week is transfers and Hermana Grass and I are staying together in the Couv for another transfer!!!!!!!! It is crazy, but President told us that no spanish sisters are coming in this transfer and he is really happy with us....and there is nowhere to move us, hahaha! This is because there are 7 of us right now: a companionship is opening a new area with training Hermana Alberts who I was with in the MTC, then a companionship with a Hermana Foreman who just came back from Medical leave and I've never met, then the last Hermana has been temporarily made English speaking....so yeah, we're here to stay for 6 more weeks! :) 2 of my favorite Elders are getting transferred though....Elder Winters (my District Leader) and Elder Metz (my buddy)..I'll miss them, but we'll BFF'S. :)

Me with Christian.

Cristian is struggling and he doesn't even know it....he's a teenager who has never been expected to be super accountable or responsible and so as much as he wants salvation and really cares about being baptized, he hasn't been following through...a lot of that comes from family plans that make it so he forgets about rides that come for him for church and although he can repeat everything we've taught him, he still needs a testimony. He turns 18 on Saturday 2/25 and his baptism is scheduled 2/26, but it will again be pushed back because he's got to show more dedication and come to church at least 2 more times. The fact is that we are trying to build the branch and if he is needing more time to understand and   prove that God can trust him to make these coventants, that is better than to baptize him and have him not live up to it...it's like that scripture that says that once you have known the Lord and don't follow through, it would be better that you did not know him....ouchy, but the truth. We still have a lot of faith in him though...he missed the baptism part of a another baptism we invited him to, but he heard the talks about the Holy Ghost and the YM president came and took him out to lunch. We try not to get frustrated with him because we know that this is all very new and he wants it, he's just never had to really feel any urgency like this before. Also, he confided in us that he is stressed...that his mom in on his back and his aunt and all her family just moved in their house and his life is crazy and difficult to focus right now...but that's when we need the gospel the most. So yeah, cross your arms and bow your head and we'll see what happens. :)

Mary is spunky. She is building her faith, but is really like a child who is learning this stuff for the first time..lately she's been kinda sassy about some things... but we're working through them. However, get a load of this email she sent her friends (who are astonished that she has dropped smoking and drinking all together) and told us about and then I had her print it off for me so I could have it and share it...

"Gee Suzy, I am no special quit smoking, quit drinking Goddess! Please tell Jack that if he had two 22 year old virgins checking up on him in person three times a week, he wouldn't think it was such an accomplishment. I also didn't realize I am a prideful person, but I told so many non-smokers that I quit that I don't want to get busted! I don't DARE smoke again! It also was a birthday present for my son, and when he goes outside to smoke, I tell him I want to smoke, too, and he says "I don't think so!" Yes, I seem to be doing a lot of changing, and it would seem like a lot to me, but I don't think about it that way. I think about the good stuff: more spendable income, no more phlegm and coughing, no more puking and all day runs, more energy! Oh sure, I feel the body aches and pains more, but that is a small price to pay!"

HAHAHAHA! Oh, Mary...she's a sweet sass. :)

 Alrighty, gotta go write President...but I'm looking forward to a fresh start with this transfer...always trying to better myself without getting overwhelmed. ;) Love ya, BYE! :)

LOVE

Alrighty well, here's the news:

Cr's baptism got moved to 2/26 because he turns 18 on 2/25 and
the consensus is that would be better than pushing for parental
permission now. His parents like us and are fine, but yeah...He also needs a deeper root/understanding...basically a testimony. He believes and agrees with 90% of everything and really wants to baptized...we have faith that it will still happen! The Lord knows what He is doing.

Mary is plugging along nicely...she's a hoot...she and Dad would get along well. :)

The G family is learning slowly but surely. We love them and
they want to meet my family. :)

The Sori family is rockin...reading in the BOM and we've had some
strong lessons with them. They always tell us how different they feel when we're around and we have good discussions.

E. is stressed, but Hermana Campos in the branch has been a
phenomenal fellowshipper...E. struggles to believe in the
restoration, particularly Joseph Smith.

