Bienvenidas a la Hermana Earl!

Hola familia!

This week was CRAZY!!!

I don't know how to explain it... longest week ever but also the fastest... It was just crazy. The beginning of the week was LONG but good. The end of the week just FLEW!

First off this week was INCREDIBLE! and SAD!

I started off the week by saying goodbye to two (well...3) of the best hermanas in the mission! I stinking miss them all so much already. And it has only been a week! It was a weird sensation dropping off two companions at the mission home. Don't worry.... Hermana Valdez and Hermana Johnson.... I cried in the car. And Sister Spencer was super hilarious about it... she was like.. "oh sweetheart... it'll be okay. It must be hard saying goodbye to two friends" :)

But It was really weird to say goodbye. I am happy they are both home and enjoying themselves... and some Café rio. ;)

I was thrown into a trio with the English sisters for a day and it was a unique experience. That night we taught the Plan of Salvation to two of their investigators, Melanie and Sky, who I happened to teach with them last time we took missionaries to the mission home. It was fun. I really was struggle speaking English. Overall the lesson went well. and the spirit was strong. . I was trying to explain the spirit world to them and for the life of me could only think 'el mundo de los espiritus' so that was hard. We had to awkwardly interject and explain that I was a Spanish missionary. :) Good times....

Then bright and early we left for the mission office. I attended the trainers meeting which was really eye opening and good. President Baker gave us some wonderful advice. Then we sat in the chapel and waited.... killer times....

There were five hermanas and I saw them when we came in. I knew one of them was mine. And it was hilarious because I saw one and I just knew she was my companion. And I was right.

Hermana Earl is my little greenie! She is super funny! I love her lots already. She is from Washington State. She is really great for me. I am learning so much in such a short little time. She is ENTHUSIASTIC about missionary work. She is pushing through in learning Spanish. It is fun. We are working hard. It is a little bit of a struggle going back to 4 hours of studies and not just the 3. But we are enduring. :)

We had a really neat miracle happen on Saturday. We were contacting a referral in a trailer park... pull in and there is a group of about 5 guys to our left. So we go and park and Hermana Earl is like we should go talk to them... me being the skeptical one is like... ahhh.... I guess we can. (there was alcohol so no I am not just avoiding people!). but I was like sure sure. We get out of the car and all of a sudden my name is called form the group. Eduardo from English class is in it! So he yells over to me and is like Hermana Gray!

we are talking to him and about English class and just different things. Then one of his friends is like hey, you are the Mormon missionaries right. Yes, that's us. 'I am a member of your church! can I get the address?!" We found Miro, a less active member who was baptized in Peru when he was 12. complete miracle! He seems interested in coming back to church, he had to work yesterday so he didn't come but hopefully we can pass by this week and talk to him. :) Greenie miracles! I am looking forward to them.

We contacted a few potentials and set some return appointments. Oh I can tell you that I am such a dork....

So to make Hermana Earl's first day I have all these set appointments... EVERYTHING falls through. :( then the next day we have one set, set, appointment member and all. With a potential named Elaudio. We go knock the apartment. no one answers... leave him a note. We take our member out and about with us for a minute to try some other folks. Which did lead us to a neat miracle. We contacted a former named Adolfo, and he came to the door, then his two sons, Jason and Christian came to the door and talked to us, and then his wife! Then they set an appointment for this Thursday! :)

Then we get this phone call from a random number that night, and Elaudio is on the other end. He was like Hermanas.. sorry! I just got your note, my neighbor told me that there was a note for me on his door! :( haha. Dang it! it was a little confusing because we had a referral and Elaudio who live in the same house but different apartments. So I must have wrote them backwards or something. :( Which was a bummer but he is going to call us this week to set up an appointment. He didn't know his work schedule. But that was my blonde moment for the day.

We had a really great lesson with Eduardo and Fernando. We read from Richard G. Scott's talk and focused mainly on Scripture study and Prayer. (We didn't have time because there was so many comments to finish!) but it was a really powerful lesson. And they both asked really great questions. The Jacobsen's came with us and we had a really powerful lesson with the opportunity to bare testimonies. They both are doing so well! They are facing lots of opposition from the family and friends but they are strong and are saying that they are going to be examples to them. :)

Bishop Maher gave an excellent talk yesterday in Sacrament meeting but something he said really stood out to me. He said "for everyone who is here... there is at least one of us who isn't"

which made me really think. He was referring to our visiting and home teaching. But as a missionary I was thinking.. maybe it's our one friend we haven't introduced to the gospel yet. I really like this though. US... we are Christ's church... we need ALL of our Brothers and Sisters.

I love you all so much! I am running out of time but I want you to know that I know this gospel Is true. I am so blessed to have it in my life and to share it each and every day with those around me. I bare testimony that Jesus is the Christ. God has an infinite love for each of his children. If you haven't felt that love recently I invite you to get on your knees and ask God of his love for you. I promise you will feel that love. You will know without a doubt that God is our father and Jesus is our brother.

I love you, I hope you have a great week!

Love,

Hermana Gray

Goodbye Companions...Hasta Mayo!  :)