A week of Ups and Downs.

Hello Family and friends! I hope this past week was so great for all of you.

Like the title of this email states, this week was a week of ups and downs.

Lets first talk about the downs....

This week was a week of discouragement. When sister Lindsey and I first got to this area, we both had really good feelings about it. We felt like God was just waiting to pour out blessings upon us, but we also felt like we would really have to work hard if we wanted them. Well, anyways... other missionaries have been witnessing miracles upon miracles and Sister Lindsey and I were getting so discouraged because we felt like we weren't the recipients of any miracles. I was getting really frusterated. but then I realized how we felt at the beginning. I realized we haven't been working as hard as we could, I also feel like we haven't been as obedient as we could. It's not like we are DISobedient, but there is always room to improve right?

I also made a realization this week. I was so mad at myself because I felt like I didn't love my mission. I want to so badly, but I couldn't help but find myself envying those who had already gone home, or who were preparing to leave. I would sit and think about how life will be when I get home. I would imagine seeing my family and what I will do with them when I am done. And I realized that my life is one big countdown. And that's not what I want! I want to LOVE my mission and my investigators.

So this week as I had those few things working against me, you can imagine how down I was feeling. Then, (cue the ups) like always, my mom seemed to be an answer to my prayers. She sent me a letter of encouragement and told me that she knew I was doing great things and that I never needed to fear that I was alone. She always knows what to say...

So I had a nice chat with Heavenly Father. I told Him that I wanted to love my mission. I didn't want to wake up and dread knocking on the doors that I knew were gong to be slammed in my face. I didn't want to feel like it was a burden to talk to everyone. And I made a promise to Heavenly Father that I would be dilligent and work hard if he would bless me with the miracles to keep me going.

And guess what!?

He did!

This week we were finally able to meet with Cecilia! She is a woman we found contacting a few weeks ago. She was really sweet and said we could come back but cancelled twice. We were finally able to meet with her Sunday morning and she is SO PREPARED! She told us about how the only reason she let us come back was because she felt bad for us. But we visited her Friday night just on a whim and went in for just a minute. She said she felt like what we had to say was important and at that point really wanted to hear what we had to say. She told us that she had been to Temple Square in Salt Lake City, and that when she went she felt something "different" She said, "I felt something completely different there than at the Catholic Chuch. It was a feeling of peace, and a place where she could feel the spirit of God." She then proceeded to tell us about her friend that had recenlty joined our church who had a hard life. She said that afer she "became Mormon" she seemed so much happier and that it was probably because of the church. We testified to her that the peace she felt WAS indeed the spirit and that she could feel that all the time. We are meeting with her again this week and giving her a church tour!

I know that God does indeed place prepared people in our paths!!! That we have to talk to everyone in order to find the prepared few.

Also, another funny/cool story that happened. Last night, Sunday night, we were visiting some Less Active's in our ward and there was no answer. I felt prompted to diverge from our plans that we had and to try to visit some Part Member Familes in our area. So we looked to see who we could visit and we came across the name Jose and Lisa Garcia. Jose was the member and Lisa was not. So we decided to stop by. As we knocked on the door, Jose answered and had a look of confusion on his face and said, "Uhh... not who I was expecting..." And so me and Sis. Lindsey looked at each other and asked who he was expecting? He told us the male missionaries were coming at 8:00pm (it was 7:30). We were really confused because we were in OUR area, and the elders wouldn't just come into our area and teach a Part Member Family without telling us... would they???

*Side note*

We share a ward with 2 other sets of missionares, a set of Elders and a set of sisters. So the ward is split into 3 areas. We don't cross boundaries unless we are visiting an active member, and we always tell the missionaries whos area we are in when we are there so that we don't both show up to the same house... awkward.

*Side note #2*

We also share ward boundaries with the Spanish ward because there are SOOO many spanish speaking people in our area. So a lot of the time we run into the spanish elders. Because sometimes people who speak Spanish come to the English ward, then switch or vice versa, so we have repeats.

So anyways! We were thinking maybe the spanish elders are coming by? But when we asked the names of the elders, He said, "Sturgell and Bengtzon". They are the elders in our ward. We were SO confused. Then the elders call us and they realize where we are and that they will be there at 8. Then they show up, and it was just awkward.

BUT this is where the miracle happens.

Apparently sisters have never been able to get into thier house, so the elders tried. They were able to get in and have success in coming back. So they established with the last sisters that they would teach this family. Well then Sis. Lindsey and I white washed in and didn't know about this little arrangement. But as we left thier house, we were able to set a return appointment.

It was awkward, but I know that I was promted to go visit this family because they were already expecting missionaries.

I know that God blesses those who work hard and follow the spirit. I'm so grateful to be a missionary at this time.

I love this Gospel and I know that it is led by Jesus Christ!

I love you all and wish you all a happy week!!!!!

Love, Sister Bauer