And today begins the ever-awaited birthday week for dad! Don't worry, I didn't forget. People have been singing "Feliz Cumpleanos" for you since last Saturday.
Super good week! It started out with the last MTE of the season. I got to go back down to San Ysidro and Rio Otay to be with Hermana Oliver again:) It was SO cool to see how much she has grown and how she's changed. From brand new to over a year out. We became comps just about a year ago and it was the best to just go right back to work with her. It was so familiar yet way different and it was a good reminder that she wasn't the only one who has changed, but I guess I'm a little different as well. A year ago I was just barely three months out and she was fresh out of the MTC and as we look back on it, both of us just said "how in the heck did God TRUST us out there without supervision??"
Our area is starting to really pick up and it's the coolest to see how many prayers are getting answered! It strengthened my testimony of "waiting" and accepting God's timing. This week the Gonzales family actually cracked open the Book of Mormon and told us how their faith is growing so much! They're visiting their brother (who's a member) this weekend and he invited them to a baptismal service that they're having over there. Mayra made Arturo take off work so that everyone could go and see what a baptism is like!! I NEVER thought Mayra would instigate something like that. All the kids are wanting to get baptized soon, and when we asked Arturo (the dad), he just said "yeah!" super casually.....um WHAT?? DID YOU JUST SAY WHAT I THINK YOU SAID? Now all they have to do is get married. We talked about it a few weeks ago and they were totally opposed to it, but las Friday we went over and they're starting to actually make some plans. Whenever I think about it my mouth just drops to the floor and I just drop to my knees. Missionary work is miracle work. I can't even get over how good God is.
We've been teaching Lyanne and Gerardo for a little over a month and we saw some pretty crazy miracles with them as well! We taught Lyanne about the Book of Mormon and promised a TON of blessings and all she could say at the end was "wow....i think i need to read and pray. I actually want this answer now". And then an hour later when we saw Gerardo, we taught him a way powerful restoration lesson and he just look like he had a million things going through his mind the whole time. When we asked him what his thoughts were, he replied "I just need to have a loooong talk with God tonight. I have to know if this is true!". This is why I will never NOT want to be a missionary. Statements of total faith like that. Worth it.
We had our last Mission Leadership Council with the Claytons yesterday. It was pretty unforgettable, and a lot harder than I thought it would be haha. The spirit was super strong and it was definitely a sight to see 14 pairs of zone leaders and the mission presidency all in tears. There's a tradition where all of the departing missionaries bear there testimony at the end of the meeting so we got to hear it from President and Sister Clayton. We've heard their testimonies a thousand times, but it was never like this. President's was short, he looked at us all in the eyes and just said "I Know". It was two words but the most powerful testimony I've ever heard. We all knew that we were his, and that if there was a time where our testimonies wavered, we could always lean on the ones of President and Sister Clayton. That's what makes good leaders, people.
At the end of MLC yesterday President Clayton wrote the word "opposition" on the board. He said that these past few weeks have been rough for him, that Satan is angry with the work going on in the California San Diego Mission, and that Satan is attacking the mission more than he has ever seen. He looked at us and said "Look forward to opposition, it will make you mighty. Don't be afraid to repent, it will make you mighty. Work through the pain, it will make you mighty". When we return to the presence of Heavenly Father, we need to be mighty. Opposition is an incredible opportunity to become more like our Savior. Besides, we can't rise if we don't fall.
I love you! Be SO happy and know that people are praying for you over here in the promised land:)
All my heart,
Hermana Hess
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