Restoration

Hey all!

So. This week was hard. Super hard! Haha, it's one of those times where we completely wear ourselves out physically and emotionally every single day, and at the end of it, the people just don't want to accept. I think we had the record of lessons falling through this week, so that was sad, but we did find lots of new people for this week. The Familia Ledesma was a bit of a let-down, because we literally had the whole ward praying for them, and we visited and taught and the mom suddenly starting ranting to us about how she doesn't believe in God! It was so weird and random and sad and we tried our best but they're not progressing. Weird and random and a bit sad pretty much describes the week - so many not-fun surprises, like we had a super awful lesson with some recent converts that spouted from the mom asking some hard questions about the sacrament and then in response my companion asked if she had a testimony of Joseph Smith and the mom and my companion ended up super offended and it was just so sad because they're my favorite family! our other family of recent converts forgot about our lesson, and we always look forward to our lesson with them every week, so that was sad too. We worked all week with the awesome and baptism-ready Estefania and confirmed about five times that she was going to meet us in Puerta 3 to go to church with us on Sunday, and we went and she never showed up! These are just a few of the not-so-fun things that happened this week that really just caught us off-guard. I'm learning so much about PATIENCE, quite honestly. Sometimes we just have to "wait on the Lord." Of course there are lots of things we can improve and we're working on lots of goals, but at the same time I can truly say I gave it my all this week and for that I know that Heavenly Father will bless us. Please pray for Estefania, Saul, Annie, Maria Guadelupe, and the boyfriend and son of another recent convert, Brenda, who we're teaching also. I can't believe I left home six months ago! I officially have less than a year left. I love you all, I'm so grateful for this opportunity. I can feel myself changing for the better, and even better I can see the people we're teaching changing for the better. That's just what living the Gospel does. I know it's true. I had a cool spiritual experience this week - my companion and I decided that we were going to convert each other - that is, teach each other from square one AS missionaries, as us, with our own needs and problems. this morning, Hermana Bravo taught me the rest of the Restoration and I couldn't help but start bawling as she was explaining that I COULD KNOW FOR MYSELF through the Spirit if these things were true. I've received the answer so many times, but yet again, I felt that inexplicable feeling of happiness. I remembered the moment after my baptism, when all my silly little-girl anxieties melted away and i felt that same undeniable feeling. I've probably said it before, because i say it all the time, but I encourage you all to ASK. Again. And again. AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE, every time. I love this church. I love it, and I know that it's a slice of God's kingdom on the Earth. It's where He wants us to be. I love you ALL SO MUCH, have a safe and happy week!

bEEEG Keeees Lieeeetle Keeees

Hermana LeSueur

Emma's new zone.  Our Stake President's niece is in her zone!

Just a little note to me from Emma that I thought was cute:

oh, momma, thanks so much for worrying...i definitely got your letter! and i loved it! i printed it and read it over and over on my bed while my companion slept a bit until we went out to work again (6 o clock we go out to work on p-day, i bet that's the same as your mission?) 

i still haven't gotten my package or my Christmas card, but thank you so much in advance! if you could send me the Christmas card digitally i would love it! mom i'm sorry things can be hard with being stake young women president. like you said awhile ago, though, it makes me feel closer to you that we're doing hard things together! this week we were asked to go help the stake young women's president with an activity where we had to teach the girls how to be missionaries. she told us to show up way too early so we helped her set up and do the food and such and it was so funny to be helping with stuff like that...i was just thinking about you and your calling and all the fun activities i know you've already done! with about a minute's notice i had to play the piano in front of everyone and explain how to be a missionary to your inactive family. it's so funny how i can just do that kind of stuff without batting an eye, now. every day i'm called upon to do the scariest things, but i just do them and things work out fine! i'm definitely progressing in so many ways, and for that i am grateful, and i know you are too momma!
it's so funny because that's exactly what's always been scary for me and i literally do things like the piano and speaking thing like 20 times a day! and it's purely my calling, quite honestly...it's purely the strength of the lord. i was telling my companion this morning how it's funny that i was nervous to get baptized because i would be in front of people and now i'm a missionary! it's crazy what the mission does for you!