Last letter from Bolivia

Hello everyone! I have SO much to tell you all!! This week, we had a
conference with the Area President, Elder Uceda. (A few years ago he
gave a talk in general conference about the Natural man. SO GOOD.) It
was such an amazing conference! He talked to us a lot about really
delving into the scriptures, about finding things we haven’t found
before. He drew a chess board on the white board, and asked us how
many squares there were. A lot of people responded 64, or 65, or 100,
but he just kept shaking his head… then wrote a big 201 on the board!!
He talked about how it applies to our scripture study, how well we see
the “Hidden Squares” that God hides in the scriptures. He is from
Peru, but stopped studying his Spanish scriptures 30 years ago,
because he wanted to perfect his English, wanted to hear the prophets
own voice in conferences, and because he wanted to read the scriptures
“Exactly how the Lord revealed them unto Joseph Smith”. It was SO
POWERFUL. I have been studying my scriptures in Spanish all my
mission, using my English when I need help understanding a verse or
two.  It has really helped me with my Spanish, and i´ve seen the power
it brings into receiving the Gift of Tongues. But he explained to us
that the Lord “hides squares” in the scriptures that can be found in
English, that can´t be found in Spanish. He said the Spanish
translation is 99.9% correct… but it ISNT exactly how the Lord
revealed it to Joseph Smith. Then he gave us an example, 1 Nephi 1:1
“born of goodly parents.” In Spanish it says “good parents” which is
almost exactly right… but in the English dictionary Webster, it says
goodly means notable, extraordinary, excellent, and admirable. But
there isn’t a word that is the same in Spanish, so they had to use
“Good” which is close, but not exact. IT WAS AMAZING. So I decided to
study my English and spanish side by side for the rest of my life, to
find these “hidden squares” that are there. I wish I could show you
all the examples he showed us! Just ask when I get home! 
Then, we had an amazing lesson with Blanca this week. She is an
amazing girl, who knows that the church is true, and knows Joseph
Smith is the prophet of the restoration, and sees the changes in her
life, but has yet to commit to a date. We went to visit her, and she
shared with us her desire to get baptized, and her need to be sure.
She shared with us how she feels about the baptism, how important it
is, and how needful it is. It was such an amazing lesson with her! She
is going with us to visit other people, sharing her testimony, and
telling everyone she is already  a Mormon… she just needs to get
wet!!:) We have been praying so much for her, and I just know that she
is so ready! I know she will get baptized, I know it!
Then today, I learned that faith is the only way God can work
miracles! It is like the electricity going through the wires to turn
on the light. IT IS AMAZING. I love faith! It is like the power
generator to turn on the miracles! It is        AMAZING. I hope you all see
miracles because of your faith this week! Love you all! Until the next
Monday!
Please, share the gospel with someone! 
Hna Arave
we made prayer rocks with Alex this week, to help him remember to pray!
he said it worked, and now he is praying every morning and night
again! :)

Rosy, Alex and The Sisters with prayer rocks

Bolivia......

So, you´d think after almsot 18 months in far away places, my stomach
would be used to crazy foods. NOT. This week, all three of us gringas
in my house got sick. Poor Hna Morocco had to take care of us all...
She should be a nurse!:) Luckily for me, I got better within 2 days.
On the other hand, the other girls arent feeling too good still. Then,
just as we   were finally all starting to feel good enough to leave
bed, we get a call from the zone leaders... emergency cambio.. Hna
dolbin left! NO! that girl is like my sister..now, i am dying in the
same house as someone who came to bolivia with me, but will be going
home next transfer! crazy how it all makes one big cycle!
So, i wish there was a ton more to tell you guys!
This week, we were teaching an athiest named Madeleine. Or, at least
she claims she is athiest. She was telling us how cold hearted she
was, and how bitter she was, and how she didnt love anyone, and how
she doesnt believe in anything to do with angels or God or Christ or
anything... she just believes in herself...And the whole time she was
talking, i just felt the strongest impression that she was lying, that
we had to say something to basically call out her lie... well how in
the world do we do that!??! So i said a quick prayer, and when the
time came, the member with us asked her "Why is it that you invited us
to come visit you? You told us that you wanted to be a better example
to your little sister, and you thought God could help you do it. If
you were cold and bitter, you wouldn´t go through that much effort to
be a good amazing example to your sister. You want her to find God
when she is older, and so you are finding Him. That isnt cold, that
isnt bitter..."
GO MEMBERS!!!!!!:)
The walls around Madeleine´s heart began to crumble... and it was an
amazing experience. I hope this week, we see even more miracles with
her!!:) I love missionary work! I hope you all stay healthy, stay
happy, work in the Lord´s vineyard, and have a wonderful labor day! :)
Love,
Hna Arave

Activities and Fun things!

So sorry i didn't email last week, my computer didn't work hardly at all.. And today it isn't much better. So I{ll try to do this fast! Last week, us missionaries in our ward felt the need to plan activities with the bishop for the ward to help us obtain referrals. So we got together with the bishop and the ward mission leader, and planned a series of activities. One of those being a Ward Family home evening, last night! All week, we could not figure out what we needed to base the lesson on, and on Saturday morning all the revelation came all at once! So in a jiffy we planned an amazing Family Home Evening... AND THE WHOLE WARD CAME! Literally, the same amount of people who come to sacrament meeting came to the activity. We started out in the dark, with the biggest member missionary (half the ward is her friends.. that are all converts) holding a flashlight, sharing her love for missionary work and how she feels to share the gospel. Then, one by one, people shared their experiences, each turning on some type of light they had (cell phone, flashlight, head lamps) . In less than 30 minutes, the whole chapel was filled with light from the flashlights people had, and we closed with matt. 5:14, 16. Then we turned on the lights. it was incredible. The bishop had no idea what we had planned, he put us sisters in charge. He came up to us after, crying, and said that he had just had an experience with the stake president, and that we might be made a branch, depending on what the Area president says when he comes in two weeks. The bishop was filled with home at the end of the night that we will stay a ward! Just seeing how many members came up to give us referrals after brightened a glimmer of hope he had. I felt so grateful for having followed the promptings of the spirit to talk with him.

Hna Higham and Hna Arave

My last Zone

i hope you all can share your light with someone this week, and that you remember that no one likes being left in the spiritual darkness. Share your light! 

Love you all!!! 

Hna Arave

Miracles!

I love the misión! I am so happy! I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful companion! This week, we found a lot of Deaf people in the street, and i realized that the alfabet in spanish is different than it is in english! haha:) But, it was awesome! Those people were so patient as i spelled out ever word... I think they understood! :) It was so great! after the first people we found, my comp turned to me and said ( in english) " I dont remember much sign language... Lets see... (now signing) I¨m sorry your turtle died." 

I could not stop laughing for a good few minutes! I was NOT expecting that to come out... but it did! I love that crazy companion of mine! 

sorry, no group emai. the computers areant working anymroe. love you so much!!! i´ll up`date next week! 

I LOVE THE MISSION

Okay, i´ve had one of the best weeks ever. I love my new companion! she has the same desire to work until we drop as i do! And that makes me so happy! I love gringos!:) She teaches me something new in each study, and i´m so glad to be able to be her companion. She rocks! She has been pretty sick this weekend, which was a bummer, and we dont know why she is sick! But she was able to get up and get going today, so God answered our prayers! :) Good thing it is p day and she can rest! :) 

This week, we did a lot of talking to people! monday, tuesday and friday were the only days we taught... When it gets cold, no one answers their door... no one goes to work.... and it makes it that much more of a fun challenge to find new investigators! We have a good feeling they will be coming this week! We are focusing on families... and im so excited to find them all this week.! 

