Tea Time

Week 23                  Tea Time with Hermana Guillen                           Sept 30^th

Wow! One week left with Hermana Goimarac!  Where has time gone! I feel like she just got here.  This week felt like a month but flew by unbelievably fast at the same time.  Time is just weird in the mission.  My knee is recovering well.  It really was a miracle.  I was limping all Sunday night, rested and took it easy/icing it all Monday and seriously by Tuesday I was able to kneel down and pray on it and walk sin problema.  Un Milagro. So thank you for those who were praying... I know someone was cuz it was a straight up miracle. When the Lord needs work done, he always provides the means for us to accomplish it.

We had a wonderful Christmas this week! We got lucky and it was a cold Christmas Eve... we read that Christmas story you sent me mom by President Eyring.  SO GOOD.  We sang Christmas songs in Spanish, English, and Guarani all day.  Christmas morning we woke up to presents :) and made cinnamon rolls while listening to Christmas music. Oh I wish you all could be here to share these fun moments with me. We also had some beautiful runs this week.  The weather has been so nice.  

Okay so church yesterday was AMAZING!  We had Kristian Duarte and his two little girls again.  I swear that man is going to get baptized and instantly be made stake president.  He is awesome.  Read half of the Liahon (with last April´s conference talks in it) on Saturday! Unreal right.  As a family they are watching less tv cuz he says it distracts from the spirit they feel when they come to church and when we visit.  They are learning and improving so much.  They are so accepting of all the principles we teach and… holy life, Celia (his wife) is like a master on Alma already.  Ya! the book in the Book of Mormon.  She was commenting to us the other day about how much she loves the books and all the war chapters.  What!?  I know, I am amazed too. She said she signed up on the Mormon facebook page haha.  We just need to get her to church, but Kristian really enjoys coming and the girls as well.  The ward was so good this Sunday about sitting by him and making him feel welcome.   I have really seen a difference as we have learned to first set the example.   The missionary work in our ward is picking up so much with the members it is incredible.  We had 17 lessons this week just with less actives or nuevos conversos and holy powerful.  

Thursday night Hna Goimarac and I were headed home and all we needed was one lesson more, but lessons with less actives or new converts don´t count in the ¨lesson¨ category.   I thought we should really pass by for Dilce, but I kinda brushed off the thought... I kept thinking how selfish of me to just want to reach our goals when maybe Dilce is the one who really needs our visit.  Then as we were passing Dilce´s street I thought of another investigator that maybe we could go to with Dilce and told Hna Goimarac.  We decided to pass by and to my humbling surprise we found Dilce outside her house just in tears. She hasn´t been to church in 2 weeks.  The neat thing was she realized and told us that´s why she is not happy.  She said she has just felt solo and like Satan is really working on her.  She recognized our visit as an answer to her prayers.  We talked about the Savior and sang ¨Where Can I Turn For Peace.¨  It was such a blessing the Lord helped me think of that other investigator otherwise we probably wouldn´t have stopped by for her, and she probably wouldn´t have come to church, etc. etc.  But I am so grateful for the little thoughts of good we have. Those really are promptings of the spirit. Dilce came to church yesterday and she was happier than ever. Also familia Salas and Ruis Diaz (a big family)  They ALL came.  Lili this cute 20 year old and Dilce would be great friends so we are gonna have a lesson with those 2 this week.  That will be really good for both of them to have a friend in the church.  Hno Ruis Diaz has always had work on Sundays so he doesn´t usually come.  Stinkin Super Seis (everyone works on Sundays).   Anyway to our sad yet exciting surprise we found out (Friday afrternoon) that he quit his job there.  We had had a lesson with them the week before about sacrificing for the Lord.  He says it´s cuz he was having problems with his boss, but I think he kind of did for his family as well.  They are all baptized, but now they will have the chanced to be SEALED in the TEMPLE!!! That´s our next goal.  :)

Last night we had an awesome NDH in el hogar de familia Bogado and then cute Hermano Guillen (not sure if I have told you about him) invited us over for a little goodbye party for Hna Goimarac.  He really loves our visits, cuz his daughter is really changed (Laura Guillen) since we have been coming over.  She hasn´t gone to church since she was 13 when her mom died. She lives with her dad and compañero (they´re not married) and her 6 month old baby Ernesto.  Anyway she gets so excited and lights up everytime we come over now.  I love watching the spirit of this gospel change people.  It is the Spirit of Christ... the spirit of Christmas.  They are adorable.  We had hot cocoa in Hno Guillen´s tea set, with galletitas and scones. I love them.  I want to draw Hno Guillen. He is the most darling old man.  He almost looks Italian... a bald head and patches of hair on either side with his cool little stache.

Anyway, lots happened this week and oh I painted!! got a water color set for Christmas!  We have changes next week.  Hermana Goimarac goes home (I am sad for her to leave, but excited for what the Lord has in store.  I´m afriad that may be training!? :)  Wish me luck and wish us luck this last week together.  We´re endin with a bang.  Seriously a bang though... a big talent show Friday night for all and GENERAL CONFERENCE!! I am SOOOOO excited!!! Seriously I am craving it and can´t wait.  Know that I´ll be watchin it with ya´ll.  Love you all so so much. 

This week was fabulous hope you all are well!

Con mucho cariño,

Hermana Owen

p.s. natalia´s baptism is on hold for another week or so. but she is continually progressing it is amazing to watch the atonement take effect in her life. 

OTHER EMAILS:

hey i am comin back in a few to write but i was wonderin in the mean time if any of ya had some fun/funny skit ideas hna goimarac and i could do for the talent show we have for this friday! we feel super pressured cuz everyone expects the misionaries to do the funniest biggest act! yikes! haha love you all so much! hope your week is goin well! my knee is tons better! it was a miracle it got better in like two days!!

Teresa Tejada, Hillary’s reply –“ya they are seriously the cutest. they write EVERY WEEK ??!!! I LOVE them and i feel so bad i don´t always reply :) send them my love for me”   :)

and tamara larsen :) she always writes me dear elders, she is so sweet