Letter #57 - Week 59: Incoherent Singing, Food Miracles, and Becoming a Nun

November 4, 2019

Hola Everyone!

This week was full of miracles and tender mercies. Last week President Teuscher announced that we would be having a mission training on working with Priesthood and ward leaders on Saturday, and that we would hearing from his new counselor, President Mortensen, who was just released as a bishop in the stake I'm currently working in. It was excellent and we learned so much! I feel so grateful to be in a mission where I'm learning so many skills that will help me for the rest of my life, as well as becoming a more effective missionary. We had a really good conversation with Obispo yesterday, and we're excited to develop our relationship with the ward better. One of my favorite quotes from the meeting was Sister Teuscher telling us that, "Grateful hearts are magnets for miracles". Before the meeting, we were able to meet with Alex, one of the girls we are teaching right now. She really wanted to meet with us even though she was busy after the meeting, and we had a breakfast appointment with her at 8 am! She made us crepes, and I'm pretty sure that just shows that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true if it can get a teenager up early on a Saturday morning. She bore beautiful testimony about the things that she's been learning, and we're excited to help her continue on her path to baptism.

Every Tuesday we do service at a food pantry at a Catholic church. There are people that come regularly, including a different group of freshman boys every week so that they can get their service hours in and a guy named Steve who generally tells us what to do. The Brother who brought the boys talked to us and explained to us lots of things we didn't know before, and that was a good, positive conversation. As we were cleaning up, a little Dominican lady beckoned me over and said in English, "Okay, I'm going to be nosy. Are you planning on becoming a nun?" I assured her that I wasn't, and she seemed very pleased as she sung praises. She then asked me if Hermana Connolly was going to become a nun, and when I gave her the same answer, she gave the same response. It is incredible to see how other people demonstrate their faith by dedicating their lives in different ways, and I hope that I will be able to show the same amount of faith.

Carlos and Evelyn are doing well. We were teaching them how to do a Family Home Evening, and were teaching them the song "Book of Mormon Stories". They were waiting for the dad to get home and were pretty distracted, and at one point they all left and it was just Hermana Connolly and I just singing and trying to figure out the lyrics in Spanish by ourselves. When Evelyn came back we still hadn't quite figured it out, and she just kind of laughed at us as we sung/mumbled nonsense. I don't think I'll be the primary chorister for a Spanish ward anytime soon. We're excited to have them start strengthen their family more as they learn the gospel together.

This week Hermana Connolly got a package for New Zealand full of her favorite snacks and chocolates from home. She was very kind to share with me and we were happily fattened up. I got to enjoy my very first mug of Milo, which is very similar to hot chocolate, but Hermana Connolly would tell you that it is immensely different. I feel very blessed to have Hermana Connolly as my companion. She has taught me so much, not only in culture, but also how to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ.

We had another food miracle this week. I recently found out that Hermana Connolly had never tried pupusas (which is a dish from El Salvador) or Mexican hot chocolate. I was determined to find some to have her try, but I didn't know about any Salvadoreño places and we hadn't gone to a Hispanic deli for the hot chocolate. We have been finding it difficult to meet with members, but we had an appointment with one Saturday night. When we came over and talked with her a little bit, she pulls out these pupusas she had gotten for us earlier because we forgot to confirm with her and she had just remembered that day. She had wanted to make us food, but didn't have time to by the time she remembered. While eating the pupusas, she proceeds to start making Abuelita's, which is a brand of Mexican hot chocolate. It was such a random combination that it was obvious that Heavenly Father was mindful of our circumstances. Even though it wouldn't seem important to God that I wanted my companion to try pupusas and Mexican hot chocolate, He sent me that tender mercy because I cared. I know that Heavenly Father isn't only interested in our needs, but in our desires as well.

Hermana Connolly ended up falling ill yesterday, and was such a trooper as I talked to as many members as I could at church. After the fact, I realized that she probably could use some rest, and we called the mission doctor. He said that a lot of the missionaries we're having the same symptoms as her, and that she was probably going to get worse, which came to pass this morning. Prayers for Hermana Connolly that she can get feeling better soon.

Helaman 10:4-5

4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

¡Os Amo!

-Hermana Prue