Week 57: La Rosa

Highlights

-Brenda and Enrique got married! It was a small, simple ceremony at the church with their immediate family and the missionaries. I am so happy to see them take this first step to creating an eternal family. Brenda told me she's going to start temple prep classes soon and she and Enrique will be sealed in the temple this summer!

-Did exchanges with Sister Kynaston. We had some really good conversations so that we can both be more obedient and consecrated! I love seeing growth in the sisters!

Funny moments 

-We were having a lesson with Maria Aldrete. She is the sweetest and always gives us water bottles and a snack when we come. This time she gave us bags of popcorn. We went upstairs because one of my comps had to use the restroom. I was eating my popcorn and started walking down the stairs after she had finished. On the second step from the bottom, Maria tells "cuidado" as my feet slip and my popcorn goes flying through the air. 

-We were at a member dinner with the sweetest couple, the Wards. They served as mission leaders in Panamá. At the end of dinner, they were talking about their single grandsons because Sister Storm is going home next month. Sister Storm says "Well I'm NOT single." And Hermana Ward says "Are you engaged?" It was so awkward...

-We go to a dinner with Hermana Sonia Veruette when its pouring rain and freezing cold. She barely opens the door. I walk through and Sister Storm walks through and then she shuts the door on Hermana Echeverria. We thought at this point everyone knew we were in a trio but apparently not...

Milagros

-Last Tuesday, we felt inspired to visit some people who were visited in the past. When we got there, we found out they had moved but started talking to the new owner, Marialen, on her doorstep. We asked her what she thought happened after we die and she said "it's just the end I guess." So we started teaching her the Plan of Salvation on her doorstep. When we went to pull out a scripture, she said "Why don't you just come in" because it was raining. So we keep teaching as we are sitting down. We found at that her parents passed away during COVID and when we taught her about the spirit world she said "that makes so much sense." Then Javier walks out and we were like "hey we're teaching about what happens after we die. Do you wanna listen?" And he was like "Sure, why not." SO we started reteaching the back half of the Plan of Salvation. 5 minutes later, Jesus walks in and he's interested so we start again. When the door open another time and Caesar said he wanted to listen, we started laughing and we ended up talking to them about our purpose here on earth and the importance of baptism. It was so cool!! We're going back to teach them tomorrow!!

-When we were on exchanges, our member dinner canceled so we had this idea to go to The Taco Grill, where Hermana Menendez takes us sometimes. The owner took our order and then while when he came out to see if everything was ok, we started a conversation with him. Turns out he's good friends with Hermana Menendez because she's been a regular for 16 years. We asked if they've ever talked about religión and he said no, but he knows that Hermana Menendez is a really good person. We asked if he's interested in learning more about God's plan for after this life and he said yes!! Milagros that come from the ejemplos de los miembros!

-We've been teaching Rosendo and Maria since before I got here but they have never come to church. Recently, we started teaching their kids: Pedro (23), Jasmine (14), and Felipe (8). We were to the point where we were going to stop teaching them if they didn't come to church because they weren't progressing anymore but we got a call at the end of Sunday School and it was Rosendo telling us they were outside!! We were so excited!! So Rosendo, Maria, ans Jasmine came to Sacrament Meeting and looooved it. 

Spiritual thought

Something I've realized is that so many people don't know what happens after we die and their spirits yearn to know. The community is mourning a teenager named Ally who passed away because of an allergy attack. Ally was a dance teacher of the Castaneda girls. 

Hermana Castaneda said it was so sad to go to Ally's funeral and for the pastor to say "I wish I could tell you where Ally is but I honestly don't know."

Thanks to the Book of Mormon and the teachings of the Living prophets, we know! 

We know that after this life, we go to the Spirit world. In Alma 40:11, the Prophet Alma testified:

"Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life." He went on to teach that their are to states: a state of peace and rest for those who accepted and lived the gospel of Jesus Christ here on the earth. There is also a state of confusión for those who didn't know or accept the gospel but they are given one more chance to accept the gospel because God loves us so much. 

After everyone has had the opportunity to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ, they will be resurrected, which means their bodeis will be reunited with their spirits in a perfect form before they are judged by God and Jesus Christ and will he assigned to one of three kingdoms based on our choices. If we chose to follow Jesus Christ, we know that because of His sacrifice, we will be able to return to live in God's presence with our families for eternity .

I know this plan is real. I know our Heavenly Father lives. I know my greatest goal is to follow Christ here on earth so I can be prepared to go back to our Father. 

If you have any questions about The Plan, reach out! I love answering them!!

Love yall! Have an amazing week!!

Hermana Dudley

1. Zone Conference a couple of weeks ago with Hermana Garcia y los Wright

2. Dinner con los Casteñeda (la familia de the former presidente de rama)

3. Painting on pday

4. Brenda and Enrique con Hermana Young and I

5. Taking in groceries in California where even grocery bags are expensive

6. Las Hermanas at the boda

7. Brenda y yo 

8. With Sidter Kynaston on exchanges at Taco Grill

9. The Wards gave us kumquats.