A Life of Service is a Life Worth Living and A Charity Dog

Banana Ninjas

 Well, here I am again at the computer writing an email. Is it just me or did this week go by incredibly fast? I am so thankful for all that we are able to do in the tiny weeks that we have.

This week.

Well is rained a lot. And we trudged through the lakes with our boots and our coats. NOBODY was outside, it was hilarious. We contacted a lot of wet dogs that day. Which reminds me.
I told you a couple weeks back that I was having a really hard time, and it never really left me. I wrote you a handwritten letter more about the experience but I just want to share with you something special.
We have a patio outside of our house, and in this patio, our neighbor´s little puppy snuck in over and over again to do it´s business. And I was beyond stressed one day and cleaned it all up, we went in to do a couple things, prayed, left again, and there was ANOTHER gift from the beloved dog. And that´s when my depression kicked in again, and I was ticked at this dog. I was mad. I let hate enter my heart for this dog.... so then we continue through the day and I am without purpose and disheartened and my dear companion helps me through it all (we LOVE her) and then the next day I see the dog again. And all these ugly feelings are in my heart and I take a rock and I throw it at him. And then I go inside and this feeling comes over me.... Why are you so angry at this little dog? And I realize that it isn´t the dog that has the problem... it´s me. So this rainy day we go to leave the house, and we see the dog cuddled up in our patio, trying to find protection from the rain. And it flees of fear when it sees me (with reason) and so then, something inside of my clicked in, I went and found a little blanket, but it in a dry spot under our roof, and poured some cereal for the dog. And then we went on our way. And really, this moment changed everything for me because all though it was rainy, my sadness was gone. It was awesome. God taught me a lesson through this little dog. We returned from the long wet day to see the dog cuddled up in the blanket, and let me tell you I was one happy camper. Peculiar as it is, we haven´t seen the dog since then. It no longer comes to visit us and do it´s business, nor has it been seen in the whole neighborhood. It´s almost like this dog was sent to test me, try me, and teach me patience and charity. and I am so grateful for it.

Something else awesome about this week is that we were able to serve a lot of people. There is a recent convert in our area that had his mom recently pass away, and he hasn´t been to church since. We pass by all the time to see if he is there and try to visit his family but nothing is really working. then one day we pass by and the recent convert had been washing his car, but left to the store or something in the middle of washing his car, so we ask his dad, hey can we leave the surprise for him of having washed his car and his dad was super shocked but said sure, and so we finished washing his car, and got wet and cold but our hearts were warm and happy.

Another experience is that yesterday we finished the day and we were going to close the gate but I felt really empty and I said to my comp, hey I don´t think that we are done with our work yet today and she said, we need to contact that lady we just saw pass by, so very quickly (cause it was almost nine thirty) we take off running to go find her, and then when we do find her, we realize it is one of our menos activos that is never in her house, so then we let her know that we love her and that the Lord loves her and helped convince her little granddaughter to get into the stroller and we walked back home with the BEST feeling in the world, the feeling of having done what God wanted us to do.

My comp is the best, the other day we were in our beds ready to fall alseep (we have bunk beds, I am on top she is on bottom) and she says to me, Hermana, you are like the sister that I never had (she only has one brother) and I say to her, thanks hermana you too... cause I am all sleepy and what not and then like a minute later she tells me.... but you have other sisters.... and then we laughed and laughed. That´s what the mission is all about, is that you have super hard times yourself and you pass through super hard times with your investigatores and menos activos but you come to know the love that God has for each and every one of us. and it is so awesome and so fun because we get to help and love others, and you do what God wants you to do, and you mess up sometimes and have to repent, but then you learn even more. I don´t know. I love the mission. It´s super hard! But I have decided to love it. And love the people. And that makes all the difference.

I'm in Mexico for sure!*Yo Comps*Hijos of the Mission Pres

We had a stake conference and the temple presidentes of Hermosillo are from Yakima! So that was cool to meet them. Also the daughter of President and Hermana M have a daughter that just got back from my friend Mccall´s mission and when I met her she told me, hey I have heard about you! and that made me feel good because I really think of them as my parents here.

Hermana Nelson and I!

Well, I love you a lot. look to serve and ALWAYS obey the promptings of the spirit.



until next week my loving family and friends,
hermana burton