I don't know why my stuff keeps not posting... Here's from last week...
This week was incredible. SO many things happened! I wish I could just video record my whole life and then send it to you guys to watch. There's no way I can put it all in writing, but I will try to explain some of the highlights!!
Okay, first of all this week was Thanksgiving, obviously. It was fantastic. It was an interesting day because we don't usually have time "off" as missionaries, but we had the whole day off so it was crazy. Started out the morning with some Turkey Bowl and some relaxing. La familia Ramirez absolutely loves the missionaries so they always invite us over (remember that picture I sent, with the boy who is preparing to go on a mission? Julio? It's his family). Hna Ramirez also just happens to be the best cook this side of the Mississippi, so that's a plus. Anyway, we went over to their house on Thanksgiving and had dinner! We went over there around 3:00 for dinner and it was DELICIOUS. Oh my gosh. Ham, turkey, stuffing, potatoes. Mom, it had nothing on your Thanksgiving, of course, but it was dang good. After dinner we had a little bonfire at their house and got to talk and sing and just have a good time. Also, we got to wear jeans so I felt like a normal person, it was super weird. Around 7:00 all the missionaries in our stake went to the church and we got to play soccer! No big deal but I was pretty good. The Seahawks were playing at that time, so I was repping them as we were playing. My team won! Soccer and football, or futbal and football. Hahah anyway, Thanksgiving was just all around great!
Okay, now the real exciting part. On Saturday, KIM GOT BAPTIZED. Holy cow, I can't even describe the feelings seeing her get baptized!!! There's a song that says "the greatest sound I've ever loved to hear, is the sound of water running in the church. As someone I've come to love got dressed in white, my eyes saw their first glimpse of heaven's light" That's how I felt! I know that Kim made her first covenant with Heavenly Father by being baptized by someone who holds the proper authority of God!! She conversion is truly amazing. She used to not believe in God, she hated when the missionaries would come over, and she never came to church or read her scriptures. Now she is baptized and confirmed a member of the true church and has received the Holy Ghost as a constant companion in her life. Yesterday we went over to her house to see how she was doing and to invite her family to an FHE at a members home and she was telling us how her family went out to eat, but she didn't because she wanted to keep the Sabbath Day holy! That's true conversion. I got to speak at her baptism on The Gift of the Holy Ghost. Even in my broken Spanish I could feel the Spirit, and I know she could too! Also, Hermana Castrillon, Graham, and I all sang her A Child's Prayer, which is her favorite church song!! It was an amazing day and she had so much support from the YW and whole ward!!
On Sunday she was confirmed and received the Holy Ghost. That was my favorite part. The feeling was palpable!! Kim told us afterward that she felt really great when she received the gift of the Holy Ghost!! The sacrament meeting was focused on missionary work this Sunday and so I got to speak in Sacrament meeting too! All the missionaries in the ward took different parts in teaching the first lesson- The Restoration. Someone talked about The Savior's Earthly Ministry, someone else spoke on The Great Apostasy, and so on. My topic was The Restoration itself, so I got to share the First Vision and talk about the restoration of the Priesthood and it was awesome! I loved loved it. There are lots of kids in our ward so it was kind of loud and noisy until I started reciting the First Vision. Then everything went silent and the Spirit was touching everyone's hearts, and some people's eyes. It was powerful! I love the Spirit so much!! After my part, all the missionaries sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer (La Oracion del Profeta)!
On Sunday she was confirmed and received the Holy Ghost. That was my favorite part. The feeling was palpable!! Kim told us afterward that she felt really great when she received the gift of the Holy Ghost!! The sacrament meeting was focused on missionary work this Sunday and so I got to speak in Sacrament meeting too! All the missionaries in the ward took different parts in teaching the first lesson- The Restoration. Someone talked about The Savior's Earthly Ministry, someone else spoke on The Great Apostasy, and so on. My topic was The Restoration itself, so I got to share the First Vision and talk about the restoration of the Priesthood and it was awesome! I loved loved it. There are lots of kids in our ward so it was kind of loud and noisy until I started reciting the First Vision. Then everything went silent and the Spirit was touching everyone's hearts, and some people's eyes. It was powerful! I love the Spirit so much!! After my part, all the missionaries sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer (La Oracion del Profeta)!
Ahh okay, no more time. There is so much more I wish I could say but I can't. Know that I love you all and am always praying for you!! Don't forget about me. Pray for the missionaries and this amazing work.
Con Amor,
Hermana Rutherford