Week 3 in Pradera

they dont really have libraries, or they do I think, but they aren't common.  I have yet to see one.  they are probably in the bigger more populated parts of the city, or they just aren't common.  But they have whats called a Papeleria, its kinda like a small shop with a whole bunch of school and crafting supplies-usually in the bottom of somebodies house or something like that.  they have these little shops on every street, sometimes more than one, and some of them have internet access, so we use that.We Aren't  allowed to use the members computers, but in Febrero we are getting special permission to use a members computer because we are moving houses, to help a lady in our ward, her name is hermana Gina, she is so sweet, she has breast cancer, but doesn't have any family, so we are moving in with her so she's not alone and to help her if she needs it.  She reminds me so much of Grandma Sever.  talking with her brings me back home.  But, yeah shes soo SWEET and her house is super pretty, so we are pumped to move really. haha and its a lot closer to the majority of our investigators so it works out really well.       HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! I hope you have a great day scuba diving and all that Jazz, should be fun! I'll be thinking of you!  

      Ok so things that happened this week-a whole bunch -we had a World Wide mission conference, the first in like 15 years or something like that.  WE had interviews with our mission president, and have had a lot of success.  So we had some really funny experiences this week.  We are now required to invite all our contacts in the street to baptism....its pretty difficult and scary sometimes but we are getting used to it.  So anyway, we decided to contact the owner of a little tienda or clothing shop.  so my companion was trying on clothes and I was talking to the lady.  I told her that we are missionaries, of the church of Jesus Christ gave her a pass a long card, talked some more, I was just about to invite her to baptism when she started talking crazy.  but it was hilarious!...so she was like its so great that you girls are out there preaching, you know sometimes I see some girls, like you guys, but these women are bad people.  They don't believe in Jesus Chrsit or God, or the holy Ghost, they believe in UN OJO!...in an all great and seeing eye.  haha and when you are baptized in their church they brand you, on the arm.  and she just starting blabbering on about this religion. My companion and I were like, what is going on, what kind of religion is this...only for the lady to be like, oh whats the name of this church...hmm...oh they are called MORMONES! hahahahaha I literally laughed out loud, probably wasn't the best reaction but, yeah, she was like, so you girls better watch out, don't talk to those missionaries from the mormon church they are bad people. So naturally we got her information, and we have a date to return and explain to her...that first we are mormones, and this is what we believe.  So yea it was kinda hilarious! After that, the same day we had a lesson with an investigartor, an older man named Salvador Morales, this was our first lesson with him. he's super funny, and is always like IM CATHOLIC....but, then he's like, ok, I'll listen to you guys and attend your church, and he's convinced he's already a member but can't find his temple recommend- haha.  So we started singing a hymn, and the spirit was so strong he was getting all teary eyed and I could tell he wanted to learn more.  then this BORACHO just comes into our lesson 3 different times.  (a boracho is a drunk) And he is just full of emotions when we started singing he started balling his eyes out, and handing  us oranges and gum...which we didn't eat, and just talking up a storm. and our investigator was ticked.  so we eventually had to leave, but we ended up singing 3 different  hymns..but it was awful but amusing at the same time. haha sometimes we have days like this. 

     But, We have 6 new investigators and are teaching a whole bunch of older men...like the grandpas and neighbors of members, and all want to be baptized.  right now they all have the same date for baptism so hopefully, if all goes well, we will have a day of baptisms but only older men about the age of 60 are invited. haha -no really its a blessing; they have a lot of wisdom to share, and its great to see them willing to change their lives based on some words some 20 year old girls are saying.  It bears witness to me, that, no importa what age you are, what stage of life, or experiences you have, we can always repent, we can always change, this is the beauty of this gospel.  That we don't have to be the same person we were, we can change, and heavenly father will help us do that.  

     So yea, lots of new people, families, and the members are helping us out a lot, this is such a blessing.  Thanks for all of your prayers, and thoughts.  I love all the updates!  

