LOVES OF MY LIFE!
The entirety of the Valley is preparing for earthquakes. It was super hot last week and this week it's super cool (like, in the 70's. People are wearing coats.....). Apparently weather like this is signs of earthquakes. I hope one happens. Check that off the bucket list of LIFE.
I can't believe I just started out my letter talking about the weather.
Hey hey HEY family!! How is life?? Is it still snowing? I tell a lot of the people we teach that it's snowing in my hometown. They usually reply with confused looks on their faces and then say "what's snow?". Welcome, everyone, to El Centro. I can't WAIT to talk to you on Sunday!! I'm not sure when I will, but I think I'll either call or text you the night before or early in the morning and we'll set up a time. It's gonna be great.
This week FLEW by! I can't believe it's already P-day. We were super busy! The elders gave us a list of 45 people in their ward that speak Spanish (side note, I am not a fan of English wards that offer translation. No one comes to the ward they're supposed to. Gah.) that they want visited so we spent a lot of the week finishing that up. We taught a bunch of really cool people and met a lot of nonmembers so it was a blast. We also had doors slammed in our faces, people screaming Spanish swear words at us and even a dog chasing after us. That was not a blast. No it was not.
It's been a busy and hard week. Our investigators kept dropping appointments and none of them have been keeping commitments. It's super frustrating. This week I kept thinking "What am I NOT doing that is keeping these people from progressing?". It was rough. Trying to lift up struggling members, investigators who have no desire to change their lifestyle because it's "easier", a companion that is coping with depression and, bless her heart, is sad and tired all the time, and getting down on myself because I don't know what more I can do. It was one of those "How Am I Supposed To Lift All These People Up When I Am So Broken Myself" week. Then I remember that I am a Hess and Hess' don't break. I think our family has been called to LIFT, and I needed to remember that this week. I've felt my shoulders become strengthened through fasting and prayer on my part, and the prayers of you all. So thank you Mom and Dad and Michael and Cory and David and everyone else for teaching me that no matter how tough it is, the business of lifting others will always bring joy. Besides, life is better when you wake up your companion at 6:20 in the morning singing, "OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MOOOOOOOOOOORNING" and dance around the apartment blasting MOTAB. I have fun.
Wanna know my favorite part of being a missionary? Promising blessings. This week we taught a family returning from being less active. They have SUCH a desire to follow God and have so much faith, it makes my heart clench with just plain joy when I talk to them. We taught them the law of tithing. This family is on welfare and neither of them have jobs, so it was a big concern for them, especially because they have 4 kids. But all of the sudden I just felt the spirit literally RUN through my veins, and I opened my mouth and the words "The most important thing to God is the family. We promise that if you make an effort to pay tithing and follow the commandments of God, you and your husband will find work. You will not have to worry about your family. God will take care of you". It was such a cool moment that tears came to my eyes! Being a mouthpiece of the Lord is SO SHOOT DANG COOL!!!! Miracles, people. They happen every day.
Yesterday we went to go teach an investigator couple, but they weren't home. Their daughter answered the door and invited us in so we began teaching her the restoration. When we said the first vision, she started to cry. She said "I don't know what this feeling is, and I can't describe it, but I feel like my burdens have been lifted and I have this new-found inspiration and motivation for my life." IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER. We told her that that feeling, that indescribable feeling, was the Spirit working through her, testifying to her of the truthfulness of our message. Her name is Marlene and she's 18 and SO PREPARED! She's so open to our message and I just saw the JOY enter her eyes when she felt the spirit for the first time. It's all about the eyes (right, dad?). I can't wait to teach her again. Meeting her was a major tender mercy, because we were pretty bummed out about our investigators never answering their door. Holla. She's gonna go on a mission.
Sometimes when I don't know the Spanish word I say it in English but with a Spanish accent and hope for the best.
Sometimes I cook tortillas on the grill and slather it with nutella and make a nutella quesadilla. It's the perfect blend of mexican and french cuisine!
Sometime I eat an entire jar of nutella in a week.
Have an amazing week and I'll TALK TO YOU ON SUNDAY! Woot! I love you all so much! More than you realize. You mean more than the world to me.
Your loud and grateful daughter,
Hermana Hess
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