Alex came with us a lot this week to go visit people, and he is so awesome! He will make a great missionary! The elder that baptized his family is now my district leader, and when they saw each other again, it was a glorious sight! There was a bond that could be seen, and a gratitude that i have never experienced! It was an amazing experience, and I am so grateful for the hand of the Lord in this work... If we trust in him, he will make miracles happen! i testify of that! i am so glad to be here. 

Sorry this is short, the internet isnt too great today! I hope you all have a wonderful week, and that you see miracles in your own lives! have a wonderful one! 

Hna Arave

Pic... this is what happens when a member offers to drive all of us to the airport to drop off the hermanas who are going back to Sta Cruz... there are no seatbelt laws in bolivia... this is normal. :) It was a blast! the last one on the right is my comp, Hna Higham! :) 

I´M STAYING IN MY AREA!

Wow! this cambio begins my last 6 weeks. Lets work!

I know God answers prayers! This past week was full of "Oh hna arave, we´re praying you dont leave this area!!" from many members. Everyone says that, but rarely they actually do it.. at least i thought... Then, in church, a young woman we are helping come back to church was asked to give the closing prayer! and IN HER PRAYER IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE WARD, THREE SETS OF MISSIONARIES, AND THE STAKE LEADERS... she asks the Lord to keep me here my last six weeks...

I think I cried harder than I have ever cried in my whole life.

Then, the call came!

Hna Verde went to MY FIRST AREA!!!:) In Santa Cruz!! :) HOW COOL!?!??!

I am training again, a nice girl named Hna Higham, WHO IS A GRINGA. I¨m so glad to have a gringa.. I was also praying to have a gringa my last transfer. God does know our desires!!! :) I am so excited to share my last six weeks with the people I have come to love so much!

This week, we found two new investigators who ROCK!! One, is a young girl who was born basically in the outback... she didn't even know there was such thing as God. Her name is Lucinda. She is now working for a family who are converts of 40 years, and they just moved here from Tupiza (the first chapel in Bolivia was built in Tupiza.) She is so great! we taught her how to pray this week, and she was SO EXCITED!!!!! :) She loves knowing that there is a God!! It is for sure a different experience though,... everyone I´ve taught here in Bolivia has had a religious background.... mostly catholic or evangelist... So I´m learning a whole lot!

Another one is names Yerson, he is 15, and his mom is less active. it was a referral from the ward, and when we went to contact him, he had these huge earrings in, tattoos on his arms, and a look on his face that said "why in the world are you here talking to me about this?? I have some sleeping to do!!"... but he accepted us back!! and when we went for the first lesson... he had completely changed. completely. took out his earrings, put on a shirt and tie, and he was humbled to the floor. He opened up his heart completely to us, and will be getting baptized! he didn't accept a date, but he shared his desire to get baptized, so I know it is only a matter of prayer! :)

this week was wonderful... And I´m so excited to find even more of God´s children that are waiting for this gospel!!

Lets get to work!

Hna Arave

Everyone, meet One of th newest member of our ward in Bolivia!

Everyone, meet One of th newest member of our ward in Bolivia!

Alex Brian Espinoza Velasquez!

This week was amazing, it was filled with spiritual preparations, amazing spirit-filled interviews, and incredible testimonies. As we did some last preparations for Alex´s baptism, we were able to feel the spirit so strong, testifying that he really is a Converted Disciple!

On pioneer day, Alex particiipated in a youth activity the stake had. Each ward prepared a pioneer dance, and they all presented their dances Friday night! IT was awesome! we were able to see our ward, because we live right behind the chapel! They did such a good job! Alex has a growing love for the pioneers, and each time we talk to him, he has a new story to share wiht us that he found. it is incredible!

Then,saturday came! we went in the morning to fill the font with the elders (they had a baptism as well) and guess what? the water doesnt work. at all..... AAAAHHH!!! we decided to call a few members to get buckets to fill up across the street... and just as we pulled out the  phone.. THE WATER VALVE OPENED!!!:) Woo! It wasnt warm water (those water heater s as well were broken...) but Alex came out happy and smiling!!! :) As he shared his testimony, I was amazed. IT wasnt a thank-you-mony. It wasnt a "I´m gratful for the missionaries" talk... Instead, he bore his testimony about how he knows that he is a son of God, how it was that he gained that knowledge, and his sure testimony about how this IS the only true path leading to eternal life.

What do you do in gospel principles when it is cold??

This week was probably one of the coldest i have ever experienced in Bolivia.

and there is no heat in the church building here. So, when no one participates in the church classes because of the cold, our gospel principles teacher makes us run in place and do jumping jacks in class... But, I helped a bit yesterday, cause then people started participating!!!

This week, Alex Espinoza will be getting baptized! He will get baptized on my 16 month mark! Crazy, right? He is so prepared. This week, we were able to have some amazing lessons with him... and one of them stuck out above the rest. He began tearing up and telling us how badly he wants to go to the temple and be sealed with his family. He said they have a date set already, and how badly he wishes it would come faster. Then, he looked up suddenly, and said with a grin "Hey, Can we sing "Families Can Be Together Forever??" haha this kid is so funny!!! He is so prepared to be baptized! When we trust in the lord, He gives us miracles! Alex is one of these! this has all happened so fast, but he is so excited!

This week, many of my mission friends gave their last testimony in a Multi Zone Conference. it was hard to see them say goodbye, and even harder to realize that I´ll be the next one up there. THis time has gone by so fast, but I´m so grateful to be here. I´m so happy as a missionary.

This week, I hope you all have chances to share the gospel!!!

Love, Hna Arave

Finding Disciples.

This week was one of the most stressful, but most rewarding weeks ever! We found a new investigator! Well, what actually happened, was a few months ago, when i was in the other area of this same ward, the hnas there received a referral for a young man named Alex (haha:)). They could never contact him... Last transfer, Me and Hna Verde received the SAME referral. We contacted him, but then I got sick with swine flu so we couldn't go... and we couldn't contact him after.... Then, HE SHOWED UP AT CHURCH. And last Sunday we found him for the first time, face to face! We set up an appointment... and now, Alex is praying to be baptized on the 25! Last Sunday, we held a fast as a mission, to find two Disciples for each companionship, people we can teach, baptize, and send off to the temple! God´s timing is perfect. Alex has two sisters who got baptized the week Hna Verde and I received his name. This past Saturday, his parents, who live pretty far away (Alex is studying here in the University) got married, and got baptized on the same day. Alex went to their baptism and wedding. We visited with him the day he left, and he asked us a very interesting question "Hermanas, is it possible that someone wont be with their family forever in the Celestial kingdom if they dont accept God´s plan? meaning, their family wont be complete...?" The spirit confirmed to my companion and i that he was thinking of his family.. he is now the only non member in his family. We have faith that God will confirm his answer, that he will be able to go with his family to be sealed forever!!!

Yesterday, my companion and i came early to church to greet the people as they came in... A young man, about ten minutes early burst through the door and said "hermanas!!! where are they preparing the sacrament??! this is my first time passing it and I need to find them so they can help me!!!!!!" IT was the cutest thing!! haha Then, This same young man was the one who passed it to us.. and he had the biggest grin on his face. It brought so much joy to my heart to see a young man so eager to fulfill his priesthood responsibilities. I am so grateful that he understands the importance of what he is doing. He will grow to be a fine young man. 

I hope all of you have a wonderful week, and that you see the hand of God! 

