Hermanas Strong, Beauchamp, Busch, Gerhartz at Los Angeles Temple
2/19/2011
Hi my wonderful parents,
Thank you so much for the letter about Israel! It was so glorious to read about all of your incredible experiences, although to tell the truth, I think I must need to practice my Hebrew because I only recognized about 3 words of all of the ones you used, Mama. I'm so so glad to hear that (cousin) Vanessa is doing well! I surely miss her!
Also, you made me super hungry.
Thanks a pantload!
I know you're praying for us, I can feel it, and thank you so so much. I feel so privileged to be your daughter. You are such incredible people. I got to tell Milagro (one of our investigators) your conversion story, Mom. I told her what you said about wanting to just hang out around the tree of life and partake of the benefits without having to actually join and sacrifice something, but she was listening intently to the part about "Look, this is either all true, or it's all a lie. If it's true, it's the most remarkable thing in the world." After that we had a really great lesson about the principles of the Gospel and why they are necessary.
Ok so update on mission life: I already told you about my new companion, but she's turning out to be even better than I could have imagined. She's super motivated, full of energy, very organized, rocks at Spanish (despite whatever she may say about it), and is an incredible teacher. She told me that this is really the first time that she's gotten to share equally in a lesson because with her first companion she didn't speak Spanish yet so all she could really do was bear her testimony about the Book of Mormon at her companion's prompting, and her second companion was a very take-charge Latina who was quite accustomed to teaching and conversing about the gospel by herself. We both feel really good about our companionship and it's totally showing in the work itself.
We've begun knocking doors to try to find more investigators (it's funny to run into the Jehovah's Witnesses....everyone's very nice, it's just super awkward) and that has yeilded some satisfying benefits, our investigators who (I think I told you last time) are starting to progress are progressing faster and really starting to grasp why they need the Gospel of Jesus Christ and why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the authority to perform the necessary saving ordinances, and we had 6 people at church yesterday!!! AAAAAHHHH!!!! I'm so excited! We set a baptismal date with one guy named Jose, but the problem is that we suggested that date to him like 3 weeks ago, assuming that he would tell us a little quicker if he felt good about it so we could plan better, but we haven't taught him any of the commandments (law of chastity, tithing, Word of Wisdom, etc) or even officially about prophets, so we'll have to change that date. He's such a great young man, though. He wants to change his life for the better. It's so great.
And Mario! We FINALLY had a lesson 2 (plan of Salvation/ Happiness) with him... we just dropped by one day and he happened to be home. We had prayed in our morning planning session about who we should visit and what we could teach or do for them, and we felt good about going to see him. He LOVED every aspect of the plan that we drew out for him and said that he knows it's true and he feels like this is something that he needs to be doing/ will do with his life. The most amazing part was when we got to share with him that he can be with his mother again. He loves her so much and to know that she is not only happy and busy doing great things on the other side, but that he can one day be sealed to her forever made him so so hopeful. I know I started out this letter lame, but we're super busy and super happy. I promise. Even though I'm starting to see the discouraging parts, I know this is the most important thing I've done with my life so far.
I love you all immensely!, more than peanut butter and jelly. Believe it.
Love, Hermana Camposbonitos (I've picked up a couple of other nicknames this week--Baby Bobo and Biker Baby....huh.....)
Los Angeles Temple 2/19/2011 Our District
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