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