Love,Hna Arave

We didn´t do anything!!

So to explain the title…. This past month we have been working with a less active member named Rossy, WHO IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. We found her just as she had her hand grasping for the Iron Rod… (1 Nephi 8). We did absolutely nothing, the spirit had worked in her before we showed up. It had led her to repentance, led her to going back to church, led her to read her scriptures, led her to change her life. I am completely convinced that the only reason we found her, is ´cause she just needed a little cheering on to take the next steps forward! We did nothing, God only worked his miracles in his own way! HE prepares the people! Alma 16:16 says that he gives his spirit to prepare the people to receive… I know this is true! I saw it this week! She had an interview with the bishop to say she was officially rescued, and then had another one a day later to get her temple recommend so she can go to the temple whenever the opportunity comes! WOW. She is such a good example. This week, as we visited with her, we asked her what was her “Iron Rod”. She responded “My Iron Rod is my Book of Mormon. And getting on my knees at night to talk with my Father. That is my Iron Rod.”  It was amazing. She has completely taken these steps because she wants to! I´m so proud of her!

SO my mission mom is training again! (her last transfer!) and my sister is Hna Dolbin, from Sandy, Utah! J Yay for white girls! Haha She is so great!

Today, I was studying in Mosiah 10 and 11… and in the last three verses of chapter 10, it says that the people who were fighting, under the direction of Zeniff,and they trusted in the Lord to help them. But in the first two verses of chapter 11, it says that King Noah, who didn’t walk in the ways of his father, Zeniff; led them to commit all sorts of sins and to be really bad people…. What changed in these few verses? Why did they go from one extreme to the other? It got me thinking… If they would have had their roots planted, REALLY PLANTED, in the Gospel of Jesus Christ… they wouldn’t have accepted King Noah´s wicked ways. Maybe a lot of time has passed, and that is why they fell.. But that shouldn’t matter! Time should not matter when it comes to the conversion. Being really converted to the gospel has no time bomb! It has no limit! It is not good only for 10 years, or even 1 or 100. Being converted is a lifetime process, a lifetime commitment, and a walk with the Lord. I don’t think these people had their roots firmly planted where they should have been… Cause Zeniff blew one way, and they followed. King Noah blew another way, and they followed as well. We can’t let ourselves give into the whirlwinds of the World. I invite you all to make sure your roots are firmly planted where they should be! So that when the world says one thing, we aren’t blown about, without purpose, and without a destination.

I hope you all have a great week, and I hope you all feel the Love of your Savior!

Love, Hna Arave

The Fruits of our Labors

This week, I have had the wonderful chance to see many fruits of my labors here in the mission.

I got the chance to see a sister serving right now in my old area. I began asking how Braian was, how the bishop was, and then how the investigators I had left were... I tear up just thinking about what she told me. 

"Hermana, I just want to thank you. The bishops parents were baptized, As was Henry´s mom. The family Mallco was rescued. The referrals you gave the elders, that you and your comp started teaching cause they changed the area limits? Two of the families got baptized, and one is gonna get baptized this week. That was the busiest part of my mission, And they all miss you. Thank you for planting seeds in them to help them get their feet moving." I broke down in tears. The people i loved so much have all felt the Love of their Father! I dont say this to boast, only to show, that we dont know what we do. We dont know what our words can do... Ammon didn´t baptize King Lamoni´s father... but he did plant the seed. What are we worth if we dont plant seeds in the hearts of someone else? 

Just when i thought my joy couldn't get greater, I had the chance to see someone me and Hna Garcia had talked to one day. 

We were waiting for a member, outside her home, and we notice a young man pacing back and forth in front of her door... who in the world....? 

We go talk to him. Ronald is his name. We ask him some questions, which he doesn't answer. Instead, he says that  he is waiting for Ari, who happens to be his ex girlfriend... The member we are waiting for. They had some problems, and he ended up in the hospital after trying to take his life. he had just gotten out when we saw him. He shared with us a few things, And me and hna Garcia felt the need to open up 1 Nephi. we read him some verses that we hoped would help... and Ariana came out. we heard little else from this.... just a few things about him going to church.

This young man has now completely changed his life around. He felt something with us, as we talked in the street. About a month later, he began thinking about what we shared with him. He said 

"Hermana Arave, My life changed when I realized that what you guys had shared with me was true. Something in the words "I have thee engraven upon the palms of my hands" stuck with me. and Now, i´m getting baptized. I´m enrolled in Mission Prep, and i want to leave within a year from my baptism. thank you for sharing a simple testimony with me." 

I can hear his voice over and over again, telling me this. How great is my joy. 

I AM A DISCIPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD. 

I have no greater joy than to hear that people are coming to know their Savior in a very personal way. We cant always see the fruits of our labors right away... in fact, almost five months have passed since I've seen my last area, and a few months have passed since we met Ronald, but God puts people in our path, and puts us in their path, so that he can bring to pass Their Salvation. I am so happy to be here as a missionary. I am so proud of my sister, who will be joining the ranks this week. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week, full of opportunities to share the gospel. 

I love you all, 

Hermana Arave

Prayers and Angels

Dear Family and Friends!

This week, I have a lot to share, and not enough time to share it all. I want to start out with an experience we had that changed my whole perspective of a lot of things….

SO we all ways hear about experiences where missionaries have been protected by angels. I know that is true… I have felt it many times in my mission. This week was no exception. After being sick, I still didn’t have a lot of energy to work. But I had the desires, I prayed with faith, and the Lord, each day, gave me the energy each day that I would need to finish the day. I got home whipped each night, barely filling the area book and writing a short bit in my journal before completely crashing. I was so exhausted each day. One day came this week, FULL of appointments of new investigators, people about to be baptized, and less active members. From 10 AM to 8:30 PM we had appointments. It was going to be a great day! And every single one of them fell through, even after confirming all of them the night before. We walked soooooo much. I was not prepared for the toll it would take on my worn out body, or my feet. I felt like my feet were breaking into a billion pieces. The roads in my area aren’t made out of asphalt. They are made out of rocks, that they mix cement with, and just pour out… my feet were in bad shape haha. About 7:30 came, and me and my companion, still new in the field and not used to walking so much, were almost completely without energy. I was so tempted to just sit down and rest. To just stop, take a small dinner break… or SOMETHING. I said a prayer, asking forgiveness for my great desire to rest a bit, and asked the Lord for strength just to go find a small park to sit down in. As I closed my prayer, and opened my mouth to suggest to my companion that we go take a break at the such-and-such plaza, I suddenly felt as if I was no longer walking on the street. Confused, I looked down, to see that my feet were still planted on the ground. I was still walking on Bolivian roads, but I didn´t feel anything. I felt as if I was being carried. In my shock and humbled moment, I failed to realize that my companion had started to cry. I looked at her, crying as well, and she just asked, “Did you feel that too?”

I have no doubt in my mind that angels were with us that day. That a power beyond earthly power lifted out feet, and eased the pain we felt.

Then, yesterday in church, a young returned missionary got up to share a missionary experience (our ward does that each Sunday, the last five minutes are dedicated to someone to share a missionary experience. We are doing this in hopes that our ward with catch the energy of missionary work.) As he shared, he said something that caught my attention, and had me thinking on it all day. He said “I don’t, and won’t ever, pray to change God. To change his plans or change his mind. I pray because I need to be changed.” How great is our need to be changed! To be perfected, even as He is perfect! That is why we should pray!

