One Month

I've Just about hit my one month mark in the mission. On the fourth to be exact. I know it seems unreal to me as well.

It's beautiful out here in Florida, when I say that all of the natives tell me just wait till Summer so I guess i better enjoy this lovely weather while I can.

On my first day in the mission field on my way to Bradenton Florida with my two new companions they told me "we've got this investigator Ruben, he's golden, He ASKED US to get baptized." He did it, he really did it, Ruben got baptized yesterday. it was awesome, What a wonderful Easter present to Jesus Christ. 

When I talked to my MTC Amiga's at the mission conference last week we all shared the kinds of things we do on a daily basis. It seemed like I was a little more fortunate than most of them as far as having people to see on a regular basis. I've only gone tracting twice in the month that I've been out in the field. We have been fortunate enough to have new investigators to see each week and we work a lot with some less active members as well. They tell me we're in the land of milk and honey. When I first heard that I thought they meant it literally, haha, I was like no I'm in the land of beans and rice, It took me three weeks to realize what they really meant was people are more willing to let missionaries in their homes down here. So being used to that this week was a lot slower and it caught me off guard. 

Each day we plan out the day, I tell you that's just for fun or something because it never goes according to plan, then we also have back up plans for every planned hour of the day, now usually those actually go through. well on Saturday we should have had a third plan or something because our first plans fell through, our back up plans fell through, we were getting desperate and discouraged. NO one was home, I guess it was Easter or something like that. I don't know what holidays are anymore on the mission but everyone that we knew in Florida were no aqui, finally we knocked on a less actives door, it was our last option before tracting and they answered. WOOHOO! We shared a scripture with them Alma 13:24 about angels preparing the hearts of men and the importance of members in missionary work.

A highlight of last week, the elders in our ward, Elder Casey and Elder Davies taught this family and they got baptized, last week they met their cousins who live in our area so they gave us the reference and we went over to the house. Maria and her two daughters were home, they only had 20 minutes so we did a quick intro of the Book of Mormon and made an apt to come back the very next day. This mom is really looking for the truth. All we asked was for her to read the intro to the Book of Mormon, me not expecting to much because we've left that commitment before and people haven't followed through. We asked Maria if she read and she totally did, she said, "ya it's about some john smith guy translating this book from some gold plates right?" Seriously I heard angles voices singing! So we were happy and jumped right in to the lesson of the restoration of the gospel and the translation of the Book of Mormon. That night she her husband and daughters came to our ward Easter party and after wards we gave them a church tour. That was so awesome. Her husband was apparently baptized when he was eight but hasn't been apart of the church ever since so we are going to work with reactivating him. We have another appointment with them tonight and I'm so excited. 

The mission is a funny thing, some days feel like they were three days in one. there are hard moments and super awesome moments but for the most part I go to sleep each night thinking that was a good day. I keep trying to convince my companion that isn't going home this transfer, Hermana Hatton to buy a bike because I want to ride a bike so bad instead of driving a car. 

We have really incredible members here three families that feed us every Friday Saturday and Sunday night. I feel so blessed to have grown up in Utah where the majority of people are LDS or at least know who Mormons are. 

I never realized the importance of members in missionary work until my mission, I already have plans when i get home of going out with the missionaries, members help so much in our lessons, I've especially noticed this when teaching mothers and fathers, have a member there that is a dad is an immediate friend and also they can relate to them in a way that we cant. 

I've also thought about serving in a Spanish branch, marrying a bilingual return missionary and having bilingual babies, haha just some thoughts but we'll cross those bridges later.

I've never learned so much so quickly as I have in these last two months and I know it's nothing short of a miracle. I couldn't have done it without my father in heaven and I am so blessed. My knowledge and understanding of the gospel is growing every single day and my testimony has solidified. no one could ever take it from me now or make me doubt anything not even for a second. I just want everyone to realize the importance of it and sometimes that's the hardest part, I have to remember how long it's taken me to come to know all of this and be patient. 

I love this gospel and my savior Jesus Christ so much! I challenge each one of you to go out with the missionaries some time, see the behind the scenes of missionary work. be a friend to their investigators that attend church, offer a meal, I can guarantee they wont turn it down. AND especially give us references, they are way more effective than tracting. yesterday one member gave us a gift card to the grocery store and another gave us an Easter basket with hygiene stuff. It is all appreciated more than you know. With out the members helping our converts stay active missionary work is pointless so step it up, Every member a missionary!!

My Spanish is coming, each day something new clicks and I'm like heck ya! but I feel like it's not coming fast enough, That probably means I need to step it up on my language study. I have faith that it will come though and I can't wait to come home a Spanish speaking fool. 

I Love you, 

Love your missionary, 

Hermana Hafen

 

Mime :)

It is BEAUTIFUL here!

Cake Fight :)