8-18-2014

Well two more patojos en mi barrio got there mission calls! One is going to the Honduras Comayguela.... (Yes that makes three missionaries from the same ward, same mission!) and the other is going to Costa Rica! 

I hope Richard and Allyse had a great anniversary. We celebrated by finding 12 nuevo investigadores! It was a good day. 

Sunday was AWESOME!!!!! One of my first converts gave his first talk in la reunión sacramental! I almost cried. He talked about gaining faith in Christ. He is a dad of the two cutest girls in the world. Then a awesome joven gave a talk about the obra misional and told everyone that the should go out with us.. SHE IS AWESOME!!! And then we had a high council member give some cincho! Here is what he said in a rough translation: When we are at church we need to be at church. (Dia de reposo is kind of a really hard thing for everyone here) We made covenats with God and we need to do our part. Sometimes we let was the missionary’s stay on the surface of our skin, but we really need to make it apart of who we are. 

It called me to repentance and I know I need to be better. Church is the only time of the week that is calm. Everyday, all days of the week we are thinking of our investigators and how we can improve as missionaries. And sometimes on Sundays I let myself wander. At the beginning of my mission, I used the excuse that I don’t understand... but well, now I speak Spanish and understand when people talk. 

My compa and I made this goal that we are only speaking  between 8am-9:40pm. That is hard! But everyday it gets easier. At the beginning, I didn’t like personal praying in Spanish because I felt like I couldn’t feel as close to my father in heaven.... then with practice, I feel more comfortable praying in Spanish then in English... I don’t even no if I can pray in English.... and the same with studying the scriptures in Spanish, at first I didn’t like it because I couldn’t t understand... but now I only use Spanish scriptures. Moral of the story, when we show our dedication to God, he can bless us. I could have never imagined that I would be where I am last year around this time.

I love being a missionary. I am having the time of my life! 

Next week is my birthday!! I will be spending hiking a volcano with my Zone!  Ummmmm how awesome is that?! Where did you spend you 20th birthday? "I spent it in a volcano, in Guatemala!!"

I love you all!!! 

-Hermana Crouch