NUEVE MESES

NUEVE MESES PEOPLE. What is going on!!?? I am halfway done with my mission! It is so hard to believe. I never thought this day would come and, I'll be honest, I am REALLY sad that it has. Time is going way too fast, and there is still so much more for me to learn and improve and DO while I'm here! Not meaning to discount all of you back home of course -- you know I love you all so so so much :) Anywaaaaayyyyys, Hermana Lambert and I are very excited because this last week in one of our pueblos, after all of our plans and investigators we had been excited about fell through, and a very angry man yelled at us for entering his property and knocking on his door, we decided to go down a long dirt road we had never explored. We were to the point of giving up but we decided to give it a go. We ended up finding a long street going upward lined with houses on one side and with a beautiful view of the pueblo and a field on the other. We began talking with the first woman we saw. Her name is J. She was very nice and accepted a visit from us for this coming week. So we continued down the lane, talking to every person we saw. Each one of the accepted us to come back :) We soon had a huge group of adorable little Mexican children giggling and following us to every door, both fascinated and I think a bit scared of us hahaha :) They are so cute! I think we may have found our future little group of Missionaries out here in this little pueblo! :D There is always something better in store for us if we keep trying!

I also forgot to tell you about an experience we had in the little pueblo to the east a few weeks ago. We were walking down a lllllooooonnnnnggggg country road outside the pueblo when we passed by a very old cemetery. We entered and found a man weeding the area by his wife's grave. We helped him and began talking a little. He thanked us numerous times for our help and congratulated us for being two young people walking around preaching "la palabra de Dios" -- the word of God. We talked with him a little about our Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation for His children, the Savior’s teachings, and our beliefs. While he kindly declined our offer to teach him more, I am grateful for this special moment I had with my companion as missionaries to touch another life for good. I remember you talking to me about that Dad, how it truly is a blessing to come in contact with other people and share just a few moments of our lives with them, even if we never see them again.

I began the Book of Mormon over again in Spanish yesterday and I love it. I feel so happy every time I start that book again. I know it is true. I love reading it en Español and feel so grateful that, aside from a few little words here and there, I understand everything I read and continue to learn new things and feel the Spirit just as strongly as when I read it en Ingles. I am highlighting all of the references to Christ/His name in red, His words in yellow, His attributes in green, and doctrine/principles I find in blue. It is an excellent way to discover how El Libro de Mormón truly is un Otro Testamento de Jesu Cristo, another testament of Jesus Christ (along with the Bible).

Well, once again, I am really short on time today and I must close now.  I am getting a late start writing because we had a huge zone activity at an AWESOME church ranch out here that we pass by every day when going to our other little pueblo. I don't have time to send pics but I will next week. I love you family and love reading your letters :) Also know that I continue to freeze my little tail off here like you have all been doing...well, probably not nearly as much as you four but sorta haha :) Love you all!

Love Hermana Jonesie (Hermana Tirado called me that this week hahahaha)