Week 12: Week of Baptisms

Ok.  Wow.  I don't even know where to begin.  This week was nuts!

First off..... GERALDO AND MICHELLE GOT BAPTIZED!

Geraldo, Hermana Snow and Michelle

Monday with the grocery store boy...  we ran into him again and this week it was something different.  It went a little like this, me: "Hey!  How are you this week?  Are you having a good week?"  Him: "Woowee.  Ugh.  Dang.  I am so good babe.  Ugh.  Wow.  Oooo, hot dang."  I just laughed and had to walk away.  Speechless.

G**** called us and told us that she had a story for us.  She was sitting on the bus coming home from the grocery store... maybe?  We couldn't hear her very well... but she was sitting by this man and he asked her if she was Catholic.  She said that she looked at him a little confused like... "where did that come from?" Then she said, out of nowhere, she looked at him and said, "No.  I'm Mormon." She was so excited to tell us that.  SHE IS SO CUTE!  I LOVE HER!  I love the fact that she got so excited about that little situation that she had to call us and tell us.  Please, family.  I need you to come to Miami and meet this wonderful lady.  She is soooooo amazing.

Tuesday we went and visited G****.  She is so cute.  She was really down and actually didn't want to let us into her house.  Something happened..... in the middle of the night she got a phone call from a local hospital.  They called to tell her that V***** was in the hospital on suicide watch and he put her down as a family member.  It really made her frustrated.  She thought that he was gone forever.  Then he called her again and asked if he could come back because he has no family or friends and no place to live.  The hospital was keeping him for a week in the psych ward so that they could watch him and he was giving her a week to make up her mind.  She was so lost because she didn't want him to do something harmful to himself and she also didn't want the negative influence in her life anymore.  She really needed our help.  As missionaries, there isn't much we can do except for helping her learn more and helping increase her testimony.  Never a dull moment in Miami.  

We went to go talk to a family that we had met that said they would be interested in learning more.  We knocked on their door and they weren't home.  We were a little bummed and started to walk away. Sister Lightheart was really inspired because she said, "Wait, let's write them a note and let them know that we stopped by."  We walked back to the door and she started to write the note.   A man came walking up the stairs.  I waved at him and started to have a conversation.  He was really happy and had a lot of questions about the gospel.  Come to find out he lived in a house that we had knocked a couple weeks before to harvest bless and he wasn't interested at all and went immediately upstairs.  His wife and son prayed with us and seemed kind of interested.  Turns out his daughter is a member and he has thought about the church before.  We asked him if we could come back another day when we had more time to actually teach him something and he said.... YES! :) The hearts are being softened one day at a time.  

We had the last lesson with the Geraldo and Michelle before their baptism.  Ok.  Seriously, they are the cutest things on the planet.  They are just like family to me.  Also, Tesla and Jose told us that they are planning to get married in December... and Tesla will be baptized the next week.  TEMPLE TRIP NEXT DECEMBER! ;) 

My Awesome District with the Zone Leaders
L to R, Back Row:  Elders Gomez, Brakey, Felkins, Becker
Middle Row:  Hermanas Snow and Lightheart
Front Row:  Elders Comstock and Flores

Wednesday I got a wonderful package from Grandma Snow.  THANK YOU!  It has helped with the bug problem so much!  I no longer look like a crazy person constantly scratching my legs.  I don't look like I have chicken pox, either.  YAY!  You are so wonderful!  

Sister Lightheart and I decided that we wanted to talk to P**** and see how the lessons with the Elders were going and how he was feeling about baptism.. haha Yeah.. found out he smokes a lot of weed.... which explains a lot about the strange comments and all other adventures we have with P****.  His "cousin" B****** also got out of jail that day so we talked to him instead.  He has so many questions about the truth and asked us if we will have a Bible study with him so he can hear what our beliefs are.  He also told us that he really wants to change his life.  He didn't like jail life, I guess.  WHAT A MIRACLE! ;) 

We had FHE and I planned the lesson.  This is really big.. because I can't do anything in Spanish.   BUT I DID IT!  Yay!  It made me so happy.  It was wonderful.

Elders Gomez and Flores, the Garcia Family, Hermanas Snow and Lightheart

Afterwards, Doris told us that she would like to go to the temple with the ward on Saturday…"Uh.. what?  You need to be confirmed first." So right then and there, during ward activities, we put it on hold and the Bishop confirmed her. She has SO MUCH FAITH and WONDERFUL DESIRES.  She was only a member of the church for 6 days and went to the temple... she is a wonderful example of what kind of desires we should have. So I want to challenge you all to the go to the temple and do baptisms once a month as a family! I understand that you are busy... but when you make time for the Lord, He will provide!

