Monday, September 26, 2016

God is a God of Miracles


Buenas!!

PUES this week ROCKED :) Every week in the mission rocks but this week was especially rockin. At the beginning of the week we didn’t have ANY possibilities for baptism. Hermana Alfaro and I decided to focus on one of our investigators that we hadn’t seen in a while named Julio, but he wasn’t answering his phone. Finally on WEDNESDAY he answered and we were able to go to his house on Friday. He lives really far because our area is HUGE but we made it out there to go talk to him. When we got there he told us, "I don’t want to get baptized! God isn’t listening to my prayers and baptism just doesn’t call my attention." My companion and I just listened to how he was feeling and then asked him more questions to see what he was really thinking. Then we explained that really the Lord was listening, that that if he showed the Lord that he had a willing and obedient heart, the Lord would bless him with the things He needed. We invited him to be baptized the next day! haha.  Then he started telling us the story of how that morning he had prayed to Heavenly Father and said that if the sister missionaries passed by he would do what they said because they would bring an answer to his prayer. And he told us that he would be baptized!!!!!!! Hermana Alfaro and I both CRIED. It was such a spiritual moment. We had been praying and working ALL WEEK for a miracle and of course we saw one because God is God of Miracles. The day of his baptism was so special! :)

I am loving Jinotega so much. The people are so sweet and I’ve already gotten used to climbing mountains. This week is general conference WOOHOO the best part of the whole year. I am so excited the hear the words of our living prophet. I told my mom that my parents raised me right because I am very passionate about General Conference :) I know that when the Prophet and his Apostles are speaking, Heavenly Father is giving us council that we need to hear right now in this day and age. (hoy en dia?)  I testify that they have all been called of God, and the only way that we can hold on to the iron rod is by listening to their words.

I love you allll!!! have a great week with pajama church!!! :)

-- 

Hermana Willes


Julio's Baptism



I'm so excited to have a church building!

The missionaries





Monday, September 19, 2016

I Am So Grateful For My Testimony!

Buenas!!

Well I LOVE my new area!! It is SO big and SO different. I feel like a greenie again and I love it. It has rained pretty much every day and we climb mountains..like literally. I fell down a mountain my first day of working and my and my companion were just laughing because i was taking baby steps down and woooosh down i went :) We come home every night with mud caked on our shoes and shivering from the cold. It doesn't really feel like i am in Nicaragua! I love it so much though! And the CAPILLA is beautiful. It was so weird to have church in an actual church yesterday but i loved it. Even though we have a building it is kind of like Ocotal in the way that i still had to speak because the speakers didn't show up..but i loved it! I felt just at home. :)


Thank you ALL for the birthday wishes! I had such a great day. It was a little strange to be out working all day...Hermana Poncio called us around 7 and I looked at my companion and was like..uhhh why is the mission presidents wife calling us? and she was like..uhh I don't know? So i made her pick it up and then when she passed it to me and I was like OH NO what did I do wrong? haha but she just wanted to wish me happy birthday. :) President talked to me too. It was so nice of them to call! They are wonderful.


We found this MIRACLE woman named Marlene this week. She is all excited to be baptized and came to church all on her own on Sunday. She is golden! 


I hope that everyone is just loving life because I am :). I found this quote by Elder Bednar that says, Conversion is an offering of self, of love, and of loyalty we give to God in gratitude for the gift of a testimony. I am soooooo grateful for the testimony I have gained throughout my life and I am trying my best to offer everything I have to the Lord. Yesterday was such a good birthday, to be able to give everything to the Lord on a day that is usually focused on yourself. As I left Hermana Gould before changes I told her, I know that Im not the perfect missionary or trainer, but I do know that I have taught you the most important thing, and that is to love the mission. because I LOVE THE MISSION. Sometimes i just stand in awe of how lucky we are to be given such sacred experiences where we can learn so much. If anyone is ever contemplating a mission...GO.


I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true and only true church on the earth. I will never tire of saying the words..somos misioneras de la iglesia de JesuCristo de los santos de los ultimos dias..que hacen los domingos ustedes? :)


nos vemos! les quiero mucho!


-- 


Hermana Willes






Saying good-bye to Hermana Chow

Hermana Alfara (my comp) and me
in front of our beautiful Capilla!

In front of our house...

Zone Activity

Monday, September 12, 2016

Changes...

Well....

I got changed!! I am now in a place called Jinotega! It is by Matagalpa. It is bigger than Ocotal but still a pretty small city. It was really hard to leave Ocotal but I am ready to get to work in my new area and see what the Lord has in store for me! Before I left Ocotal we were able to have two baptisms of Lorena and her sister, Rosi. They were so excited and it was a beautiful baptism!!

I hope that everyone has a great week!

also i turn 20 this week...i am SO old....

sorry no pictures the computer erased all my photos but the guy got them all back but im not trusting the computer again..haha! next week maybe!

-- 

Hermana Willes

Baptism of Lorena and Rosi

Monday, September 5, 2016

Final Week in Ocotal

Buenas!

We are finally back in Ocotal and we were able to work this week! YAY! Working really is the perfect medicine.

I think this is my last week in Ocotal so that is really really sad...but that is how the mission goes. (i mean i wouldnt know because i have been in the same area the whole time but thats what they tell me hah) But I know that wherever I go that is where the Lord needs me.

Right now we are working with a girl named Lorena. She was supposed to be baptized while we were in Mangua so now we are hoping she will do it this week! She is so great. Please keep her in your prayers!

Yesterday we had fast and testimony meeting and both Ernesto and Gracielo got up to bear their testimonies. (I might have cried a little) We also celebrated Brandys birthday yesterday with a piƱata and tacos! Their little family really has become my family here. I just love how the gospel has changed their lives!

President Monson said, If you want to give light to others, you have to glow yourself! I love this quote because as missionaries, we have the best message in the whole entire world. I want to share it with everyone because it really is the light in my life. Just a simple smile can brighten someones day!

Anyways, I hope you all are doing wonderfully and I will see you all on the other side...who knows where I will be writing next week???

-- 

Hermana Willes





Celebrating with Ernesto's Family...




Tacos!!!








Got drenched in the rain!


With Wally at Leadership Meeting