Week #69 Empezando la Navidad!

Wow! This week was such an emotional roller coaster for me! Up, down, up, down, ALL week! It was good though!

I was so happy that we were able to teach a member who is going to start coming back to church! His name is Enrique and he came to church this past Sunday for the first time in a long time! It was so great! He even went and found and got out his scriptures that were in his garage and we believe he's reading because he had to go get them from his room in one of our lessons. He could only stay for the classes but hopefully he can come to all three hours next week! 

Then I was so worried for one of the members in the branch so I was praying that everything would be okay and it looks like everything is going to be alright. 

Then I was SUPER happy because I went on exchange to Enumclaw!! 

But then I was sad because it was only for the day and I wouldn't be staying :( It felt like I was going home and I had to mentally prepare myself so I wouldn't get attached. Then I was happy because I got to see some people I knew but at the same time sad because I didn't get to see others! Luckily, I was able to quickly talk to Juan Torres and Grandpa Blad on the phone. :)  

I was super happy because I got to see a lot of the hermanas at the Thanksgiving activity we had! I was especially excited to see Hermana Webb! :) 

So yeah lots of ups and downs but that's alright! Sigo adelante!

We spent Thanksgiving with the Sandoval family and it was so nice! Everything looked like it came out of a magazine! She had these cute and fancy dishes and a ton of food!Some of Hermana Sandoval's family and friends were there including the Barreto's and Hermana Zepeda from the branch. The family that we are teaching right now- Rojelio, Lourdes, and Cecilia also went and they really enjoyed it! They all really like the friendships they are making within the branch. :)

At the dinner everyone went around the room and said what they were thankful for. :) It was so sweet! :) I thought of many, many, many things but I was so overwhelmed with gratitude for my mission and for the people I am serving. I cannot explain in words how much true joy my mission has brought me. :) And even though the days keep passing and in a couple months I won't have a name tag I know that it won't be the end. My mission is something I will treasure forever and I am definitely going to work hard until I go home but really even when I go home I'll still be a missionary! Not a full-time missionary but my purpose will still be to bring others unto Christ! :) 

So my Thanksgiving was amazing and I hope you all enjoyed it too and ate a lot of yummy food! 

This coming Saturday we are going to have our branch Christmas party and program. For the program Hermana Lewis and I are going to sing the song "Oh pueblecito de Belen" so wish us luck!

This week was so great and I really feel like the Spirit helped me learn some important things I needed to know. This past Sunday during the second hour we were all combined and we learned about prayer! It was perfect because we just had a zone conference all about prayer! :) One thing I really liked that was said was that sometimes we ask God for answers and are expecting the answer to come in the way or form that we asked for it but many times the answer is right in front of our eyes. We just need to set aside our view and try to understand God's view so we can recognize it! 

I love you all so much! 

Hermana Soliz

  

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Our District with Brother M

Beautiful Mt Rainier

Week 68!

HOLA HOLA!!!!

To start I want to wish my beautiful sister a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I love you Brooklynn and have a great day! :) Stay warm too! I don't know how it is at home but it's cold here! 

Okay, So this week was so great like always! 

Hermana Lewis and I have been working hard to update all of the potentials and formers in our area books. We haven't exactly received linear blessings from it yet but we are definitely receiving blessings in other ways! 

Hermana Lewis and I are doing so good! We have a great companionship and I am so thankful for that! We really want to work hard to find people who are ready to be baptized and we are working to help Rogelio, Lourdes, and Cecilia to make that step! :) 

On Monday we had a family home evening with them in the Sandoval's home and it was perfect! Hermana Sandoval prepared this awesome lesson on how to improve our scripture study. Hermano Sandoval and Rojelio really got along well with each other! 

Then we had a Relief Society activity this past week and we learned how to make cinnamon rolls! They were so delicious :) but what was even better was that we had five non-members there! Lourdes and Cecilia went and so did a woman named Margarita and her two daughters! :) It was such a blessing! We've been visiting Margarita's family for a while and the husband shows the most interest so it was so great that they came to the activity! 

We also had our branch dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving and Rojelio, Lourdes, and Cecilia all came to that! Then on Sunday Rojelio and Lourdes came to church! That's their third time coming!! :) 

We also had a lesson with one of the Elder's investigators this past week. His name is Enrique and he is from El Salvador. He opened up to us about his past and how he ended up in the States. The things he's gone through and the trials he has had are horrible. I am so lucky that I was born in the States. We are truly blessed to live in America! Enrique has such a strong desire to be baptized and he knows that he is here for a reason! I'm excited to see how he progresses with the Elders! 

