October 9, 2017 Road Trips and Lots of Rain

Hola mi Familia y mis amigos! 

 

 This was another great week that just flew by soooo quickly! It's been raining almost every single day here this past week. It's definitely been a lot of fun and an adventure. This is the last week of the transfer, so we will find out next week if I'll be staying here in Rochester to finish my mission. I really hope so because I love it here SO much, but wherever the Lord wants me I'll go.
   

A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET IN WISCONSIN. 

 This was one of the busiest weeks ever; we weren't in our area for a two days straight. We did probably about 10 hours of driving all together. Road trips are fun, but not as fun when you're driving in the middle of nowhere..anyways, We had Mission Leadership Council (MLC) last Tuesday up in the cities and it was a great time like always. Right after MLC ended, we headed of to La Crosse, Wisconsin for an exchange with the sisters there- Sister Calchera and Sister Jasperson! I spent my time in La Crosse with Sister Calchera, who I LOVE WITH ALL MY HEART. She's one of my favorite sisters. We have gone on a couple of exchanges and we always have such a great time filled with learning and talking and laughing. It's the best. While we were together, we had a lesson with

The La Crosse, Wisconsin district.
It's always a fun time leaving MN
to spend some time with all of them

someone who has been having a lot of trials in her life recently. As we stood outside talking with her, even though I just met her I felt that Heavenly Father really knows and loves her so much. Sometimes it may feel that God isn't there when we are going through trials, but I know will all my heart that He is always there! And plus, we don't have to go through it alone! I love testifying of Jesus Christ and His love for all of us, because I really do know it!

President and Sister Barney and Francisco! 

We also had interviews with President Barney this last week! I always love interviews with the president. I am very grateful for him and his insight! It is always a breath of fresh air when we get to spend time with President and Sister Barney! Also, they were able to come to a lesson with us with Francisco! Hermana Tietz and I had to translate throughout the lesson, which made it a little difficult, but the spirit was so strong. I am grateful for their strong testimonies. FRANCISCO IS DOING SO GREAT! We worked on some of his family history this week and he found 6 more people in his family tree! He received the Priesthood yesterday and is going to be able to bless the sacrament now! And he received a calling! He's doing so great and we are trying to continue to help him progress and strengthen his faith. He honestly amazes me how willing he is to follow all of the commandments and follows God's will.

A couple of random funny things that happened this week:
1.)We stopped on the side of the road to type an address into our GPS. But, right as I was typing it in the GPS stopped working! So we sat there patiently waiting for it to start. As we were waiting, this sweet little old lady, named Pat, came out of her house holding two tupperwares- one with Halloween Oreos and one with lots of chocolate!  She offered us some and asked us to  explain how the whole trick or treat thing works because she was expecting the kids to come. She kept calling us "sweet little things" and then it stared pouring so she went inside. We don't know why she came out of her house and offered us candy, but it was the sweetest thing ever! Haha it was also hilarious and so random.

We're drenched and it was fun to say the least
(and then we were really cold)

2.)We went tracting in the rain multiple times this week and got soaked multiple times this week. Surprisingly, not many people felt bad for us and wouldn't let us in. But we met a few golden people that we are going to go back and teach more.

3.) Cats love me. I was at an appointment, just teaching, and their cats were like all over me. They think my hair is a toy too so that's fun.
4.) I got to translate in Testimony meeting again. Hermano Meneses always asks me to translate for him when he bares his testimony. hahah it's so fun but so hard at the same time! I just have to laugh about it because I know it's not perfect, but I grateful the Lord gives me the strength to go up in front of a bunch of people and do it!
  This week was filled with a bunch of randomness and it was great. Now for a spiritual thought! Something that I have been thinking a lot about this week is simply how amazing our Savior, Jesus Christ is! He literally went through it all- the best and the worst of it- so we don't have to do it all by ourselves. Sometimes, for some odd reason we think it's easier to do it all by ourself because we want to be independent or we don't want to be a burden..etc. This is something I've learned a lot recently- IT'S SO MUCH EASIER WITH THE HELP OF THE SAVIOR. There's a

The pics that Hermana Tietz
quickly took as we were in a
lesson haha so funny.
These cats wouldn't leave me alone. 

quote that explains this that Sister Jasperson shared in district meeting this last week:
“Well, my dear sisters, the gospel is the good news that can free us from guilt. We know that Jesus experienced the totality of mortal existence in Gethsemane. It’s our faith that he experienced everything- absolutely everything. Sometimes we don’t think through the implications of that belief. We talk in great generalities about the sins of all humankind, about the suffering of the entire human family. But we don’t experience pain in generalities. We experience it individually. That means he knows what everything feels like!  He knows all that. He’s been there. He’s been lower than all that. He’s not waiting for us to be perfect. Perfect people don’t need a Savior. He came to save his people in their imperfections. He is the Lord of the living, and the living make mistakes. He’s not embarrassed by us, angry at us, or shocked. He wants us in our brokenness, in our unhappiness, in our guilt and our grief."

One of my favorite office missionaries :) Sister Heilman!

She's learning some Spanish and she's doing great. We love her lots. 

I love the Savior so much! He's my best friend. Love you all lots. But more importantly, Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ love you all SO MUCH MORE.
have a great week!
Hermana Jennifer Duvall

 Nyakouth and us! We used to visit and teach her a while
back, and we just started teaching her again.
I love her faith and her sweet prayers

Sister Calchera and I with a little boy who I can't
remember his name,
and some cows in the background !