July 31, 2017 Reunited with Hermana Anderson!

¡Hola mi Familia y mis amigos!

   

Hno José Alberto! He joined the church a
couple of months ago and has been on fire! 

 This week has been one huge week with lots of changes. Hermana Hughes went home and that was sad to see her go, but happy because she's now with her family. I love her lots. On Tuesday, before transfers on Wednesday, I spent the day with Sister Luk. We were able to visit people in both of our areas and it was super fun. Then, on Wednesday a Hermana Anderson got here to Rochester! She was here before, so she already knows a lot about the area and has been helping me out. We keep saying that it feels like a dream that we are actually together again. It's cool though because we actually know how to communicate in Spanish now. It's been fun to catch each other up on what has happened to us within the last year.

   

Just some pictures that we
took at the wedding

We've had a really great week though! Hermana Anderson taught someone up in North Minneapolis who just got married this last Saturday! It's cool because I was serving in North Minneapolis when Veronica and her boyfriend at the time first decided to go to church. He wasn't going to church that often, but one day they just decided to go (because he's a member but hadn't gone in a long time!). Now, they are married and Veronica is going to be baptized in two weeks!

Jared! He was baptized in Nicaragua a
couple of  weeks ago. He is so happy
to finally be baptized and I was so
happy to hear that news

ALSO, I found out this week that a boy I taught while I was serving in North Minne, got baptized a couple of weeks ago in Nicaragua. He had been waiting for so long to be baptized because he was waiting for his mom to come to America. But he ended up going back to live with his mom in Nicaragua and he was BAPTIZED! So happy.

 

Hermana Anderson's first time meeting Jesus¡ 

Jesus is doing so good. He has been going strong the last two weeks not smoking. He keeps telling us "I feel clean." He has recognized the blessings that come from following the Word of Wisdom and he's a lot happier. We had the cool opportunity to kneel down in prayer with him and ask again if August 20th is the right date for Jesus to be baptized. After he said the prayer, we all waited a minute to ask him how he felt and he said "I feel funny" hahah. But he has decided that August  20th is the date for him! I am so happy for Jesus and for the progress that I have seen as we have taught him. I am excited to continue to help him prepare this very important day!

The Frandsen's with Rigo and his family

       We are also going to start teaching someone named Rigo. He is the husband of a member in our ward and they have the cutest little family. He finally was able to change his work schedule so he can come to church on Sunday. We are so excited that the will be able to all come to church together as a family. We are going to start teaching him again and help him prepare to be baptized.

We all ate dinner at the Frandsens house together.
Jesus was able to come and Rigo
and his family were all there.
It was a party and super treat to all be together.

    I was reading in a talk this morning that said, "President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “'God sent you here to prepare for a future greater than anything you can imagine.' That future, a day at a time, comes alive when you do more than just exist; it comes alive when you live your life to fill the measure of your creation. This invites the Lord into your life, and you begin to let His will become yours."

I know that by letting the Savior into our lives, changes us to become better people-the people that God KNOWS we can become with the help of our savior. I have seen this time and time again on my mission. The gospel of Jesus Christ changes people. But it will only change us if we have that desire and if we let it. I know that sometimes it is hard to see past our mortal life and what is happening right now, but I know that God has a very perfect plan for us. I know that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we would know the way back to Him and know how to be with our families forever!!!

I love you all and I hope you have a great week. More importantly, Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, love you all SO MUCH MORE!

con amor,

Hermana Duvall