... For Such a Time as This: ...that was the sweetest moment I've had on my mission

So wow, where to even start?! First off, the Mejia family has the most special place in my heart. I was filled with so much joy this week because of them. So on Tuesday we had exchanges (I went to lake nona with Sister Ward and had the greatest of times!) and while Sister Brooks was here she went over the baptismal questions with johanna and Barbara. When they went over tithing johanna said, "So sometimes I get 5 dollars a week and sometimes I don't get any so I'll just pay a dollar every week to be safe". Haha my heart! She's the softest most mature 12 year old. We did a temple tour with the girls and their mother Maria on Friday night and it got a lil long, but they enjoyed it. Maria's comin around and keeps bearing her testimony about knowing this is the true church and how happy she is. Johanna sat in back with me in the car and she was looking at the ctr ring she had just gotten before the tour and she looked up with me with the most sincere look and said, "This is so special. Thank you!" I'm not even kidding, that was the sweetest moment I've probably had on my mission. Moments like those make it so worth it. Saturday morning Maria called us all stressed and asked for us to come help her make the tamales. I think we made 200+ tamales and they were divine! Imma get the recipe haha. call me latina.

The baptism couldn't have gone more smoothly. The members of the St.Cloud ward helped us SO much and the spirit was really powerful. When Johanna exited the font and we wrapped the towell? around her she bowed her head and started weeping on my shoulder. Barbara had to be baptized like 4 times cause the guy had 2 knee replacements and the water had drained a bit. She was super flustered, but still happy. Sister Brooks and I gave the message of the restoration to all present. In english... Yeah I don't have the first vision memorized in english, I would have been a lot more comfortable in spanish, but I memorized it all weekend and it turned out well haha. It was incredible though!! After the whole thing when everyone was mingling Johanna pulled sister Brooks and me aside and said, "I just want to thank you for all you've done for my family! It means so much to me and I can't imagine if you'd never come to our house". AHHHH missions are the best things ever! The church is true. Maria also shared her testimony with everyone. Yeah, she and her boyfriend are totally next! And the girls were confirmed on Sunday.

So Thursday everything was falling through and we had just about made it through all of our backups in the evening.. We stopped by Jon, the one whose Mom died the day before we met him. He's totally avoiding us. We then saw the cutest Korean woman dressed to the nines struttin down the sidewalk so we trapped her and talked to her. So she's a missionary all by herself and that's her life dream. She left her husband because he didn't believe in a God. She's living with a lady who does bible studies and the night before we met her she asked them to pray for her to meet 2 missionaries. Yeah, there aren't coincidences. She was the cutest lil thing and I was amazed at her faith. She'd be the greatest member missionary. When we set a timed camera up, she goes, "I luh Jesus!" hahaha I coulda died.

Jesus and Nancy Avila have bailed on us 3 times in a row this week and we're getting super sad that they don't want to meet with us anymore.. We've been focusing on meeting with 2 members for a short period every day and that's been a slight fail for the spanish branch hahaha. The conversation we had the other day: "I can't meet with you tmoorrow." "Oh darn, can we set a time on Sunday for next week" "No I'm going on vacation" "Where you goin?" "Home sweet home"... Pfff haha blow to the face. We also went to see a less-active and he wouldn't let us in cause USA was playing Portugal. Priorities.

Gotta run, but I loves you all! keep being missionaries and sharing this glad message with EVERYONE!!!

Hermana Jackson