Nexalia is going on a mission!

Woo hoo! Another chance to share some great things that happened this week!! :) First, I want to start out with the importance of following promptings... A wonderful sister in our ward called us out of the blue to offer her help with visiting people every day we needed. So we took advantage of that!!! Haha as our day came to an end, the prompting I had felt all day long became stronger. I knew I needed to ask her if she wanted to serve a mission. So I did! And she said the coolest thing!! "I think God has answered my prayer before I even prayed it. I want to so bad. But I am scared! I love sharing the gospel! it is so great! Today was the best day ever! I want to serve, but I dont want to pray for an answer, because I know what the answer will be. I have been talking to Andrea (RM)  about it.... And I knew that if you said something about it too, I needed to go."

AND SHE IS GOING ON A MISSION!!!! :) woo hoo! 

this week, I got to help the Lord answer someone else's prayers as well. We were able to go again to do family history! and at the end, I asked the hermana with me, do you want to find someone??? and she replied.... "maybe you could help me find my great grandpa? I have been trying each day and I can't find him...." so, using what she had just taught me to do, we hit the search button...... and the first name that popped up was his!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! with a photo and everything! Her tree is now complete! :) I love the gospel!!!!! This week we got to sing for the 50 year celebration of the church in Bolivia!!!!!! I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!! ha ha all the missionaries in our part of our mission in  Santa Cruz!!! :) 

SO, i have a challenge for you all. Elder Bednar asked some missionaries to do something,... Buy a little new Blue book of Mormon. At the front, write a question you want an answer to. AS you go through reading, highlight each thing that pertains  to your question. at the end, write what you have learned in a short paragraph. How wonderful will it be to have a book with one specific answer to one specific question!!!!He said to do it many times, for many questions....  I just finished this in my Spanish book of Mormon, and I have learned so much!!! So, starting in January, I want you all to do that. One chapter each day, and you will finish about the month I come home. I saw miracles in my testimony through this, and I know you all will as well. I am going to be doing it again! Please, who will do this with me?? 

I love my book of Mormon! I love it with all of my heart! I know this gospel is true! 

Have a  wonderful week!!!
 Hna Arave

hermanaa Choque, hermanaa Ruis, me, and hermana Nahuel.

Hermana Nahuel and Hermana Arave

The ward mission leader hosted a BBQ for all the missionaries. He bought Burger king for everyone. Not as good as in the states but it's a good try

The group that got to sing for the 50 year celebration of the church in Bolivia.

Dogs... and Miracles!

SO, we went to go teach a cute little grandma, named Nancy, and as we arrived, she sent her son to go get the other children from school.... half an hour later and no return, she gets worried... AND GETS UP AND LEAVES US ALONE IN HER HOUSE. We, a tad confused... look at each other... not knowing what we should do... just then, we hear a deep growl... and her very large dog is staring at us, growling, and foaming at the mouth. first time I have seen this dog. so, what is the first thing we do? ask each other "what do we do?" the dog then growls louder. No matter how quiet we talk, the dog can still hear us!!! So we just bow our heads, and pray. In the prayer, the dog starts circling us. As we finish the prayer, we start singing hymns quietly. The dog, still circling us, stops growling.... and then starts again. but, no matter how many times he circled us, or how long he growled at us, or how many times he looks at us... nothing happens. We were kept safe.

sorry this is short, I love you all! have a good week!!! 

Hermana Arave

Family History!!

WOW. Guys, I had the chance to go do Family history this week.... and I gotta say... WONDERFUL!!! First, I found some of the people who had all their information ready, AND WERE JUST WAITING TO HAVE THE WORK DONE!!!! When we hear that the people up there are waiting... that should be taken literally! I was so happy, so I saved them to my temple tab so I can do their work when I get home... Until I realized they will yet be waiting another year, and that isn't okay with me.. So I send them to the temple! haha Ah. I love family history. Our mission president is super cool in letting us learn how to do it so that we can better teach about it! Second, I found one of my ancestors that served a mission in 1880 in Holland. and, SHE was a girl!!! YEAH!!!!!! My ancestors rock!!!!! Sisters serving missions all over the place! It was so cool!! I love family history!! Also, I decided I will be using my family tree to name my future children. There are some super cool names on there... hahahaha For all you people preparing for the mission, or on the mission, I encourage you to read Elder Bednars talk from the October Liahona this year. It talks about missionaries and family history and the blessings!!