I also want to share my testimony of the reality of the eternity. I know that families are meant to be forever. I know! This week there has been an attack against families among the people here that I love. And it has been the most heartbreaking thing to see families being torn apart, hearing stories of already torn apart families, of divorce, or fatherless homes… I know that marriage is ordained of God between Man and Woman. I know that the children should be born into the bounds of marriage to loving parents… Satan is trying so hard to ruin families... And if we listened to last General Conference, we know it is because Satan will never have his own family. I know that the family is so important. I love my family

Also, I want to give a huge shout-out to the World’s Best Dad! I hope your father´s day passed wonderfully! Also a huge shout-out to the World´s Best Mom! Today is my mom´s birthday!! So everyone go wish her a happy birthday! J I am so blessed to have the family that I have. Thanks to all who have helped me become who I am, and most importantly to my Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ, who made it possible to change and be better. I have an eternal debt to them. I love this gospel. I know it is true.

I hope you all feel the Love of your Savior this week.

Love, Hermana Arave

H1N1 anyone?

So, First I want to ask forgiveness for not sending a letter last week. At midnight between Sunday and Monday, I got the most horrible pain in my back, and all the muscles clenched up in my body, and I got a horrible fever. I stayed that way for five days

This happened just two days after the bishop mentioned to us at lunch that Swine Flu was back in Bolivia. 

 

We aren't sure if it was swine flu or anther disease here that is beginning to spread... but whatever I was, it was horrible and I don't want to live it ever again and i´m fine now! :) haha. each time I begin praying even more for patience or humility... I get sick. Oh dear...

These past two weeks have been great! Being in bed this week gave me plenty of time to count how many days I had left... Today marks 100 days left of my mission. Just a fun fact

Last week, we found a new investigator named Mario. He is about as young as my Grandpa, and has his whole posterity that lives in this house. They are such a great family! In the first lesson we had with them, we brought along a dear woman, about the same age, Named Mercedes. Mario took one look at her, and said "I know you from somewhere." To which she replied "Well, I live right around the block! Maybe you have seen me in the street somewhere!" They both agreed that must be it, and then began conversing back and forth... I Love Mercedes, but when she gets to talking.... it is VERY HARD to get her to stop. But this time, it didn't bother us.... Because as they were talking, she said something about her mom, who was such a great example of service! Mercedes shared, 

"I remember being very little, maybe four or five, when my mom came home crying one day after work. I didn't know why, so I just dried the tears. But for a few months after that, a young boy, about my same age, would bring his little sister, just barely born, and my mom would give her milk. My mom too had a newborn, so sharing milk wasn't a problem. Then, the little boy stopped coming. But I´ll always remember the way he handed over his little sister, saying "please, she is hungry!" Ill always remember my mom´s selfless service..."

Mario sat in silence for a few seconds, then asked, "What was your mom´s name?"

"Maria Julia"

Mario´s eyes filled with tears instantly, and the tears began streaming down his cheeks as he said "I was that little boy. Your mom saved our lives, and saved the life of my sister. Our parents had just died in an accident, and we were left without anything. Your mom was our only lifeline."" 

God works in funny ways to bring to pass the salvation of his children. Mario has received the missionaries before, but this time it is different, and I know it is because of the connection that was made that first time. I know God has a  plan for us. I know He lives, I know he loves us. Mario is more than willing to do whatever the Lord asks him, and He and his family is being blessed beyond words. 

This gospel is true. This work is the Work of Salvation. Please, this week, pray to invite someone to participate in the joy we have. I promise the Lord will put people into your path! 

I love you All! 

Hermana Arave

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Wow, it was really hard to type that subject in English! I¨m so used to Spanish now!
This week was great! Sarah is progressing really well for her Baptism! She is so excited! Satan is working hard, but he wont win! jaja

 

This week, I had a cool experience! I was studying in PMG about the Book of Mormon, and as I was reading and studying, I began to feel something hot and burning in my body. It filled me with such excitement and joy and happiness, a feeling that i have felt many times in my life. I am so lucky to have the Book of Mormon! This book has changed my life! It has helped me know my errors, it has helped me repent, it has helped me remember the Sacrifice of My Savior, it has helped me understand more of what God wants for me.. I LOVE THIS BOOK. It isn't enough to just read it, but we need to study it, put it into practice,  live what it teaches! If we do that, we will be humbled, we will receive the Divine Light of the Everlasting Gospel in our lives, and we will be able to overcome whatever trial we are faced with. we will be able to have a greater

Anchor of Faith

This past week, one of my zone leaders asked me why I wear an anchor necklace.

It made me remember the moment that I gave this same necklace to my mom and sisters.

We all need to be firmly anchored in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Firmly anchored in the faith we have in our Savior! This week was a trial of the meaning of my anchor.

Last monday, my companion recieved the news that her cousin had passed away in an accident. This week was a hard week for the both of us. He was a dear friend of hers, like I am with my dear cousin Matt Brown! Half of her family is inactive, and the other fourth arent members... only a few of her family members are firmly anchored in the gospel, in the faith in Heavenly Father´s plan. It was so hard to see someone i love so dearly struggling so deeply. I did the best i could, but i´m human, and she had to confide in her anchor. But she didnt slow down one bit!! We worked just as hard as we have been working, if not more. She kept going strong, she kept testifying... And she kept teaching me so much. I am so grateful to have a comanion who has such a great desire to serve the Lord, who has her anchor planted firmly in the Faith! She has been such a miracle in my mission. She was such an anchor for her family as they talked yesterday. I tear up just thinking about her strength she has, all that she has gone through. Her grandma also died at the beginning of her mission. She is so strong, She has her anchor firmly planted! One day, i hope to be like her!

This week was a week of miracles. We have found so many people to teach! The Lord is blessing this area! He is guiding this work! He is at the Helm!

I love being a missionary!

It was so good to see my family yesterday, so good to see that they are all healthy and safe! I cant believe how quick the time is flying. In four short months, I´ll be heading home, to see my family for reals!

This week, me and my companion matched clothes, and we didnt realize until we were planning at night! She has become one of my best friends. I love her so much!

I saw a sunrise the other day that was exactly like my first morning in Bolivia! and it was almost exactly one year from the day I entered bolivia! I love the mission! the people, the area, the other missionaries, the savior!!! :) What greater calling can a young girl have!? :)

I hope your week has gone wonderful, and i  hope this week brings many mercies and miracles to each of your lives!

you never stand tallest than when you are on your knees! Keep this in mind, and your anchor will be firmly planted where it should be!

Chau!

Hermana Arave

Colds and coughs and miracles

HELLO EVERYONE! Man, time is flying... didn't i just write yesterday? this week was awesome! We started it off with a trade off with some of the girls in my zone, and i got to go with Hna Jojola from my group!!:) i was so excited to speak in English... but i really couldn't. we couldn't. it was all Spanish. aha

This week, my companion got a cold, and a horrible cough... and lost her voice completely. How  can we teach!? haha Poor girl now feels better, and can at least whisper! :) I love my companion, she is such a trooper! she fights through so much, and she comes out even stronger. I missed her on our trade off! haha:)

So we have a new investigator named Miguel. He is 22, from Oruro, Bolivia, and is here with a Bolivian soccer team! He has another job aside from Soccer, and he works right behind our house! This week, we went to visit him, and he was telling us how his day went in soccer, and then he just stopped and said, "Hermanas, I have a question. I couldn't sleep last night... I was thinking about all you have taught me... and I have to know... How long do I HAVE to wait to get baptized? I feel the need to get baptized as soon as possible!"

