D's Baptism                                                                                                                   Jan. 19, 2015

I am going to just dedicate this week to talking about D. He is literally my favorite person. He is 11 years old, really likes to draw, loves going to church, and really wants to follow the commandments so he and his family can live together forever with God and Jesus Christ. And he is getting baptized this Saturday!

Danny lives with his mom Mary, his step dad Luis, his older sister V, and his baby brother Paulo. Luis is a member, and he was less active for a long time. Mary is not a member yet, but she loves going to church, and goes to pretty much every activity that there is. They are not married yet, and they are working on that, so that Mary can be baptized soon, too! But, she wanted Danny to go ahead and be baptized, because he has nothing holding him back, and he has their full support.

So, we have been teaching D. lot these weeks to prepare him for baptism. Usually we teach him with his parents there. D. is a little bit hyper active, so his parents usually try to keep him focused. But, this week, we taught him once while his parents were getting things ready for something they had to do later, and he was SO EXCITED to talk with us. We taught his the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which to have faith in Jesus Christ, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end. When we talked about the repentance and he said "I feel like I need to repent." and we were like, that`s is really good, and then he just folded his arms and started to pray. And he repented right there! He is seriously such a kind soul.

D´s family is really great. They were super prepared to hear the gospel, and are already really converted. They know the church is true, and are excited to do and learn everything they can. I feel so blessed to know them, and help them a little in their process of conversion. I genuinely love them.

I hope everyone has a great week!

                                                                                                

 January 26, 2015

The Circle of Life

So, my companion is going home this week, because she finished her mission. And, in the mission, when someone goes home, it´s called dying. Buuuuut, when someone new comes, it´s called being born, and your trainer, or your first companion, is your mom (or dad if you´re an elder) And, I´m going to be a mom! My next companion will be brand new, and I will be her first companion in the mission. I am excited, but also very nervous! I will have to be on my best behavior, because she will be watching everything I do! Not that I ever do anything I shouldn't. Haha. But still!

Also, D. was baptized this Saturday! It went really well and was really special! He was so happy. And his mom invited like half the ward to her house after for dinner. It was really fun! And President Hansen and Sister Hansen came to the baptism. it was really great!

This week was a really good one. I have been receiving a lot of blessings here in the mission, and I know my family has been very blessed, as well.

Ingavi

Hermana Worthy, Hermana Wingate, Hermana Torrico

So, my area now is a lot different than my last area. A lot  of people are a little more...well to do. My last area was very humble, and this area, the people are pretty well off. The ward is also a lot bigger. Well, before I was only in a branch, but now the ward I am in is pretty big. It is really different, and the people are different, and the way we teach is different.

Also, there is a park we walk by everyday on our way home, and there are always people break dancing there. Its kind of random. Just, you know, people break dancing in a park in the middle of Bolivia.

We have been teaching a lot of people who have really been starting to progress, and doing a lot of work with less active members.

I'm going to be honest, I kind of forgot about writing a letter this week, and was just talking back and forth with my mom for a while, so now I don't have a lot of time to write a good summary of my week. Sorry! Next week will be better, and more adventure filled! 

I hope everyone has a good week!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

An older picture that I love!

I hope everyone had a happy new year and got a big, wet kiss when the ball dropped! They don´t do a ball drop in Bolivia, if you did not know, and I am not allowed to kiss anyone as a missionary... But, I´ll get ´em next year!

This week was really good. We were able to find a lot more of the people we have been teaching, and a lot of people came to church on Sunday!We have been teaching one lady named D. She is an older lady, and has 2 daughters who live in Utah, and one is a member of the church. She told us she would not be able to come to church Sunday, because she had another commitment in the morning. But she came!!! I asked her about the other thing she had to do, and she said she didn´t go to it, she just came to the church!

Also, we taught a recent convert this week named J. He was having some problems with his family, because his wife wants him to be more active in the Catholic church. I thought of a scripture I wanted to share with him (D&C 22) that talks about baptism and by what authority it is performed. Then, the topic kind of changed, and I didn´t really think it was the right time to share it, but I really felt like I needed to! So I made a moment, and I shared the scripture. And after, he said it really helped him a lot, and he felt more at peace.

I really feel the presence of the Holy Ghost so strongly in my life. And I am learning how to better recognize and follow it´s promptings. I have learned so much already from being in the mission. I feel like the same person, but at the same time so completely different. I have a new love for others, for myself, and for my heavenly Father, and my Savior, Jesus Christ.

I hope everyone has a good week, and starts off this new year well!

P.S.  Sydney did not send me any pictures, so I picked some that had her in the background on the Cochabamba Facebook page.

Can you find her?

And another one, can you find her now?