WEEK 58

Hello all!!! I am so happy to be here on the mission!! I've been really bad at updates this transfer, and were in the last week!! My comp is Hermana Jimenez from Campeche, Mexico. We are good friends and have shared a lot of good laughs together, our favorite phrase is 'oh noooo' when were laughing too hard and it hurts. 

One is the elders that helped us move this week. they found some leg warmers a sister left in our house forever ago, used them  to 'protect their arms.'

We have seen lots of success in this transfer. The most exciting part for me has been teaching David. He was studying in the catholic seminary to be a Father and he left because he felt that some things appeared illogical. He has been disowned by his parents and 8 brothers and sisters for leaving the Catholic church but that hasn't stopped him from going to the ward and receiving the missionary lessons. Whats more, is that in his prayers he is always praying for his family that they'll be ok. He is a great example to us. His baptism is programmed for this Saturday and we couldn't be more proud of him!!! 

this past week ther was a REALLLLY bad rain storm!!! luckily we had just come back from a conference so we were in our house studying when it hit, i dont know what we would have done if we were outisde. it literally looked like a tsunami, the hail was hitting our windows and wind and rain was going inside our house. when we went outside after the storm we saw that this brick wall by our house FELL DOWN (the pic i took is from the inside of our house). the next day as we visited people we found out taht several people here had their houses fall (the ones that are constructed of really weak materials). hopefully another storm like that doesnt hit soon!!! 

We have a couple of other awesome investigators that are progressing a lot. one brings the Book of Mormon with her wherever she goes in her bag, and she is always smiling so big at church, its so cool! 

The mission is passing by really fast and I'm enjoying every minute of it! 

WEEKS 56-57

A couple pics to tide us over until an update next week!

"A pic a lady in the ward finally sent me from Atlixco. These are the kids of the family we lived with!!!! the little one, Diego is 6 years old and is SO intelligent and spiritual!!!! he loves the Book of Mormon we gave him and can explain what all the images are in the beginning (joseph smith, nephi, burying the plates, etc). sometimes when he talked he would just say these super profound things and my companion and i would look at each other, we couldnt help it. an hermana from my old ward emailed me and said that the older one has a baptism date!!!! it was so fun going to church with them (parents didnt go), they have great faith!!!! "

"A blurry foto of me and my comp after the Zone Conference. " 

WEEK 55

No time for an email this week, but we do have a couple pics of Lauren's current companion that she sent...

"My comp is so darling!"

"A companionship for the ages"

WEEK 54

I GOT TRANSFERRED to VALSEQUILLO. Its closer to Puebla, Puebla (the city). Im in an area called Xilotzingo, pronounced she-lot-sing-go. My mission mom served here for 6 months!! i am absolutely in love with the area. the people are wonderful , we share the same sense of humor haha and there is a lot of potential. My companion is Hermana Jimenez from Mexico and she's amazing! More next week!

SAYING GOODBYE TO THE AMAZING PEOPLE I MET IN ATLIXCO!!!!

"Alicia, 92 years old. Fell and broke her arm! :( And wanted to sit up for a picture and we said LAY BACK DOWN hahaha" 

"Tomas, Alicia's son!!!"

"Family we lived with for 6 months! Love them. PS it was pouring rain as we ran around saying bye to people, hence looking like a crazy person!!!"

WEEK 53

Elder Christensen of the Seventy came to talk to us and it was really thought provoking!

Our zone baptized 21 people in one night! I got to play a violin from 1713 in special musical numbers. The Spirit was incredibly strong in the baptismal service and all of the families were so happy for the step they were taking!

Our district got so close this transfer :) These are some of my best friends in the mission. I am really sad to be leaving them but so happy for the friendships I've made on the mission!!!! (From Utah, Las Vegas, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, and Peru!!! Whoo!)

After half a year in Atlixco I'm getting transferred! I will really miss the ward, it has grown a ton. People have shown me so much love through their words and their actions. Im excited for what comes next. 

WEEK 52 (One Year!!!)

Whoa I completed my one year mark this past week!!!!! I have been doing a lot of reflecting on my mission so far. I was also thinking about my life before the mission and it seems so weird (im so accustomed to this now!) I was remembering going repelling with my friends and started thinking how the mission has been like that experience.

When I went repelling all I knew is I wanted to go. Going on a mission is what pulled me out of a dark place and all I knew is that I wanted to go. Heavenly Father kept putting ideas and little coincidences everywhere that let me know I was on the right path. Its funny how the mission is NOTHING like you think it will be. When we went repelling we went through all this windy paths in the blazing hot Southern Utah sun until we got to the ledge where we would repel. I remember I was terrified. The worst part of repelling is when you just have to let yourself fall back in order to start.  The mission was a little bit like that too. Being flown to another country, speaking another language, living with one person you dont know, everything is just a total free fall. 

Once I got over that terrifying ledge while repelling  I started figuring out how to bounce my feet down the wall. In the same way here I worked for months trying to get my footing on all the' new stuff', all the while learning about myself AND helping others.  

Now that I have a year I know the steps. I know how to keep inching along. I know that sooner than I expect my feet are going to hit the bottom, but I still have a while to go so Im not looking down. The most important part, of course, is that just like in repelling, I have a guide. My friends that took me on our crazy outdoor adventure assured me probably 100 times that I wasnt going to slip, I wasnt going to get hurt, the harness was new, etc etc  Here on the mission the Savior has truly been my guide. When Ive felt out of place, overwhelmed, inadequate, or just plain tired He has been there helping me along. I know the challenges on the mission are nothing compared to what He went through, I also know that he truly knows how to 'succor his people'.

This past week we had the privilege of having a member of the seventy, Elder Pino, come and speak to us. It was incredible, I was soaking up everything!!! Oh and my companion and I were chosen to practice teaching....practicing in front of all your peers, a member of the seventy, and the 'investigators' are your President and his wife was a little intimidating haha but it was a great learning experience!!! 

Thank you everyone for always supporting me, sending emails, and for your prayers for the missionaries! We truly are feeling more and more empowered and inspired here in the Puebla South mission. I have seen huge changes in the ward, in our zone, and in myself. These are changes that ONLY the gospel can bring. I know that this is the truth and Im ready to make these 6 months count. CUIDENSE!!!! 

Love

Hermana Best

Happy Mother's Day! The apply doesn't fall far from the tree :)

WEEKS 50-51

Hermana Best hasn't had time to send an email the past couple of weeks, but she was able to Skype home for Mother's Day and she is alive and well! Here are a few pictures from her:

Hermana Best received letters from her good friend Reuben who is serving a mission in Mongolia!

Ward activity :)

Lauren's home ward had the Primary children send her some notes. She said "It made my week."