He will be baptized in two weeks! He had a few questions about Adam and Eve, and said that one night he was praying, and all his questions went away. He doesn't know all the details of them, but he didn't feel the need to have ALL of his questions answered! He felt like what we taught him was the truth!

This is the Lords Work! I know it is! No human could make such miracles happen!

This week, we found a new investigator named Noelia. As we taught her the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, a spirit filled the room so incredibly strong! it was insane! As I recited the First Vision, she looked me right in the eyes, and tears started welling up... Then she said " God really still speaks? I knew it! This has to be true!"

I know it is! i can feel it too! I know it is true!

I hope you all have a wonderful week, and that you all feel the power of the story of the Restoration in your own lives!

Have a great week!

Hna Arave

Anchor of Faith

This past week, one of my zone leaders asked me why I wear an anchor necklace.

It made me remember the moment that I gave this same necklace to my mom and sisters.

We all need to be firmly anchored in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Firmly anchored in the faith we have in our Savior! This week was a trial of the meaning of my anchor.

Last Monday, my companion received the news that her cousin had passed away in an accident. This week was a hard week for the both of us. He was a dear friend of hers, like I am with my dear cousin Matt Brown! Half of her family is inactive, and the other fourth aren't members... only a few of her family members are firmly anchored in the gospel, in the faith in Heavenly Father´s plan. It was so hard to see someone i love so dearly struggling so deeply. I did the best i could, but i´m human, and she had to confide in her anchor. But she didn't slow down one bit!! We worked just as hard as we have been working, if not more. She kept going strong, she kept testifying... And she kept teaching me so much. I am so grateful to have a companion who has such a great desire to serve the Lord, who has her anchor planted firmly in the Faith! She has been such a miracle in my mission. She was such an anchor for her family as they talked yesterday. I tear up just thinking about her strength she has, all that she has gone through. Her grandma also died at the beginning of her mission. She is so strong, She has her anchor firmly planted! One day, i hope to be like her!

This week was a week of miracles. We have found so many people to teach! The Lord is blessing this area! He is guiding this work! He is at the Helm!

I love being a missionary!

It was so good to see my family yesterday, so good to see that they are all healthy and safe! I cant believe how quick the time is flying. In four short months, i´ll be heading home, to see my family for reals!

This week, me and my companion matched clothes, and we didn't realize until we were planning at night! She has become one of my best friends. I love her so much!

I saw a sunrise the other day that was exactly like my first morning in Bolivia! and it was almost exactly one year from the day i entered Bolivia! I love the mission! the people, the area, the other missionaries, the savior!!! :) What greater calling can a young girl have!? :)

I hope your week has gone wonderful, and i  hope this week brings many mercies and miracles to each of your lives!

you never stand tallest than when you are on your knees! Keep this in mind, and your anchor will be firmly planted where it should be!

Chau!

Hermana Arave

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ

Wow, it was really hard to type that subject in English! I¨m so used to Spanish now!
This week was great! Sarah is progressing really well for her Baptism at the end of the month! She is so excited! Satan is working hard, but he wont win! jaja

This week, I had a cool experience! I was studying in PMG about the Book of Mormon, and as I was reading and studying, I began to feel something hot and burning in my body. It filled me with such excitement and joy and happiness, a feeling that i have felt many times in my life. I am so lucky to have the Book of Mormon! This book has changed my life! It has helped me know my errors, it has helped me repent, it has helped me remember the Sacrifice of My Savior, it has helped me understand more of what God wants for me.. I LOVE THIS BOOK. It isn't enough to just read it, but we need to study it, put it into practice,  live what it teaches! If we do that, we will be humbled, we will receive the Divine Light of the Everlasting Gospel in our lives, and we will be able to overcome whatever trial we are faced with. we will be able to have a greater understanding of the Atonement, and we will WANT to use it each day!  Have we not great reason to rejoice!? I am so blessed to have the gospel in my life, and to have parents who have always taught me the gospel.

We have found a few new investigators this week, who all have been a great joy and a blessing to visit with! I am so Lucky to be a missionary!

Next Sunday is Mother´s day, and i hope you all remind your mothers that you love them! i love my mom!! I am so lucky to have her! HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOM!

As well, HAPPY 19TH BIRTHDAY TO MY SISTER KIRSTI! Her birthday is on Wednesday, so everyone wish her a happy birthday!! :)

I love you all! Have a great week!

Hna Arave

I´ve seen the HAND OF GOD today!

Dear Family and Friends!

So, to explain the title, a few years ago my mom started a blog , and it was titled “Ive  seen the hand of God today.”

This week, every single day i saw how God was working in our area, in our missions, in the hearts of these people, and in every part of something that happened yesterday.

This week, the Windows of heaven were opened and our diligence was worth it. Despite how many people have rejected us, how many people who have shut their door after weeks of being interested, and all the other trails we faced, we continued being faithful and diligent, continued looking for new ways to progress, new ways to help our numbers and our area to get the help it so desperately needed… and the Lord opened the Windows of heaven and  poured out his countless blessings upon us. I am so grateful! This week we found so many new people to teach! Who all came to church! They are all so excited, and all began reading their Book of Mormon! The Good Lord has softened the hearts of many people! People were coming up to US in the street, asking if we could visit them, Instead of vice versa! Miracles passed!!!

So yesterday, we called one of our new investigators to tell her we were outside of her house waiting with Claudia (member). Sarah (investigator) said "Oh! But i am in a micro! (that is a type of bus here) I went to go pick up my boyfriend so he could come too!"

We were incredibly happy!!!!! :):)

About halfway through the sacrament meeting, Davi, (boyfriend) got up to go find the bathroom. I felt a strange feeling as he walked out the doors... I thought it was just because it has happened so many times that the people come, and leave after 10 minutes, that he would do the same. After about 15 minutes, and no return of Davi, I began to get a little worried. I began  praying he would come back... And i felt an urgency to go find him. Just as i turned to my comp to tell her we needed to go in search of Davi, a young member in the ward ran into the chapel and took out ALL THE DOCTORS in our ward. There are about 6 trained medical professionals here in my ward, two of which are active. then, Sarah turned to us and asked where Davi was. My companion responded "maybe he couldn't find the bathroom!" Then just as i was telling my comp we should go look for him, the brother sitting behind us leaned up and said " The young man who was sitting her just passed out in the patio... you might want to go check."

Davi has epilepsy. And for the first time in 7 months he had an attack and it just so happened to be at the church, and not when he was alone in his apartment.

Sarah was inspired to invite Davi.

All the less active doctors in my ward, including a neurologist, were inspired to come that ONE Sunday.

The stake secretary who usually doesn't come to our ward, and who works with the ambulance, just so happened to come yesterday too. He called the ambulance, and in two minutes it was there! usually they take about an hour,( said the doctors.)

God knows what will happen in our lives! He prepares the way for us to receive all the help we need!

My testimony of this was strengthened tenfold yesterday. I KNOW God inspires people to be at the right place, at the right time, so that others will be watched over and protected. I cant imagine what would have happened if Davi had been in his house, alone, when all this happened.

God is mindful of each and every one of us.

 

i know! i love you all! have a great week!

What is YOUR Golden Tooth?

On Tuesday this week, we had a less active member come up to us in the street. His name is Javier, and he wants to be a preacher.
He asked us if we believe in miracles! Which of course we do!!! Then he pulled back his cheek to show us a very yellow tooth.... we were a tad confused! Then he began to tell us how he went to bed last night praying for money to meet his needs... and woke up with a "Golden Tooth"... and he was on his way to sell it. He said that he has tried talking to everyone in his path to tell them that God is a God of miracles... but no one would listen! even his own mom and kids weren't listening! They just thought he was crazy!

