July 30, 2013 - Apparently Sister RM's have a "twinkle"?

Every single day for the past week our investigators, members, and senior missionaries have given me and my companion marriage advice. Elder Scott, the senior missionary in our area, told me that sisters have a "twinkle" and that he gives me 3 months before I am married. I chose to be offended. Only 6 months out, people. Chill. Then a member told me that he'll pay me a $1000 a month for the rest of my life if I stay and marry his son. I told him I would think about it.

 

HEY FAAAAAAAMMMMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLYYYYYYY!

SUCH  a crazy week!! Our air conditioning is still broken so we are living with the bishop and his wife so we don't die in our oven of our apartment. They are talkers. We go in every night and they proceed to tell us every thing going wrong in the ward that I don't think we are supposed to know. But they're super kind for letting us live with them and I have never been so grateful for air conditioning in my ENTIRE LIFE. Transfers were last week and we found out that they are adding Arabic, Laotian, and Mandarin speaking areas! We FREAKED OUT! One of the elders in our area went from a Spanish missionary to an Arabic missionary, which is nuts! In our small mission we have 7 languages now! English, Spanish, ASL, Arabic, Laotian, Mandarin, and Tagalog. Bananas.

Damian got baptized on Sunday! Baptisms are stressful haha. I prayed so hard that the ward would show up and show their support for Damian and the Garcia family (The Garcia family is a cute family who the elders are working with-yeah eternal families!!). The ENTIRE ward came-and brought a bunch of Mexican food:) The spirit was so strong and I will never forget the feeling of watching Damian get baptized. He came back up with the hugest smile on his face and I cried like a baby. (I will have you know that I sang "Our Saviors Love" at the baptism and I did not cry, which I consider a major accomplishment.). He insisted on wearing white skinny jeans in the baptismal font...I was so proud.

The best feeling in the world, though, was knowing that I had nothing to do with his conversion process. I'm learning that a lot. It's not my words, not my influence, not my lessons. I thank Heavenly Father every single night for letting me watch this amazing 21 year old go from smoking and drinking to wanting to get the priesthood and go on a mission. You know, every transfer I have learned a huge lesson. Right now I am in the process of humility haha and let me tell you-it's a looooooooooooong lesson that I need to learn. I never realized how selfish I am or how prideful I am! I was always "It's all about me" and I am realizing that nope, definitely not about me. DEFINITELY not about me. The weird thing is, is that happiness comes when you realize that it's not about you....

Our ward mission leader brought us donuts and diet cokes for coordination the other day and I almost wept with great joy.
We got a message from the AP's that Elder Ballard (aka "Grandpa" or "Elder Baller") is coming to the mission tomorrow!!! I am SO STOKED!! So tomorrow we are making another drive to the city. I'm excited to see some mission friends again. The mission president emailed everyone and said that we all had to "look good, and repent, because he shakes everyone's hand and stares into their soul". I'm not joking about that last part. My companion is freaking out because she doesn't know what to wear.
We were invited to talk with the youth in the ward about missionary work-man can I just say how much I LOVE the youth!? A lot of them come from families whose parents don't go to church, so they don't have a lot of support at home. I am constantly amazed by the strength and power that youth have and it makes me sad that they don't see their influence. They don't realize that people really do see their example, and are always curious. We talked a lot about standing as a witness, and doing so boldly-because the more the world mocks our standards, the bolder we must become. It was one of my favorite things I have done as a missionary!!
Favorite quote of the week said by our bishop directed towards me and my companion-"You two are the happiest white people I know. You are scaring away all the mopey Mexicans".

Hey, I love you all!! I hope all is well in the motherland:) I pray for you always!
With all my heart,
Hermana Hess