Gratitud Siempre :)

Hola Familia!!

So this week was definitely a trial of faith! We have been finding some really great people but they all are ignoring us haha and well not choosing to progress. Its kinda sad but its okay because we know there are people prepared out there..somewhere! Our ward has been well less than helpful but I still love them. I love the people and they have such good hearts they just aren't americans! There is zero planning and everything is spontaneous. So I guess that keeps it fun and interesting :)

This week we found an awesome family!!!!! We got a couple referrals from the Elders and so we stopped by them but they both weren't home. Luckily we heard some rockin hispanic music and knocked that door. A young girl answered and let us in! Her mom is Vicky a single mother of Jasmine 14yrs. Lizbeth 11yrs. and Victor 1 1/2yrs. They are very very cute. They have gone through some tough times together but are still standing on two feet! Vicky has not liked going to church in the past because she feels judged and she still has some unhealed wounds from her past. She has been through a lot of trials and I think that has prepared her to receive this message. She hasn't let anyone into her life for a long time but she confided in us because she felt the spirit. the spirit works miracles in our lives!! We have only met with her and her family once but it was truly a miracle to find them and we are so excited for what is to come in there lives if they choose to accept the mercy of the Lord.

So the other day we pulled up to get gas and there was 1 person walking from the gas station. So I told hermana Hougaard to go get him! hah so she got out of the car and yelled "hey!" she started talking while I got gas. We got his info and were able to teach him, his name is Willian and his brothers name is Victor we taught him too. We had a really spiritual lesson and taught Willian how to pray. I love hearing people pray for the first time and out loud. Its always so simple but powerful. The power of prayer is real. I have learned about relying fully on the lord out here cause sometimes he is the only one we have! We have to pray though and go to him! Anyways Willian came to church and a baptism this week and had a great time! :)

As Thanksgiving is approaching there is so much that we have to be grateful for. Here are just a few of the things I am most grateful for. I am so very grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ in my life. I am grateful for the matchless gift of the atonement. For the change that has been wrought in me and for the change I have seen in others. I am grateful for the hope he gives us each day. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who supports me in all I do. For the strength he gives me when I don't think I can keep going. I am grateful for his mercy and grace and the covenants I have made in the temple. I am grateful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. For the prophet Joseph Smith and his simple question. I am grateful for his faith that replaced all fear and brought to pass this truth for us. For the hope it brings to all. I am grateful for a living prophet who is led and guided by Christ. I am grateful for the scriptures especially for the Book of Mormon and the simple truths it teaches me each day. I am grateful for the opportunity to have a real relationship with the creator of all. I am grateful for my family who means the world to me. For the happiness and joy each of them bring me. I am grateful for the sunshine and laughter. I am grateful to be able to walk speak see and hear. I am grateful for good health. I am grateful for the MMM, for my companions and all my friends! I am grateful for good food especially candy and sweets. I am grateful for warmth in this cold and for smiles...and a lot more. I encourage all of you to take time and ponder all the blessings you have in your daily lives. To write them down in a journal and to thank Heavenly Father for each of them. I encourage you to never delay gratitude. Let the people around you you love know. I love each of you sooooo much and am grateful for you!

Have a great week. :)

Don't forget to smile.

xoxo

Hermana Pentelute

Pictures: District, P-Day Fun, Service

Ya Tengo 20 Anos!!!!

Hola Familia! 

First off thank you to all for your sweet birthday wishes!!! They were all very appreciated and I felt a lot of love even though I was far away! My birthday was great. My district all sang to me and we ate cheesecake my favorite! Me and Hna Hougaard went to Denny's in the morning because thats tradtion! Then we taught some people and helped get a birthday party for a little girl who's sister and brother are members. We then got to feast on Pasole :) I felt love and the spirit so I couldn't have asked for more!!

This week we were visiting a few less actives members and they weren't home. When we pulled up there was a girl in her car next to us. When we got back from stopping by the LA's she was still in the car. It was pretty awkward honestly haha. I asked Hna Hougaard if we should talk to her but we both didn't know. We didn't want to be creeps. Well as I got into the car the spirit said talk to her!!! So I waved and she waved back. I thought maybe that's enough then the spirit sure enough again told me to talk to her. So I got back out of the car and surprisingly she got out of the car too! We started talking and found out she loves a Mormon youtuber named Shay Carlson? She loves his family and I guess watching him has helped her through some hard times. She has never had any real connections with Mormons. Her name in Sonia and she is 21! She cleans for a living. It was great because she was able to go with us to Stake conference! It was such a miracle and we are excited to teach her! The Lord truly blesses us when we sacrafice our fear! Also happy birthday to me...Brother Wade Woodrum spoke at stake conference!!! I WAS SO PROUD :) President Forbes came up and told me Sunday and it was great to hear that. 

We also found a great young man named Michael this week from Mexico. He wants to be baptized but is going back to Mexico for the holidays December 13th and wont get back until February 25th! But its okay...also some really cool news too. Remember the Rodriguez family who just up and left one day?? Well they are coming back to Mankato and want to be baptized!!!!!!!! They contacted Hno Robinson through FB. Apparently they all went to church down in Mexico and one Sunday there son had to stay home to watch the house so he just read the Book of Mormon the whole time....:) I am so HAPPY that family is going to be eternal!! 

