8 month mark!

8 great things that happened on my 8 month mark.

1. Pedro came to church! 

(Pedro from the couple Pedro & Victoria that Hna Fox and I taught on my 7th month mark). At zone meeting on Friday we had a discussion about how when we taught our investigators about the importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy they would understand the importance of coming to church. Victoria unfortunately had to work, but Pedro came! It was fast and testimony meeting, and he loved it. He loved hearing the testimonies of our wonderful members and even told us, "I wish my wife had been here to hear this." Hno Jaime and his wife who had accompanied us on a lesson with them, sat with them at church and invited him to Carlos' baptism on Saturday as well. 

2. Carlos is getting baptized!

The services were announced, and if all goes according to plan, we'll have a baptism this Saturday.

3. M & J a less active couple we've been working with came to church this Sunday. 

It was so great to see them! It was lucky that we had a trio to divide and conquer and sit with all the people we had at church.

4. Cinco de Mayo!

Self explanatory

5. I <3 familia Garza. 

The Garza's are one of my favorite families in the ward. Hno served in the same mission as my dad, and has a VERY similar personality. He's hilarious, and they've been doing so great at missionary work. Hna Garza reminds me of one of my best friends from high school, Jeniffer. We had lasagna, garlic bread, and vegetables to celebrate cinco de mayo! :) ole!

6. Kelly is going on a mission!

The Garza's oldest daughter decided that she wants to go on a mission, meaning that she'll be coming out on appointments with us.

7. We met Hno La...

I've been trying to meet this less active family since I got to the area, but only last week did we start having success. Hno La... works offshore on a boat and is never home, but this Sunday we met him. He was the only one home, but we had such a great lesson with him outside, and were able to set a return appointment for Tuesday with the entire family. We're really hoping we get to meet with them!

8. Found another Less Active Part Member family.

I've also been trying to meet the Cantus, but for some reason could n e v e r find them home, then yesterday I suggested we go try them, and sure enough, success! We didn't get to have a lesson, but simply meeting them was enough. I'm so excited to be working with such great families. 

We felt so blessed this week. At the beginning of the week, I was starting to feel a little overwhelmed. We had our first ever mission leadership council on Tuesday and I was told about what my responsibilities were as sister training leader. Ideally, I'm supposed to go on an exchange with every sister in my zone, and my role is to make sure that the sisters are doing okay, that they are being trained properly. I also was starting to feel a little unexperienced and underqualified as I saw that all the other Sister Training Leaders are close to going home! But, I know with Heavenly Father's help anything is possible.

This week an abiding principle was even more so instilled into my missionary soul. My companions and I are really striving to be Preach My Gospel missionaries. The mission is in a small sense a parallel to the plan of salvation. 

Life before the mission = pre earth life

MTC = childhood

Missionary service in the field = our life on earth

post-mission life = exhaltation

We are tested on our mission in different ways, we can choose to be lazy missionaries, we can choose to put our wants before the Lord's wants, we can choose between consecration and so-so missionary work, we can choose between talking to everyone and only some. But, when we do missionary work the Lord's way is when we see true blessings and miracles. 

My greenies have seen how some investigators have kind of dwindled off after we invite them to be baptized. But, as I pointed out to Hna Dedrick, it's like we're on a treasure hunt. We invite people to be baptized after the first lesson as a filter. Because in a sense teaching people without inviting them to be baptized is a waste of the Lord's time. I know that doing missionary work the Lord's way I can be an instrument for good, I can see more milagros, I can see more people take those necessary steps towards baptism. 

We made a commitment as a companionship today, that we're going to work with that faith, work with that drive, we are working towards having a baptism a month. I know it can be done, in accordance with our faith.

I love you all!

Hna Flores