Week 2 in Villas

So...I'm in Villas, and we have been opening this area....from scratch!  We don't have investigators, we don't know the members, and we don't know where we are or where to go....so its really interesting.  I'm also the leading companion.  Its my first time and I have no idea what I'm doing especially in a new area...ugh!  A little overwhelming.  its difficult to plan when you don't have people to plan for...so we have done a lot, a lot of walking and not a lot of entering houses.  But, we did manage to find a couple people to teach that seem really hopeful.  They didn't come to church but we are hoping that we can change that soon, and I think we can. Its really a great experience, no matter how difficult.  It forces us to truly rely on the Lord for guidance.  We just come home EXHAUSTED!!! from walking in the sun and no resting really.  and I'm burnt! hahaha.  But the members that we have met seem really nice and really excited to have hermanas.  We are the first hermanas in the ward since it was made...and I'm pretty sure its one of the older wards here -more than 40 years, if I was told correctly.  So the whole ward is like woah!...what a privelege really, and a responsiblity...because its all depends on us two.  They are also super excited because I play the piano and they haven't had a piano player in their ward in who knows how long so all the members thank me for playing the piano haha...Whats nice about nobody playing the piano here, is that I have a lot of opportunities to practice, and I literally no longer have any fear to play the piano in front of people or for sacramente meeting or whatever else because I do it so much here.  hahaha its good. SOOOO..what do I want to say...Well Im going to share a little bit of President Mejoradas messaje to us , about..understanding the doctrine. That if we really understand the DOCTRINE of Jesus Christ, we will change our attitude and behaviour.  Its  a natural effect.  If we don't understand, we aren't going to change anything...no matter if we think its true, or think its a good idea.  We need to really understand why.  All I can say is that its true.  To understand is different than to know.  We can know a lot of things but we just might not understand it all.  You guys should read this talk from Boyd k. Packer, its super good and goes along with this topic.  here is the link.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1991/10/reverence-invites-revelation?lang=eng   

If you cant find it, the talk is called Reverence invites Revelation, by Boyd K. Packer in the October 1991 general conference.

Thanks for everything, and love you bunches! oh and today I complete 7 months in the mission!

Con Amor

Hermana Sever

my companion is the one in polka dots, and the other sister live with us...the older lady is a woman from arizona her and her and her husband live in Queretaro and dont speak spanish so I got to translate for them...they asked me where I learned english...lol...hahaha

Week 1 in Villas

So guess what happened!!! First, we didn't have a baptism, we postponed it to teach a little more....he forgets easily and had some medical problems and we couldnt visist him for 3 days! oi...and guess who has cambios...yo!....and hermana Pineda!! We are turning our area over to the Elders.  Hermana Pineda went to IRapuato and I'm in the same zone and district but, opening a new area, in Villas!  We literally have nothing in this area -no investigators, no Area Binder-nothing!  We don't even have a telefone!  So we have a lot of work to do. I am living in a house and it's super nice...and I'm living with 4 other Hermanas all from different parts of Mexico and I think one is from some place in South America... My new companion is Hermana Cruz, and we immediatley hit it off-super stoked!...Also..heads up...I just might have Chicken Pox...I'm going to get checked out haha...oh wow the luck I have.  I hope I don't have it...but, we ate with the bishop and his family only later for us to find out the entire family has chicken pox!jaja...anyway probably don't, its just a precaution. I have my vaccinations so i think I'm good!! 

Lets see,what else has happened..Oh we had a family home evening yesturday in the home of the FAmilia Lopez...its the family of our investigator that is going to be baptized  thats 80 anos....Thats the sad part of these cambios is we were looking forward to so much success!  but its ok, because dios sabe mas que yo.  but anyway the FHE was a huge success, and was super fun.  It broughta lot  of our investigators and members together.  But, at the same time I'm excited to open a new area, and its a new slate for missionaries.  Hopefully we will have a lot of success.  So we really didnt do much this week, my companion Hermana Pineda has been super sick and was running a fever for like 2 or 3 days and now she has this chronic cough...just a whole bunch of illnesses going around...probably for the change of the seasons and all that jazz.  Sorry for all the updates on illnesses this email! So, congrats jayden and Landon on the baseball tryouts!...hows the rest of the family...sidney whats she up too? and preston??  Dad...is eating really tasty food...like usual..pero, so am i..so I don't feel too bad, but its just different food!...still can't seem to like Papaya though...its difficult, ok one fruit that is so good! is the Wanabana....I don't know if thats how you spell it -I asked my companion and she said she thinks thats how its spelled but we aren't sure...its a fruit  thats dark green-black almost and is covered in mounds spiky things...and its super delicious and healthy for you!..but its super expensive here! anyway not much more to say, thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!

Con Amor

hermana Sever

Week 1 in Villas-fotos!!

1) Hermana Sanchez and I since we were companions started our collection from the kinder Eggs-- you eat it and there is a prize, so we started a collection of Avengers...and today we traded for us both to complete our collection!..fotos soon to follow.

