Buen Dia!

Family! 

I am so glad that PDAY is here again.. Yipee! Especially after only a little span of time. Enjoy it because next week I won`t be writing until Tuesday. Can you say changes? We should be getting changes on Sunday or Monday.. we shall see where it takes me. Hopefully I can explore a different place in Uruguay! We shall see.. that will be the fun surprise of next week! who is excited? I sure am. 

Things here in Cerro 8 have been improving. We were able to talk to a lot of people in the street again this week and we actually had a pretty neat experience with it. It all started when we had a few charlas fall through in a very short span of time.. we were left with talking to people in the street. We stopped this older man and began to chat with him.. he was atheist. (We have been running into a lot of aheists lately.. it`s so sad to see that people don`t believe in our loving Heavenly Father) As we walked with him for a few blocks, the conversation was going no where and he completely denied the restoration. Feeling a little down but not letting it get to us.. we began to walk down the same road that we were just on when we talked with the atheist. We walked past this woman outside of her house and of course we both said, "Buen día!" and continued walking. Just there, it hit me. This was all that was going on in my head "We have to talk to her. But... come on we just walked past her that is so awkward to go back. We will just keep walking.. plus what would Elder Naylor say?.. yeah we will just keep walking, there will be someone else. Just then, it hit me again.. "We have to talk to her" Just then, I knew that it was the Spirit talking to me.. telling me that she was going to listen and that we had to talk to her. I stopped walking and explained to Elder Naylor that we need to talk to her. We made the not so awkward walk back and told her that we felt that we should pass by. Her name is Yohana and we began to get into the Restoration. Elder Naylor taught it perfectly and I was able to testify of his words. We have a charla set up with her on Wednesday. I left the front yard of Yohana`s house with joy knowing that she needed our less than 5 minute lesson. I know that the Spirit guides us to the people who are ready to hear our message. I know that we never need feel discouraged when people reject us.. that is what Satan wants.. we must continue on with the determination to share our message of happiness and love. 

We gave Sebastian another shot and he blew it.. we were stood up again.. (In the mission I never thought I would get stood up more than I did at home.. Classic!) he just doesn't show any interest so onward and upward to find people who want to progress like Yohana and Romina! Romina is a referral that we found last night, we have a charla with her on Tuesday.. she has listened to the missionaries before but never went to church because she didn't want to go alone. Good thing we just live a block away from her and she is on the way to church! God is great! Things have been going good with our progressing members.. we have been doing a lot better with assigning them things and it has been really cool to see them strive to do them. We need to now work on finding more and helping people understand the importance of baptism. Things are really looking up in Cerro 8 and no I don`t just say that because we live on a hill .. (; 

As for my own personal progress.. I would like to bear my testimony of The Book of Mormon. I reached 1 Nephi 17 just before getting on the computer. I am learning so much.. I know that The Book of Mormon is true. It is the perfect way to elevate your thoughts, feel of the Spirit and know that God loves you! President asked us to focus on the Atonement, Gathering of Israel, Doctrine of Christ and the Plan of Salvation. I would like to focus this testimony to the focus of the gathering of Israel. Just like the house of Israel.. the doctrine of the gathering is scattered in The Book of Mormon and we need to gather it together to have a full understanding of our respònsiblities as members of the church. I know that the gathering of Israel is happening today and that it is through us as gentiles(1 Nephi 15:13)  to help others know of the restored gospel. I found 3 scriptures that I love.. I actually shared them yesterday in a little 4 minute talk that I had in church. They are found in 3 Nephi 5:24-26.. "24 And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob,who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth."  25 "And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob,even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto there storing all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he hath covenanted with them."
26 "And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be. Amen." I bear testimony of that.. We need to help gather the house of Israel and that is my hope for you guys this week.. that you can share the gospel or God`s love with someone this week! 

I sure do love you all very much and I hope that you know that if you guys ever want to chat on pday I am all for it. You guys are more important than my email time.. My time would be well spent chatting with you! I hope you have a wonderful week and find God`s love in your lives daily! Until Tuesday with changes! Ü ♥ xoxo

Divisions with Elder De La Cruz... such a great guy!

Classic 16 Monther with ice cream and cookies

Round 2 of 16 Months? No.. we were just super hungry. We made a 5 minute microwave brownie and had some more dulce de leche chocolate chip ice cream.. oh my goodness it was quite scrumpdidliumpcious! #spellcheck