This week I am working on Gratitude (along with a lot of other things). Something I learned this week is that to live with gratitude in our hearts is to touch heaven and that it is not focusing on what we lack but we are blessed with. It also goes far beyond being grateful for things. It is an attitude in our daily lives it is living without egoism and pride. Hna Hougaard and I are doing a 40 fast as a Christmas present to the Savior. I am giving up sarcasm and she is giving up doubt! Its going to be hard but worth it!

Another cool miracle. So yesterday I prayed specifically before we went out to find a mom with a daughter to teach. The very first house we stopped by a mom answered the door. We asked if she had kids and she said she had one daughter!! I didn't even realize it was an answer to my prayer until hna hougaard said she the answer!! Heavenly Father listens and is ready to bless us all we have to do is ask and ACT.

I love you all. Don't forget to thank the Lord for all you have and contemplate the beauty of your life here and now!!

Hermana Pentelute

Pictures:
1. Birthday breakfast
2. Us and Hna Casteneda and Stacey they gave us those rockin sweaters
3. Shopping in the City last p-day

Nuestro Padre Celestial Nos Ama y Nos Conoce

Hola Familia!!!!

My joy is so full today. I can feel the love of God so strong. Thank you for all of the support you give to me. This week was unlike any other week in the mission! Elder Carlson a General Authority came and did a mission tour in the MMM! On Tuesday we had a mission conference and wow was that amazing. The spirit was so strong, it felt like angels were all around us. I learned soooo much about how to be a better missionary and how to be more consecrated. I am always so grateful to receive guidance like that especially when it comes from an authority of the Lord. I think I took like 10 pages of notes hahaha. Let me tell you a little more. So at the lunch break on Tuesday we happened to be so lucky that President Forbes and Sister Forbes sat by us and also Elder Carlson and Sister Carlson! Sitting with all of them was a little intimedating haha and we were eating pulled pork sandwiches! I tried to use my best manners. Anyways they were asking us questions and we were getting to know each other better. Elder Carlson was responding and giving us advice and encouragement. My Companion was crying the spirit was very strong and I was trying not to cry we were in front of everyone but I couldn't help it and started crying. The reason I felt the spirit so strongly was because I had been praying for a while about some questions I have and other things to help me progress in this work. Elder Carlson didn't know my questions or what I was struggling with at the time but he said exactly what I needed to hear and answered my prayers. I was shocked! It was like he was directly speaking to me. He got up and left and we continued to eat. Then President Forbes came to me and said Elder Carlson would like to interview you.........First thought in my head oh no. haha I had no clue what to think! Why would he possibly want to interview me? I am sure you could imagine I had a million emotions and thoughts going on. I knew it was a very special opportunity because he only interviewed 2 other missionaries. So I tried to calm down the best I could. When I got in the interview he asked me to tell him about my family and what I want to do in the future. For some reason that made me emotional as well. The spirit was SO strong in that room I wish all of you could have felt it. He gave me three pieces of advice or counsel and that was that. My mind was blown. I KNOW that Heavenly Father loves each of us SO much more than we know. He KNOWS us. He knows every little detail about us from the beginning to end. I know he answers our prayers and I know  he is there for us and loves us and he is our greatest sources of comfort and happiness. We are so blessed, I am so blessed to have this knowledge. Share it with the world because it changes lives.

So on a different note! Gera Rodriguez was baptized and confirmed this Sunday!! It was such a good experience. I love that kid. I love the Rodriguez family. They already feel like my own. We are starting to gain the trust of the members and make relationships and its just soooooo awesome. Gera is going to make a great missionary. We all are already preparing him and his dad is next to be baptized soon:) 

We are working a lot with less active members and boy is it great. We are seeing so many miracles through that. What is so cool is that these less active members already have some what of a testimony and they all have relatives and friends who are none members. So we get to strengthen their testimonies and bring new members in. We are teaching  a man named Walter and his sister Leo. They are the niece and nephew of a LA here named Alex Valerio. Leo is very prepared and they are both very interested and open, we will see what happens. Remember the miracle family we found last week? Well we have had contact with them this week and are teaching their cousin Cristian. He also came to church yesterday with us. 

Hermana Hougaard is still doing great. The Spanish is a real struggle but she is pushing forward even through her trails. Its so cool to be working with her. I love her! :)

There will be difficult and trying times in our lives. I was going through a faith testing time that required a lot of work patience and diligence. It is so amazing to me to take a step back and look and see all the blessings I really have. Our trails and tribulations are but a small moment if we put our head down get to work and have faith in Christ. Never forget that. Elder Carlson told me and my comp personally that when things are hard all we can do is get to work and God will work out the other details. 

I love you all. You are all very important to me! I am so blessed to have each of you in my life. This gospel is the truth I know it with my whole soul. Lean on the Lord. Trust in him. Turn you heart and life over to him and he will make all you can be. He has the power to change you and to make you great. Have a great week!!!!

Pictures of Gera's Baptism.