con Amor,

Hermana Sever

Week 2 in Pradera

So Querétaro and León are very very very different.  Querétaro is prettier, and more like the United States in lots of ways.  But, its very divided, and the people are very pish posh "I'm from Querétaro and who are you?" jajaja.  There are 2 differents types of people here, the wealthy and the poor, and no in between.  We live in the most in-between area, probably.  But, we have some areas that are very very poor, and others that are super rich so it's an interesting difference.  As far as I can tell I like Leon a little better than Querétaro, but, they both have their pros and cons.  So this area, needs a lot of work...a lot.  The members in the ward don't really like us that much and don't trust us because of the past hermanas and there reputation. But, both me and my companion are new so we are hoping to change things, and gain the trust of the ward. This week we have had a lot of success.  We have a baptism this coming week for a 24 year old named Dario.  He didn't have a date for baptism till I got here, and hardly had any lessons,  so he was just basically like "I want to get baptized" so we are teaching him everyday this week, its pretty cool!! We also had a lot of success with our street contacts, and references...this week we have a total of 19 new investigators due to references, and street contacts-that's a lot!..we are currently teaching 28 people!  It's fantastic. We found a whole bunch of families that seem ligitly interested...and one of them is a family of more than 10 people, and all are over the age of 8 years old...and basically all are super prepared.  But they are super poor and can't make their way to the church...the church is an hour away from our area, by bus....its super far..and a lot of our investigators don't have a lot of money and literally can't get to church to be baptized or learn more...its super frustrating...and especially for this family of 10 ....not even the members can really take the entire family...don't know what to do..but, we are going to work really hard to help them out.  My companion is super sweet and always wants to make me happy and others happy, but sometimes it puts herself at risk....she's very very sick....So that's another thing that is difficult.  It puts a hold on a lot of things and sometimes she needs to rest but refuses...oi...its inspiring and at the same time I want to force her to bed and I have...more than once this week haha..so yea lots of  new things.  I've grown a lot just in my week here, hopeful that we are going to have a lot of success in this area, grateful for the challenge.  I hope everybody is doing Great!!! I have one more year left in the mission basically!...wow, time flies.. haha I dont know if I have pics but, if I do I will send them, thanks for all your prayers and love.

 

con Amor,

Hermana Sever

Week 1 in Pradera

Wow, so yea alot has changed and happened in the past week. Ok, so in our ward we don't have alot of activities -we have had a couple and I really wish we had more because they do help to progress the work of salvation (haha).  But GUESS WHAT!!! YOU CALLED IT! I HAVE CAMBIOS!!!..I was super sad, but at the same time content with leaving.  The Rosales-Perez family came over last night all were just balling their eyes out, and they gave me a whole bunch of items that I admired in their home.  Things that their daughters had made, and I don't really know why I have them because they are sentimental haha but, I love it all the same.  So I am currently serving in Pradera, Querétaro México, and yea it's just as rich as it sounds.  Querétaro is beautiful and super clean, and its definitley a very well off city, more so than the others.  I only just got here, so I cant say much but, my new companion is Hna. pineda and we are the Sister Training Leaders so we head up divisions and get to go to conferences with the zone leaders and the mission presidente. We are basically over a whole bunch of hermanas, super excited for the opportunity and super nervous! But, I know I'll learn a lot.  I am also in the area of the mission headquarters so Iwill see misison presidente a lot, and I get packages the day after they arrive instead of a month after. Leon is the farthest city in the mission and Queretaro is the cloest to headquaters so I just have been on two opposite sides! Haha its great though.  So New Years was good, it was pretty rough, had some problems show up with other missionaries and a recent convert...not my convert. But, All is well now, and am grateful for these challenging experiences because I can learn a lot from them.  So new expereinces, new investigators, new companion, new area, so lots of changes.... super excited for whats in store.  I hope everything is going well back at home, It sounds like everything is going good.  Yeah, my companions have been fantastic I love every one of them, wish I could of had just one more cambio with hna. Rivera, but the lord had other plans.  I had a harder time getting along with her but by the end of week 3 we were best buds haha and with hermana Sanchez, she was a great example to me of what a missionary should be.  She was obedient, loving, and kind, and radiated with the spirit.  So far, I have yet to have a really difficult companion. But, I also think a lot of it depends on your attitude and whether or not you are willing to look for there virtues and not just at the aspects that make things hard I learned that with Hermana Rivera, and once I started realzing her strengths I really started learning and gaining a love for her as mi hermana and a fellow daughter of God.  Hermana Pineda is so sweet so far, a little soft spoken, but once you get her started she is all kinds of open! haha!  I have heard great things about my new area- so super excited for these cambios!...I hope everything is great and that you guys are always focusing what is most important in this life.  It's not the satisfaction of everyday things, but true happines lies with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It's the opinion of our Heavenly Father that is important.  President Mejorada has asked us to share a talk with you guys by Elder Lynn G. Robbins, its a wonderful talk about which way we are facing and the fact that we CANNOT serve to masters.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/which-way-do-you-face?lang=eng#watch=video

Les Amo Mucho!

Hermana Sever