¡Feliz dia a todos!
I'm having the funnest, bestest day!! Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes--it means a lot, and it makes me feel better about officially having 20 years (since I've spent my entire 19th year as a missionary, I can hardly imagine anything else!). I'm so glad this is happening on a P-day! The Hermanas made me breakfast, I opened presents, we visited the huge, amazing American mall, ate Chinese food, watched "The Lion King," and we're going to have cake & a dance party tonight! Best mission birthday ever! Plus, I saw one of my good CCM friends at the mall who's in the East mission and got to catch up a bit! Even more surprising was yesterday at church--one of my friends from school & my stake was there!! He served his mission in Mexico, started at BYU, and is now doing an internship here; what a gloriously small world:)
Continuing with the reunions, my old comp, Hermana de Leon, stayed with us this week for splits (Hna. Balls is the Hermana Leader of my other area, Los Angeles :D). I'm lucky to have had so many opportunities to stay in touch with my companions! Hermana Ventocilla and I are continuing to have a dandy time together, and we're 99% sure we'll be staying together for another transfer (the call comes this Saturday).
The past 2 weeks have been about dropping current investigators; we're officially done with Elena and Rosa, who weren't willing to act on their faith and knowledge. We haven't been able to teach Alex in like a month. By weekly planning on Thursday, I could count on 2 hands the number in investigators, less-actives, and recent converts we had to teach. Of the new investigators we found the other week, one came through: 14-year-old Marcos accepted a baptism date of July 23rd! He's out of town right now, but we're excited to work with him lots when he gets back!
This week, we contacted muchisimo, met with quorum and other church group leaders about their less-actives, and went hunting for those lost sheep who need a lot of love! And we found some who are willing to talk with us and make their lives a whole lot better by keeping the commandments, wahoo!
Friday, we had splits with newbie CCM Hermanas, and it was a blast! I really love being with them and getting them pumped & prepared for the field:) Hermana Burgess from Belize was my companion; they speak English and Creole there, which is funny because it's smack in between Mexico and Guatemala, so you'd think they'd speak Spanish, but nope. One of the other greenies asked me if you ever get used to the heat. Well, I guess you adjust to the lack of climate change and the 24/7 sweating, but it doesn't really get easier haha; seriously, sometimes I come home looking like I just got out of the shower.
Hermana de Leon told me the most wonderful news: Silvia and Nicole Medina, the mom and my favorite jovencita who I helped reactivate in Los Angeles, have received their temple recommends!!!! I couldn't have asked for anything better! They are such wonderful, faithful people who I'm lucky to call my sisters:):) They've moved back to the East mission, and I know they'll be a great strength to their ward and all who know them.
Silvia and Nicole have accepted Christ's invitation to "come to the mountain of the Lord" and receive all His promised blessings through their faithfulness and obedience. I hope and pray that all of us can receive las bendiciones maravillosas of being worthy to enter the Lord's house and that, if you have the ability, you will attend the temple as often as possible. There's no other place on Earth that is closer to heaven, no better place to receive personal revelation, peace, and comfort. I hope you soak in the Lord's love there and that you'll let Him carry you each and every day. ¡Les amo y extrano! ¡Gracias por todo mis quierdos!
La Vieja,
Hermana Melissa Randall
I'm having the funnest, bestest day!! Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes--it means a lot, and it makes me feel better about officially having 20 years (since I've spent my entire 19th year as a missionary, I can hardly imagine anything else!). I'm so glad this is happening on a P-day! The Hermanas made me breakfast, I opened presents, we visited the huge, amazing American mall, ate Chinese food, watched "The Lion King," and we're going to have cake & a dance party tonight! Best mission birthday ever! Plus, I saw one of my good CCM friends at the mall who's in the East mission and got to catch up a bit! Even more surprising was yesterday at church--one of my friends from school & my stake was there!! He served his mission in Mexico, started at BYU, and is now doing an internship here; what a gloriously small world:)
Continuing with the reunions, my old comp, Hermana de Leon, stayed with us this week for splits (Hna. Balls is the Hermana Leader of my other area, Los Angeles :D). I'm lucky to have had so many opportunities to stay in touch with my companions! Hermana Ventocilla and I are continuing to have a dandy time together, and we're 99% sure we'll be staying together for another transfer (the call comes this Saturday).
The past 2 weeks have been about dropping current investigators; we're officially done with Elena and Rosa, who weren't willing to act on their faith and knowledge. We haven't been able to teach Alex in like a month. By weekly planning on Thursday, I could count on 2 hands the number in investigators, less-actives, and recent converts we had to teach. Of the new investigators we found the other week, one came through: 14-year-old Marcos accepted a baptism date of July 23rd! He's out of town right now, but we're excited to work with him lots when he gets back!
This week, we contacted muchisimo, met with quorum and other church group leaders about their less-actives, and went hunting for those lost sheep who need a lot of love! And we found some who are willing to talk with us and make their lives a whole lot better by keeping the commandments, wahoo!
Friday, we had splits with newbie CCM Hermanas, and it was a blast! I really love being with them and getting them pumped & prepared for the field:) Hermana Burgess from Belize was my companion; they speak English and Creole there, which is funny because it's smack in between Mexico and Guatemala, so you'd think they'd speak Spanish, but nope. One of the other greenies asked me if you ever get used to the heat. Well, I guess you adjust to the lack of climate change and the 24/7 sweating, but it doesn't really get easier haha; seriously, sometimes I come home looking like I just got out of the shower.
Hermana de Leon told me the most wonderful news: Silvia and Nicole Medina, the mom and my favorite jovencita who I helped reactivate in Los Angeles, have received their temple recommends!!!! I couldn't have asked for anything better! They are such wonderful, faithful people who I'm lucky to call my sisters:):) They've moved back to the East mission, and I know they'll be a great strength to their ward and all who know them.
Silvia and Nicole have accepted Christ's invitation to "come to the mountain of the Lord" and receive all His promised blessings through their faithfulness and obedience. I hope and pray that all of us can receive las bendiciones maravillosas of being worthy to enter the Lord's house and that, if you have the ability, you will attend the temple as often as possible. There's no other place on Earth that is closer to heaven, no better place to receive personal revelation, peace, and comfort. I hope you soak in the Lord's love there and that you'll let Him carry you each and every day. ¡Les amo y extrano! ¡Gracias por todo mis quierdos!
La Vieja,
Hermana Melissa Randall
Happy Birthday Melissa!!
Birthday Dinner at Polancos! Thank you Obispo and Family!
Splits with CCM Hermanas!
Santo Domingo nighttime:)