3/31/14

This week there was lots of rain. One of the days, we were walking to our District meeting, and I kept thinking, "A car is going to drive by and soak us." And then, Suddenly I was being pelted by super gross dirty water. It was just like the movies. I laughed so hard. I thought it was funny. And luckily my scriptures didn't get wet! That's my funny story of the week.

Now for the more spiritual stuff. Last pday, we shared our leftover lunch with one of our members that doesn't have much at all to eat. I`ve talked about her before. That night, one of the women in our ward bought a bunch of food. It was a blessing. When you share what you have, blessings come! I also got a wonderful letter from Jill F.! It had A's christmas letter in it. I was soo touched, she asked Santa to tell Jesus to say hi to mom. I pretty much just cried right there. So tender.

We teach one of our neighbors. This week we had a really great lesson. We hadn't visited her for sometime because shes been sick or at work. But we got to see her! She said that morning she had been thinking a lot about how she and her granddaughter needed a church to go to, and we were the answer to her prayers! We invited them to go to the Women's Conference, and THEY CAME!!!! It was so exciting! They loved it. So, I think things will go really well with them.

Another lesson we had, we were teaching this man. He loves to listen to people talk about religion. we were teaching the 1st lesson and I was talking about prophets. Suddenly out of my mouth flew the words, " We would like to invite you to listen to conference." I thought: WHAT? He doesn't know what conference is, how am I going to explain it?! Immediately the member started explaining what it was and the times and he was excited. I really hope he goes and listens. I cant wait for conference. You all better listen. Its important stuff.

The women's conference was great! I even understood most of it even though it was in Spanish! YAY! Although, it did make me a little homesick. Especially with the billions of shots of Bountiful. But, it was good none the less.

Sadly, yesterday we had to tell an investigator we couldn't visit her anymore because she wasn't progressing. It was soooo hard. I felt like I was giving away my child. I don't like that at all. But, I can feel she will be baptized in the future when the circumstances are better.

The Lord has a plan for all of us. And he is always right. Follow what he has planned because he knows the big picture. I now this is where I am supposed to be and that the Lord is guiding us and loves us so very much. Love you all and have a wonderful week!!

3/25/14

Well, this week has been the most interesting in my health thus far. Remember how I said I felt super sick Sunday night? Well, Monday I had a fever, so we went to the doctor. She prescribed 5 medicines and THOUGHT I had salmonella. Exciting right? So, she wanted me to go have a blood test done the next day. So, Tuesday, off we went to the lab. I traumatized my companion for life because I passed out. She thought I died. It was so weird. The nurse had just asked how I felt, and suddenly everything went black! I kept hearing my name, and not Hermana Stanger, Mary. I was so very confused. And then I woke up on the floor with a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol on it under my nose. It was exciting. The next day, I woke up with hives all over! So, back to the doctor. She told me to stop taking the 1 medication and prescribed 4 more. 8 MEDS!!!!! It was crazy! 

The next day I still felt awful, but my mission presidents wife is wonderful and she took my companion and I to IHOP for breakfast. It was delicious!!!! Saturday, I was still not feeling better, so we went to the hospital. It was a lot less sketchy than I expected. They did another blood test. This time I didn´t pass out! Just bawled like a baby because I didn't want to traumatize my companion again. He prescribed 3 new drugs and said to stop the others. Fun fun. I am feeling a little better now!


Now for the other stuff in my life. We had 2 new investigators this week that agreed to baptism in the first lesson. One of them is soooooooo prepared. She has read the whole Book of Mormon. She attends Institute, she prays, goes to church, everything. She just needs to be baptized. Most of the members think she is a member. Her boyfriend just got home from his mission last week. Talk about being nervous to teach her! But it went well! The other is great. When we first met her, she wouldn't stop talking. Like, non stop. But when we finally got the lesson going, she wouldn´t talk because she just loved our message! It was fantastic. We also had a wonderful FHE with a family. We read a story to them, and they were so touched. The spirit was soooo strong in the lesson. Everyone was crying. It was wonderful.


There is a little girl, shes about 2, and one day my companion was holding her hand. We pretended we were going to take her with us, but of course didn't. We walked away and we were almost all the way down the street when we heard ¨Hermanas!!!¨ we looked behind us and she was running after us. It was adorable and hilarious. Behind her was her grandma. It was great.


I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve. I love the people. I love serving the Lord. I know this is the true church. Joseph smith restored the true church on the earth. The Book of Mormon is true. I never realized why having a testimony of the Book of Mormon is so important. If its not true, neither is anything in our religion. NOTHING. But it is true! I know it! Love you all and hope all is well!!

3/17/14

I´ve been out for 3 months already! How crazy! The time has flown. 

We had an interesting week. We started teaching this man whose whole family are members except him. He´s nice and reminds me a lot of my own father. The first lesson we taught, we talked about the Book of Mormon. And at the end of the lesson he prayed for the first time in front of people! It was awesome. Then we went back a few days later and taught the entire 1st lesson. Their son, whose a RM and less active, was there. The lesson went great. But when we invited them to church, the RM said he didnt want to. My companion then ¨Planchare¨ him, in other words she told him off. Then the Dad prayed again in front of his entire family!! AND he came to church Sunday!!! :D What joy!!!

