I'M STAYING IN OCEANSIDE WITH HERMANA WOODRUFF!!! :D
It's a miracle! What a wonderful way to end your mission!!! Today I'd just like to tell you about Leti. Leti is part of the Palacios family, she's the one who wants to be baptized so bad but her "husband" won't let her. Leti prays and reads in the Book of Mormon every day, she is at church every week with her kids, she watches the Mormon channel with her kids each week, sings hymns with her kids and reads the scriptures in front of her husband so he has to listen to the gospel... the list goes on and on. She is stronger than most members I know in this church. It's time for her to be baptized, so if you all could please just keep her in your prayers these next few weeks and maybe even put her name in the temple, we would all be ever so grateful for the miracles that will come. The day that Leti gets baptized will be one of the happiest days of my entire life, and if she was the only baptism I ever had on my mission it would be worth it for her (of course the mission would all be worth it even if I didn't baptize, but you know what I mean).
Vanessa Palacios is staying strong :) the entire Palacios family was at church yesterday minus Leti's husband and his brother (Vanessa's dad). Then, the Pereyla family came :) we've been working with them, AND, Jacobo came to sacrament meeting all by himself!!!!!!! And he actually made it in time to participate in the sacrament! He usually comes late, so this was the first time he had ever seen it. Another lady we've been working with came. The entire left side of the chapel was filled with people just from our area that we've been working with- I can't even express the joy that that brings :). We've been able to really develop strong relationships with the less-active members in our area these last few months and it is so rewarding to see them returning back to church. It's that same joy you feel when somebody gets baptized.
Today is my 17 month mark in the mission. It's bitter sweet. I'm bringing out the "greenie fire" that all the new missionaries have and am going to give this last transfer everything that I've got. Sprint to the finish, as they say. :)
I truly love this gospel and I am so grateful for the blessing it is to serve a full-time mission. I would never trade it for anything. It truly is "the best two years" (or 18 months).
I'm glad that Jesse got to start his volunteer job this week and that he enjoys it :) those kids are so lucky to have a friend like Jesse to help them. Jesse will like this- this week at dinner I showed a 13 year old girl in our ward a picture of our family, and the mom thought that Jake was really cute, but the daughter said, "no, I like the younger one. He's cuter." haha! Somebody has a crush on Jesse!
Congratulations Torie on everything you're doing, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I LOVE YOU! Your card is in the mail. And WOO HOO! for BYU-Idaho! Let's be roommates. Cedar Apartments were nice, but it might be fun to go somewhere else. Look around and maybe check out Nauvoo housing and Carriage house, too- I've heard good things about them. Check out some others too and tell me what you think/find. Ones that have their laundry machines inside their own apartment are really nice.
I hope you all enjoy spring break! It will be pretty busy over here in CA this week- the weather is absolutely PERFECT and there's just enough wind so you know that the waves are really good, too.
I'm glad the missionaries in your ward are working so hard. What a blessing. How neat that we have so many serving from our ward, as well. The work is hastening! I hope the lesson with them goes well this week!
Have a great week, everyone and be safe! The gospel is true!
Love,
Hermana Inman
