Roller Coasters

FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let me just say that this week was a roller coaster. Don`t worry, we`re not going on roller coasters. I just feel like this week has been a giant one, with a few upside-down parts thrown in. It`s been great, though! My face may look like that kid`s in the picture Dad sent me last week, but I`m having a great time.

Last Monday, I may have told you that we were having a hard time with communication in our house, but that is all resolved. Now the six of us are living happily and having a great time together. I love living with the other hermanas. They`re an inspiration to me and are having a lot of success, which makes me even happier. I know that communication is so vital to success. Communication, verification, everything. It`s necessary for this life and in all of our callings. Return and report. Rendir cuentas. Talk. It`s probably one of the most important gifts we`ve been given--the gift of communication. Especially with our Heavenly Father. We need to talk to Him daily, hourly, minutely, siempre. He is always listening to us, and will always be there to answer our prayers, cries, jokes, fears, needs, etc. He loves us. I know that. He lives and loves us.

On Wendesday, we had a capacitaciòn with the Asistentes de la misiòn. It was basically to tell us how much better we can be doing. Our zone has been pretty hard to work in, but we`re all trying to help the members to pick up the pace, ponerse las pilas, and help in this great work! After, we felt pumped up to help everyone recieve the blessings of the restored gospel. However, Satan was aware of our ànimos, and sent us some blows that day. We taught the restoration to an hermana who`s gone to church a few times, and she completely rejected our testimonies and the Spirit that she felt. It was very hard to leave the lesson and be excited to teach others, but that`s Satan`s tactic. We can NEVER get desanimated. We siempre have to go forth with faith to tell the world the Gospel is restored. Even when people tear us down, laugh at us, mock us, and do everything in their power to stop this work from progressing, we have to go forth strong knowing that God will give us power and strength. It was never easy for the pioneers. Why should it be easy for us?

Even though Satan tried so hard to knock us down on Wednesday, we found a miracle on Thursday--a single mom and her son who are prepared to receive the Gospel. This hermana`s name is Maria de Lourdes--Malou for short. She was gelling us about how she had some hatred in her heart for something someone had done to her in the past, and wanted to change her life. We shared Hechos 2:36-38 to help her see that the was she can be clean and born again is through baptism. Baptism is the only way we can become new creatures and truly show our repentance. Through baptism, we become cleaned of all the mistakes and sins we`ve made in the past. Gracias a la Expiaciòn de Jesucristo, the Gospel is possible, and we can return to God`s presence. The Spirit was so strong during the lesson, and she immediately accepted a fecha to be baptized. Unfortunately, she wasn`t able to go to church on Sunday because she was sick, but that`s not stopping us from helping her to receive the greatest blessing God has in store for her--eternal life. John 3:5.

On Friday, we had an activity to make little heart pillows, and when we got there, we were so happy to find that two of our investigators, and one of the menos activos we`re helping to reactivate came! It was so great! They had a great time at the activity, got to know the other sisters, and ended up coming to church!! So awesome!

On Sunday, my companion and I sang in church! We sang one verse of "Come Thou Fount" in English, and then mixed together our favorite words from Oh My Father and Joseph Smith`s First Prayer to the tune of Come Thou Fount. I think it`s the first musical number our ward has ever had, but it turned out great and everyone loved it.

Funny things: (1) We gave a young couple a Law of Chastity pamphlet because they`re always canoodling outside when we walk home at night. Since then, we haven`t seen them once. (2) Every time we walked passed one man, he would say, "Mister." After about the fiftieth time hearing this, I told him, "Mister is for men." He asked us what he should call us then, and I told him, "Hermanas." Finally, I`m called by a proper name. (3) There was a man smoking, so we decided to give him a Word of Wisdom pamphlet and invite him to church. He lived in a different area, and ended up going to that chapel. He liked it, too! I`ve had a hard time getting people to my ward, but to other wards, we`re good. Who knows why? Not I. (4) Some people in my ward were watching Barney in Spanish on YouTube when we went to eat lunch. As they started singing, I couldn`t help but sing along to all the songs in English. Glad I still got those words locked in my cerebro after all these years. You should be so proud.

Today, we had Consejo and it was awesome! I love my Mission President! Presidente Torres is inspired and inspiring. I know that he is called of God! I know that we have an important work to do here in this area! And on this earth! We`re here at this time for a reason, and we have to make sure we complete the purpose God has called us to do. Moroni 9:6


I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Hermana Ayer


P.S. Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!!