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