Hermana Lewis and I were going through the ward list one day and trying to visit members that we didn't know. One of them is a man named Enrique. So this is a different Enrique just to be clear. But yeah Hermana Lewis and I are so excited to teach him and help him come back to church! 

Zone Conference was this past Thursday and it was my last Zone Conference so that means that I got to share my testimony at the end with everyone. I hadn't even realized that it was my last zone conference until that morning when I was getting ready. Yeah I can't believe it actually happened. I kept thinking, "Maybe...if I don't share my testimony then I won't really be going home..." but being in denial doesn't change things. It was different because usually there is a big group of missionaries going home and all of the elders give their testimonies first and then the sisters. At this zone conference the only ones going home were me and Sister Lee! We couldn't believe it! But it was really great and I loved the topic! 

The entire zone conference was on prayer. President Eaton had said that he had always wanted to focus on prayer but that other topics came up and he was super excited to finally be able to do it. I learned too much to say right now,
but I just want you to know that God answers prayers! I invite you all to think of how you can improve your prayers and then see how it goes. You might be more specific, or you might write down your thoughts and impressions after praying. One thing I want to do better is to prepare for prayer. I want to think through everything that I want to pray for before doing it. I love you all!! 

Con mucho carino :) 

Hermana Soliz

Sister Lee and I, our last Zone Conference. 70 days left today!!

For you Mom!!

WEEK 67

So I want to start out by first telling you about a miracle that Hermana Lewis and I had. We needed to go find some new people to teach and we had no idea where to go. We thought through some options and then we prayed for guidance from the Spirit to know where to go. We didn't feel like we received a strong prompting to go to a specific spot but we still ended up agreeing to go to some apartments we had never been to before. When we got there we started knocking doors and some people did not want to listen but even though they didn't want to hear our message they were still nice and not mean about it. We even talked to a guy that was super nice to us even though we woke him up with our knocking and he agreed to have missionaries go over and teach him. We also were talking to this teenage girl and she pointed out some of the apartments where Hispanics lived. At the first door we tried some kids opened the door and we were able to talk to their mom who let us in to teach her kids. The mom's name is C and she has three kids. A is ten, A is about to turn nine, and S is three. The lesson went really well and the kids paid very good attention. It turns out they had  had a visit from missionaries a few years back once. They still had the picture of Jesus Christ that those missionaries had left with them. They go to a Christian church in Kent so the kids were sharing some Bible stories that they knew. A had really good questions and I almost couldn't believe that they were coming from a ten year old! For example, one of his questions was if he needed to wait to take the sacrament until after he was baptized and another question he had was how often should we take the sacrament. He had read somewhere that a certain religion only takes the sacrament once a year. 

C listened as well and she said the closing prayer. In her prayer she asked to know if Joseph Smith was a Prophet and to know if this was  the true church! :) It was so great! But it gets even better! 

So then we went back a couple of days later for our return appointment and unfortunately Claudia was working but the kids were home and so was the grandma so we were able to teach them. The grandma  didn't want to listen but the kids were happy that we were there. As soon as we got inside and sat down A went to go get his pamphlet and his  Book of Mormon.

We had left the kids with their own pamphlets about the restoration of the gospel and they had both read! A was almost completely finished with it! 

Sadly, a lot of our adult investigators don't even do that and these kids did! And again they were so well behaved during the lesson!  

We went over the Restoration again and we played Restoration Jenga that way they could put a visual to it. After playing the game and explaining how everything related to the Restoration, A said that he then understood that there is only one church with the priesthood power. It was so amazing! He also said the closing prayer and gave thanks for us being there and he also said that he was thankful for the invitation to go to our church and that he personally thought it was a good idea to try it out. :) Seriously these kids are so great! Hopefully we get to teach them with their mom again soon so we can figure out how to get them to church! 

Also there is this couple that we stop by to see every once in awhile and we visited them this past week to invite them to the upcoming activities that we'll be having in the church. We talked a little bit about the importance of baptism and the husband said that he would like me and Hermana Lewis to baptize him and his wife. We then explained to him again the importance of the priesthood power and how only the men have this power to baptize. He understood in the end but it was still funny! 

Another blessing is that we were able to have a lesson with Hermano R.L!!! I was so happy! :)  He called us and wanted to feed us dinner so we met him at a Mexican restaurant and talked about how he's been doing and the Book of Mormon. I've been so worried about him because he hasn't been coming to church but he said that he knows he needs to come back and he came this Sunday! He told us that he's just been working a lot and that he's too tired to go sometimes. He's also trying to find an apartment so he has a lot going on but I'm so happy he's coming back to church! :) He also talked about how he loves people so much and that it's sad when people leave. He said it's okay when that happens sometimes but that in the church it happens all the time! He always gets sad when missionaries get moved to another area or finish their missions and go back home so that's what he was referring to. He wasn't happy to hear that I'll be going home in February. 

