Coming Unto Christ in Arkansas: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!!

Zone Conference was so good today! We talked a lot about what happened at the last Zone Conference with President Wakolo and the Baheshtis. Last time, Elder Baheshti went over 5 things we can do right now to be a better missionary. The third one, increase your faith, stuck out to me a lot. I think I spend too much time thinking about how others need to use their agency better and just increase their faith and come to church. But there's nothing I can do about that. After I've done everything I can do to help them, I can't force them to do anything. So I need to stop wasting my time wishing someone will change. Instead I need to increase my own faith, because I can actually control how I change. I need to be more faithful so that God can soften their hearts. And I need to spend my time changing myself rather than just wishing for things I have no control over.

We also played a game, which we won.. without the zone leaders! #spanishdistrictrocks.

Tonight during the Spanish Conference call, the zone leaders asked me to bare my testimony. They also asked an elder who is leaving, Elders Smalley, Pickering, and Hermana Wilson. I was really nervous because... well, Spanish... and the Elders' were all REALLY long. Mine was short, to the point, and most of all... I did it!

On Tuesday I got a package from Lorna's family. THANK YOU!!! It made me feel good that someone remembered me, all the way out here in Little Rock. I just figured I would be out of sight, out of mind, for a year and a half so I wouldn't hear anything form anyone. So yeah. It made me happy even though it was just some Oreos and EOS stuff. I was really happy. :)

WE WENT BACK TO SEE MONICA! We actually saw her twice this week. Between the two visits, she's read 11 chapters in the Book of Mormon! She has a lot of questions and I can't wait until she gets all of her answers. I am so pumped for her, I love her so much and I can't wait to visit her again! #truthseeker

We've actually been on a roll teaching-wise this week. We taught 2x Monday, 2x Tuesday, 4x Yesterday, and 3x today. But only 1 member present. :( I think part of the problem is that our branch is so small and there's 3 sets of missionaries. Hopefully we can find those people who want to come teaching with us. We went to visit Emeris. She told us that she was talking to Hermana Viveros yesterday and Hermana Viveros was answering her questions. Members are the best help for investigators! And then Hermana Thornton and I super randomly went and got her McDonalds. haha We love the members of our branch!

We also went to go visit the Valdez's. I proposed to Wendy and Dulce my idea to do Personal Progress with them. I really feel like as they do it, and as they read the Book of Mormon, they'll feel the Spirit and God's love for them. Helping others gain their testimony makes me grateful for the parents that I have and everything they've done to help me gain my own testimony.

We also taught the Gonzalez family this week. We stopped by to see if she was still interested. She asked what she needs to do to be baptized! :O

On Christmas, as we were getting ready to go to the Bowen's to Skype and eat, Hermana Thornton slingshotted one of my flying chickens at me that I got from the elders. It hit me right below my left eye and hurt pretty bad for a minute. It was also really funny though. :) But, then I got this note from our kindness jar today. "I'm sorry I hit you in the face with the chicken. You still look pretty." We started the kindness jar so that we wouldn't be so mean to each other. Because we're like sisters at this point. I always forget to put stuff in there. Sorry, Hermana Thornton!

Hermana Bowen when we went to say good-bye for Hermana Thornton.

THE SELLES FAMILY GOT BAPTIZED! The South Elders taught them, but we love them too, so it was really happy. Since today is my 12 year mark of being baptized, I figured I should get up and bare my testimony. (That's what we do here while they get dressed after being baptized.) I was really nervous because of my Spanish. It was really simple, but I think it was good. :) I'm so happy I got baptized 12 years ago. I know the church is true and I'm especially grateful for the priesthood.

SELLES BAPTISM: He's from France and she's from Argentina. They lived in France up until about a year ago.

We got the transfer info tonight. Hermana Thornton is leaving and going to Batesville (like I predicted) and Hermana Macfarlane is coming here. I also knew that, but I didn't want to know it because I love serving with Hermana Thornton so much. Hermana Macfarlane and Hermana Brown are staying STL's.

We tried to wake up at 11:50 to celebrate the New Year. But we both accidentally set our alarms to 11:50 AM. Hermana Thornton woke up about 1:30 so we celebrated for about 15 minutes and then went back to sleep. haha