November 27, 2017 Over and Out

¡Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

Sister Baker! I love her soooo much.

Yes, this is my LAST group email that I will send home. Yes, it is really weird and I cannot believe that this is actually happening. I love my mission so much and I love being a missionary for my Savior Jesus Christ. This last week was so great, filled will many, many miracles and I was reminded over and over again how amazing the Gospel of Jesus Christ really is. 

Yesterday was a super hilarious day for some reason, because I got to stand up and speak again in Sacrament meeting without any sort of warning haha. A member in our ward, who doesn't speak any english, was asked to give a talk. SO as he was starting his talk, he called out for me, Hermana Duvall, to come up and translate his talk for him. I HAD NO WARNING AT ALL. I just got up kind of freaking out, but I had to do it because he called me out. It turned out okay and there were only a couple of words that I didn't know what he meant. It was funny because I've translated for him multiple times over the pulpit and I just laughed thinking that it wouldn't be a goodbye from the Rochester 3rd Ward if I didn't at least get one more chance to do it :) THEN right after translating, they stopped me as I was walking down and asked if I and Hermana Tietz would both be willing to speak because the other person who was supposed to give a talk didn't show up. So, I basically was standing up all of sacrament meeting and talking. Hopefully no one got sick of me speaking haha.
 

beautiful sunsets and a beautiful companion

my last lesson with Francisco.
He played a song on the guitar that
he wrote called "Alma Misionera" for us.
 It was so good :) 

Hno Castillo 

    

Jill Nysse!
We have been teaching her on and off for a while
and we love her tons! 

 This has been such an amazing week. I wish I could recount all of the miracles that we saw take place this week! I would like to share just one of them. Hermana Tietz and I decided to go tracting on this street that was kind of shaped like a "U." We had picked this place several times before, but had just never gotten to it. As we were parking, I had the feeling that we needed to walk to the other side of the street to start instead of the side we originally planned. No joke, the very first door we met this miracle family. It was a father and a daughter who answered. We told him that we were missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He cut us off and said, "Jesus Christ!? We just moved here and we are looking for a church to go to." Then Hermana Tietz pulls out our card that has the address to the church building, as well as a picture of Jesus Christ, and his daughter runs up to her and yells "JESUS!!!!!!!" and took the picture from her. So precious. We ended up having a little lesson with them and this 8 year old little girl ended up telling us how much she loves Jesus. We continued along the street and we found a couple more people who opened their doors to us and we were able to teach them. As we were finished with this street, I was just SO amazed how many people opened their doors to us. I am very grateful that we decided to start the other side of the street, because was found Po and his family! That was a miracle, not just a coincidence. It is such a blessing and a privilege to be able to follow spiritual promptings and see God's hand in EVERYTHING!!! Following God's will is so important. I am amazed how God works everything out perfectly. I know He really has a plan for every single one of us!!

 

Debora, Cesar,Mia and Camila
and their little dog Chloe

For my spiritual thought I would like to share the quote that I actually chose to be my mission scripture. It's in Ether 12:4:

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

My favorite Hermana López. SHE has helped me
SO MUCH here. I love her with all my heart.
She's been mi mamá aquí.

As I was sitting at church yesterday, I was reflecting back on the time that I picked this scripture. How much I have changed, grown, and become closer to my savior Jesus Christ- I don't think I really ever took the time to realize before my mission what an amazing, wonderful privilege it is to be a representative of Christ. These last 18 months I have worked my hardest to give my ALL to God and Jesus Christ because they deserves nothing less. My heart has been changed and I have a deep desire to continue to steadfastly serve them for the rest of my life. Jesus Christ is my anchor. He is the one who has kept me going, in the good times and in the really tough times. My faith in Him has grown stronger. There is a scripture that says that Christ is the author and finisher of our faith, however, in Spanish it says He is the "autor and perfeccionador". I LOVE THAT.  He is the one who perfects our faith. How beautiful is that? I know that this church is true. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of action that helps us become like our savior Jesus Christ. I know I am not perfect, but I am grateful to know that as long as I keep trying, He will help me. I know Jesus Christ lives and this knowledge provides me with so much peace, happiness, and JOY. I will forever treasure all of the things I have learned, the wonderful people I have met, and the memories I will take with me! I'm so grateful for this privilege I've had, and I'm ever more grateful that I've learned that I can still represent Him everyday as I strive to be like Him.

The Howard Fam. Their kids are awesome and
crazy they were yelling "halloweeeen"
in this picture and it's sooo cute.

    I'll see you on Wednesday! Until we meet again, I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH. More importantly, Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ love you all so much more.


Con mucho amor,

Hermana Duvall

Martha Stewart :)