Service and fun at the dunes!

Hola familia! 11/23/15

This week seemed kind of long, but not in a bad way. It seems like we were doing a lot. So here's what happened. 

servicecleaning windows

But first, Happy Birthday Yohann! I hope you had a great birthday! And Happy Thanksgiving
everyone! I'm super excited, we're having a combined district meeting this Thursday with the other district on our island and we're gonna all bring stuff for a thanksgiving lunch! Anyway.
   We did some emergency intercambios because some one of the companionships of hermanas texted us and said they wanted to go home. So we called them right that second and told them no and that was had to do intercambios, so we did the next day. I was with Hermana Grancagnolo from Italy. She is really great. Speaks English like a pro. It was really fun just being with her. She's a few months older than me, but only has 6 months in the mission. It was interesting being with her, we taught the restoration and she taught it in a way relating it all back to revelation. It was something so simple, but I don't know why I've never thought of it! We also did some service for
one of our part member families, G and C. It was great because no one ever lets us serve them, let alone asks for our help!    We cleaned windows. Ive never been very good at that to be honest...But it was fun! And after they fed us really yummy Paraguayan food.Anyway, we set a lot of goals and things with the hermanas. Of course after, when I was talking to my companion, the stories were completely different from the two sides. But hopefully we can keep working with them and they can both be a bit more patient with one another and things can turn around. We've even talked about doing another intercambio with them so that we can see if they've progressed. Pray for them lots!
  Then, we taught S her ex husband. It actually wet relatively well. Did it turn into anything, no, but do we at least have somewhat of a relationship now? Yes! Hopefully that'll open up some doors and help give the girls a chance to be baptized in the near future. 
  We taught D the restoration and are having him reteach them to us. He's trying to determine whether or not he should serve a mission, so we are hoping this will help him decide. If nothing else, it'll at least prepare him to share the gospel with his friends and family. 
    J, our menos activa, came to church again! This is such progress! She still only stayed for sacrament, but she said this next week, her goal is to stay for the two hours. She recognized the difference she felt this week too from attending church. So amazing to see that kind of change in people. I really love her, she is such a sweetheart and she has such great desires, she's just been kind of lost and confused lately, but luckily, she's finding her way back.
   V is smoking lots less and progressing tons! She has found a job, so that is less time for her to be free to smoke. This week she told us she was down to two a day! That's so great! I know her time
will be soon. I have such faith in her and she seems really determined. We gave her a plan to quit smoking and she said she'd give it a try. She can do it, I know she can. It was also C's 17th
birthday this week. We passed by and shared a message and had cake. It was fun. The B's are basically my other family here.
   Met with M for the first time in 2 weeks. Finally! She was in the hospital out of our area with the elderly person she cares for for a week and then she was sick after. But now everything is good.
Honestly, we have about one more lesson with her and then she is ready for her baptism. She's really integrated in the ward, which is the best feeling in the world.
   We visited M and L this week. M is the relief society president, so we talked to her about the women in the ward she is concerned about and how we can better help her with her calling. She
is wonderful. I've never seen anyone better magnify their calling than her. She loved hearing us ask about the sisters here and then put us to work! She's one of the best assets and friends we have here in the world and the truth is, I don't know what we'd do without her!
   So yesterday, everyone decided to bring friends and references to church... So it was a busy day for us. Kind of exciting honestly. We will see how it all turns out, but it's encouraging to know that they will have at least one friend here at church to motivate and help them. I feel kind of bad because all of the friends and references were girls, so the members gave them all to us and not the elders... They work just as hard, if not harder, but it doesn't seem like people trust in them as much. But they are good sports about it and are always encouraging us never talking badly about how no one ever helps them like they do us. They are an awesome example for me.
   Today, we went to the sand dunes on the south end of the island.

So much fun! But soooooo windy and so much sand. Sand everywhere. In my hair, my eyes, my shoes, my clothes. Yuck. But we went with all of the missionaries on our island so it was fun!
   Anyway, I hope you all have a great week! Next Monday, I will be in Madrid again for concilio. I'll write you from there. I love you all!

Hermana Griffin