What a week of miracles! I guess I should break the news slowly...I did not get transferred. This is my fourth transfer in Barrio 9, and I am so happy! I love the people here, and I really didn´t want to move. By the end of this transfer, I will have been in Barrio 9 for almost 6 months! If you asked me in the beginning of my first transfer if I wanted to be here for 6 months, I would have laughed in your face. But honestly, I never want to leave! I love the people here, and I love the other missionaries too. Not one of the 14 of us moved! That´s a miracle. Anyway, sorry to burst your bubble, but I am still here training Hermana Adair in Barrio 9!
Anyway...week of miracles. On Monday, I cut all of the Elder´s hair. They all look so guapo. I am so proud of myself. Honestly, if all that I get out of my mission is a back-up career as a hairdresser, I´ll be golden!
A couple of weeks ago, we contacted a lady in the street named Daisy. She had two kids with her, Noelia (5) and Mateo (6 months). She was interested in our English classes that we teach on Friday nights. We told her that she was welcome to come and bring her whole family! The next week, she was there with her two kids and husband, Gonzalo. We started teaching them every week before English classes in the church. We didn´t know where they lived, and they were really starting to enjoy our lessons just as much as the English classes, which is a problem because we needed to make sure that they actually live in our area. They invited us to come over to their house during the week to learn more about the gospel, and we were disappointed to find out that they live JUST out of our area. We can see their street from our area. We were really sad because they were progressing so well and moving right towards baptism. We had a strong, strong feeling to give them to Elder Levorsen and Elder Bybee. We taught them one last time at their house. We taught them "The Gospel of Jesus Christ" and invited them to be baptized on the 26th. They accepted. This is a miracle in itself! That´s two weeks from now. But, the biggest shocker was when Gonzalo told us that he is actually a member! He has been inactive for about 12 years. WE HAD NO IDEA. He really loved having us over and knew that it was a miracle and not a coinsidence that we contacted his wife in the street. He wants the blessings and peace that the gospel brings in his home. AND, more than anything, he wants his family to be sealed in the temple and live together forever. After giving the family to the Elders, Hermana Adair and I felt so peaceful. We knew that they were the right missionaries for them. We trust them. I am so grateful that we have worthy Elders who we can trust with this precious family. Daisy and Gonzalo are progressing more than ever. They come to every activity that Barrio 3 has and are still planning to be baptized on the 26th. I know that this is the work of the Lord and therefore, is a work of big, giant miracles. Heavenly Father places people in our path when we pray for those experiences. Sometimes it feels like He is literally guiding us by the hand and pokes us super hard in the stomach when we need to talk to a certain person on the street, and I am so grateful for those promptings. Without them, we never would have found Daisy and Gonzalo. Because of those promptings, Daisy and Gonzalo can have an eternal family and the peace that the gospel brings.
Also, Eudelia has a firm date for next Saturday! We had a quick scare because she kept saying that she wasn´t ready. She keeps saying that she needs to learn more before she is baptized. We keep telling her that we have been members for years and years and still don´t know everything! She doesn´t believe us. I have been praying about her, not knowing what to do, but felt that I needed to keep bringing up the 19th and prompting her to get there. She´s 70 years old and a little stubborn, if you know what I mean. On Saturday, we had a baptism in our ward, and President Jackson came. Eudelia was there also, so I introduced her to President, adding in that she was going to be baptized next week. Thank heavens for him. He was so animated and excited for her, and I think it really helped her to feel good about it. That night, we talked to her with a member, Maria Elena. THANK HEAVENS FOR MEMBER PRESENT LESSONS. Members are often times more blunt and bold than the missionaries, and in this situation, it was perfect. Eudelia needed the push. She picked Danny, Maria Elena´s son to baptize her and all. I am so, so happy. Look out for some awesome baptism pictures next week!
This week, Barrio 3 had an AWESOME culture activity on Saturday night. Every country represented in their ward had a table with lots of trinkets, and they each had a dance prepared. Latins LOVE LOVE LOVE to dance. It´s amazing. They are all so good! All of the missionaries came and put together a table as well. We all got up and sang "The Star Spangled Banner". Then, because we didn´t have anything else planned, the people of the ward played "Mud on the Tires" by Brad Paisley, and then made all of us get up and do the "twist" in front of everyone. Only the Latin culture could make 14 missionaries get up and do the "twist" in front of 200 people! It was one of the funniest/most embarrassing moments of my life. The people here REALLY love the fact that none of us can dance.
Also, I gave my first talk in Sacrament meeting this week! I think it went pretty well.
So, all in all, that´s it! Mom, you can share the Daisy and Gonzalo story for the ward bulletin. I think that´s the biggest miracle I´ve seen so far! Just, check for spelling mistakes. I find that my English is starting to get really horrible and I can´t spell anymore. I tried to spell messages the other day and literally couldn´t do it. I kept spelling it with a j (because in Spanish, it´s mensajes).
I LOVE THE PICTURES OF HUNTSVILLE! I´m going to print them out because everyone always asks me what Huntsville looks like!
Love you all!
Hermana Endicott
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