The mission devotional was on Sunday but we couldn't go because we didn't have any investigators going. I was sad because I knew Sister Walker would be there but she gave me the cutest elephant necklace and 3 elephant sculptures that are now on my desk. It was a late birthday present! :) Sister Loeak also gave me some elephant earrings for my birthday because she knows I like them too. It was so sweet! 

Our investigators R and L also came to church this Sunday! I love them so  much! They are supposed to be coming to a family home evening with us tonight so hopefully everything works out and they can still do it! R knows a lot about religion and he always makes comments in class! It's so cool to see! 

In sacrament meeting we were able hear from two people in the Stake so I had to translate from English to Spanish. I translated the first talk and it wasn't perfect but I think it went pretty well! Luckily, they gave me copies of their talks so it was easier to follow along. After the first talk Hemano R offered to help me so he translated the second talk which was such a blessing because there was words I didn't know how to say and it was a way longer  talk! I'm so glad he offered to help! 

Here are some scriptures I read this past week! 

This is counsel to Joseph Smith but we can all apply it to our own lives. 

D&C 3:5-10 "Behold, you have been entrusted with these things, but how strict were your commandments; and remember also the promises which were made to you, if you did not transgress them.

And behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men.

For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words—

Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.

Behold, thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall.

But remember, God is merciful; therefore, repent of that which thou hast done which is contrary to the commandment which I gave you, and thou art still chosen, and art again called to the work;"

I also love 3 Nephi 9:13-14 "O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?

Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me." 

We as children of God are entitled to blessings from our loving Heavenly Father and He is a always ready and willing to bless us! We just need to do our part. I love these scriptures because they remind me that there is hope and that even thought we may fall sometimes we can be made clean through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Even though we make mistakes every day because we are human God still loves us and wants us to return to Him! He still chooses us! It doesn't matter how bad we think our situation is we can turn to God and Jesus Christ and be made whole. 

This quote stood out to me this past week and it is so true! "Justification is the lubrication to damnation."-  President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Also here is a link to a 3 minute video I love! 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-08-014-daily-bread-change?category=mormon-messages/mormon-messages-2013&lang=eng&cid=HP_TU_11-10-2015_dPFD_fMLIB_xLIDyL1-C_

Love you all! 

Hermana Soliz :) 

The Bell Lap Letter.......week 66

Well everyone, it finally happened. I received my bell lap letter. I actually received it last Sunday and completely forgot to mention it. I've had companions who have received their bell lap letters towards the end of their missions and I always thought, "Oh that's so far away!"

Yeah, I don't think that anymore. 

When I got it we were waiting for a member so we could have dinner and a lesson and since we live in the same complex  we decided to check the mail. 

Hermana Lewis handed me a letter and it was from the mission so I assumed it was a media referral or something. I also had a lot of things on my mind so I wasn't even thinking that it could've been my bell lap letter! 

I was in the middle of saying something to Hermana Lewis when I ripped the letter open and realized what it was and well, I had an interesting reaction. 

Hermana Lewis was so confused because I just gasped and shoved the letter back in the envelope and kept saying, "No, no, no, no!"

I had all of these different feelings and I didn't even have time to compose myself or anything because we were about to have a lesson. So I shoved the letter in my purse and went to work!

Then at the end of the day when I could actually read it  I didn't want to. I was in denial pretending that if I didn't read it I still had more time.   

Also more big news is that today is transfers and Hermana Lewis and I will be staying together here in Auburn! I am so happy! :) I love the members so much I might even move up here one day! 

We don't have very many progressing investigators at the moment so we need to really work hard to find new people.

We passed off our investigator, Esteban, to the Elders the other day. It was so sad but since he is a man and we aren't teaching the whole family at this point the Elders need to teach him. Hermana Lewis and I were very sad and we gave the Elders all of the advice that we could think of so they could more easily pick up where we left off. Esteban came to the first hour of church this past Sunday, which is the Gospel Principles class but then he had to leave. Hopefully he will keep progressing and find the truth that he is looking for.

Our other family that we have been teaching are planning on coming to church for the second time this Sunday! Their daughter Cecilia also said she wanted to invite her friend so that he could translate for her in her classes! We haven't been able to teach the husband, Rojelio, very much because he is always working but I'm excited to help this family progress towards baptism and the temple! 

