La HerMAMA

The Hermanas of the Quillota Zone

Hola, familia!
Well...Rodrigo decided he doesn't want to get baptized...for now. But we have faith. God can work miracles. We're praying for a miracle. Please pray with us for a miracle! He'll get there!

It's a sad story, though, and I think I'd rather tell a happy story. So here goes. The Happy Story. :)

With Jacqueline and her family

We found a beautiful family about a week ago--Jacqueline, la mamá, and her children, Constanza (12), Vicente (10), y Florencia (4). In the first lesson, we invited them to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it, and when we returned to visit them on Wednesday, Constanza had DONE IT! She told us with a beautiful smile on her face and a light in her eyes that she had prayed and felt a sweet, unmistakable peace in her heart. We were so excited and encouraged her to keep reading and praying! She came to Young Women's on Thursday and loved it, and then we stopped by to visit and teach them again on Saturday night.

Jacqueline still hadn't read, so we began to read with her and Constanza in Alma 32 and talk about faith. Connie shared with us and her mom her experience praying about the Book of Mormon and receiving her answer that it's true. Not long after, we were talking about how Christ was baptized in order to set the example for us, and she said so quietly we almost didn't hear her, "me quiero bautizar." We both whipped around and were like, "WHAT did you say?!" 

She said it again--"me quiero bautizar"--and we almost started to cry; the Spirit hit us so hard. We extended her an invitation to be baptized on November 30th, and she accepted with a huge grin on her face; she was absolutely beaming. We then invited Jacqueline, su mamá, to be baptized on the same day, and she accepted as well, though not with the same certainty or excitemente as her daughter (because Connie already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and says that she has never felt anything at all in any other church, but she feels SO good in ours). We promised her that as she reads and prays about the Book of Mormon, she will feel more and more sure of her decision, just as her daughter does.

Connie told us that she would be getting foot surgery on the 25th and was nervous about the possibility of not being able to walk on the 30th and thus not being able to be baptized... I racked my brain for a good solid minute trying to feel whether or not we should move the fecha up a week, but I felt very strongly NOT to--and in place of that to extend the promise that if they move forward with faith and prepare for that date, Heavenly Father will make it possible for Connie to be able to walk and to get to church for her baptism. She spoke up and excitedly said,"Yeah, I believe that He will help me to be able to get baptized." Ah! Que hermosa!

I couldn't figure out why we felt so strongly NOT to change the date until Jacqueline's 10 year old son, Vicente, said, "Me voy a la iglesia mañana." Goodness gracias. He's going to get baptized with them; they have to wait for him!:) The Spirit hit me so hard when I told what I'd realized to Hermana Eastman. Heavenly Father truly helped us to find a family! He answers our prayers. They're beautiful, and they ALL came to church yesterday--Jacqueline loved it, especially Principios del Evangelio, Constanza LOVED Young Women's (she already has so many friends), and Vincente loved Primary as well. I can really see the importance of fellowshipping investigators; the transition is so much easier, and the decision to be baptized so much easier to make, when they have real friends and feel comfortable en la iglesia. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to serve in a ward that really supports us as missionaries and helps our investigators to have a spiritual, good, uplifting experience at church on Sundays.

We're excited to involve Roger and Anais in their conversion process by bringing them to lessons with us, to help both families to grow in the gospel together. Pray for Jacqueline and her family! We love them so much!:) 

OTHER BIG NEWS: Yesterday, Victor blessed the sacramente, and Roger helped to pass it. Talk about a missionary payday. We are SO proud of them.:) Next step: The TEMPLE! Man, I miss the temple. But teaching people all the time about just how important it is is really helping me to appreciate so much more the availability of temples close to my home. The temple truly is the house of the Lord! Go as often as you possibly can.:) There is a Spirit there that is incredible and that you really cannot feel in any other place. As long as we keep the temple as our goal and our focus, we'll have the strength to do absolutely anything that we have to to get there. No sacrifice is too great and no price too high to pay to be able to make covenants with God--and help others who are waiting on the other side to make the same covenants--in His house here on earth. I love the temple and absolutely cannot wait until I have the chance to go again.:) Take advantage of the opportunity for me, and go to the temple as often as you possibly can!:)

I love you all SO much! Have the best week EVER, and keep choosing the right!

Con Todo Mi Amor,
HerMAMA Sanford

(My baby's all grown up. She finished training this week. Out to the real world she goes!)

Quotes of the Week:
"Your strongest attribute...gosh. It annoys the crap out of me."--Hna. Eastman
(In a prayer to end a lesson) "Protegernos con una gran barrera anti-mal."--Diego

With Hermanas Frandsen and Eastman

Christmas at Lider store

Plaza de Armas