Oye mi fam! Que onda?

I my companion today. Sister Durrant was wonderful this transfer and I killed her on good terms. She's headed back to Salt Lake and is planning on watching conference with her family. She was awesome, she didn't even get a lil bit trunky the last week. She was an awesome missionary. I want to be like Sister Durrant when I grow up. My new companion's not arriving til tonight. Her name's Hna Rivera and she grew up in Texas, but her parents are from Mexico City. So I'm gonna go buy enchilada sauce and make chilequiles for when she gets here. Wish me luck. Our p-day next week is going to be on Wednesday. It's kind of weird having two Spanish-speaking missionaries in the English-speaking singles branch with the Pali's and white folk. But, Sister Rivera served in the Spanish branch before, so I think we'll be doing a lot of drafting of YSAs from that area.

Last week we were working for miracles. And Sunday and Monday definitely were. We had a couple less actives and almost all our investigators show up Sunday and they had a great time. Then, after debating whether we should get rid of FHE since nobody's been showing up, one of our ward missionaries made a ton of food and called everyone and we had more people there, than at church. It was good stuff. So this transfer's gonna start out with a bang. Poor Josh is still working out his legal leftovers, but we've been teaching him still and he and his friend made Sister Durrant a goodbye cake. He'll make it, but the Lord knows some people need challenges, even if I as a missionary with my lil view of life don't like it.

The visitor center's been fairly busy, but life's good and this week I took a tour with 5 kids and 2 bedraggled parents who were only just starting their historical journey from Utah. I left them a commitment to pray out loud, every time they start bickering. It was great. The kids would start arguing about who had to say the prayer, and had to pray 3 times before they even got out the doors of the visitor center. I don't know if they'll stick with it, but I think the parents appreciated me at least trying to keep the peace though. Tours with kids are fun. I think my favorite age group is mine though. People who really listen to what's being said and are critically thinking everything at the beginning, and give thoughtful answers to questions, and then finally recognize the Spirit trying to teach them something, member or nonmember. Because 20 yr olds are busy with music and people and work and shopping and are rarely in a place where they have to slow down and appreciate silence and just think about something more important than the above items, they really FEEL the difference of climate in the Visitor Center. And they're still young, so I can be more straightforward. It's great to see them want a change. And be able to completely relate.

I really like espeaking the Spanish. I've been pleasantly surprised at how many Hispanics from Mexico come all the way to the Midwest to see church history. They realize it's their heritage even, if they are necessarily descendants. And it really makes me stretch my Spanish, I think 'fue disparado' means 'was shot,' and I use that a lot in the history, but I don't know. So if anyone knows, lemme know. I need to improve my language skills. I'm living proof of the Gift of Tongues, cuz I have no idea what I'm saying half the time, but it seems to get across all right.

Spirit's real. Church is true and I love you.

Con carino,

Hna Deb