He said that he just wanted to share this with everyone, but know one believes!!!

But then, as I was writing that experience in my journal, I got lost in my own thoughts. I started wondering if we have something like this "golden tooth" that we want to share with everyone. Mine is the gospel!! And, like Javier, There are people who don't listen. people who don't believe, people who think we are crazy. But do i have the same desire to share this with everyone like Javier wants to share this miracle? The answer is YES. I love this gospel! 

What is your golden tooth? are you talking to everyone in your path, trying to share what has happened in your life? Are you trying to help them believe that God does exist? 

This week, i got to initiate a few trade-offs! I love the sisters in my zone! They are so great! I went with Hna Hall, who is my sister in the mission! We have the same mom! haha :) I love the mission! We spent our day inviting others to come to Christ! and sharing stories about miracles we have seen! As we talked about miracles, a man came up and asked us "where can I find your church?"
We have a new person to teach now!!! That was a miracle! I love it here! 

Also, the secretary of President called me this week and confirmed that they bought my flights to go home. ALREADY!!?!?!?! This cant be happening. September 25 I´ll be home. 

I love the mission!!!! 

I hope you have a great week and that God blesses all of you with opportunities to share your "golden tooth"! 

Hna Arave

We went to El Corazón De Cristo last Monday! Such a great view! :) 

(Pictures to come)

Walking the path that Jesus walked

Dear friends! This week was honestly a very very hard week! As we talk to people in the street, as we ask for referrals, as we try our very best to have the spirit always with us... we receive blessings! But, not always when we want or think we need them. This week, everyone we talked to rejected us. The only person who gave us information aside from just their name, was a less active member. So that in and of itself is a miracle! 

But as i was talking to my companion, trying to express how i feel, It came to mind the path that our Savior walked. He always did the fathers will.. he always helped others. he always did miracles, he always was perfect!! And still, people rejected him. people despised him. people spit on him. people crucified him. And he, being perfect, didn't say anything. (Mosiah 14) He suffered it. And still, in the end, he died and was resurrected FOR THESE VERY PEOPLE. He gave his life so that the very people who rejected him, the very people who betrayed him, the very people who spit upon him and crucified him.. He gave his life so that THEY can have eternal life.

As missionaries, we only serve for a short time. We only have to suffer a small part of what He suffered. It is our only chance to catch a small glimpse of the path that Jesus walked. All day. Every day. Until he died and rose from the dead, a perfected being, a glorified being. Our Savior. His atonement makes the sting of being rejected just a little bit less bitter. Makes the difficulty of overcoming it a little bit less difficult. He makes it all possible. 

I am eternally grateful for the sacrifice he made. I've heard may people say the mission has changed their life, and as I sat pondering this this week, I realized that the mission is great, and it changes many things in our lives.... But it is the Atonement of Jesus Christ that has changed, and will continue to change my life.

This week, I was able to finish the Book of Mormon AGAIN on my dad´s birthday! two years in a row! haha My dad´s birthday was yesterday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! 

I am so blessed to have the Restored Gospel in my life. I KNOW this gospel is true. I know it with all my heart and soul, and I feel it every day of my life! I know our Savior lives! 

I love being a missionary. 

I hope you all have a great week! 

Love, Hermana Arave

Ladies and Gents, I present.. Juanita! :) I love this woman! 

Also, this was part of our lunch! We picked them straight off the rod! :) 

(pictures to come)

Why is your hair yellow?

Dear family and friends!

Another Monday!? Time flies! This week was wonderful! we are seeing miracles and working hard! I am so grateful to be in the mission!

Each day as we leave lunch, we see a cute little miniature girl who is skipping on her way to school! We have always wanted to talk to them, (her and her dad) but something has always happened so we cant.. whether it be a car that almost hits us, or a member who drives past and stops to talk to us... something always happens!! it stressed us out! so I prayed one day that we would be able to see them and talk to them. then they disappeared... And we haven't seen them for about a week and a half. It was so sad.

Then this week, on Saturday, we felt very strongly that we needed to change direction. we were on our way to out plan B and we just felt we needed turn around and walk the other way... so we did! I felt like Nephi!! "I was led by the spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do"

And as we turn a corner, WE SEE THE LITTLE GIRL AND HER DAD SITTING OUTSIDE OF A HOUSE.. which later we learned was their house! WE FOUND THEM AGAIN! haha Her name is Helen! she is soooo cute! she is 6 years old! The Lord answered our prayers and we were able to find them and talk to them! The dad said he didn't want us to visit, but he said he was interested in General Conference! so we are going to go to conference with them!!:) Helen is adorable! the very first thing she asked me was "Why is your hair yellow?"

It was such a miracle! :)

This week as well we received a referral for an Inactive member with a large family... The familia Galarza! she is a member, but stopped going 25 years ago. She has 4 kinds and her husband who want to learn more, and they all want to go to church! As we were in the first lesson, I had the strongest impression to have a Family home evening with them! They were all so excited to learn what a family home evening was! It was such a cool experience! The lord has blessed us so much this week. My companion is quickly becoming a great friend to me, and I'm so lucky to be here with her!

It started to get cold this week! here we go with winter! :)

I hope you have a great week! I love you all! remember who you are!

Love, Hermana Arave

Santa Cruz is the coolest!

So! Another week has ended and begun! This past week was hard for various reasons. Being sick in the mission is no fun, especially after a long time. Some weeks are better than others.

But some great things happened! There was an investigator in my last ward, who needed to get married! and when I left, I left some clothes there (we always do!). One of the things I left was a white skirt I didn't want anymore. Who uses white in Bolivia anyway? haha:) but anyway, on Monday, the sisters there told me that Norma, the investigator, is getting married THIS WEEK. and they don't have ANY money... for anything. but when they realized I left my white skirt there.. and it was the perfect fit for her.... She is now able to be married in white. I cried... Who could have known? God sure provides for us!

This week too I learned something SUPER COOL about mission Bolivia Santa Cruz! so my pensionista served in this mission! and when Preach my Gospel came out for the first test run, they sent an English copy (of which they copied and gave to all the missionaries) to three missions in the world.

one in Utah

one in England

AND ONE IN BOLIVIA SANTA CRUZ. My mission is the coolest, right? and my pensionista was the first to use it! each day they had to translate the English copies to Spanish and study that! HOW COOL IS THAT!??! that was the test drive, and later they came out with the real preach my gospel that we have now! It blew my mind!

As well, I´d love to wish all the fathers out there ESPECIALLY MINE a Happy Bolivian Fathers day!! Fathers day was this week here in Bolivia... So Happy Bolivian Fathers Day!!:):)

I hope you all have a great week! keep praying for missionary opportunities!

here is a picture of the fried frog we found... still in it´s perfect form... but completely dried up. super gross! But for sure it was a different experience to have a frog fall out of a tree and into your hair! :)

Love, Hermana Arave

I love the priesthood!

Dear everyone!

I love the mission. I love my Father in Heaven. I love the priesthood. I love Bolivia. I love life!

This week, I was still pretty sick. So I finally asked the elders for a blessing. The coolest thing happened! In the blessing, I was blessed that I would be able to work with all the energy and strength that I would need… Then, I went to work! I was able to work ALL WEEK LONG. With all the energy that I had at the beginning of the mission! HOW GREAT IS THE PRIESTHOOD!? Then, when we returned home, I was sick again… And I would be sick till the next morning before we left. Then, I would be fine all day long!! As long as I was working, I had the energy and health and strength that I needed! Then, we returned home… And back to being sick. But that doesn’t matter! I was so happy! God blessed me with the strength and health I so desperately wanted and needed to be able to work! God is so good!

