WEEK 36

AH!!! Enter new companion: Hermana Ibarra!!! She is SO awesome!!! Ibarra here is a Brand of chocolate, and so one of the members has nicknamed our companionship The Best Chocolate. Im having flashbacks to my companion from Costa Rica Hermana Cascante for several reasons, and one being that it is my companions LAST TRANSFER. Apparently there is something I need to learn about how to finish your mission haha. Missionaries in their final transfers bring a VERY distinct, special spirit with them into the house and the área. Similar to my experience with Hermana Cascante, our first night of planning we ended up talking a TON about what we want to see in the área, what Works, and what doesnt. She has a lot of experience with different companions and áreas, so i have a ton of trust in her. Shes showed me a method for planning and teaching that has been working SUPER well to allow both companions equal time teaching in the lessons,and the lessons have been some of the most spiritual in my  mission.

 

She also is teaching me a lot about how to feel more in tune with the Spirit with what state the house is in, and how we use our time. For example, our house wasnt bad at all when she got here.  But today, our first p day, we switched a ton of stuff (like not sleeping in the cold room with our heads right by the window) cleaned really well, and are going to paint and buy nice curtains that actually cover the doors and Windows. When we finished it all i felt like i could breathe. The house is now a place i want to be when im in it, and this makes a surprising difference in missionary work. Hermana Ibarra was joking that she has a reputation in her áreas for 'remodeling' houses, and sometimes people dont see the point. But after we put her plans into action everything looks and feels so bright and peaceful that i totally get it now! I know this is something ill take home with me after the mission, because technically our home should be a 'Little piece of heaven' and the only thing that compares with the temple.

Hermana Best with her new companion, Hermana Ibarra

One thing i'm very excited about this past week is our investigator MIGUEL!!! Oh my gosh he is so awesome. I knew he would be great since we met him my last transfer, but maybe we didnt give him the time he needed, so now were meeting with him a ton. Miguel is the epitome of the 80s in America. We always show up and hes wearing something like a John Elway jersey, listening to The Clash and bobbing his head in a total 'dad' way, and trying to speak to me in english haha! Total goofball/jokester. Hes never been to America but I think he would love it there. Hes listened to the missionaries for a few months,a nd it doesnt hurt that hes a referral from the bishop. He said in the past hes felt pressured to be baptized, but weve been having super great lessons with him and we have set a baptism date of Feb 14 for him!!! One thing that is super touching as a missionary is when the investigators talk about their baptism on their own. For example, sometimes when you invite someone to be baptized, the next time you go over youre thinking 'do they remember the date? do they care about it? did they just say yes but really arent sure?' but the other day during a lesson the bishop swung by miguels store where we teach him and he was talking about 'when im baptized' and also referred to members of the church as 'us' instead of the usual 'you guys', which i didnt realize until my companion pointed out after! :) :) :)

 

One sweet thing that also happened in this chat with bishop is that Miguel said he had a big question for us.  I braced myself for the usual questions we get on the mission, something outlandish like do my companion and i share a husband or something like that. after a lot of beating around the bush he asked us...'are they gonna ask me to cut my hair for my baptism?' awww hahah it was so sweet. he has this salt and pepper hair like in a just for men add but hes growing it out to this weird  mullet thing that we dont approve of haha (total 80s) and we explained to him that being a member is a lot of different changes, but no ones going to forcé him to do anything. only that we think that he will actually end up wanting to cut his hair himself, because as members we know that our bodies are temples and we strive to look and feel clean and well groomed. we were halfway through our response when he said 'ok ok you know what im just going to go tomorrow and cut it so it wont be harder later' hahaha i was so proud of him! ive attached a pic of me and miguel pre-haircut.

Pre-haircut Miguel

Well ive really been feeling great in this stage of my mission. there are funny stages, lonely stages, difficult stages, but at the end of the day its wonderful to be a missionary. i can feel myself becoming a MUCH better person than when i stepped into the MTC last year. ive come to value the things that are ACTUALLY important in life, especially our relationships with other people. the material stuff doesnt matter. in our house i have 2 suitcases of belongings, and i dont feel that im lacking anything. every day i get to study the góspel and understand more and more things than I ever have in my life. then i close my scriptures and see all of your smilings faces in the pictures of us that i have on my Wall and know i have a wonderful support system of family and friends. the Lord has blessed me in so many ways I cant even count them!!! I pray that we can seek for truth and light. i know the world is filled with a lot of temptations and ways to distract ourself. only the góspel can keep us on track and bring us lasting peace. I love my Savior, Jesús Christ, and I know this is his church. I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!!!