Parseltongue and a Wacking Stick

So now for my week (just some highlights): Monday: we had FHE with one of my favorite families in our ward. They have the cutest little kids!! Tuesday: nothing too exciting. did a lot of knocking to find people but not too many people were home Wednesday: WE GOT BIKES! I'm not too sure yet if i should really be excited about that or nervous. Walking takes forever so this should pick things up a bit for the upcoming week for us. So the good news was that we got bikes because a member is letting us use them but the bad news is that we didn't have helmets so we couldn't use them yet. Also my companion's tire is flat so we have to fix that first before we can do anything. Thursday: we were running around all day. literally running. I was so tired when we got home but we were trying to get everything prepared for our baptism on Saturday so that was pretty crazy. Later that night we got to go to temple square with our investigator Elva who was the one getting baptized on Saturday. Friday: haha. So I'm gonna tell you a story but don't freak out. I never imagined myself in a scary movie but if i was ever in one it would probably go a little something like this. (so it wasn't funny then but its really funny now haha): so we went over and taught one of our investigators at like 6 pm so pretty early. anyway her name is Julia and we have been working with her for about 2 weeks now and trying to get her to go to church but she is super catholic. anyway we went over and taught her about the restoration and the Book of Mormon. we invited her to pray specifically to know if the Book of Mormon is true (she had been reading it already) and if Joseph Smith was a prophet of god, and if the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. that specifically and she did, that specifically. then we stayed kneeling on the floor and testified that she was feeling the spirit confirming that everything she had prayed about was true. Then she looked into my companions eyes and said sister would you believe me if i told you i speak in tongues but that i cant understand it? and sister picuasi said yes, you know like the gift of tongues that my companion (me) has because she is learning Spanish. and then she started like shivering but it was super hot in that house and then her body started shaking and she started speaking something that sounded like parsletongue (sp) from Harry Potter haha. anyway we called the elders over right away because that was definitely not the holy ghost haha. so they came over and gave her a blessing and cast out whatever it was that was in that room. The priesthood is super strong. it was an interesting experience that definitely increased everyone's faith in that room. Saturday: ELVA GOT BAPTIZED!!! :))))) Sunday: one funny story really quick-we were walking down a sidewalk and there was another woman with a tiny dog and she was carrying like a stick (painted and decorated...i have no idea why she was carrying a stick...random). anyway we were walking in opposite directions and i wasn't even going to approach her because we were going to another appointment but as we walked past each other she wacked me with her stick on my arm and cussed at me haha. i thought it was really funny and was more surprised it happened then anything haha. So that was my week. I hope everything is going well at home. I love and miss you all!

First transfer (sorta) and New Address

This week was really busy because we had transfers. I didn't get transferred out of the area but I did move apartments. I live in a super nice apartment now that is right next door to the chapel. BUT in exchange for that, they took away our car. No worries the Lord is providing the energy for us to have to walk to our appointments. And its good for me to be walking off all of these tortillas that I've been eating here but I'm happy to say that I've been able to maintain my weight and haven't gained a pound yet. My new address is 3195 S 300 E #16 Salt Lake City, UT 84115. This week we ran into an amazing family from Honduras. They have 4 kids and are awesome! We love them so much! We are teaching them right now and they are receptive so we'll see how this goes. We hope to be able to take them to temple square on Friday. Also they invited us to their 16 year old daughters birthday party the other day and gave us such delicious food and we met one of their friends. He seemed like he was just flirting with us the whole time so we tried to get away from him buuut we realized that more than that, people are attracted to the light that they see in us as missionaries so they are naturally drawn to us. So that was saturday night. On sunday after church (we have church in the morning) we were walking and on our way to some appointment and we saw him walking towards us so we talked to him. He asked us if we were going to church because he wanted to come with is so we were like YUP LETS GO! haha. That rarely happens that we have someone want to come to church with us...that is probably the biggest struggle we have here. So we walked back to church with him (it was around 1:10) and we sat through an english ward (he spoke both english and spanish). Those talks were amazing!I almost thought that they were written just for me and for no one else. He loved sacrament meeting and then after we went in to the gym area for a while so we could talk because it was pretty crazy in the hallway. We taught him right there and invited him to be baptized on August the 18th and he said YES!!!!!! So I'm pretty sure he's going to my first baptism here in this area and I am so happy for him! It's amazing how the Lord works and puts people in your pathway. So that was the most exciting thing that has happened this week. Other than that, I am working harder and putting forth as much effort as I can on my end and then I know the Lord will provide. I love a quote that the Bishop read yesterday that his mission president told him "A good missionary finds a way, the other finds an excuse". I know that there are tons of prepared people here and I am excited to help them find their way.

First Baptism!

Rinna wrote me a letter! Here is a little excerpt of it! "As far as the mission goes, things are going great! There is a lot of work to do in Salt Lake City. Today we went street contacting at the Pioneer Day Parade. Pioneer Day is a huge event...aka the biggest holiday in Utah. So hot but good. Guess who I ran into there?!! Ashley Jordan (Sister Foulger's niece) and Chase Faldmo! He got back like 2 weeks ago. Other than that we git transfer information today (I can't believe it's already been 6 weeks already!). So I'm staying with my companion in our area but we're moving apartments so I still have to pack everything up. So send letters to the mission office. 3487 S 1300 E SLC, UT 84106 I'll send my new address when I get it. So basically we have to pack everything up and then we find out where we're going tomorrow. Other than that guess what?! My first baptism is on August 19 and my second one is on August 20!! So excited! I love you and miss you a lot! Love, Hermana Adorable"

Rinna with Elva Alba (her first baptism)