Companion leaving

4/18/2016

Hey familia!
So, things here are great! It's been a good week, a little slow, but I can't complain. Basically, it's starting to hit me that my companion is leaving this coming week and I'll be getting my new and last companion! It freaks me out a bit to be honest. But, I'm sure it'll be good.


This week, we had a super awesome district meeting! We talked about setting goals and such. I don't know, it was just super awesome. We talked about Abinadi and how he never even knew his convert Alma, but Alma converted to a of people.


It was so cool to see like the "conversion tree" in the Book of Mormon that all started with Abinadi. So awesome.

This week, we were invited to the house of our menos activo, A, to learn how to make Colombian empanadas 


and we took advantage of it and visited with her daughter, V, our investigator, while we were there. So, V is thinking about baptism, but isn't sure because her dad has been very anti church, but when we were there making empanadas, he was talking to the elders and getting to know them and when we all left, he started asking tons of questions! Progress!

Then, we made pan de queso with our menos activa, N. She's from Brazil and is the sweetest. She taught us how and then, later that week, we made it with A and her friend and now A's friend and her friend's son are our investigators. They're super sweet. I love how food really opens people up! Also, biggest progress ever, N came to church yesterday!!! Wooooo!

So, things here are good. This week will be rough because I'll be saying goodbye to my comp! But we're gonna work hard. Super excited for what lies ahead. I love you all!


Have a good week!
Hermana Griffin

concilio

Hey family!
concilio
This week was super good! So first of all, we had concilio. It was great like usual, but super weird being back again after not being sister training leader. Anyway, learned a ton and really enjoyed it.
It was so hard and sad to see 7 people from my group give their final testimonies though and know that I should be going with me, but won't be. But, it's ok, I just cried a lot. I love these people so much!




  
zone

Then, Thursday, we had zone training. So good!!! The parts that me and my comp lead were so great! We were so unified and honestly, it's the first zone training that I didn't feel nervous leading. It was awesome to be able to do it with Hermana Turina. Also, to mix things up, we threw cake in Elder Maughan's face to demonstrate the way we sometimes teach versus how we should teach. We were explaining that we need to give a little at a time and not throw everything (knowledge, scriptures, commitments, etc) at the people we teach, because that unfortunately sometimes happens. It was great, it really helped the zone to relate what we were teaching, and after 4 transfers with Elder Maughan, it felt kind of good to through cake at him haha.

We had intercambios after. We were with the hermanas from Torrejon. I was with Hermana Contreras who is Mexican but lives in Texas. She's so sweet, super funny. She's only got about 4 months in the mission but it was so great teaching with her. She's an amazing missionary. We
talked about her area and she mentioned a concern she had about some people being baptized without really being ready. We talked about it for a while and the responsibility the missionaries have to ensure that people are ready. It really opened my eyes to how many people probably do get baptized without fully understanding the commitment and such, I guess that's what happens when the Lord works with imperfect people, especially when those people are teenagers, but
also, it really showed me the importance of baptizing converts. I felt so grateful because I've been very blessed to have such strong converts in the gospel who really do understand the importance of the baptismal ordinance.
Yesterday we had ward council. The whole time the bishop talked about the people me and Hermana Turina are teaching and nothing about those that the elders are teaching and he kept telling us and ward council how proud he was of us. Then after, he pulled the elders aside and
told them they need to be more like us because of the incredible work we're doing. I don't feel like we're doing anything extraordinary, but it's nice to be recognized for our hard work. Also, this week we reached and even passed our goals, so it's been good. It's amazing, especially since we had an entire day and a half out of our area. Woo blessings!
So I'm super happy.




It's been a good week and this week will be great too.


I'm so glad I'm with Hermana Turina, she's just the sweetest and is so patient with me. I love her.

 I hope you have a great week!

Hermana Griffin

fun week

4/4/16
Hey Family!

This week was super fun! So, Monday night, I got to go back to San Sebastian de los Reyes! The district leader asked if we could do our intercambio there instead of here, so of course I volunteered! haha It was so fun to be back. We saw K! She is doing good. She is going through a lot of trials right now with her kids, they are super sick and both are about to have operations, but its amazing to see how strong her faith is still! I love her so much! She told me that I have to spend my last pday with her and she will take the day off work and leave the kids with someone. Shes just a sweetheart and I love her. Im so blessed to know her. Then, when our plans failed, Hermana Snyder asked if I remembered any investigators around there. I only remembered one, so we passed by for her. And she was there! It was fun to see her again. She was amazed at the fact that I actually speak 

Spanish now. As we left, I asked if the Hermanas could pass by her again, she said of course! She said she didnt really know why they had stopped before but she´d love for them to come by. And now shes not working so she has all the time in the world to meet. Wooo! Maybe it´s finally her time!

We had a Noche de Hogar with a member this week too. It went super great! The member invited her best friend, who invited her cousin. Turns out the friend is not interested, but the 23 year old cousin, yes! We had the lesson at Noche de Hogar and then invited him to play soccer with the ward that weekend, and he came. And while there, someone invited him to general conference, and he came! We havent even taught him yet, just the little spiritual thought in the NDH, but he has tons of questions now after conference and is super interested! YAY!

Speaking of the conference, I loved it! It was fantastic! I especially love love loved the Saturday morning session! Wow, good stuff! I think one of my overall favorite talks was, Donald L Hallstrom. Oh! And Neill F Marriott from the women´s session. Well, really just all of conference, but those were especially wonderful.

Anyway, I just love you all! Im sooooo glad Im a missionary and I get to share this wonderful gospel with everyone!

I hope you have a great week!

Hermana Griffin