2. I found emoji stickers at the dollar tree. Guys, it's like I have an i-phone. For real.
So I'm done giving reasons that I feel cool because actually I realize that they make me super sister missionary. Which is cool too.
This week I got a package from my awesome family for my 9 month mark and it had HOMEMADE BREAD. It. Was. So. Good. And letters from my brothers, which is a rare thing. I loved them. :) It is weird to realize that I am closer to coming home than I am to when I came out now.
Also, shout out to CC, Keira, Makayla, and Ashley who all sent me beast letters the last two weeks. They all MADE MY LIFE and came when I really, really needed them.
This week we had some pretty cool experiences. We met with Maria, the woman who hasn't been to church in 22 years, and she showed us all her annotations on the first part of the Book of Mormon. She was fascinated! We taught her the Restoration again and it clicked. It was fascinating to see her eyes light up over the gospel and I hope that I will always be that in-awe of the truth.
Another cool thing that happened was with Lupe. We got a call from Hna Cruz, her member friend, that Lupe had called her and wanted us to come over right then. Turns out, Lupe's friend told her that we were from the KKK and that's why she had dropped us. But then that same friend got a blow dryer stuck in Lupe's hair and ended up having to cut it all off. So now Lupe has a missionary-style hair cut and she was so embarrassed by it she didn't leave the house for three days. Then that same friend ended up having a huge emergency and going back to Cuba. All of that spurned Lupe to turn to the Book of Mormon...she read all the way to Alma 48! We have taught her again this week and everything is going well with her!
Another really cool miracle this week has been with a woman named Samone. I met her when I first came to this area. She was found by missionaries about a year ago but was pretty immersed in Santaria and had several issues with the doctrine of the church, so the missionaries stopped teaching her. However, Hna. Cruz has continued to reach out to her and Samone has come to the weekly Family Home Evening every single week for almost a year. She was at the Cruzes house on Thursday when we went over for dinner and when we left, Samone asked Hna. Cruz what she had to do to be baptized. This is after she started coming to church again a couple of weeks ago! It is amazing to me the impact that small and simple things can make.
I've been reading Jesus the Christ slowly over the past few months and one part really stuck out to me this week. There were a couple of men that approached Christ and told Him they were willing to follow Him. It says "Jesus had indicated the self-denial, privation and suffering incident to devoted service, with the result that the man's enthusiasm was soon spent." I found that so interesting and well worded. I don't think any of us really understand the phrase "take up your cross and follow me" until we are hit with such hard challenges and choices where we have a clear choice: Christ or short-term comfort. They are often not synonymous.
I love all of you tons and miss you so much! Have a good week!
Love,
Sister Bren Scadden