Any of you who have given talks this last month, please email them to me, so I can print and read them. I know that A&D gave Moroni 10:3-5 talks in church and then many of you at grandpa's mission farewell....so yeah, get me in the loop people! :)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CELLO! :)

Random Things:

Whoever: I am desperate for new music! So, if any of you would be kind enough to send some along, I'd be oh so happy. Yes, it must be tunes that invite the spirit...but PLEASE keep in mind that is not just MOTAB or EFY...hahaha! So yeah, could ya help an Hermana out porfa? :)

Those who write to me through dearelder.com:
I don't know why, but dearelder.com does not put the date on the
letters you send like an email would...so it would be so helpful if you would when you write so I can keep track...I know I'm extremely behind and I'm so so sorry...but dates will help me a lot.

Out of time, random email ...sorry, had to write president some stuff. love you guys and thank you for your love and prayers! BYE!

Had an interview with president this week and am probably staying here with grass this transfer, let you know next week, bye!

The Lord Loves Me

Wow...last week was a doosey huh? I want you all to not fret over me; I have been blessed with A TON of strength and comfort. No excessive crying or my mind running away from the work. The Lord has been good to me and I've been fasting and praying for all of you to feel the way that I do. :) Here's a couple of things the Lord has blessed me with:

1. SUN - So out of the ordinary for the Couv (Vancouver slang...good times.) ...the sun has been shining and I feel like it has been just for me. I feel warm and happy....like the Lord's just giving me a big hug all day long.

2. FENN - Elder Fenn (Carmen's cousin) just became our new Zone Leader and just having a Fenn here has given me a lot of comfort...the Lord knows what he's doin. ;) We barely know each other and he was one of the few that saw me right after I had heard the news and was very concerned. I felt impressed to ask him for a blessing a few days later and he did last Tuesday...it was very sweet and I have been going strong ever since.

3. KNOWLEDGE - Also last Tuesday at our District Meeting the Zone Leaders talked about President Greer's training with them which was all about Personality Ethic vs. Character Ethic...are we just waltzing into homes with a missionary persona and simply teaching truths vs. are these truths we teach a part of us...is the gospel our character...is it who we are...do we know it for a fact. This really hit me hard...because just like Dad told me in his email last week, I have taken these current events and used them to preach. I know that the Plan of Salvation is not just nice thoughts put together to make sense of life...it is absolutely real and true, it is all about progression and God taking care of His children no matter what, or else how would you explain how calm I have felt about my Grandpa passing and where my abuelo has been this whole time? I am excited for my grandpa to whip some of those stubborn spirits into shape! I've been walking into every home completely assured that what we have to teach is literal and spiritual...it is not just something I merely believe and would like to share, it is something I know and have to share because I am living proof! I have had a couple of neat experiences with teaching the Plan of Salvation to Ma and sharing a thought with a recent convert's non-member husband who had just lost a cousin last week.

4. PRAYER & FASTING - My first prayer after hearing that Grandpa had passed was kinda startling...I knelt and said, "So grandpa's with you now huh...I'd tell anyone else to take care of him, but I know I don't have to tell you. I felt a wave of assurance wash over me...and I chatted more about how cool it was that he's had us both serve missions and how pumped I am to share this experience together.

I'm not going to lie...I did pretty much lose my appetite, so fasting wasn't too excruciating... ;) but really though, I could feel how powerful it is to hunger for the Lord's blessings, to forget about human need and just offer my fast to him to watch over all of you at home and especially grandma.

So yeah...I think those are the blessings I have time to highlight...yup, the Lord loves us...just FYI. :)

We ended up moving Cr's baptism to this Sunday 2/12/12 for after church. We both felt that it needed to be to prepare him just a bit more and it has been going really well. He's such a weird/punk teenager and I just love him. :) This is going to be cool ladies and gentlemen, just you wait! Mary. is rockin keeping the Word of Wisdom and is 5 seconds away from the goal line...we had one hilarious lesson on Chastity with her....I'll save those stories for when I can tell you face to face. ;) (Thank you Alard family for being masters of poker faces.) Mary's prayers are also the cutest, most sweet I've ever heard...she's like a little girl whose just learning and understanding things for the first time...truly amazing to watch her spiritual eyes be opened.

Well, I love you guys...you know that, so let's all do what grandpa told me, "You know what I expect of you." Simply, I think it means to be happy. We've got this ya'll. :)