HAPPY ONE MONTH TO ME!!!

This week it will be my ONE month anniversary. I literally can't believe it. Mission time is so weird. It feels like I've been here for 5 years, but it also feels like I was just home watching all 6 seasons of One tree hill on Netflix. haha Time is flying by and I'm loving it. The days are long but the week's are short. I know it doesn't make any sense, but if you served a mission, you get it.

Well this week was like really good. Like, really good. Every Tuesday, my ward has an activity night, for EVERYONE. I mean, everyone. They have a " be a better teacher class", Zumba, sewing, cooking, basketball, scouts, mutual, and an English Class. It is seriously the coolest thing ever. I really think the Spanish ward back home, or EVERY ward back home should do something like this. It is seriously a great way to get everyone to come to their activities and for everyone to be involved. This ward is so close, and I really believe it's because of these weekly activities. The English class is an awesome way to get contacts to come check out the church too. Every Hispanic wants to learn English, so they come to this free class, learn English, and of course get a little message about Christ too :) win-win. The missionaries are primarily always in the English class because we are usually the only native speakers, we help out the students with their worksheets, and with speaking. It's so fun. It's like I'm at home all over again. I really feel like teaching is talent of mine, and I feel really blessed that because of my experience in being a teacher, it's helped me so much in my mission. 

On Wednesday, we met with a less-active girl in our ward. She's been struggling for a while, but she has come a long way, and I can really feel like she wants to change. We spoke to her about The Atonement. I bore my testimony to her about how much my life has changed in just the past two years. She couldn't believe that I had the used the atonement before. We taught her that the atonement is for EVERYONE. Even as missionaries, we are continually repenting and asking for forgiveness because we are NOT perfect. No one is. But all we can do is try. I could see her countenance changing as we talked about how the atonement molds us to be the divine individual Christ sees us to become. She committed to come to church this week and to continue reading her Book of Mormon. She is a true daughter of God, and I think she's starting to see it. On our way home from her house, we felt impressed to go visit a referral we had gotten the week before. We had tried to come see her the Friday before but she wasn't home, so we decided to go try her again. We got there and her whole family was sitting outside just talking in the middle of the day. We started speaking in Spanish, but came to find out they spoke English, so that was embarrassing haha but we asked for the girl who had been referred to us. She came out and we told her about how we had gotten her info. The Elders had contacted her and since she's a single girl, they referred her to us. For privacy sake, I'll call her Maura. Maura is 18, a senior in high school, and she has a 5 month old super cute, chubby little baby :) She lives with her parents and siblings in a very humble area of town and when met with the Elders, was interested in baptizing her baby. So, obviously we told her our views on baptism, and how we believe everyone is born sinless, and how sin comes with decisions, and that we don't believe anyone until the age of eight years old is accountable for their mistakes. She was very receptive to that message and asked us to talk to her more about it. It was pretty funny actually, because usually when you're just meeting someone, you'll get to know them a little, find out their needs, then set up an appointment for another day. But she insisted we teach her then. haha. So we did. We sat outside their house, with a dirt road, and random dogs roaming around, and taught the restoration. We bore our testimonies on the Book of Mormon and how Joseph Smith was a real prophet, chosen in these latter days to translate the word of God. Her mom also sat in on the lesson, and had lots of questions (which a good thing) Maura, just sat a listened, and we could tell the spirit was witnessing to her what we were saying was true. We ended with a prayer, and Maura said it!!! It was very powerful and we were all crying by the end. The Spirit of God was there and it was strong. Never in my entire life thought I would be sitting by a dirt road testifying about the Word of God to complete strangers. But it happened, and it was AMAZING. We placed three Book of Mormons with their family, and invited them to read and ask for themselves if the book was true. It felt so natural. It was the first time I had asked someone to truly ask if the Book of Mormon was true, and it felt so easy. We invited them to come to church, and they promised they would. Sunday came around, and we spoke to Maura that morning and she said she would be there, but she wasn't. I was so sad, I didn't even know what to do. But my sweet companion reminded me that the Lord is is His work. He knows what He is doing. We did our job, we testified of  the gospel's truth, and He will do the rest.

Being a missionary is like a huge emotional roller coaster. You are so close to spirit all the time that you feel everything with more intensity. I feel so much love. Like love I didn't think I could feel for complete strangers the moment I meet them, but I do! It's the weirdest thing! The members in my ward are amazing! They are so loving, and even if they aren't I feel so much love for them anyway. And I don't even know why!?! It's seriously crazy. But I know this blessing is coming from my calling, and I was called to serve in their ward and to love and serve these people. So the Lord has blessed me with this love for so many people I never thought I would ever know. So, when Maura and her family didn't come to church, I felt like I had just been broken up with. So sad, because I wanted them to come feel the spirit and love of the ward and the Lord for themselves. I love Maura and her family, and I know that if it is God's will, and if they put forth effort to learn, they will, and they will know this Gospel is true. 

I am so blessed to be serving a mission in these days. Life is not easy for many people here in Houston. It is a humble place where I serve, and I am daily meeting more and more of God's children. What a blessing it is to see the gospel in action, and to see how it changes lives. I am so grateful to be here, doing what I am doing. It is NOT easy. There are many times where I am so exhausted I just want to cry, and go home. But I take a moment, and remember my purpose. This is NOT about me. I have a purpose here and I'm not in it. My purpose is bring others unto Christ. It's not about me crying because I can't watch vampire diaries or go to the beach lol. I am a missionary, and this is my job. I hope you are all trying your best to be obedient and to keep the commandments. The only way to happiness is follow Christ, and keep his commandments. I learn that more and more every single day. Thank you for all your love, I miss you all and hope to hear from you! 

WRITE ME letters about your lives and your experiences in becoming closer to Christ. Nothing uplifts a missionary more than hearing that from loved ones <3 But mostly just write me. My mailbox is sad :(

Until next week!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Carbajal