This past Saturday Hermana Lewis and I had the opportunity to go to two baptisms! :) 

The first was at 3pm and it was for Rebecca and her daughters Atong and Ajok. They are the family that I got to know and teach while I was serving in the White River ward. :) It was so great to see them be baptized! Sister Walker was also able to go to the baptism so I was able to see her!! :)  

The second baptism was at 7pm and it was for a young man that will be attending the Young Single Adult Ward. Esteban came to that baptism so that was great!  

This week I read some scriptures I really liked! 

They are 3 Nephi 6:18 "Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did willfully rebel against God." This is such an important warning for us! We should always willingly follow God and if it's difficult to do we need to pray for a change of heart! 

And also, D&C 18:45 "Wherefore, the blessings which I give unto you are above all things." This is such an amazing promise that we can't even fully understand right now! :) 

Also the scripture that the whole mission is ponderizing this week is 2 Nephi 9:23 and it says "And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." 

Bringing people to the knowledge and truth of the gospel is the most important work because it's the work of salvation. :) I am so grateful for my loving Heavenly Father and for my Savior Jesus Christ that love me unconditionally and help me learn and grow. 

Love you all!

Hermana Soliz

Auburn Zone Conference

Reunited with Sister Walker!

Week 65 in Auburn!

Hey everyone!! Hope you all had a great and fun Halloween!

Hermana Lewis and I really enjoyed the Halloween parties they had at the church! 

It was fun to be able to see the different costumes that everyone had! 

On Monday we had a Family Home Evening at the Sandoval's home. Hermana Perez and her three girls were there, and so was Hermano Moreno and his friend. Also, our investigator Esteban was there!! It was perfect because there were several members of the church there for him to meet! He also was talking for a good while with Hermano Sandoval so I think they hit it off well! 

Hermana Sandoval shared a cute poem about two pumpkins, one named Patty and the other Perry. Patty was not a nice person and Perry was. She had two pumpkins with faces on them to be Patty and Perry. The moral of the story was that we should be clean inside and out. So when you looked into Patty she still had all of her pumpkin seeds but Perry was clean. It was a cute poem and was a really good spiritual message as well! 

At the end of the lesson Hermana Sandoval asked everyone if they wanted her to include a special blessing in the closing prayer and everyone went around and said something. Esteban quickly responded to the question saying that he wanted help to be baptized!! :) It was so awesome! And he is still preparing to be baptized on November 28th! 

We were also able to have two other lessons with Esteban this past week and we had members with us for both of those as well. One of them we had just last night and he was talking about how we wants to have his insides be clean as well! So not only did he listen to the message at the Sandoval's but he wants to apply it! 

We also had Lordes's family come to the Halloween activity and to church this Sunday! Lordes. her husband, Rojelio and their daughter Cecilia all came to both the activity and to all three hours of church! It was the most amazing thing ever! They really enjoyed the activity and even though church was way different then what they're used to they seemed to like it! Rojelio knows a lot about the Bible and some other religions so he enjoyed the classes where we get to talk and learn from each other. It was fast and testimony meeting and all of the testimonies were so strong and special! And everyone was so welcoming to them! Hermana Perez even invited them to her house for dinner but they couldn't make it. 

It was super crazy though because never have I ever had the fire alarm go off in the church and this past Sunday something happened where the alarm went off and we all had to exit the building for a while. And it was during the sacrament of all times! Right after they had blessed the water! I was thinking, "Really Satan!" But it's okay because we still had a really nice sacrament meeting.

We are going to have a lesson with them on Tuesday so we can find out more about how they liked it and if they have any questions! Rojelio started reading the Book of Mormon so hopefully we can get them reading as a family! 

Things are kind of crazy right now because we are trying to figure out what to do about our phone. I was washing my face and when I grabbed my towel off of the counter to dry my face I knocked the phone off the counter right into the toilet...So yeah, we don't have a phone right now. We put in rice to try to dry it out but it's shot. They gave us a new battery to hopefully fix the problem but it's acting weird and we can't actually use it. Hopefully we get it figured out soon because we need to keep in contact with the people we are teaching! 

Also this Saturday Rebecca and her daughters, Atong and Ajoke are getting baptized in the English ward! She is the woman that showed up to church one day just to pray when I was companions with Sister Walker! And now she's getting baptized with her family! :) 

Also the scripture that the whole mission will be ponderizing this week is Ether 12:3,

"For he did cry from the morning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be destroyed, saying unto them that by faith all things are fulfilled—"

That is some intense praying!

Have a great week and transfers are next week so pray that I stay in Auburn! :)

Love,

Hermana Soliz