This week, we found a new family! FAMILY! The family Rojas. The dad is Franklin, the mom is Ilda, and their 13 year old daughter, Melisa. They are great! They were receiving the discussions years ago, but they aren’t married. They were working on getting the papers, but it  took so long that the elders teaching them stopped visiting. So we receive a referral from a member, and he tells us we should visit them! Now, they have all the desires to get baptized, they have all their papers, and they are  now planning a wedding. How Cool is that!? I am so blessed to be here. We had a lesson to go back to visit them this past week… on Saturday, but when we got there, Franklin was absolutely wasted. So drunk. But, we were able to contact Franklin´s brother, Charles! Charles has been looking for a church to go to, but each time he enters a church, he says he sees Demons. He claims he can see satan and his angels. But, we can promise that he wont see demons in this church! J He promised he would go yesterday..  but he didn’t. we will keep working with them. We are talking to so many people in the street, so many people in the busses… The work will pick up soon, I am sure of it!

We are still visiting Juanita, the lady who likes singing “I am a child of God”. She was super bad this week. It was so sad to see her. She has Alzheimer’s, and was not herself this week. But we started singing with her, and her countenance completely changed! She just sat down, all relaxed like and just listened. Her daughter was so grateful. It felt so good to leave that house, and know that even though Juanita probably wont remember….but at least we helped her daughter.

I love being a missionary. I am so blessed to be here. I hope you all have a great week! I love you all! Remember who you are!

Love, Hermana Arave

This week....

This week was eventful!... NOT. hahaha

I got sick this week, and the mission presidents wife told me I had to stay at home. haha yay!:) gotta love Bolivia! ha before I got sick, we went to go visit a super awesome lady named Juanita! She is about 80 years old and fell and completely crushed her hip... she had the surgery, but they did it wrong and so she cant move out of bed. she has to wait till it heals so they can go in and fix it...

she loves hymns! we go and we just sing with her! and her cute little voice joins along when we sing "I am a child of god". She is adorable! haha I then got sick and was stuck in house. haha But Hermana Adams (a sister who lives with us... working in the same ward... from Payson!) and I had some good chats! I learned to love my savior so much more than I thought possible! It was so great!

We also met some men from St George who are here doing eye surgeries! They rock! They will be here for a few more weeks..... I think! haha :)

That was all that happened this week! Sorry it is so short! Thanks for all your love and support!

Love, Hermana Arave




This picture is one sent to us from one of the Dr's that was there doing eye surgeries. It was nice of them to call us and tell us how she was doing and send us this picture when they got back to the states.
 

Marzo Ya?

TIME IS GOING BY SO QUICK! :(

It is already march?

This week was great! I had transfers! I´m now with Hermana Garcia, who is a doll!! She is from El Salvador! Super adorable! She just loves life! :) It will be a fun cambio!

This week, we were fasting as a Consejo De Barrio to find new investigators... The work is not progressing a whole ton right now. And when we were on our way home last night, We found a family that were old investigators, that left town for a few weeks and they could never get a hold of them again! There are four of them! The dad, Ariel, and his two twin daughters, and his son! We are going this week to visit them! This could be an answer to a very faith filled fast! :)

This week as well, I had a really cool experience...

Like I said, I had transfers. at first I was angry. I just want to stay in one area for a bit! I want to love the area like I love my first area! Just let me stay in one area for a bit! then, I was praying and asking God what it was that I did here. did I really finish all that I needed to do here? that quick? why was he sending me to another area so quick!? And I had a very tender mercy. I saw Braian, when we were sitting there in a lesson, and I said something that made him realize that he has a testimony, that he knows enough to take that step... and I saw his face change, and he said he would be baptized that week. I saw all that, then us at his baptism, and I realized... It is okay if that is all the lord needed me to do. by following the whisperings of the spirit, I was able to do what the lord sent me to do. The YM president of my old area told me that Braian said "if I hadn't realized that I really did have a testimony, I wouldn't have been baptized." if that is all the lord needed me to do, and I did it... I am okay to leave. I felt such a peace after that. Like God was confirming that he really did need me in another area now.

I want you all to know that every effort is worth it. every single one! dont let a single moment go wasted! :)

I am so blessed to be here. I am so excited to be serving the lord for 18 MONTHS!! Time is flying, and I´m doing my best to cherish every second. I love you all, and I hope you have a great week. Remember who you are! :)

Hermana Arave

 Sorry! for those who dont know, My sister got her call to Boston!! Speaking Spanish! July 1st! :) I¨m a proud sister!:)

MY SISTER GOT HER MISSION CALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MY SISTER GOT HER MISSION CALL TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I cant wait to be serving with her! if only for a short time! CONGRATULATIONS KIRSTI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!:):)  I love you and am super proud of you. 

This past few weeks was CRAZY. We had carnival, and were locked in the house for three days!! Luckily, the members love us, and hermana Julia came with each meal we needed to eat! :) How sweet!? haha being stuck in was no fun, but we were given a schedule of what we needed to study, so the time flew by! me and my companion cleaned like we have never cleaned in our life! Bolivian dirt and bugs got nothin on us! President gave us 5 hours to DEEP clean our house from ceiling to floor, and we did all of it... in an hour. the windows and walls sparkle. We were left with a bunch of time to spare, so I spent my time cutting out pictures of Christ from the Liahona´s we have in the house... I have so many now. haha. 

Guys, the mission is the best. I am so lucky! I get to be here, helping everyone come unto Christ, and I am so happy!!! :) The time is passing so quick! This week I´ll hit 11 months. Can someone  push pause please? I just need to enjoy this for... the rest of my life! :) This week, we had the chance to visit so many people who aren't active! it was like a dam burst and we just found A TON OF THEM! And one, who went inactive two weeks after her baptism.. two years ago... CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY. this is one that we have been working with for a  while, but we lost contact because she moved and changed phone numbers.... but we found her Saturday night, and on Sunday she came to church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was the greatest miracle of my life! me and my companion cried!!! :) I am so happy! 

As well, the bishops parents decided they want to be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) yay!!!!!! how great!!! 

thanks for all the emails. love you all!!! 

have a great week! :) 

Hna Arave

Family History... again!

So this morning I received some great news. This Friday (my birthday) we have a zone conference!!!! then, I will go directly to the stake center (me and my comp... obviously:)) to do family history!!! :) we are taking turns and they told me I could do it on my birthday!!!:) YAYA! I¨m so excited! I have a love for family history right now that wants to pop out of my chest! I am so excited! Happy birthday to me! :) hahaha

This week was great! 

we are teaching the parents of the bishop as well as his niece... they all three are too scared to take the step of baptism.. but they all know it is true! We are praying really hard for Indira, the neice. she is so scared and shy of everyone. She only opens up to us, and she always wants to hide behind us. But she took a giant step, and when the YW went to go pick her up yesterday for church, SHE WENT WITH THEM!!:) It was such a big step for her! I was so proud! 

As well, we began teaching the cousin of our ward mission leader, and of the YM president (everyone is related here.....). His name is Daimar. Our ward mission leader wasnt to optomistic.... because he has a problem with the word of wisdom... THAT IS OKAY. When we went to teach him for the first time, he just broke down and cried. He told us how hard he has tried to change, but he feels like the alcohol has taken control of his life. It was the most powerful lesson I have had in a long time. The spirit was so strong as we taught about the enabling power of the atonement, and the great LOVE that God has for each of us. He can help us change! 

