Sunday, November 27, 2016

ANIMOS Y EXITOS



11-14-16

HELLO.  This week was really crazy.  We spent so much time out of our area for various reasons, but it has been a GREAT WEEK!  

On Thursday we had Zone Conference!!  It was so good.  President and Sister Sainsbury gave some amazing trainings and also some challenges for us to do as a mission and as a zone together.  Unfortunately, one of the sister missionaries in our zone is going home after only being out for a few transfers.  Before her mission she had cancer, Hodgkin Lyphoma. She had had it for a few years and had undergone many chemo treatments and it was really scary for her family.  It was a miracle when it completely went away and was predicted to not come back when she came to Alabama but did come back full force after only being here for a few months.  I had the opportunity to be her stl and was able to work with her. And now am in the same district as her.  We really have some amazing missionaries in the ABM but Sister Francis was one of the BEST missionaries I have ever had the privilege of serving with.  You never would have guessed she was brand new.  She works SO hard and LOVES being a missionary.  When she got the news that her cancer had returned and that at the end of this transfer she would be heading home we were all devastated and shocked, but she was the most heart broken.  She bore her testimony at ZC and said "If you every get discouraged or frustrated and you forget why you are here, just remember theres someone in Utah who would die to be in your place in Alabama." There was not a dry eye in the room.  Part of me believes that Sister Francis was just an angel sent from Heaven Father to help all of us missionaries get that extra motivation we need. We will all miss her!

One of my favorite parts of Zone Conference was when we all got trained on the 2016 Christmas Video initiative!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GET EXCITED EVERYONE IT IS SO GOOD.  I cried through the whole thing I don't even know why.   Christmas is such a special time to stretch ourselves and become more Christlike in every sense of the word.  The Video is available for the public on November 25th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOHOOOOOOO I love Christmas.

Also this week we had Stake Conference, and since our Stake is so spread out, we had to drive 2 hours away for it.  Saturday, we went to the adult session and then spent the night with our stls in Hoover, AL and then headed back for the Sunday Session.  It was ALL on MISSIONARY WORK! President Johnson, the Bessemer Stake President served his mission right here in Americas Best Mission and has SUCH a desire for the missionary work in this stake to sky rocket.  It was so good!!  All the missionaries as well as some members sang in the stake choir.  
Saturday night we spent with the STLs who are serving in the Lorna Spanish branch and they had a baptism!  They asked me to play the piano so we went and it was so gooood!!  
Sunday night after all the craziness died down and we were back in good ol Demop City.  We went to go follow up with a Spanish potential.  Not only did we see him but we met his sweet wife and son and literally all the Hispanics in Demopolis were at his house.  His wife was making my favorite comida, mole negro and invited us to eat with them and their 2500 other guests.  They all LOVED us. We talked to so many people and even got a return meal appointment with Omar y Gracia. Everyone there wants to learn English too so we invited them all to our English class on Wednesdays.   THEY WERE SO NICE. I love Mexicanos.

ALSO miracle of the week(there are so many but this one happened last night so its fresh in ma brain):  
We are at Walmart and see a Hispanic family in the same isle as us, Sister Danes and I start talking to them and find out they are friends of some of the members in our branch!  Not only that but that they were a referral from that member a really, really long time ago that we could not contact!!! It was a blessing.  Before we even asked if we could teach them, the mother, asked us if we could come over this weekend. UH YES.  We also found out her husband, is a member!!!! of over 15 years but has been inactive.  he even went to the temple in Vera Cruz, Mexico! The Lord is in every part of this work, it is insane.  SUCH a miracle!

Quick update on our investigators:
*** is getting baptized this Saturday!!!!!!!!!  She is doing so well and continues to amaze us at her reading and progression.  We were able to teach her this week and teach her the Law of Tithing with a member!!  Please pray for her this week as she approaches her baptism that the adversary will not succeed in distracting her.  It can be so difficult for someone the week before their baptism!

*****!  Emmaus ******!  We had a few appointments this week but he has been having alot of excuses for not meeting with us. We have one this week that seems pretty solid so I will update you next week on how that goes!
******!!!  ***** goes to an Episcopal church and has been going there for 2 years.  However she is super open to the Book of Mormon and the restored Gospel.  We have taught her this week and were able to do some service for her at her job! She is so sweet!!

Thank you for your prayers and your support. I love being a missionary in ALABAMA. I don't want to be anywhere but here!  I was just thinking this week, while driving at night from Bessemer and Hoover to Demop that I love what I am doing, who I am right now, my relationship with my Father in Heaven, I love it all. I am just so happy and happy to be in the Lord's service.  LIFE IS GOOD YALL.

Have a fabulous week, keep dancing, laughing, and sharing that beautiful light you have!!

con amor,

HERMANAMOLINE

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