2) group of missionaries in Queretaro with Presidente, playing Futbol.

3)MIS HERMANAS!

4)Hermana Gonzalez, shes in my generation, Hermana Pineda y yo!

Week 5 in Pradera

nobody here knew it was my birthday so it was really low key which was good...we spent half of it in the hospital (because you know how much i love hospitals!!!! WOOHOO!!) no hahamy companion was sick and had to get some things checked out.   but district leaders and zone leaders sang the longest version of happy birthday in spanish I have ever heard..... it was funny!!

Lets see well a lot happened this week,and at the same time not too much.  First, WE had a...i dont know what its called in English-- a capacitacion- with elder Paul B. Piper.  It was interesting....super spiritual but he had some interesting ideas that I never would have thought to try! so Yea Im gunna try them.  We had a lot of fun that day. Got to see a lot of old elders and hermanas that I haven't seen in a while so that was great!  Lets see what else.... We have a baptism this coming saturday!...and we are teaching another family!...they are a part memberfamily that  the bishop and his councilors visited...during the visit they asked when the missionares would come over...because the youngest 3 wanted to get  baptized!!! so naturally we came over,and taught them a quick lesson they came to church and we are hoping everything will go smoothly from there they are the ages of 10, 10,and12. Super sweet kids!!! WE are teaching a lot of little kids and its super fun!....ALSO!!! everyone who talks is always like to my companion....where are you from your accent is funny..you are from Mexico or The United States!...haha but my accent apparently is fine hahahaha i laugh so hard every time...because it is literally daily!...they always go -ok so you are from the United states and so is your companion...then she jus troles her eyes and is like I'm from MEXICO!!! GRACIAS! hahaha its great. Lets see what else. Oh yea I want to talk about something that just kinda hit me..I was super frustrated one day this week, we weren't doing a lot our obedience was going downhill and i just was like no....so I Flipped open the scriptures and came across Mark 12:30-31....Just think about this scripture for a minute...Everyone has heard it. And we all think that this is a commandment we really don't need to work at. Why is it the first commandment so important? ...maybe beause really we cannot complete the others without it.  I realized That I was lacking in my love for the Lord...Yeah, I am currently serving a mission...but how many times do I forget to follow his will and not my own...Do we really love him with all our heart, might, mind, and strength....What really stood out to me was strength...maybe i do love God with my heart, definitley my mind..Aren't they all basically the same thing?  What I realized is that maybe we do love with our heart and mind but our works?  do they show our love for him...If his will leads us in a totally different direction...are we willing to follow???...are we examples to all people of the believers or just when we want to be?  Its really easy to think that we are good..I have a testimony....But,remember to always be working to increase your testimony and knowledge--and that every moment counts.LOVEYOU ALL BUNCHES!! 

MISS AND LOVE YOU!

ConAMor

Hermana Sever

Week 4 in Pradera

ok, so I dont have a lot of time today, but, so much has happened this week, and I want to say everything.  Ok, well, first, we hardly taught anybody!..it was horrible, but, its because we are moving.  Into the house of an Hermana, and it was just a whole bunch of drama to get started, and Also...I get to conduct a choir for Paul B. Pieper! super pumped.  we had our first rehearsal today.  It was interesting, I was looking at the music for the first time, and yea well it was interesting but its coming along.  Its a mash up between...I don't remember what the hymns are in english, but Ama el Pastor las ovejas, y Ill go where you want me to go.    Lets see what else, Oh yea the most important thing that happened!!..an Apostol, Elder Dale G. Renlund, the newest ordained Apostol came and spoke in our stake conference, and then he asked to shake the hands of everyone! it was awesome, and super spiritual.  the talks were great from the members and it was just an amazing experience.  He talked about the basics of the gospel, a lot  of really basic doctrine, but profound at the same time, and its exactly what I needed and Im sure lots of others too.  It was amazing because it was the first time for the stake for an apostol to come, and everybody was super excited, there was 2,000 people in the stake center.  Also we had 4 investigators come! so they also got to shake hands with an apostol, 2 of them have  baptismal date for 13 of Febrero and the others, well want to get baptized..but aren't married so makes things difficult.  But, Our recent convert Dario came and he said it was an awesome experience and received a lot of answers, that was nice to hear.   Its really interesting for me when I hear an apostol, especially in person, its an awesome expereince, and every time after, My testimony is strengthened that they are CALLED OF GOD. and we are so lucky to have the authority of God with us on the earth today, that we have prophets and apostols and can directly hear from them the Lords will for us.  I know that when we follow the teachings and direction of the Lord, the real head of this church isn't Thomas S. Monson, but is Jesus Christ himself.  Don't ever doubt the teachings of a prophets, those in the latter days and those in the scriptures, they are a clear guide for us in this life.  I love you all, Ill send pics next week.

Con Amor

Hermana Sever

Oh and DAD!...Sweet Ride!