We had an intercambio this week, and we found two miracles....

One. She was living her life just fine, until she got the news she had cancer. This was about five years ago. Two and a half years ago, she got news that it was gone. Ever since then, she has lived every day dedicated on serving the Lord. She has changed her life, and now is trying her best to help others. But she is stuck in a rut... She feels like there is something more to help her, and she cant find it... HERE WE ARE!!!! She is super golden!!! I am so glad our sister training leaders are in our same ward, then I can see the progress of sister Nona!!! :)

Second, someone asked us how we can still have a light of hope and faith when the world is so bad... "Well, let us share with you the thing that is most precious to us...." That was such a cool experience. we were able to help her understand how the gospel has blessed our lives, and how we have a hope and faith now. How we can trust more in God, and His plan for each of us. It was so cool to be sharing and guiding people back to the path, helping them find their way again, and leading them to others who will help them as well. I love being a missionary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The mango's are in season here, and we are eating so many! The fruit here is incredible!! I wish I could share some with all of you!! I love Bolivia!!

I hope you all have a wonderful week, and that you all remember that you are in my prayers. Moroni 8:3... I always have you in my prayers!
Have a great week!

Preach the Gospel! It rocks! :)

Love, Hermana Arave

Priesthood blessings

May I first start out with a miracle.

This week, we went to go visit a Less active who had a baby just five days earlier. 

When we arrived, all was in chaos. We learned that their three year old daughter had pulled the baby who was resting on the bed... off the bed and across the room. The baby screamed once, and didn't wake up after that. Frantic, Hermana Paula (the mom) was trying to wake up her 5 day old son. With tears streaming down her face, she pleaded her son to wake up... to look at her.. to do something. He wasn't moving at all. Only breathing lightly. Helpless, me and my companion looked at each other. At the same time, an idea came to us both. A BLESSING. Her husband doesn't have the right priesthood, So, we ask Paula if she would be willing to call someone to give a blessing. She said yes. 

We call the closest priesthood holder. I am praying in my heart, begging my Father in Heaven to save this child. 

He comes, Gives the blessing. In the middle of the blessing, the baby takes a deeeeeep breath. he breathes out again... and wakes up.
I know that the priesthood is the power of God here on the earth today. I know it, I cannot ever deny it. Baby Benjamin is now fine. They took him to the clinic to check for damage, and nothing. There was nothing wrong, no signs of anything bad. God Works Miracles!! 

Secondly, this week I had an experience that changed my life. We were teaching another less active about the sacrament on Saturday. As the member with us testified, she said that she is marveled by each whip.. each drop of blood that Christ suffered for her. My mind was caught up in a blur as she continued speaking. I was suddenly placed in the day when I will see the face of my Savior. What will I do? what will I say? Without hesitation, I know I will fall at his feet and worship him. I will thank him in inadequate words for the sacrifice he made for me. But that day is so far away it seems. I can live in thanks NOW. I can show how grateful I am for his sacrifice by worthily participating in the sacrament weekly. I can show him, day by day, that his sacrifice was not in vain. And I can do that by making sure I am worthily participating in the sacrament each week. I know that my Redeemer lives. I KNOW IT. I know it with all my heart, and I am so grateful for his sacrifice for me. I know He lives. 

This week was wonderful. Words cant describe the changes that have happened deep inside my heart.My mission has changed who I am. it has changed my life. I know God is there, he answers prayers, he knows us individually. 

I Love this gospel.

May you all have a wonderful week, and feel the hand of God in your life daily. 

Love, Hermana Arave