The Hermanas are angels

Buenas tardes from Mexico City!

My little fingers are flying right now as I type away. I have taken to the practice of taking pics of emails and reading them later so I apologize for not answering many of the questions you had last week, and in advance for those I may not answer this week. I love the emails though (please continue to thank our relatives who email). I have also written to a few in answer to their notes.

Alright. We have a baptism scheduled for Ruth this Saturday and 4 baptisms scheduled for September 5th! So excited! Between this and serving at the Mexico City Temple open house this month I think I might keel over...but I am so happy. Two Saturdays ago during our meeting about the Temple I had an amazing spiritual experience. President Stutznegger was inspired to tell us right then and there that we have been called to this mission at this time, for this purpose, and that we would be guided in the Temple tour groups to people who are ready to learn about the Gospel, and that they would also be guided by the Spirit to us. To some this may sound peculiar. However, the more I learn about the purpose of this life, that it is indeed part of our Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness for us, that we are His children and that He is in charge, it is absolutely true that He gives us very personal guidance in our lives for our learning, benefit, and good. Often, such guidance and blessings come through other people, and our connections are more than just chance. Mom and Dad, you will remember that I have been counseled that I will have the opportunity to be an instrument to bless many lives through my service in the Lord's Temples. That counsel hit my heart and soul with such force during President Stutznegger’s inspired message to us. I know that this is where I am supposed to be right now. So what if I can't always speak Spanish the way I can speak my own language. There are people here for me to teach and who are seeking Heavenly Father. I love speaking Spanish because it keeps me focused on the basic truths of the Gospel. Oftentimes, all I can do at this point in my mission is bear my testimony. However, I have the Spirit with me as I do so. I know that the Holy Spirit is the true communicator no matter our own abilities.

I had another memorable experience last week. We finished a very long, frustrating lesson and I was feeling discouraged. My companion was talking to someone else in the foyer of the church so I was standing there by myself. Suddenly, a younger teenage girl came up to me, gave me big hug, and talked with me. Her name is Nicole and she and her mom were baptized a year ago. She told me that the Hermanas are angels and that I am an angel too. She hugged me probably five times, and each time she did it felt as though the Savior was hugging me. It was exactly what I needed right then. I will never forget that experience. I know that the Lord sends angels to us.

A few answers to questions. My area is quite small, but there are SO MANY PEOPLE here. So many shops and apartments all crammed into one area. My feet are doing great :) I wash my clothes by hand at members' houses and hang them to dry on their rooftops. My apartment is nice and has a working shower :)

President Stutznegger called this afternoon and asked me to organize a musical number for when Elder D. Todd Christofferson comes to visit our mission on August 26 so I will be working on that! For my friends of other faiths, Elder Christofferson is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in my Church. This will be a wonderful and rare experience for which I am very grateful. I have the opportunity to sing many hymns in many homes during my normal routine, which I love.

Final fun tidbit. I ate a dish called pancita this last Tuesday. It is a Mexican tripe soup with an assortment of fun ingredients, including COW STOMACH. It looked like chunks of shag carpet in brown liquid. It looked, smelled, and tasted...well, not my favorite...and I was constipated for the rest of the week (the opposite problem I thought I would have haha) but I ate the whole bowl!

Well I have to go but I love all of you so much!

Hermana Jones :)