Week 69: La Rosa

Buenas tardes!!

The weeks are just flying by. This Sunday in church Hermano Quesada announced to the whole ward that I was leaving in July so someone better start learning how to play the piano. 

Last Monday, Heydi told us that she would be moving to Bakersfield. Carlos found them a place to live and a job for Heydi. Heydi was really sad to leave the family she had found in Huntington Beach but she said that she we could meet with her every day that week!

Milagros with Heydi this week:

-She learned how the Spirit talks to her! She had been praying and fasting about baptism but still felt that she was waiting for an answer. We helped her understand how the Spirit speaks to her. A few days later, she was so excited to tell us that she recieved her confirmation!! God told her that she was ready for baptism, even if she did move to a different place. 

-We read with her "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" and the Spirit touched her deeply. She saw that the pattern that God has for families is an elevated way of living that leads to eternal happiness and she wants that for her own family! She also loves temples. We tried really hard to get her to one of the temples this week but with her schedule and Hermana Menendez's schedule so crazy, we just couldn't swing it.

-When we taught Heydi about tithing, she already had a testimony about it. She is already Christian, and she used to pay tithing to her church in Nicaragua. One time when she was going through financial difficulties, she chose not to pay tithing and soon after, she was robbed. She decided that never again would she not pay her tithing. So this whole time we've been teaching her, she's been saying tithing in her Book of Mormon. The day that she left (Sunday), on her way up to Bakersfield, she stopped by the church and proudly gave her tithing to Presidente Lino. 

-Carlos came with his friend to pick up Heydi yesterday. When they stopped by the Church, Presidente Lino felt inspired to give them priesthood blessings, which were so inspired by God because Presidente Lino couldn't have possibly known the blessing answered so many of the questions and worries that they had. In the blessing, they were promised that they would be among the first to be sealed in the Bakersfield temple. 

Más Milagros:

-Last week we got another self-referral for Alicia. We haven't met her in person yet, but we had a really powerful phone lesson. She recently moved here from El Salvador and her husband, Carlos, is journeying here from El Salvador so she wanted us to pray with her that he would get here safety. We talked about prayer and then prayed with her. She really needs God in her life right now and so she's super excited to keep meeting with us!

-Hermana Teresa Lopez finally went back to the temple for the first time in 10 years to do the temple work for her daughter, Jessica who passed away in Fall 2022. There were lost of obstacles that almost kept her from going (the Adversary) but last minute she was able to make it! We had the priveledge to be able to go with her as well as about half of the active members in the La Rosa Branch to do an endowment session in the Newport Beach Temple. Hermana Teresa said she felt so much peace, like her burdens were lifted. She felt Jessica in the temple.

-While we were in the Celestial room, Hermana Echeverria and I were praying separately and felt that there are 3 people in our area right now who are ready to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please pray that we can be lead to those people and they can be led to us!

-We feel that one of those people might be Rubi. Yesterday evening, we arrived at the church building a few minutes early to a meeting we had. We felt inspired to cross the street and check up on some friends we had taught in the past. As we were crossing the street, Rubi was getting out of her car. She allowed us to share a scripture with her from the Book of Mormon, which she loved, and is excited for us to come back in a few days to give her a copy of the Book of Mormon! And she is so prepared! She is a stay at home mom right now (so she has time to meet with us and can come to church), she lives right across the street from the church, and has a family! Please pray for Rubi and her family that they can accept the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!

One of the greatest priveledges we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the opportunity to pay tithing. It is an ancient Law that brings countless blessings. In the Old Testament, we read: "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10).

I love to teach tithing with the analogy of the pizza. If your mom bought you a pizza, and then asked you for a slice, wouldn't you give it to her? In the same way, God gives us everything we have and just asks for a small slice (10%) for the building of His kingdom. Because of tithing, we have church buildings where we can receive the ordinance of the sacrament, temples where we can make covenants and worship God, and are able to fulfill the ancient prophesies of the gathering of the Israel, Preaching the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I have seen the blessings, both temporal and spiritual, of praying tithing in my own life and through some of my friends here on the mission! I know it is a commandment that comes from God. And as we follow His commandments, we show our love for him through our actions. 

I love God so much and I love being able to represent Him here in California. 

Love you all!

Hermana Dudley

1. Sick day:( We spent a whole day doing calls, texts, and social media work so we had to get out

2. Exchange with Sister Finlinson (photo from last week)

3. The HB Zls dropped off cookies...they melted the chocolate chips into the cookies though so they turned out kind of funny...but it's the thought that count!

4. Birthday party for Sister Hall and Elder Phillips

5. We tie-dyed shirt with HBN for pday activity. 

6. Newport beach temple

7. Planning session with the HBN Elders

8. Saying goodbye to Heydi and Carlos:(