Thursday we had a trainee/ trainer meeting with the President and MY LONG LOST FAMILY.  It was SOOOO good to see them and catch up!  Oh man.  I have missed them. 

CCM Sisters:  Bradley, Rowley, Jackson and Snow

Because we had to drive all the way to Fort Lauderdale, we decided that we should ride our bikes to save miles.  Never. in. my. life. have. more. men. honked. and. made. kissy. noises. out. of. their. car. windows.  I was DYING!  Oh man... Latinos…

We had a lesson with G****... and SHE ACCEPTED A BAPTISM DATE FOR THE 26th OF OCTOBER.  That is a miracle.  At first, she chose December and then we told her that we have no idea if we will still be in the area in December... so she chose the 26th.  We are so proud of her.  This is a huge leap of faith!  She's amazing.  

Geraldo and Michelle passed their interviews and were soooo ready for baptism! :) Yay!  The Elders were so impressed with how faithful they were and how excited!  its amazing.  Tesla was telling us that earlier that day she was talking to Michelle and she told her that she didn't want to be baptized. Michelle has been having a really rough time.  Before we started teaching her, she had a lot of depression.  Tesla is sooo grateful for the gospel that has been brought into Michelle's life.  She has seen a tremendous change in her.  We have seen her countenance change as well.  The gospel is amazing!

Friday, not much happened .. but there was a really funny experience.  I woke up because I could hear someone in the house doing something.  I looked at Sister Lightheart's bed and she was gone.  I was really confused because I felt like we had only been sleeping for 5 minutes.  She came out of her bathroom, turned on the light and was getting ready to exercise.  I was soooo confused.  I looked at her and asked her if the alarm had gone off because I hadn't heard it.  We looked at the time.. its was 12:30. We laughed and got back in bed and went to sleep.  Needless to say, Friday was interesting because both of us were sooo tired. 

Saturday G**** called us crying.  V***** called and told her that he had met another lady and he was moving in with her.  He was going to come get his stuff on Monday.  She was so heartbroken so we went over and taught her a lesson.  We taught her that she needs to pray for strength and that God has a plan for all of His children.  She was so sad that she made herself physically ill.  It was so sad. :( I felt so bad for her but we reminded her that it was happening for a reason and it was probably for the best. She told us that she wasn't going to come to church but because we came to see her, she would come for us. :)  (It's not for us... its for her. :) 

DORIS WENT TO THE TEMPLE AND LOVED IT!  She told us that she is planning to go back again really soon.  Its just hard when you live so far away and don't have a car.  She is so wonderful!  

I love her!

Sunday, Wow, a lot happened.  GERALDO AND MICHELLE were baptized.  Our ward had 5 baptisms.  The Elders had 2, we had 2 and then there was an 8 year old.  It was sooo crazy.  It was wonderful though.  Geraldo and Michelle couldn't stop smiling.  It was so cute.  I was so happy for them. 
 

Tesla, Hermana Snow, Michelle, Pablo, Geraldo, Hermana Lightheart, Jose

Best Sunday Ever

Michelle and Hermana Snow

Now for a crazy story.  Our ward mission leader is like our best friend.  He helps the missionaries so much and he wants to be involved.  His wife is a nonmember and for 10 years has been really against the church.  He asked her to come with him last week to see him baptize Doris because they are pretty good friends.  So she came.  Afterwards, the Elders talked to her a little bit and she said that she was open to learning more.  WHAT?  They were planning to go see her but things happened and they weren't able to see her.  But one day she was driving and got really lost and ended up at the temple. OK.  MIRACLE.  She called her husband and said, "I want to get baptized this Sunday and I want to go to the temple with you and I want to be sealed to you forever.  You are mine and I don't want to lose you."  MIRACLE.  So the Elders taught her everything Saturday night and she was baptized! :)  It was so awesome.  She was so happy!  Oh... it was the Primary program too.  BEST SUNDAY EVER! :)

I love being a missionary.  We all have times of trial and tribulation, but with the Lord on our side... who can be against us.  NO ONE.  Keep strong and firm in the faith!  I know that the Lord wants to bless all of His children, but we must be willing to sacrifice for it.  Keep working hard.

I love you all!

Con Amor,

Hermana Snow