Sunshine, Shadows, & Rain

Querida familia, 

This was a week full of sunshine and shadows and full out rain storms; and I mean that both literally and symbolically. 

First the sunshine:

-It was incredibly hot this week. I thought we were just about wrapping up the hot season, but it hit us with a bang this week. I got burnt..again. And have discovered that my thumbs have sun damage...how that happens I´m not quite sure.

-Hna Monse, a YSA in our ward who accompanies us a lot, got her mission call this week! She is going to serve in Chile with a special assignment to work as the mission nurse while she´s there too. She is going to be amazing, and watching her open her call reminded me of how I felt when I opened mine almost a year and a half ago; how incredibly honored and excited I was to serve the Lord in Mexico. #stillfeelthatway

-We watched Meet the Mormons for a ward mission activity. It was glorious. We had investigators and recent converts show up, we ate hot dogs, and I just love that movie. And I didn´t cry this time...even though they made me speak after about my experience as a missionary. #that´scalledcheating And again I was reminded of how incredibly blessed I am to be here and be a missionary. 

-Hno Angel got baptized! He has been listening to the missionaries off and on for a year and went from being a full-out alcoholic to a respectable single-dad just trying to do his best. The baptism was great and we even had sister missionaries from Temple Square present...through SKYPE. (hah They´ve been helping to teach Angel through mormon.org and wanted to see the baptism) 

Elder Cadena, Hno Angel, Hna Mejía, Me

And now for the shadows:

-We had to quit teaching two of our investigators this week because they can´t progress. Jesus is 11 and needs his grandma´s permission to go to church and she won´t give it. His great-grandmother, Trinidad, was also listening to us, but she´s 97 and can´t go to church either by herself...It about broke my heart because Trinidad told us that she just feels so good when we visit, satisfied, and she likes how we explain the scriptures...And now we´re not going to be able to keep teaching her. 

-We had an intense talk with an investigator named Elias this week. He is not a member, but his wife and kids are (less-active) recent converts. They have sooo many problems, and Elias has a lot of anger towards God. He told us he´s never really been happy, and the only good things he´s had in his life God has taken away. I couldn´t do anything, but look him in the eye and testify of the Atonement, and in that moment it was completely real for me. I could understand some small part of what Christ did, and how he felt, because I could feel Elias´s sorrow and I just wanted to take it from him. I couldn´t take it, but I was able to tell him who can. 

I know my Savior lives. I know He suffered for every single one of us in that Garden, and that He did it for each one of us as individuals. I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ everything that is unfair in this life will be made right, and that in the meantime we can receive strength and comfort through Him.  And even when the trials come pouring down like rain, He is there to pick us up and lift us higher. 

Wishing you a week of sunshine with just enough shadows to appreciate it...

¡Vale la pena!

Hermana Wilson