Sunday, June 24, 2012

Familia, Okay to jump right into this week. Things are going really
well. I will start by filling you all in on Estuardo. We found out
that he is only 23 and his nephew is 19. This week he brought his
nephew to our lessons and it was  incredible. We sat down and started
talking and he said, I was hoping that  you would tell Cesar about
Joseph Smith. We were pretty stoked about that so we talked about
authority and then the first vision and while we were talking Estuardo
would say things like, Can share and example, or can I share a
personal experience. He was a better missionary than we were! He cant
come to church with us this sunday but his nephew is so please keep
them both in your prayers. Yesterday Hna Heiner and I taught Estuardo
without any help from our Maestra Hermana Melgar which was pretty much
a our first time all on our own in Spanish with a real investigator.
Im not going to lie it was really hard to keep the lesson focused, but
at the same time, I feel like I was able to understand a lot of what
he was saying and I felt the spirit there as well. He kept saying
things like. You both are special. God has plan for you. You guys are
like Saints or something. I know  that God sent you here right now and
brought me here right now for a reason. So we tried to explain how
special he is and how God has special plan for him and for all of his
children. He kept saying things like, After my baptism.... so that was
really encouraging. He is reading the LDM and praying for a testimony
so I know we will continue to see progression in the one week we have
left with him before we leave for Nicaragua. What a miracle it is to
see the change that comes over a person when the know that God knows
and cares about them!          Okay onto another highlight of the
week. Last Saturday I was getting ready for bed and realized that I
had no idea where my retainers where. I searched through all my things
and through the garbage cans in the CCM with no luck. Then I
remembered that I had put them in a paper towel to dry them and that I
had thrown them in the trashcan in teh bathroom. Of course that
trashcan had already been emptied so I thought all hope was lost. I
decided to get down on my knees and pray. I asked God to help me,
because although two retainers isnt really a big deal, to me it was
pretty important. When I finished my prayer I talked to the other
Hermanas about what happened and next thing I know they have their
shoes on and we are walking to the presidents appartment. He gave us
permission to go dumpster diving and honestly no more than 10 min. and
3 dumpsters later we had found my retainers. What a blessing and
miracle! I know that God hears all prayers and that he knows what we
need in our lives.          Another highlight of the week, a member of
the area presidency came and spoke to us this Thursday. Usually for
these meetings we have head phones and a teacher translates but our
teacher Hermana Melgar told us that we would be fine so we decided to
take a leap of faith and go with help. It was increible! I think I
understood almost everything that was said. The gift of tongues is a
real thing. I only have a week left here in Guatemala before I hit the
field and I have got to say I wish my spanish were a lot better, but I
can say enough and with the help of a companion I will be able to get
by even if it is really painful. I am little sad that my CCM stay is
almost over. I am really going to miss my teachers and it really hurts
my heart to think I will probably never get to see them again in this
life. I am also going to miss Guatemala. It is beautiful here. Along
with all that, it is really hard to leave Estuardo. I just want to see
him continue progressing. I want to see him get the priesthood and go
to the temple and get a calling, but I guess that is the life of a
missionary and only a teaser of what I will be experiencing every
transfer. I leave for Nicaragua not this Monday but the next.   Well I
am out of time, but I want you to knkow that I love you guys and am so
grateful that you help me to live the gospel. Yo se que el evangelio
bendice a las familias. That is something that the spirit really
testified to me this week. Thank you for making our home a heaven.
      Hermana Manning

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