This week has been pretty good! We started out the week contacting a really cool lady with her daughter. We taught them the mini version of the Restoration and Hermana Moir said the first vision all in Spanish! I was so proud of her. :)
We had a lesson with Irene and it was a little weird. She told us she didn't want us coming anymore because she saw at church how we didn't have pictures of the Saints or the Virgin Mary and she didn't like that. She also tried to give us the Book of Mormon back, but we told her it was a gift and she reluctantly kept it. We are sad she doesn't want to keep learning but it is what she wants. The thing that confused us most is that she told us that she still believes that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Maybe later on in life she will understand that the truth is found here in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We took Tarzan and Lucky on a really long walk this week. We thought they were going to pass out toward the end. We misjudged how old and out of shape they were. The poor dogs!
Guess what! Brandi (Hermana Francis) came to visit the mission! And she showed up at the church where we were doing family history with Carlos. It was so good to see her! I miss her lots! :)
This week I also had the great adventure of going to the doctor's office for some stomach pain. I had to do a lot of tests but hopefully we will find some answers this week. :) I love being able to be a part of God's plan! I had 2 gospel conversations at the doctor's office. One person had been looking for a church to go to and was really interested in our church. He had even visited Utah! The other was the nurse who took my blood test. He told me that every time he looks for God in his life a Mormon missionary shows up. haha He said "Maybe it's time I listen." He was really cool and I'm grateful to have been able to share the light of the gospel with both of them!
We got to go to new missionary orientation this week. We received training from President and Sister Hall. It was so wonderful! The thing I took away from it most was that we are called to be Christ's disciples forever. Even after we take the missionary name tags off! He has asked us to feed His sheep now and for the rest of our lives! As a missionary, I have come to realize how easy sharing the gospel really is. It isn't scary at all! I know the missionary tag gives me so much more confidence, but I feel like I have learned that I can share the gospel with everyone. I am so grateful for this! And that I have learned how to share and teach the gospel simply and powerfully in English and Spanish. That has been a huge cherished blessing in my life.
For our new missionary orientation the Young Women made us lunches. They wrote messages in our lunch boxes! So cute.
Last night we taught Carlos about prayer. In the last conference, Elder Richard G. Scott said, "Our Father in Heaven has given us tools to help us come unto Christ and exercise faith in his atonement. When these tools become fundamental habits, they provide the easiest way to find peace in the challenges of mortality." He promised that prayer will bring, "peace that will focus an eternal light on your struggles." I love this! I know that prayer is real and that Heavenly Father truly hears our prayers. Prayer is the way we can grow a strong relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Guess what else?? It is time to start a new initiative! Because He lives! I hope you were able to see the article about it in the March Ensign. It is going to be so cool! I am so grateful to be a missionary during this time. We are going to see miracles this Easter and for the months after that as well! I am pretty sure they will be releasing the video this Saturday online at helives.mormon.org Share it with your friends! And invite others to watch conference on Easter and hear the testimonies of living prophets and apostles testify of the living Christ. Such a simple way to share the gospel.
These are the questions that we were asked as missionaries to think about in preparation for the #BecauseHeLives (#GraciasAQueElVive) initiative.
What can you do to come more fully unto Christ?
How can you become more like him?
Yo se que Cristo vive! Gracias a que El vive, podemos volver a vivir con nuestro Padre Celestial. Estoy agradecida por mi Salvador. Gracias a que El vive, podemos saber paz en esta vida. El sabe nuestros dificultades y debilidades. El nos va a ayudar a superar y mejorar. Estoy agradecida por la Semana Santa y por el conocimiento que El verdaderamente vive. Yo se que su evangelio es verdadero. Podemos encotrar verdadera felicidad por medio de sus ensenanzas! :)
Les amo demasiado :)
With love,
Hermana Buxton
This is the cat that always comes to sit on me when we eat dinner. I thought if I put my bag on my lap he wouldn't, but looks like he still wants to be my friend regardless. haha