La Rama

My failed attempt at growing a plant...

died :(

Hola de FOCO,

Sounds like you all had a fun Halloween. I want to see pictures of all your costumes! Send me some!

Davis - Way to whip out the big guns....I needed a Holland quote :) haha keep up the amazing work in your area! I wish you were my district leader!

Okay so we were holding our breath to see if all our less actives would continue attending church this week. This was the real official week of the branch....because last week was only sacrament and there were a million gringos. And...tons of our people came! It was still really full!...okay well full for una ramita. It was amazed. We have Relief Society in a normal class room and we were over flowing. And the chapel was like one third full! This is an awesome start. I am so exited for this rama! Yesterday was another emotional meeting. So many Hispanic members bearing their testimonies for the first time in forever because all their meetings have been in English in the past. I also bore my testimony...and of course bawled like a baby because it was my last fast and testimony meeting as a missionary. Blah...prepare for an emotional mess people.

Okay so we have so many amazing things happening so I am just going to up date and tell you a little about everyone...

Miguel: He did all his reading assigments and came to church! We tried to set him with a baptismal date this last Thursday but for some reason he won't commit! We can not figure it out! We went through all the baptismal questions with him and he answers them all fine until he gets to the last question that asks if you consider yourself ready to make this commitment and he says..."I need more time". We think his concern is that he thinks that he has to be perfect after baptism. We have taught him about why we have the atonement and about repentance after baptism a bunch of times but he still won't commit. Our plan of action this week is to get the branch council heavily involved and fellowship him like nobodies business. Keep praying for him.

Patty: She has a baptismal date for Nov. 22!!! :) She is awesome! She came to church as well and is really excited about preparing for baptism. The only thing we are a little worried about is the law of chastity. When her boyfriend Daniel comes in town he stays with her and from past comments we know they are not living the law of chastity right now. Hopefully she will have the strength to know it is true and live it when we teach it this week.

Estela: AWESOME new investigator. We met her at Walmart last P-day by the peppers. We asked her tips on how to make salsa verde. She helped us then gave us her address so that we could visit her. Later that week we went and taught her the Restoration. She loved it and told us that she knew God put us in her path because she usually goes to King supers but she just randomly went to Walmart that day and she usually gets her other groceries first but she felt that she should go right to the peppers. MILAGROS! We are meeting with her this week so she can teach us how to make chiles reyenos and so that we can teach her the plan of salvation. So excited!

La familia Arellano: They are a part member family the dad and oldest daughter (Jaime and Jamie....yes...those are their names.) are members (less active) and the mom and other daughter are investigators. We had an awesome lesson with them about the plan of salvation. Ashley who is 8 years old really wants to get baptized. Leticia the mom said that they need to come to church more before making that decision....We were like Yes! Come! We agree! haha They had to work this Sunday so hopefully they will be there next week. I love this family SO MUCH. We are eating dinner with them and teaching them more this Thursday...I love how Hispanic people always offer to feed you. It's the best.

Hermana Clara Bejerano: Used to be less active but in the past few months has become super active was called as the branch Relief Society President!!! This was such a miracle! She bore powerful testimony yesterday and I know this will be so good for her and her family. Her husband is not a member. I LOVE her!

John: John is 15 years old and is one of our recent converts. He has made some REALLY bad decisions in the last few months but we have had some miracle break through lessons with him these last few weeks. He told us that the spirit he felt after being baptized is gone and he wants it back. We are helping him through the repentance process. Keep him in your prayers!

There are so many others as well but those were the big ones from this week. I am so grateful for all of these people. In helping them come unto Christ I have realized that they are the ones helping me. These people, their examples, and sacrifices to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ makes me a better person. I love them so much. Thank you all so much as well. You are all included in the group of people who have truly helped me become who I am.

Love you all so much

Hermana England

PS. Hilarious quote of the week. So we went to Spanish Sunday school and Patty obviously went to the English one with Enya. And after she came up to us and said...."I am confused about the Sunday school lesson."  (Patty is still learning English) so we asked her what she didn't understand and with a really strange face she said...."What does delighting in fatness mean?"  hahaha we just told her we would explain that later.

Making chiles rellanos with Estela

our awesome investigator!