Moline II - Week 1, Hermana Velazco

FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. the Lord is so merciful. I got my new trainee this week and i have been the happiest I  have been in awhile. 

In the weeks in between sending my papers in and receiving my call, I was sure I would be in South America. Sometimes the Lord knows us better than we give Him credit for....and grants us according to our desires.

Sister Dannia (Danya) Maria Velazco is the most adorable Hispanic I have ever met. She is from Mexico City south, but moved to Meridian, Idaho when she was 11 so she is fluent in both. SHE is training ME!!!! I already love her SOOOOO much (not to mention her CONSTANT spanish and mexican food lessons she is giving me: and it's only day 4!!!!!!!!) I am pretty sure she follows the Spirit better than I have ever known how. First day I took her finding like Sister Lloyd did for me and the second door she suggested was a man with two kids. She asked if she could share a message. He said yes and came out on his porch in the rain and it was SO AMAZING. She's legit. She trains ME in the third-hour-studies. I am so excited. 

She has such a heart for the Savior and missionary work. She is a natural at feeling the Spirit and has been so prepared to use it to bless others. She teaches better than I do, I think. I am so grateful to be her companion.

President gave us permission to leave our area and travel around the zone if need to find people to teach. My Spanish is flooding back. I am thrilled to be a kind-of hermana. :) A wanna-be one at least. We will mostly still be working in Moline (yes, mom, same address as the last three months) but might take some time to find some Latinos in the area............

We are running into some small issues in the ward. The bishop is supportive, but not as involved in missionary work as we would like. Home teaching and visiting teaching for our recent converts is not getting done and for a few of them the missionaries are their only support. One is even less-active do to her anxiety. 

Sister Velazco arrived, sensed the problem immediately, and she and I have been discussing how we can best help the word in their "retention efforts." We have committed to fast and ponder about the subject more intently, especially as we are more and more nervous about find Spanish speakers to teach. We want them to have support if hermanas are not consistent in this area.

 
We feel confident that the Lord can guide us in this portion of His vineyard. We are excited to be the ones chosen to work here!!!

 The first day, she taught the entire restoration by herself pretty much 

Some more news in the mission is that Elder Wright just went home. I am SURROUNDED my amazing support out here and from home. The missionaries in this mission are incredible. They are AMAZING people and amazing missionaries!!!! It is always sad to see good missionaries go home because you feel like the work will stop without their intense testimony..... :) but it never does. (Elder Wright was my district leader these past two transfers and this district got really close because of him) Can we make a District 3? I think so.

I feel somehow connected to Elder Jeff Sumsion and Elder Bennet Sumsion because I get to use a bit of your mission language. 

Love you both. grateful to be ...

HERMANA SUMSION!!!!!!!! :) 

Keep the Faith!!!!!

Second time around in Moline, Ill - this time with Hermana Velazco

Corn is so ready to harvest!