Domo Arigato

Domo arigato Mr. Robato!  We´re at Bishop´s house, dad, and he says, ¨Domo arigato!¨  WHAT!?!  My dad always says that!!  I was surprised when I asked him what it meant.  It´s not even Spanish hahaha - it´s Japanese! It means ¨thank you.¨ Our Bishop is pretty cool... no that´s definitely an understatement he is absolutely, staright up amazing.  He is so witty and is always throwing out jokes and is just quirky but makes you laugh so hard.  He is also just so patient and loves EVERYONE in the ward. 

Yesterday little Analìa Monges Ramirez was baptized!!!  Oh, it was an incredible turn out!!! About 20 members or more of the ward members came! I just can´t explain the joy that was running through me yesterday. Her story is way sad.  She grew up mostly in a Catholic Orphanage.  She is lickity smart though and just has fallen in love with the church.  What´s really neat is being able to see the young women really get involved. That group is growing so close and we have been able to grow so close to them as well.  I love them so much!  They are individually unique and amazing in their own way.  

Upon preparing Analìa for her interview we were asking her a few things and one of her answers hit me. We asked her why she would live the law of tithing?  She sat there for a minute in silence (which has been a regular thing), while I´m thinking, ¨Come on you know this... your a smart little cookie... we talked about all the blessings...¨ and then I pushed those thoughts out of my mind trusting that she would say just what her heart told her, and you know what, she did. She said in a quiet, but confident voice, ¨Because I trust in God.¨   I remember silence falling all around me.   One of those moments where the world keeps moving forward but you just stop in awe and gape at what was just said or happened.  She is a bright young woman and Hna Ximena Gutirrez (YW Pte.) calls her the ¨Dulce de Leche¨ among the YW.  It is so true, and it will be such a blessing to see her flourish on this new path she has begun.   But I think we should all strive to just be a little more like Analìa this week and when someone might ask us why we do the things we do or we might question our own self, we should always remember to ¨trust in the Lord.¨  :)    Let us all remember the grand scheme and look beyond the moment. Whatever opposition comes our way, learn to say, ¨I trust in the Lord.¨   Whatever trial, hardship, difficulty, or responsibility, let us continue on the good path we are, ¨because we trust in the Lord.¨

 

Analia, Hermana Tomco and I at the baptism.  

Elder Bayles got to baptize Analia !

The ward came out to support.  So wonderful.

We had a busy week traveling with President to different areas.  While he gave interviews, Hna Tomco and I and the Assistants did training stations with all the missionaries.  We had them practicing contacts (how to talk to people in the street), testing their knowledge on the Book of Mormon, and reviewing how to give a good lesson.  It is so much fun getting to know all the sisters and elders from the mission.  Which reminds me, do we know any Zilm´s?  There is an Elder Zilm here from Mesa.  He is working in Abundancìa which is WAY cool.  Only him and his comp are there amongst 400 members.  The whole community is baptized.  It´s an old story but the whole community was baptized by an elder and the craziest part is they hardly speak a lick of spanish or guarani.  They speak a tongue clicking slash language with a lot of ¨slsh¨ called Nivacle (Nee-vu-clay).  

Con Presidente y Hermana McMullin

Also a HUGE thank you to all those who sent me cards and packages for my birthday and Christmas.  Sorry I haven´t  and probably won´t get to respond to all but please know HOW MUCH it meant to me and how much I love you alllllll!!!!!  UN BESO Y BRASO por todos!!

Con Cariño,

Hermana Owen