Hello from sunny California! :)
How is everyone this week? I hope you all are doing well. Thanks for all the support and love from all my family and friends!! It means a lot and really has been making this experience special.
This week in the Chavez/Corona home: Well, their house caught on fire! I know. It was scary! Actually, Rebecca was the one playing with fire. So lesson to all parents or future parents out there: keep all fire making tools away from your children! Luckily everyone is okay. They were sleeping outside in a tent because of the smoke in their house. The fire started in the kids' room and ruined their closet and beds (meaning no clothes or shoes- all burned and melted together.) The smoke made everything black. We went over to help clean the house and repaint. I think I smelled like smoke for a long long time after! I feel so bad for them. As a missionary you have limited resources to help and you always wish you could do more than you can. But on the bright side, Gregory Chavez and Luis Corona were able to receive the priesthood this week and they passed the sacrament! It was so awesome to see that. Hermana Chavez teared up and told us thanks for coming to find them. She loved seeing her son in the gospel again. Peter and Rebecca are so excited for their baptism. Right now we have a date of November 8th. And Angel Corona just turned 8 and wants to be baptized with Peter and Rebecca so we are super excited! We have been working with these two families since we first got here and they have progressed so much in the gospel. Hermano Corona (who at first was so against coming back to church and laughed at everyone else who said they would) is taking all the seminary aged children to seminary in the morning every day! Now that is dedication. I'm telling you, they are pretty wonderful families! I hope they continue to increase their faith, day by day and week by week.
A calendar marking their baptism!
Jose and Jesus! The came to church yesterday! Woohoo! Jose told us in our last lesson that he knows the Book of Mormon is true. He even shared his testimony of the Book of Mormon with his friend! He told us he knows it is the word of God and the spirit has confirmed it to him. He loves the book of Mormon! He also told us "if the book of Mormon is true, then how many other books of scripture are out there that God hasn't revealed yet? Right here in the book it says Nephi had a vision of Christ visiting other nations. So there is more scripture right?" He is reading everyday and his testimony is growing every time. We asked him if he has been praying to know if he should be baptized again. He said he was thinking and praying about it and he kept telling himself, "Jose, you know the answer. You already were baptized and promised to follow Christ. You don't need to be baptized again." He said normally when he answers his own question he stops thinking about it. But the question of baptism has been on his mind so much and he can't get rid of it. "I don't know why, maybe God is trying to tell me something." He still says he doesn't have an answer, and we are patiently trying to help him understand his answers to his prayers.
Marili, Yousely, and Rosie are doing well. They are having a hard time because they have all said they know the gospel is true and want to come to church, but their older sister won't take them. She takes them somewhere else on Sundays. We are trying hard to find a way to help them come to church!
And the Soto Family. :) We love them! We are helping them prepare for baptism. They are all super excited. Especially Valentina. There was a baptism last night and we took them to it. Valentina was so excited about it. "Do I get to wear those white clothes, too?" Today Antonio and Gaby are going to get their marriage certificate so they can be married tomorrow! We are so excited for them. :) You guys are all invited! haha. Gaby said her first public prayer in church this week. She was so nervous but she did great! They already have so many friends at church. Every week we are more and more amazed at how much the Lord has prepared them and is helping them in their conversion.
This week was interviews with President Hall. As sister training leaders, Hermana Francis and I needed to be there all day as members of our zone came to be interviewed. As they waited we did little training sessions on lesson planning. We also had them bring their area books so we could help them get theirs up to date in preparation for the iPads (whenever they come). But our zone was super on top of their area books and they didn't need much updating! It was really fun to be there. President had a meeting with us before and after. He is the best mission president ever. So kind and loving to all of his missionaries. I feel super blessed to be serving in Santa Clarita near him and his family, and to be a sister training leader where I get special training from the president. I already have a super good relationship with him. He is the nicest man ever and we are so lucky to have his spirit and wisdom leading and guiding our mission. We are in some of the best hands!
We also had a combined ward Halloween party with the English Ward. Valentina came with us. It was her very first experience with Halloween (since they just got here in May). We taught her how to say trick or treat! She was so cute in her Halloween costume. She asked us what she was in English and then proudly told everyone she was a Greek princess. She is adorable!
I love you all so much! You guys are the greatest! I know this church is true. I have been studying a lot this week about how God is our loving Heavenly Father. I know he really is! He loves us all and knows us. He will hear and answer your prayers. I also know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He has outreached loving arms to all of us.
I hope you have a wonderful week! Don't forget to pray and read your scriptures. :)
Les amo muchisimo!
Hermana Buxton
