These Are the Days!

My Purpose

This week we talked to our crosswalk guard friend, Silvester, at Gibbs Pre-K. We usually meet with him in the parking lot right before he has to work. He is so stubborn and has so many questions about the gospel in general. Why? Why? Why? is his favorite word. We try to explain but sometimes he just doesn't let us get through our point. He knows the Bible really well and likes to read a lot. In fact he has read the entire Book of Mormon already! 

He would not commit to pray or let us explain what we wanted to. He just kept saying he has so much doubts and doesn't know what to think.... So he just keeps reading books and books and confusing himself. So Sister DeLaO and I were determined to get him to pray and to listen to us! We knew we would have to not master teach this lesson and tell him flat out what he needed to do. I couldn't do it because it was in Spanish, so I told Sister De La O to be bold! And she was definitely more than bold! 

She talked about the Apostacy and why there is so much confusion in the world, that when Jesus Christ was on the Earth there was no confusion, only "one faith, one Lord, one baptism". He wouldn't let her speak sometimes all the way through and she just looked at him and said, "I'm not done with my point of view. Let me finish and then you can ask questions afterwards. Ok?" She had to do that about three times. At the end we told him that the only person that would be able to answer his question would be God. That he NEEDED to pray and ask. So he told us, "I'm going to pray for 3 days at 8 pm at night and ask which church is true. I know an angel is going to come and tell me. If that doesn't happen, I'm done and not going to church." At first we were a bit hesitant at the angel coming and telling him, but then we thought "well he has faith. Who are we to tell him that can't happen." So we have been praying for him to receive an answer and that maybe one of his ancestors in the spirit world who wants to be baptized, would come and tell him. 

We just got back today from following up on his response to his question. We were eager to find out what his answer was. He told us that he had received an answer at a fiesta and that a man came and invited him to his church. He went yesterday and at first didn't like it, but began to start to like it. 

I was a little let down at first because he hadn't received an answer to attend our church but then I thought about my purpose as a missionary is to "invite other to come unto Christ". He was so grateful to us for planting this seed in him and helping him to understand the importance of church. In his prayer he thanked Heavenly Father for sending "two angels" to him and that he didn't have words to descibe how thankful he was. We invited him to come attend our church one day, and he said he would and that he wasn't fully set on this new church that he is going to. he agreed to having the Elders come as well to check up on him and that he would read the Book of Mormon again from the beginning and pray about its truthfulness. One day he will understand that this is the true church, but I am happy that I was able to help him a bit in "coming closer to Christ". That's our purpose. I'm going to miss being a full time missionary! 

This is the Place. 

This week we had two wonderful lessons about the temple and the importance of making sacred covenants with Heavenly Father in his house. We met with two less actives, Hermano Policarpo and Hermana Rodriguez about preparing themselves to go. They were both so excited. Hermana Rodriguez even said, "When can I meet with the Bishop for my recommendation? This sunday?" So we are working with them to prepare and get a temple prep class started in English. There are just so many miracles happening because of the start of this group. So many seeds planted and I know that their desire to go to the temple is a result of their being able to understand and apply the gospel in their lives.

I just know the temple is the place. We have been sharing this scripture with our members and I think it is so true that as we look to Christ as our light he will lead us to a promised place, which is the temple. That is the goal. This is where families can be together forever.

1 Nephi 17:13

"And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led."

I cannot believe that 18 months have already passed by! So many experiences, people, and miracles that I will NEVER forget. This mission has prepared me for my life and I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me the opportunity to serve him and strengthen my testimony as a result. I could not imagine my life without being a missionary and I am so grateful for all of the support from family members and friends in Oregon, Utah, Texas, and everywhere else!

I am grateful for my parents and the examples they are to me and for my sister Tupu and her desire to serve a mission as well. I will always be forever grateful for my Heavenly Father and my savior, Jesus Christ. I know they live and I know they love us. 

I've been listening to this song lately and I love the lyrics. 

"Every smile, every laugh, all the memories that we've had. 

That's what I'm taking with me, that's what I'm taking with me. 

Stronger Faith, No more tears, Yeah we've started something here, We'll grow.

That's what I'm taking with me when I go home. 

The dreams. These are the days. These are the days we'll remember."

Love y'all and I can't wait to talk to you soon! I've missed you and I will miss Texas!

Sister/Hermana Loo

Lunch with the YSA's 

Lunch Goodbyes 

Cutting up all my skirts to make a quilt 

Teaching the Amanza family & their Plan of Salvation outlines 

Hermano Policarpo 

Teaching Daily Dose 

Saying goodbye to our friends at our favorite Papusaria! :( Gotta find one in Oregon! 

Goodbye's with Herrera Family and Natasha 

Krystin, Sister Lambright, Familia Ashton, and Sister Boyle 

Nina! Who just received her mission call to Puebla South Mexico yesterday 

Sister Adams

Mckenna 

Momma Lesa 

Victor Lopez 

At don Mauro's 

Emailing at the Computer Lab! I'm going to miss Hermana De La O! :)

ummm.... Last Week? Are you sure? :)

The Good Shepherd

I gave my first talk in Spanish yesterday with a recently reactivated member who gave his first talk as well! His non-member wife came to support him as well as 3 other less active members who came to our Spanish group. This group is continuing to open up doors. I think we have had most of our members come to church in the last 3 weeks as a result of it. Now we just need to get them all there at the same time.

We had a ton of people in Spanish School school as even more members from the English ward came to support, even some who are trying to learn Spanish now as a result of the group starting! I can just see this small group becoming a branch soon!

I decided to base my talk on Elder Eduardo Gavarett's talk in the last general conference about Following the Good Shepherd, our Savior Jesus Christ. I kept it very simple and Hermana DeLaO helped me out with making sure my grammar and sentence structure was correct. Overall it was a good meeting and fun to give my first talk in Spanish.

