Mendiolas & Helen (June 25)

hey fam.

not much to report on this week... whitewashing is basically starting from nothing, so we're just working on getting things going. we have met with a lot of members... so fun to meet with entire families. :) there's such a strength of the spirit that comes in a family setting. also... i dunno. grown people are much less emotional. ha. :) i feel like i've become a lot less emotional/dramatic in my teaching because i'm teaching less emotional/dramatic people. plus, that's just sister brown's teaching style. she just says it like it is. :) she doesn't hesitate to say anything, either... she has no fear. its pretty great. and it's cool how you become a different missionary in every new situation... styles of teaching, contacting, and just working in general, have to be adapted to the circumstances.

i'm already in love with two of our people we're teaching: the mendiola family and helen. the mendiola family was the family that got baptized last weekend. they are the sweetest people... we still go to their house frequently, seeing as they still need new member lessons and donna (their mother) is yet to be baptized. every time we go over we just feel so much love from them, and on our last visit, sarah started crying because she felt the same thing: "i've just never felt so loved and supported in my whole life." and they really need it. especially sarah... she holds that whole family together. i dunno... this means so much less in typed words. i can't really do it justice. but its just amazing how you get to feel heavenly father's love for people. and how much you grow to love them personally. they've taken so much of my heart.

helen had a breakdown this week. she has had some serious struggles... i feel so bad for her. she tried to cancel our dinner appointment, but our incredible ward mission leader convinced her to come still. and she was really glad she did in the end. we shared the story in the book of mormon when the lord lightened the load of the people of alma, that they were able to bear their persecutions and submit cheerfully to their trials until the lord delivered them from bondage. it really hit home to her. (that's got to be one of the best passages in the entire book of mormon, by the way. mosiah 24.) the spirit was super strong, and she followed through on her commitment to attend church the next day. i think she's slowly starting to recognize that we are the help at the "end of her rope"... that heavenly father has allowed all of these trials to happen so that he could then place us in her path and show her the way out, the way to happiness and peace. i hope and pray that she will continue to work with us--she gives us hope quite easily. pray for helen.

yet again this week, we saw little clues and hints here and there with different people that have been such a testimony to both me and sister brown that this area really needs sisters... which is humbling and slightly daunting. it just means that there's a lot to do, and it can be difficult to know where to start, but we're trying!

hope you all had the chance to watch the world wide leadership training on sunday! that was pretty incredible. all of us "oldies" are wondering if the new technology changes are going to be put in place before we leave... i hope so! that's going to be epic. such a motivating meeting! i love re-boosts. :) 

i had two visits at the battalion this week! one from two of my deaf friends back home, and another from my branch president in the MTC!! SO FUN to see them all. :) my branch president is one of the most incredible leaders i know, and he majorly impacted my life. it was cool because sister rasmussen, sister riggs and i were all in the same district with him and we were all on shift together that night--so we took a three-man tour! :) that's never been done before, but we all wanted to do the tour for them together, and it actually worked pretty well! we had a blast. :)

think that's it. sure love you all. :) i hope you are taking opportunities to do missionary work. even in utah. :) there are plenty of less active people that really would come back to church if they were simply invited. i hope you'll all take the challenge to find someone who desperately needs the gospel, and invite them... to an activity, to church, to read a scripture, to watch a mormon.org video, anything. don't worry, if they don't accept the invitation, you were still successful!! you did your part! they need you. please try it. :) i promise you blessings. the cool thing about being a missionary is that you can promise people blessings. :)

xoxoxo

sister madsen