We had quite a few really great experiences this week!
Mari is doing really well. We had a lesson with her and we decided to teach the plan of Salvation. I was super pumped up for this lesson because we both knew it was exactly what she was going to need. One of the other young single adults named Foster joined us for the lesson and before we started he said "oh man! I love the plan of salvation. This is exactly what I need!". We didn't have enough time to teach the whole thing so we ended up teaching about the pre-mortal life, up to the atonement. It was so incredible and the spirit was way strong. We were all tearing up by the end of it. The YSA were having an activity so we ended with a prayer and then got up to leave, but could tell that something was still bothering Mari, so we ended up staying another hour just to talk with her about things. Her mother passed away about a year ago from Cancer and she is not close to her father. She has an older sister that she is pretty close with, but she lives far away. We were able to talk about prayer and our relationship with our Heavenly Father and our potential as His children. By the end both Mari and I were in tears. I am so grateful for the knowledge of who I am and that when times get rough, I can count on my Heavenly Father to guide us through and help us turn our weaknesses into strengths. Mari was telling us about how safe and happy she feels when she comes to church and how she loves being around all of us. I hope that she can continue to feel that safety and receive answers to her prayers as she keeps learning and growing. We are going to have a lesson tonight and teach the rest of the plan of Salvation. I am so excited!
We did quite a bit of service this week too! We helped some members in our ward put up their Christmas Lights. It was super fun, but a little early! haha oh well, getting into the Christmas mood is awesome! Silver City is really turning into a gorgeous place. The leaves are falling off the trees and there is ice in the mornings! I love it here!
So, for my favorite part of the week, Saturday. BAPTISM DAY! Eulises and Jaclyne both were baptized on Saturday! It was an awesome day but oh so crazy! So in the morning we went over to the Hamilton's house with the Elders to try and finish painting. We got pretty close but it was a cold morning and after 3 hours we couldn't feel our hands anymore, so we are going to have to go one more time to finish. Right after that, we went over to the church and set everything up. We carried all the cushioned chairs across the church to the baptismal room (and by the way, those chairs are HEAVY! I got a nice arm workout though haha), we set up tables and chairs in the cultural hall for food after the baptisms, we cleaned, we organized, we did tons! Then we had to go clean all the paint out of our hair! By the time we got back, our ward mission leader was there filling up the font. One of my favorite noises is hearing the water running in the church. Honestly, it just sounds so exciting! haha because we know what is coming next! So Eulises had his baptism at 2pm. He was so excited. Just grinning from ear to ear the whole time. When he first got to the church he ran up and hugged Hermana Magnusson and I (which is against the rules, but we couldn't stop him haha). After the baptism he kept saying he felt so happy! It was great! Then Jaclyne had her baptism at 5pm. Man alive there were so many people! We had to set up extra chairs and open up the dividers in the back to get more room. She is such a good missionary. She invited friends and less active family members, it was great! We shared a 5 minute teaching moment about the restoration of the gospel and it was incredible. I don't know if I have ever felt the spirit in such a quick amount of time. I really hope it touched the hearts of the people there.
The next day they were both getting confirmed and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost at church. Eulises at 9am and Jaclyne at 10am. Well, we were at the ward a half an hour early, waiting for Eulises... and they weren't there. The meeting started and they still weren't there. Then they started the sacrament and they STILL WEREN'T THERE! Oh man alive we were freaking out. We went out into the hallway and waited and FINALLY they showed up. It would have been all fine and dandy if we didn't have to be to Jaclyne's confirmation 30 minutes later. We had one of the deacons pass a note up to the Bishop and they were able to have him confirmed in between talks. It was beautiful (especially because Javier, the dad, did it in Spanish. The language of the angels haha) Right after we booked it over to the Institute building and made it just in time for Jaclyne. It was beautiful as well and she was just beaming. Now you know that when I say we are busy, I mean BUSY! haha.
But it was a great week. An awesome way to start off the transfer. This transfer cycle is going to be a week shorter because of Christmas. So we can already feel the time flying by. Hermana Magnusson is freaking out because she goes home in 4 weeks. But she is such an example to me of enduring to the end of her mission and pushing strong. She had set great goals to keep herself going and to end on a high note. I am so grateful to be her companion and to be learning from her example.I love you all so much! Because this is the month of "gratitude" I would like to share a scripture. It is in Doctrine and Covenants 78:19 and says "And he who recieveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more." I know that as we show our thankfulness for all that we are given, we will be able to recognize more and more what we truly have. I am thankful for all of you and for this opportunity to serve a mission and get to know so many more of God's children. Have a great week and keep up that attitude of gratitude!
love,
Hermana Lundquist