FESTIVAL FRENZY!

What an Amazing Week!

And...yesterday was the best day ever,

so I am pretty sure life can't get any better

for a Missionary!!

TO TOP EVERYTHING OFF:

   The Festival (the biggest event for our Branch every year) is this Saturday!!! I can hardly wait! We have been talking to everyone telling them about the Festival. They gave us Missionaries 1000 flyers to hand out in 2 weeks. Announcements are in the newspapers, online, and on the radio! It is going to be BIG! That night all the Missionaries will be on a Mission to become Friends and then get contact information on every Spanish speaker we can there! It will be a GREAT night!

   Yesterday I kept count of how many people we talked to about the Festival. We talked to 29 people in one day! It is so much fun. If we see anyone outside we make it a point to speak to them and ask them where their Spanish Speaking neighbors live! We found three Spanish Speakers in one apartment complex!

   The first Sunday Rosie came to church, she signed up to dance at the Festival! Talk about getting herself involved! It is tradition for one investigator to dance in the Festival and then get baptized. I call Rosie! She practices everyday with the best members of our Branch. The entire Branch loves her already! But not as much as Hermana Boman and I do. Last Monday she made us the BEST tasting "PAN" in the world!! It had real chocolate melted into it. So delicious. It is a gift the Lord gave her which she learned about while reading the Book of Mormon. SO Adorable!! She is so strong.

   We had a lesson with her last week that just blew me away. As a missionary you quickly come to know that just as hard as we are working to help others find the peace of the Gospel, there is opposition from so many sources trying to distract our investigators. Countless are the times we find someone so perfectly golden, but shortly after, we can't get in touch with them because they start backing out, forgetting the Spirit they have been feeling. I promise you that each investigator faces so much opposition. No one gets a smooth ride.

   Most investigators just quietly draw back, but Rosie is so golden that she wouldn't let that happen to herself! As soon as she started to feel the opposition, she had us come for a lesson. She told us about having such a huge desire to read the Book of Mormon and go to church, but at the moment she goes to act, she feels this opposition trying to tell her it isn't worth it. She sat down with us and we were able to talk it through with her! IT WAS AMAZING! 

   Then we were able to share with her how that is our role as Missionaries, to help her keep going, especially in those moments of opposition. She is SO AMAZING! She calls us her angels. I wish she would understand how much of an angel she is to us. Oh, and she told me and Hermana Boman that we can never go home, ever. I told her that I will stay in this area as long as I possibly can!

   

CUTEST MOMENT OF MY MISSION!

   Well, can I paint a picture for you of the cutest moment of my Mission? First off, Krystal is still here! Her mom is too. I have heard lots of rumors, but Leticia is working on convincing her that Krystal needs to stay. Yesterday, we planned to go to the Lopez home to have a Family Night. While driving down the street, we saw Krystal outside playing with the kids on the block. We taught 7 of them last week when Krystal told us that everyone in her home was asleep and we should have the FHE outside with her and all her friends. Half way through the FHE with the kids, Leticia came out and said no one was ever asleep, but Krystal had told us that to spend more time with her friends. Ha, ha! I love nine-year-olds. We had an amazing FHE with all of them and Leticia told us it was perfect that we got to have the FHE with the kids on the block, because they needed it. Krystal needed it too, because she gets so excited about sharing the Gospel with others. When we went to the Lopez home a few days later, one of Krystal's friends was outside and yelled, "can we have one of those home night things again today?" We yelled back and told him to come over on Monday and we would have another one. 

THIS PICTURE IS OF HALF THE KIDS 

ON THE BLOCK THAT WE HAVE FHE WITH!

   So, the next Monday, as we pulled up to the Lopez home, 10 little kids flocked our car all saying, "Hello Missionaries!" They all stood in front of our car and said we could only park if we would do a Family Home Evening with them. I wish I could have taken a picture of my car being surrounded by them all. BEST...MOMENT...EVER!!! We had an amazing Family Home Evening. There is a little girl named Maddy who has had a tough nine years. While walking to the Lopez home, she said to me, "I have been thinking a lot about prayer since last week. My sister passed away a few months ago and I have been really sad and scared. Could you help me pray to feel better?" She said the most tender prayer last night. I just love being with these sweet spirits. 

   At the end of the Family Home Evening, the funniest conversation started. It went something like this: (All these statements were said by the kids).

   "We are doing this Family Night thing every Monday, Okay?!"

   "Yeah! We can start a Club, would the name 'the Mormon Club' work? Then we could start a study group and read the Book of Mormon together."

OH MY HEAVENS...

I AM SO IN LOVE WITH ALL THIS ADORABLENESS!!

   Jorge, my recent convert, is doing so well! He went to English class, but went too early and thought no one was coming. Then, yesterday, thinking it was Tuesday, he went again to the Church! Ha, ha. He is reading the Book of Mormon again and came to Church! He also promised that he would come to all three hours next week and says that his desire to do everything is coming back!

I AM SO HAPPY!!

   Well, the only thing I am freaking out about is the fact that some how it is already September! 

   I know this Gospel is available to all. Rosie's husband is hesitant about church, but she told us that she can't go on living without it. She has already seen such a growth in her relationship with God since she has come to Church. It has made all the difference. He makes all the difference, and I love being part of His work!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Hermana Phipps