Another good week in the Gila Valley! - Week 43

So this week we did exchanges with the sister training leaders. They are in silver city and I went with Sister Longstaff there for the day. I LOVE it there! It is so beautiful! And it is about 10 degrees cooler which was really nice after an especially hot week. They cover an English ward, Spanish group (I had never heard of that either) and a YSA branch, so they definitely have their hands full! So the companionship that serves there is called a "zebra" because one of the sisters is an English sister and one is a Spanish sister.

We visited a few people that speak Spanish and it was a little crazy because I don't know them at all and Sister Longstaff doesn't speak much Spanish. It was really fun though because as I translated certain things for Sister Longstaff, it was kind of a "looking back" moment. I was able to see how far I have really come with learning the language. I loved it(: 

We also had a very special Saturday. Jeff was baptized(: It was a beautiful baptism. You could just feel his excitement and the spirit as he was totally ready to take that step! Sunday was also just as beautiful. He was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. We talked to him a little later about how it all felt and he said that after he had been baptized, he obviously felt clean and happy, but he felt like something was missing. Then when he received the Holy Ghost, he felt like it was all together. It was really awesome to hear it explained like that. It is just a testimony that baptism is not complete without that step of "baptism by fire" (2 Nephi 31:13). 

We also gave talks on Sunday. I spoke about family history... in Spanish. That was a struggle haha. But I feel like especially this week I have received testimony again and again about how Heavenly Father helps us with the language when we are most in need. He gives us the ability to speak so that we can help to bless his children. One of the members in our branch told us a story about when he was on his mission in Honduras, Elder Ballard came to speak to the missionaries. He went to Germany on his mission so he had a translator for the people that spoke only Spanish. There was a part where missionaries were able to ask questions and one missionary (who Hno Gonzalez said was a little prideful) stood up and said in Spanish "If we have to learn English for our missions, why don't you have to learn Spanish to speak to us." The translator (with a little hesitation) leaned over to translate the question but Elder Ballard put up his finger, stood up, and in perfect Spanish said " I don't have to learn a language when I have the gift of tongues by the spirit. Sit down Elder." And then continued to speak for the next 45 minutes in perfect Spanish. Could you imagine being in that meeting?! Holy cow so awesome! Heavenly Father is incredible. 

Well, that's about it for this week. I love you all so much! I am so grateful to have an eternal family! 

Happy Labor Day!

Love,

Hermana Lundquist