Oh the joys of this work!‏

From:	Callie Horton (callie.horton@myldsmail.net)
Sent:	Mon 1/06/14 9:13 AM

Hello everyone!

 

Well I have my new companion now! Her name is Hermana Pratt and she is from Orem, UT. She has been out a transfer less than me. She actually took my place in Midlothian and has been there the last 3 transfers so it has been so much fun to hear about old investigators and everything there! She is great. But I have definitely noticed how much being in a Spanish ward blesses your Spanish. Her Spanish is great! But I have also had a realizing moment of I don't know how my Spanish is where it is with being in an English ward haha. But I love the Mechanicsville ward soo much! They are so great! Just seeing the way that they welcomed in Hermana Pratt reminded me of when I first came. First off, I remember thinking about how I don't know how to interact with white people anymore, but I just felt so much love for them instantly. They aren't too hard to love though. It will be a sad day when I have to leave this ward and this area, so until then, I am so grateful for the amazing people in this area! Everyone that we've visited, Hermana Pratt just says, "Man they're so great! They're just like those people that you meet and you just instantly love them so much!" Its the truth. We have some of the greatest investigators ever.

 

Filiberto now has his official baptismal date! It is going to be on the 26th and he is going to get baptized in the Spanish branch. Oh and the most perfect thing ever happened! Hermana Bingham got transferred there!! So now we can send investigators there that want to be in a Spanish ward with confidence that they will know someone! We were so excited when President Wilson announced where she would be serving. I seriously halfway stood up and almost joined her and her new companions hug I was so excited! And then I proceeded to cry because of just how perfect this was haha. But anyways Filiberto is doing awesome! He has met Hermana Pratt before when he attended the Chesterfield Spanish ward once and when he went there to practice for singing at the zoo. So we were talking to him on the phone the other night and I told him who my new companion was, and this was his reaction: "HERRRRMANA PRATT!!! Let me talk to her!" Haha. He's a gem. We can't wait until he finally make the covenant of baptism. He is so ready. I can't believe that it is finally happening!

 

We had a super amazing lesson with Enrique the other day! Hermana Bingham and I both were impressed to read Alma 5 with them. We were kind of apprehensive about it because that chapter just sounds like a lot of rebuking. And then she leaves me and my first night with my new companion, we teach that to them. It ended up being soo good! The Lord really does know what he's doing. We had a member with us who is just so amazing, but she doesn't know any Spanish, which ended up being so good because since she isn't trying to pay as much attention to what is being said, she is paying so much more attention to the investigator's reactions and the feeling that is in the room. Enrique always likes to hear the testimonies of people that haven't always had this gospel in their lives. So when we asked if he had any questions, he asked her how her life has been different with the gospel and if its made her happier because she was inactive for 20 years of her life. She came out with such a powerful testimony and couldn't even make it through without crying. After the lesson, he went and hugged her. I was AMAZED. 2 people that could barely communicate with each other were able to feel love for the other because of the Spirit. This just brought me back to my blessing when I got set apart. President Davies said something about being about to communicate with the people and when necessary, use words. Feeling love is so much more than just the words that we say. If we can help them feel the Spirit, then we will be communicating with them in ways that will touch them so much deeper than our words. Gah being a missionary is the best!!

 

I hope that you are all trying to share the gospel is one way or another. There is no greatest happiness or rush. And yesterday at church we were talking about how one of the greatest ways to strengthen your faith is to share it. That is why so much growth happens on a mission. We are sharing our faith every single day. I hope that I will be able to come home and still be able to share the gospel with people. This work is so precious and so wonderful!

 

I hope you all have a great week!! The best week ever! I love you all!! Hakuna matata!

 

And now I close mine epistle. I am Hermana Horton.