I really like John 10:14- He really does know us individually and he will always be there for us! 

 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

And then in verse 27 it talks about how the sheep (us) know him and follow him! I think that if we truly knew Jesus Christ we would follow immediately without hesitation. And so that made me think, "Do I know the Good Shepherd? And, Would I immediately follow him in everything he would ask of me?" 

 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

I know that as we follow him that we will see many great blessings. And as Elder Gavarett said in his talk, "As you strive to come to Him, you will gain the power to relieve life’s burdens, whether physical or spiritual, and experience a positive inner change that will help you be happier." 

I know this to be true! I have seen it in my life and in the lives of others. As we come unto Him and apply the Atonement in our lives, we will see that beautiful change occur. The eternal happiness we feel as a result is difficult to describe but it is worth it. Have you felt this? What are you willing to do to feel this happiness again? I promise, He is always there. He loves you. He knows you. 

Love Y'all!

Hermana Loo

Rockaletta Candies! Yumm! 

Visiting Jo Ann

Sister DeLaO loves cheescake and has never been to the Cheesecake Factory so I just had to treat her on the way back to Huntsville from zone conference! I miss that place! 

Helping with the Quincinera of Alexia Ruiz. It was insane and crazy all for a 15th birthday. It was almost like a wedding complete with live band, dinner, chocolate fountain, DJ, photobooth, and more. It was crazy! But so fun to be able to help and go to! 

With Elder Spragg from the MTC- He decided to stay in Texas too.

Last Zone Conference!!! Crazy!

Meet our new "best friend" TIWI or the black box as it is called. It tracks our speed, stopping too fast, if we have our seatbelt on or not, if we swerve too fast, or if our car catches "air". haha. It's the freakiest voice, "Check your speed" which I may have gotten a lot of. I'm having to watch my driving and I accidentally went over a bump too fast and I got an "aggressive driving" on my record. Whoops. Thank goodness I only have to be with it for a couple of days more. 

When we were together there was a joke that I knew she would get married before me and so I would shop for her and buy her all the baby clothes and then she would pass them down to me... so I found this cute little onsie but I didn't think I was going to have to start this soon! :)

Sister Sara Huber or soon to be Sara Cuttler came to visit me in Huntsville with Danielle Ramirez so that I could get all the "deets" on her engagement! Congratulations! I'm so happy for her and she is so happy! 

Jennifer Rudolph came to visit and gave me the cutest Texas straw! Everythings Texas here. 

Also, passing down skirts to Krystin who is leaving on February 25th to the California Ventura mission

Daily Miracles!

I love to See the Temple

Yesterday we went with Gabby Vasquez to a Temple Grounds Tour of the Houston Texas Temple. The spirit was so strong and there were over 200 people in attendance. She LOVED the temple and it was a great opportunity to be able to bear testimony of eternal families. She was so interested in the concept of having temple sealings, that our families can be together forever and extends beyond death.

She wants to be an architect and so she took a ton of pictures of the grounds. She said that she would love to be able to to help build a temple someday. She wants to bring her family next time and can't wait to be able to go in. After the tour she said, "I just know I'm going to have a good week this week. It's just going to be so good because of this." It was a really sweet experience and we were able to set a goal for her to be baptized on October 25th a year from her original date that we extended this last year and her grandma said no and that she needed to spend more time in the church. I think a year is enough! I'm so excited for her future in the church!

The temple is such a refuge from the world and I felt the spirit so strongly there that day.

The Church is True.

Had a Restoration with a black Methodist lady named Allie. She is just searching for truth from anywhere, anything about Jesus Christ she wants. It was one of the best Restoration lessons and made me miss teaching in English! 

We started off and then were about to recite the First Vision when a knock comes on the door! I was on exchanges with Sister Lambright and she just looks at me and says, "of course! Really?" 

After the pizza man left we picked up right where we left off without delay and Sister Lambright recited the First Vision and I just couldn't help but smile... Take that Satan! At the end I invited her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. I asked her if she would do so and she immediately said, "YES!" It was the most enthusiastic response I have heard yet. I am excited for the English Sisters to teach her. 

Miracles and Random Experiences

We tracted into this random family on Tuesday night and they invited us to eat! YAY! We had Caldo de Rez and it was SOOOO good! I'm going to miss this good Mexican food. 

We had interviews this week and talked to President Mortensen about whitewashing this area and having Elders come in to help our little group with priesthood duties. Hermana DeLaO and I feel really good about this decision and so we are working to prep the area for a switchoff. Which means we are soooo busy trying to get our area book detailed because these Elders are going to have to jump right into the work here!

We were at the Post Office and the worker looks at Hermana DeLaO and I and says, "You two gave me one of those Christmas cards." I couldn't remember her so I asked, "the He is the Gift card with the video?" And she responded, "Yes. I watched that video and loved it so much I decided to show my entire Sunday School Class I was teaching at Church!" I told her there were more like that she could show her class and gave her the link to mormonchannel.org. She was so excited! #plantingseeds

Matt Mills was ordained to the Melchezidek Priesthood yesterday. His parents who are strongly against the church came to ALL 3 hours of church as well! Hearts are being softened! He is such a great example to his family!

Also we had 3 less actives at church yesterday who haven't been to church in years! This Spanish group is opening the door to many miracles and conversions in the future! 

Oh and this next week I am giving a talk in Spanish! Wish me luck! :)

Love y'all! 

Sister Loo

Found this on my desk from Sister DeLaO... very funny

"This home is Catholic... We don't except Propaganda." #ohdear

We still knocked and they didn't answer, but we left a Family History card! 

Tracting in the Country

Picture from Consuelo Cortez.

Can you guess which one is me? #tamethefro