08-08-2011

Mi familia,
How are all of you?! I hope that life is treating you good. Everything is going good here! We have been staying busy and trying to do those things to find people to teach, to help people come unto Christ and accept the gospel into their lives.
I am going to tell you about the people we are teaching because I don't think I've really done too much of that. Really, though, that's the best part of what I'm doing and so I think it's necessary. :] We've been teaching a lady named Gyna, Gyna is from Haiti and so she speaks French and Creole (native languages), but understands and speaks quite a bit of Spanish. We take a member, Angela (she is soo cute!) who is also from Haiti, but she doesn't speak Spanish but she does speak English and so she translates a lot of what we say into French. It's kind of confusing and a lot of different languages are spoken while we teach her, but she wants to be better. I can feel that from her every time we meet with her. She is so loving and I hope that she takes those steps to be baptized because I know that it will change her life.
Another investigator we taught the other day is Cesar and he is from Mexico. Cesar was very open to everything we taught him. He was showing us this little bible that he carries around and reads all of the time. He has a close relationship with our Heavenly Father, I can tell. We gave him "El Libro de Mormon" and I pray that he is reading it and that he is feeling the power of it in his life.
I went on exchanges this past week. That is where we change companionships for a day. I went with Sister Cottle to Petaluma and her companion came here with Hermana Fenn. She is english speaking and so we taught people in english. It's a lot easier to connect with people when there isn't a language barrier. I really do have a love for these people even before I meet them and then when I do meet them the love just grows. Even though we are there to teach them, they teach me so much! One man we taught is an alcoholic and is having a very hard time quitting. In the MTC, there was a scripture we related to addictions and how addictions are like cords/bands holding us down in our lives. The scripture is 1 Nephi 7:17-18. We shared it with him and told him that we can overcome anything (any addiction, trial, challenge) in our lives with faith and with the strength of the Lord. He said he was going to read that scripture every night to give him strength and hope.
I hope that gives you a better insight to the wonderful people, children of God, that we have been teaching lately.
Funny story: We have been teaching a man named Bosbeli also, but we haven't been able to get ahold of him lately because he works so much. We saw this man on the street and I knew I had seen him before, but Hermana Fenn and I go and talk to him. I was surprised throughout talking to him how bold Hermana Fenn was being. She was asking him why he hadn't come to church and that he needs to ask his boss for time off on Sundays so he can attend. We set up an appointment with him and I had my planner off and after he walked away I turn to her and ask what his name was. She was like "that was Bosbeli." It was not Bosbeli! Haha, we just started laughing so hard. She had thought the whole time, it was Bosbeli and then I realized why she was being so bold with him. It was actually this other guy named Donicio. It may be one of those experiences that you had to have been there, but it made my day!
I have such a new experience everyday. I feel so blessed to be called to this work! I love sharing this gospel with others. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that we are here in this life to have happiness and to have joy and that is why we have families. I tell people about my family all of the time. I love you all so much! I know that families can be together forever. :] I have been reading a lot about hope these past few days. Ether 12:4 is a beautiful scripture about hope, read it!