PEAKS & VALLEYS

It's been such a great week! Missions (like life) are made up of peaks

and valleys. One day could be an incredible high point and the next

could be the lowest valley. I've sort of been stuck in a valley for

the past month or so to tell you the truth. However, this past week

was definitely a peak for a lot of reasons. We went on two different

exchanges this week. I got to go on an exchange with one of the Little

Rock Spanish sisters and it was so fun. I felt like I could understand

a lot of what was being said during finding and teaching, and the

spirit speaks to everyone, so it was a cool experience. At one door

however, I thought I heard this lady who was holding her baby say

"fiesta". When we walked away I asked the hermana I was with, "what

are they having a party for??" to which she replied, "the lady said

siesta, not fiesta. She's putting her baby down for a nap." hahahha so

maybe I didn't understand as much as I thought I did. When we

exchanged back on Saturday morning, Sister lange and I had our

interviews with President Hansen. He and Sister Hansen aren't the best

at keeping secrets, let's just put it that way. President told Sister

lange and I that Sister Lange was going to be transferred next week

and that I'll be staying in Pinnacle Mountain. It was bitter sweet

news, but we still have a week left together so energy is high. During

interviews I asked President Hansen what I can do to stay on fire. He

said that the fuel to our fire is spiritual experiences. He invited me

to make sure that I have a spiritual experiences every single day and

record it in my journal. The spiritual experiences starting coming

real quick after we left our interviews. We hadn't eaten lunch so we

decided to grab a Little Caesars pizza on our way down town. Well, we

walked in and ordered our food and the cashier asked us what we were

doing. We said, "well, getting food, but also we are missionaries". He

looked at our name tags and said, "OH! Latter-Day Saints". He told us

that a really long time ago he had seen a commercial on TV for our

church and it had sparked an interest. He was really surprised to find

out that there is a church here in Little Rock and expressed the

desire to visit. We read him a scripture from the Book of Mormon and

gave him the copy. The spirit was strong while sharing the gospel in

Little Caesars and it fueled my fire. That same night we were finding

on a street near the church. I had just been on the Spanish exchange

and I noticed a house with Christmas lights on it, a bird cage

outside, and a mop by the door. I said to Sister Lange, "this family

is Hispanic" and she was really convinced they weren't. Well, I said,

"how much do you want to bet?" And she said, "a Dr Pepper". We shook

hands and knocked on the door. Well, unfortunately no one answered. A

Dr Pepper and the opportunity to be right were on the line. I said we

could knock on their neighbors door and ask them if the people who

live next door are Hispanic, so we did. A nice lady answered the door

and guess what? She told us the family next door IS hispanic. With a

Dr Pepper and bragging rights locked in, I was feeling pretty good.

Well, you know what's even better than being right? Teaching the

gospel. The lady who answered the door invited us right in to share

our message. We taught her about the restoration of Jesus Christ's

church. We read 2 Nephi 32:5 with her which says, "For behold, again I

say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy

Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do". We

testified that the Holy Ghost will show her the truth and the path

Heavenly Father has outlined for her family. Overall, we just had a

great week and weekend. We visited a member of the ward and she lives

with a bunch of her family members. There are like 7 kids under the

age of 6 who run around and scream and fight and make messes. Sister

lange was talking to the member and I decided it would be a good idea

to try to entertain the kids. Bad idea. I sat down and two seconds

later there were a couple of kids behind me "doing my hair" and

another three trying to climb on my lap and steal my iPad. There were

a couple kids fighting over who got to sit next to me, and it was all

so fun. I don't know why but it made me happy!!!! I feel like I've

learned a lot this week and my studies have been killer. I've been

feasting in second Nephi and Jacob. I'm learning so much. I started

re-marking the first copy of the Book of Mormon that I ever read cover

to cover from when I first came out on my mission. I'm using five

different colors to mark verses and passages related to the five

missionary discussions. There's so much true doctrine found in the

Book of Mormon. I wish everyone would just read it and let it change

their life like it has mine. From my intense studying I've been able

to share scriptures a lot more than usual in finding and teaching

situations. It's given me strength and confidence to teach anyone and

everyone about what I know to be true. I'll stop rambling, but it was

a great week and I'm thankful that there is always a light at the end

of the tunnel in life. Heavenly Father allows us to have dark and

cloudy days so that we can appreciate the sunshine. Life is good and

I'm thankful for the blessing it is to represent Jesus Christ; His

true character, true gospel, and true church. Also, I almost forgot to

share some exciting news we got at our missionary leadership council

meeting this week. Our mission has been selected as one of twelve to

pilot a new phase of missionary work in the digital age which includes

receiving smart phones with unlimited data and internet access. We

will also start using Facebook along with that. I was a bit hesitant

when we first heard about all of this, because it's really nice to be

detached from the world as much as possible. However, I know that this

will help to hasten our work in big ways. The technologies of today

have been foreseen and inspired of the Lord to do His work in

spreading the gospel since the beginning of time. I'm ready to do

whatever He asks. "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he

created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has

all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that

man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend"

(Mosiah 4:9). I know that God, the Eternal Father, lives. I know that

Jesus Christ is His son. I know that the power of the atonement of

Jesus Christ is real because I've felt it. "I glory in plainness; I

glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from

hell" (2 Nephi 33:6).

I hope y'all have a safe holiday and a great week!! TE QUIERO MUCHO

IT'S GREEN

Companion

When you're parked outside your investigators house 

and they get in their car and leave

Can't wait to have kids lol

When your companion says, "get out, get out, get out" and then you

come back in the room and find this.. (my birthday was in March..)