The Best 18 Months!!: Fear Not, I am with Thee...

Hola mi familia bonita y amigos! Esta semana pasada fue muy bueno!Tuvimos un reunion con Elder Hamula y lo era muy espiritual! Elder Hamula darnos mucha ayuda para ser missioneros buenos y como tener exito. El dijo que algo missioneros tienen la fe servir un mission pero este es no bastante. El dijo que necesitamos la fe tener exito en la mision y no solomente la fe servir un mision. Necesitamos hacer mas.
Some things I really like that he said were that we need to not hold onto anything from back home when we are on our missions. We need to forget and not worry about home. We just need to focus on the work and our purpose here. Going along with that I also liked that he said we need to learn to give up everything that we are for the Lord. Until we do that, we are at risk of spiritual death.
Also as part of the preparation for this training with Elder Hamula we read Elder Uchtdorf's talk entitled, "Fear Not I Am With Thee." Go and read it! It is an amazing talk and very powerful! I had the whole thing marked up! There is a story about missionaries in it but this talk is not just for missionaries. It's things we all need to hear.
So when we were getting trained by Elder Hamula all of the missionaries cars were being inspected. We have to clean and wash them every week and then wax them like every month. Well Hermana Mitchell and I were really busy so on the same morning of car inspections we had to wake up early to go wax it. Anyways, the companionship that has the cleanest car wins the "Gold Plates". It's this frame for the license plate and it's literally gold and says, "Gold Plates". Hermana Mitchell has wanted to win them her whole mission and she finally did. Haha! We won the gold plates! Haha, it's pretty silly but it was kind of a big deal.
Hey guess what?! I went on my second exchange this past week! Except, instead of me going to a different area I stayed here in Enumclaw!I stayed here and Hermana Mitchell left. Also the missionary that came here was Hermana Webb who entered the MTC with me. So yeah, two "greenies" aka new missionaries were left alone. And since it was my area I had to take charge. It was pretty interesting and fun. I was able to practice more of my Spanish because Hermana Webb and I are basically on the same level with the language.
We also had the baptismal interviews for Juan, Rosa, and Bryan and those were great! They are so rock solid!
We also had a dinner with them at the Ramos's home and Juan told me that one of the times we taught them I was talking about how once we know the truth we shouldn't wait to be baptized. I talked about how when we wait that just gives Satan time to change our minds and that by waiting we're holding ourselves back from receiving promised blessings from God. I also talked about the importance of acting when we know the truth.
Anyways, Juan told me that it really touched him and it helped him make the decision to be baptized!! I was so happy! Seriously, it made my day! It's moments like that that make the mission and all the little frustrations of trying to speak the language worth it! I know that as I work hard in learning the language that it will come but until then it's nice to know that the investigators are still feeling the spirit through my broken Spanish.

Oh and hey....the wind here in Enumclaw is CRAZY! I was literally being swept away! It was so cold but luckily it wasn't raining too. That was a tender mercy from the Lord. But really, the storm lasted for 48 hours and it's still supposed to last until tomorrow. There's trees and signs that have fallen down everywhere! Hopefully the destruction of the storm will give us some good opportunities for service though! :) The storm also made like all of Enumclaw lose power including our apartment. Bro. Blad was kind enough to bring us a propane gas lantern and tons of blankets and jackets to keep warm! Luckily, in the morning the power was back on so that was good!

I have so many scriptures I want to share with you guys but I'll just share one...

D&C 68:6 - "Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come."

This scripture has given me a lot of comfort and has also reminded me of my duty as a missionary. So many people think that Christ is just far away watching over us from Heaven. Also so many people think the same thing about God or they question if there even is a God. This scripture says that Jesus Christ will "STAND BY US" and it also says that He is the son of the "LIVING" God. I testify that Christ lives and God lives. They are not waiting on some cloud waiting for something to happen. Their hands are in everything and they are at work trying to help us return to them. The Gospel is true and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only church that contains the fullness of the Gospel. The Gospel is the only thing that will bring us eternal happiness. I am almost finished reading The Book of Mormon which will be the third time I've read it so far in my life but the first time finishing it on my mission. I love The Book of Mormon and would do anything to keep it safe. I am now understanding more about why the ancient prophets did everything to preserve the records and even gave there lives for it. Fear not, God is with you! Strengthen your testimony. Act and don't be acted upon. Share the Gospel with others, it's our duty.

I love you all and I hope blessings are sent your way!

I love you tons!

Hermana Soliz