Last Wed, we were walking home from our zone conference and the wind was crazy! The clouds were rolling, kinda like a tornado. My poor companion tripped and skinned her knee pretty bad. She could barely walk. So I helped until we got to our relief society presidents house. When we got their I cleaned her knee up and had bandaids in my bag. I felt prepared. It was awesome. And I didnt even feel faint with all the blood! It was a blessing.

The next day we had divisions. Never do I ever want to do that again. I went from being the jr. companion to the sr. I didnt enjoy it, but all went well at least! I was so excited when I got my companion back. Planning for the next day without your companion isn´t fun. And I forgot to plan for the morning. While I was doing my personal study, I realized I had nothing scheduled. So I prayed to know who needed our love. I instantly knew! So when we went, she was home and more than willing to listen to us. God really is willing to help and direct you.

Funny story...Yesterday, we went to this less active womans house for lunch after church. When she put the food in front of us, I was sure she had just barfed on our plates and served it. It smelled awful, it looked awful, and it tasted awful. I would put a spoonful in my mouth and immediately drink some soda. I literally almost threw it up all over the table. Luckily she wasn´t looking and didnt see. My companion couldnt eat it either. We were dying. But its really rude to not eat the food. So, (This was bad, don't follow our example) My companion set the alarm clock on our phone, and when it went off she pretended it was an appointment and we had to go right then. So, she gave us more food to take with us. I felt like throwing up the rest of the night. It was awful.

This morning for p day our zone went to the beach! I love the beach, but its hard to not touch the water. I didnt, because I'm a good girl, but it was a struggle.

Love you all and hope all is well!

Hermana Stanger

3/10/14

This week was pretty great! One of our less active members taught us how to make tamales! It was quite the adventure. The same day, we picked up all the palm leaves from her tree that had fallen in the storm from the previous few days. It was so much fun! 

The other day we were teaching one of our recent converts. I had a little package of biscuits in my bag that my companion and I were going to share. I felt strongly I should give it to her. So I followed it! And she was soooo excited! For the next day was her birthday and she wasn´t going to get any presents because all of her family lived far away. After further discussion, we also found out she eat pretty much only beans everyday because she doesn't have a fridge or anywhere to put food. So, we invited her to lunch for the next day! It was awesome and she was so happy. 

This week my testimony of family history increased. I wont lie, I´ve never really seen the importance. I love the temple and doing work there, but Somehow I didn't completely connect the two. I was studying in revelations for some reason, and where it talked about the book of life, i was wondering what it meant. I felt like I should read in Doctrine and Covenance, but I didn't know where. So, I just flipped it open. And there was my answer!!! It talked about how the dead can´t be saved without our help, and we cant be saved without helping them. Our ancestors need to be found and have their temple work done so they can be in the book of life! Do family history!!!

Yesterday, during the second hour of church I almost passed out. It was pretty exciting. Food all of the sudden was being given to me from random ward members. When it happened it was only my companion, mission leader and I in the hall. Word spreads fast. Haha, but its good to know lots of people have food with them at church. ;) Our mission leader offered to buy me a coke, and I said, "Its Sunday." He said, "Its an emergency" Those 2 phrases were repeated a few times and finally he gave up. And I felt a little better because I was trying to be obedient. 

Thats about all for this week. Love you all!!!

3/3/14

Service comes in many forms. This week one of the forms, I got to help one of the women in our ward dye her hair! That was one of my favorite services ever. We also got to help our bishop's wife cut foam because she is redoing her couches. Service is the best. I just wish more people would let us serve them. Most of the time, if you offer service they think you´re going to murder them or something because that's how scary it is. 

Know whats terrifying? Being followed. One of the times, my companion and I had to run and hide in a comer because this guy was stalking us. Terrifying. 

The patriarch said more things this week! That's exciting. Diego didn't die! So far he is still alive. The power of prayer my friends! Our fantastic investigator came to church with us Sunday, and since it was fast Sunday she got to hear all the peoples testimonies! They do testimony meeting weird. They have everyone who wants to bear their testimony sit in the first two rows at the same time. But hey, whatever.

 
This week we were teaching this sister the plan of salvation. And, I sorta had a breakdown. It is so hard to have something so near and dear, but not the words to explain it. It was tough. But the spirit was really strong after that, because the spirit bore testimony. 

We teach this cute recent convert, shes 9. We were teaching the word of wisdom, and her and her little sister kept saying when we asked, what 5 things are against the word of wisdom? " Coca cola!!!!!!!" Every time. It was hilarious. 

We got to meet and listen to one of the seventy. He talked a lot about how you shouldn't baptize just to baptize. If you know the person is going to be inactive, don't baptize them. Sad, but hes kinda right. He also talked about how blessed we are to know God has flesh and bones like us. It was fantastic and our bishop had us teach it in the 3rd hour in church yesterday. 

This is the true church. If you feel like you´re on a spiritual plateau, read your scriptures. They are my favorite thing. You can learn so much from them. SOOOOOOOOOO Much. We are so blessed to live in the latter days and to have the restored gospel. We are so blessed. I love you all!!