First off, before I forget. I heard Ali has red hair. That is awesome. So does Hna. Cano. Well, it's not that red now because she had to darken it before her mission but she told me that she always dyes her hair red. I also saw aunt Ruth in the Christmas devotional and I'm loving her dark hair. I don't know if it's new, but it looked a lot darker to me and I just kept thinking how pretty it was. So congrats for having cool hair. You will all need to help me with mine when I arrive... yikies. Speaking of hair, my hair has been falling out in fist-fulls and I'm starting to get worried. I know I'm stressed but do you think that is all it is? I'm going to come home bald. Well, enough about that.
making a magic herbal hair treatment from a plant that grows on Hna. Medina's fence
Tony was baptized this week and it was really special. He is so awesome. The elders also had a baptism too and we bought a cake to celebrate with them. We have been fasting and praying to find and baptize a family this month. We just dropped Juan y Iliana. They just weren't progressing. And we could never find Aldo y Karla.
the baptismal crew and cake
me, Tony, Hna. Cano
Then on Wednesday, the office elders called with a reference named Norlan. We dropped our other plans and went to look for him that afternoon, finding him outside of his house talking to his friend Luis, who happened to be the member that referred him. How sweet is that? So we met him and his family and set an appointment to come back the next day. We brought Hno. Jimmy along and had a really positive lesson with him and his wife Maryuri, where we left him with a book of mormon and a commitment to read Moroni 10. We set another appoinment with them for Friday and when we arrive he had not only read and understood Moroni 10, but had started from the beginning and was asking us questions about Nefi and his family. Wow. We commited him and his wife to a baptismal date for the 18th of December and they were all excited to come to church with us this Sunday. Hno. Jimmy was going to pass by to bring them. Well, Sunday morning, they were nowhere to be found. I was crushed. We didn't have a single family of investigators in church. Lame, lame, lame.
But I was determined to take a family to the Christmas devotional so after choir practice we set out to find one. We decided to stop by and see if Aldo y Karla were home. I didn't have high hopes, but we went anyway. We found them. Both of them. And they weren't busy. That never happens. We had a slight problem because they had promised to take their kids to the little neighborhood circus but we sat teaching them and getting them excited to meet the prophet and go to the devotional and in the end they decided to come. At the same time, Jennyfer Medina called and said that her dad had just gotten back from Rivas and still had the mission car and would give us a ride to the broadcast. How perfect! Jennyfer had accompanied us a couple of times with Aldo y Karla so they already knew each other. We all packed into the truck and headed off.
But I was determined to take a family to the Christmas devotional so after choir practice we set out to find one. We decided to stop by and see if Aldo y Karla were home. I didn't have high hopes, but we went anyway. We found them. Both of them. And they weren't busy. That never happens. We had a slight problem because they had promised to take their kids to the little neighborhood circus but we sat teaching them and getting them excited to meet the prophet and go to the devotional and in the end they decided to come. At the same time, Jennyfer Medina called and said that her dad had just gotten back from Rivas and still had the mission car and would give us a ride to the broadcast. How perfect! Jennyfer had accompanied us a couple of times with Aldo y Karla so they already knew each other. We all packed into the truck and headed off.
Greetings from the missionaries of Ciudad Jardin (E. Pinzòn, Hna. Cano, me, E. Figueroa)
I couldn't help feeling in the clouds. And then the Christmas devotional was just so amazing. And all the members who came were happy and inviting and inclusive. Are all mormons like that? Karla asked. Yep, and you will be too, replied Hna. Medina. Haha. I just love that lady. When we dropped them off, Karla asked us when we could come back to teach them. She didn't want to wait until Tuesday so we made an appointment for tonight. I'm so excited for them. They really loved the experience. Now we just need to get them to sacrament meeting and put them in the water. They are a really special family. I still haven't given up on Norlan y Maryuri, and we're going to stop by tonight to see what happened to them and keep teaching them. Ah, teaching the gospel to families is such a beautiful and amazing experience.
greetings from Zona Bello Horizonte
Tonight we are having a birthday dinner with the Medina family. They are going to be in Guatemala for Jimmy Jr.'s wedding all this week. How awesome for them. Man, I miss the temple. I think I will cry when they announce the Managua, Nicaragua temple. These people are so humble and ready for the gospel, and even though the work seems slow at times, I know that the Lord is preparing many hearts. He goes with us always. I'm grateful for this beautiful season and for the chance to keep the Savior even closer to my heart and in my mind. Walking the streets and spreading His peace and joy makes me feel close to Him. It is what He did while He was here.
Being a missionary is the best thing in the world - there is sunshine in my soul today.
Love, Hna. Crosland
Perro Sonpopo, our friend gecko
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