Also, our ward makes handouts for everyone who enters the doors on Sunday! and each week it is a different organization. Yesterday, it was us! topic? diligence! All us missionaries made a handout and then we voted on it. And mine was chosen! it is the only thing I can draw...but I was pretty proud of how it turned out! :) this Thursday, ward game night with a message on diligence! :) WOO! 

This week, we also had a super cool activity. The YM had a soccer activity, and championship thing... and the YM president planned to have the missionaries there to talk to the people who weren't members. 

114 People who weren't members came. THAT IS A LOT OF NEW INVESTIGATORS. haha:) We took them on tours of the church, and about 30 of them came to church yesterday! it was so cool! These young men really are feeling the spirit of missionary work! I'm so glad they have such a great YM president as a leader! His name is Luis, and he got home from his mission about 6 months ago. He is incredible at getting his young men to help out the elders! :) 

All in all, it was a good week. A lot of walking, a lot of contacting.. And on Thursday, I got rained on with Christmas letters from my family! THANK YOU FAMILY!!!:) We have very few investigators, but the ones we have are so great! I´m so happy to be here! 

I hope you have a great week! 

Love, Hermana Alex Arave

1. my handout. how cute is this giraffe?:) 

2. The view from my area! :) I¨m so blessed! The other girl with us is Melisa, our best friend here!:

I feel MY Savior´s love.

I want to share something I learned in my study this week. In Mosiah 27, verse 29.

“My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity. I as in the darkest abyss, but no I behold the marvelous light of god! My soul was racked with eternal torment, but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more!”

When I read this in Spanish, I had to go find it in English to put on my wall. I have felt this so many times in my mission. How merciful is my Savior to snatch me from the bonds of iniquity!? He loves us SO much, that he is willing to give himself so we don’t need to suffer. Why should we suffer longer than necessary? He made is possible to be happy, and I am so eternally grateful that he has given me the chance at eternal life! He has taken away my sins, and he has helped me be who he wants me to be! He is my savior, and he is my King!! I am so grateful for his eternal love!

I hope all is well,

Hna Arave

Braian Vicente!:) Se bautizò!

Okay! Another story, with a miracle! 

So this week, me and my companion had the goal to get to know more members. Being us both pretty new, it is necessary that we know the members. So we have an appointment to visit a family that lives WAY UP in the mountains. There are a type of bus here, that is called a micro, and this is way past where the micros go... or the taxis... or any type of car..... way up there. So we go with the RS president, and we have such a great time! They are a great family! AS we are there, it begins POURING RAIN. Harder than I have ever seen in my life. We decide to wait till it passed to leave.. after twenty minutes, a flooded yard, and even more rain, we decide we have to go NOW. Before it gets worse. As we begin walking out, (literally, in two seconds we were drenched....) we saw that GUESS WHAT!!! The bottom of the hill is flooded! We have no way of getting out. We are surrounded my water. The current is picking up the trees from out of the ground and carrying them away!!!!!!!! There is no way we are going to cross that by ourselves! 

Long story short, a golden member brought his car up, and after walking up to the top of the mountain, we were able to find a spot safer to cross. It was a four hour process. He had to take us across one by one... cause the water almost washed away the RS president. It ripped the skirt of my companion, and broke my shoes. It was REALLY strong water. But, the Lord sent us an angel, and a way out. That is all that matters. We were so grateful! We came home to a flooded house, and I got super sick, but even now, I am way more grateful for the Miracle of this member than anything! 

I didn't take pictures... sorry:) haha 

Braian got baptized on Saturday!!!!!:):):):):): It was such an amazing experience! He is such an amazing guy! He has such a strong testimony! He has plans to go to the temple in July, and he already has a Preach my Gospel!!! Such a blessing to the ward!! :) Half of the  young men in the ward are converts. They have all been baptized within the past two years!! They are a priesthood army marching forth! We are planning on having three more join their ranks in the next month! Hold onto your hats, friends! :) 

I hope you all have a wonderful week! Take care!!:) 

Love, Hna Arave

 

 

Refiners Fire.

Well, if God thinks I can do it... I can do it. This week, I had to rely A LOT MORE On my savior. After only having a handful of days in the area, getting a new companion, I was on a high level of stress this week... very high.. It happened for a reason. My district leader is so great to remind me of that each time we see each other. He is learning English, and he tells me "Every things happen for one reason." haha:) It does. God has something up his sleeve!

Saturday, we received a reference from some hermanas from another ward! They said that they contacted a woman and she wanted to come to church! WOO! So we called her, went to her house, and then Sunday went to pick her up! She has a son, Alejandro, who is 8. and a daughter, Fernanada, who is 14 months old. Alejandro reminds me exactly of my little brother when he was 8!! full of energy, always wanting to talk! haha As we were sitting in sacrament meeting, He kept looking at my hair... (this happens a lot here...:)) 

Him: You should grow your hair out. Why is it like this? 

Me: because I was born blonde

Him: I was born with black hair.... You should grow your hair out. all the way to the floor. And then even longer. Cause then, you can cut it, up to here *pointing to my jaw bone* and it will turn brown... almost like mine! 

hahaha I about died!!!Thank you Disney! It was so funny!! 

Then, we were sitting in Gospel principles, and he comes RUNNING in from primary!!! 

He bursts through the door with wide eyes and out of breath, and says in a loud voice, "MOM!!!! I need the book of Mormon!!!!!!!!!!!" 

He is absolutely adorable!!! hahaaha His mom is pretty incredible too!! We will continue visiting her for sure!!!:) 

This weekend, we will be having a baptism!! His name is Braian. He is so incredible! each time we have visited him my time here, he has shared his testimony of the gospel! He recently got to know the church, and I was lucky enough to have a part in teaching him! He is so incredible... really, the definition of D&C 20:37. He is so ready! He bought a preach my gospel so he can go on a mission... AND HE ISN'T EVEN BAPTIZED YET! Saturday for sure!!!!:) He is so incredible! 

I love being in the mission. It is the hardest, best thing I've ever done. I love every second! Bring on what the Lord has in store, because he knows we are ready! 

Love you all!! have a good week!! 

hna Arave

 1. saying goodbye to hna Davenport... after the pouring rain. :) Gotta love bolivia!

2. just a view from my area!:) 

Cambios... Again?

Welp, the subject says all. We are having another emergency cambio... I have no idea why. My companion is leaving, back to Santa Cruz.

We had a rough night last night.

This week, we were able to stop people from breaking the sabbath day!!! We went to go visit a member, and we found her in the street on the way to her house! SO we begin walking with her, and she says

"Hey, wait right here, I'm going to go buy some Tampico for you guys!"

us: "NO! It is okay, really!

"No, I want to!"

us: "Really hermana.... we only want you to keep the sabbath day holy...."

"Okay, I´ll send my husband then!!"

us: "NO!"

she ended up sending her husband anyway... but the best part  is that when he returned, THERE WASN'T ANY TAMPICO IN THE STORE!!!!! hahaha so he came back with nothing!!!!:):)

God´s Army... ONE

Satan.... ZERO!

It was so funny, we about died laughing. :) hahaha

This week we got to know a guy, Luciano,  who couldn't get over the fact that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are separate beings... I think we spent the whole lesson focused on how we know, showing scriptures, and writing down all the questions he had. :) It helped me learn a whole lot, so I´m super grateful!!

It also rained a TON this week... I love the rain here! It is warm, at least! haha
I hope you all have a great week!

Hna Arave