Santa Ana: I got Robbed!

I´m in a ward.

And they are stealing my heart... ha.

A HUGE ward. Well I think it´s huge. They all say it´s tiny but we had fetching 70+ people come to church yesterday. That´s more than I´ve seen since I left Utah.

Basically this ward has been in existence for about 30 years. And wanna know a secret?

They have NEVER ever ever NEVER had sister missionaries.

We´re making history here in Santa Ana.

And I am SO overwhelmed. Like way too overwhelmed. The members are WAY too excited to have sisters. Everyone wants to have Family Night with us. Like EVERYONE We have at least 6 families fighting over us. Everyone has at least 4 references for us of family members who aren´t members or their children who are living with someone and just need to get married and baptize their spouse. That was a long sentence.. Everyone wants us to visit their sister.. or their mom. or their brother or their kids or their neighbor... or this person that works with them. It´s like HEY LET´S SHARE THE GOSPEL. That´s what I´m here for. Ha.

And I am used to having to BEG for references. And just roaming the streets looking for people to talk to. And now I don´t even know how to manage my time. Too many people. The streets don´t have names. And not enough time.

BUT. Dun dun dun.

All of the people who want to help us have cars. So that´s super nice. And they feed us EVERYDAY. That has never happened before...

We have to be home by 7:00 because the members are super extra protective of us and they don´t want us to get robbed... and there has only been 1 night so far that we had to walk home. All of the other nights we´ve had a ride. Pretty sweet right??

I really miss my ramita with 10 people though. My Lidia. Hna Cuevas. I was so used to it there and so in love with my people. So you get to look at all of my pictures of saying good bye and there are a few at the bottom from my new area.

We went to play volleyball as a zone today and Hermana Primo was there. I love her so much. She told me I´m her favorite companion. And she is still mine.

I´ve learned a lot though this week. About Heavenly Father. And His plan. I know He loves us. He´s like a protective father.

And I kind of feel like I´m 13 again. 7:00 Curfew. (and they took away my leadership status.. no longer an HLC) No more phone priviledges. You can´t go to el centro de Ciudad Del Este this week cause you´re grounded...

I´m funny. But I have been studying in Nephi again. Like really studying about him. And I love him. Remember when God commands him to build a ship. But God, I´m not a ship builder. Do it. Okay.

But God, I´m not good at working like this. Do it.

Okay.

Remember when Laman and Lemuel tie him up?. Nephi doesn´t complain. He just says, "The Lord did suffer it that He might show forth His power unto the fulfilling of His word which He had spoken concerning the wicked."

I would be crying. But Nephi knew that the Lord had a purpose.

There is purpose in everything that He does.

Like sending me here to meet cute little 12 year old Yiseli. Who is so happy to help us whenever we want. And her brother Richard who came to church for the first time in MONTHS. Because the sisters woke him up. And we made his mom cry.

I love my new friend Lourdes who hasn´t been to church in a LONG time either. But she is so excited to help us as well and to come back this week.

We met Sergio. Our fun investigator who has a metallica belt buckle. He loves the teachings of the church and we are helping him to be able to strengthen his testimony until he can be baptized. 

A crazy inactive member came to church yesterday because we actually took the time to listen to her crazy parabolas and show her that we love her. 

A cute girl named Marisel gladly gave us directions the other day and happily accepted our invitation to come to church. She didn´t come... but we´ll go back. :)

These people really are incredible and I just pray everyday that the Lord can give me part of my heart back so that I can keep giving it to these people. I´m tired. My feet hurt. I´m lost and my brain hurts. 

But I love serving my Heavenly Father. Because by serving Him, I have been able to better come to know the Love that He has for me and for ALL of His children. And I love helping so that more of His children can feel of that love too. I love helping them to be able to see the purpose of change and the purpose of this life.

 D&C 29:4 Verily, I say unto you that ye are chosen out of the world to declare my gospel with the sound of rejoicing, as with the voice of a trump.

 5 Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom.

This is the work of the Lord. It´s a glad cause.

And someday, He will give us part of His kingdom. I know it. :)

Hermana Rupe