Week 73! 35 days left, but I'm not counting....

Are you all excited for the New Year??! I know I am! :) This new year is going to be full of good and exciting experiences! I just know it!  

I started this 6-week training called My Plan and it's really made me think of the goals that I want to have when I go home. The whole purpose of My Plan is to help missionaries keep progressing in the gospel after they go home so it's been interesting to think about.

I hope you all had a very happy Christmas full of love! We had our Christmas activity on the 23rd and it was so much fun and very spiritual! First we went with our own Zones to go caroling at different assisted living places. We didn't exactly know at first that it was supposed to be by zone though so Hermana Yost and Hermana Huhem ended up joing us too. :) 

It was really nice to sing a few songs for the people and the Marshallese missionaries even sang silent night with a ukulele in their language and it was really pretty. 

There was one woman there that was really funny! Her name is C and she was very cute and spunky! She was dancing to the songs and she even walked right up to us and sang with us. After every song she was like, "Okay, you're done." Haha! She was also making the moves on a few of the elders. Haha! While singing she kept talking to one of the zone leaders and then while some sisters where singing in a quartet she gestured at one of the sisters and asked, "What do you think of her?" Haha! All of us started laughing! It was hilarious! Then when we were leaving C was trying to hold another Elders' hand. After that she saw me and came up to me and asked me if I wanted her to get me a man. I responded, "No, that's okay, I'm fine." haha! She definitley made all of us missionaries laugh! All of the people were so sweet and thanked us for coming to sing to them.

After caroling we all met at the Kent Stake Center for the rest of the activity. Our group was one of the first to make it back and when we got there Sister E was at a table ready to serve ice cream sundaes with brownies! :) Let's just say Hermana L and I didn't waste any time getting our sundaes. We were the first to get them and as we sat down and ate them we realized that no one else was eating yet. They were all talking or checking for packages. Hermana L and I were so confused. We were like "There is a free ice cream bar what are you people doing?!" After eating, Hermana L made the comment that we were probably embarrassingly enthusiastic for the brownies. Haha!

I also got to meet the two new Hermanas. They are sweet! I also got to see a lot of other missionaries that I know like Sister B, Sister L, and Sister C so that was nice! I also got to see Elder B. He's the one who thinks we could be cousins. I told him that this is my last transfer so I could just try to find out when I'm home. 

After the dessert we all made our way to the chapel where we got to listen to a few special musical numbers that really brought the Spirit. We also watched a video with some pictures of baptisms that the mission has had this past year. It was so beautiful! Seeing one of your brothers or sisters dressed in white for their baptism really is one of the most beautiful things in the world! I love it! I know that I only have a few more weeks left to serve as a full-time missionary but even after the mission I am going to continue to help my brothers and sisters make the covenant of baptism! :) And in these last few weeks Hermana L are going work so hard to help the Hernandez family be baptized and to find prepared people! 

On Christmas Eve we were able to visit a member who hasn't gone to church in a while. I had never met him before but he and his family were so nice! He kept offering us food and even gave us some tamales to take home.  We got to know him a little bit and then we read some verses from Luke 2 and shared the Christmas video with them. We talked about the Savior and also a little bit about the plan of salvation because he mentioned that he was sad because around this time 2 years ago his mom passed away. I was able to share my testimony with him that I knew that he would see his mom again and that there was more to come after this life. You could feel the Spirit fill the room! It was so great! I hope that we get to continue working with this family in order to help him return to church and to help his wife be baptized. Sometimes we get so busy with other things that we need to do that we don't always recognize the Spirit in our lives. Or sometimes we don't appreciate it. I know though, that if we try a little harder to pay attention we will recognize the promptings of the Spirit and  see God's hand in our lives guiding our every decision. We will also strengthen our relationship with our Heavenly Father as we give thanks for the times when we do feel the Spirit. 

On that same night we were allowed 2 hours for dinner at whatever time we wanted but Hermana Lewis and I didn't have anywhere to go. So we had a plan to go to Safeway to buy a cake and to spend our dinner time in our own apartment from 7-9.

We didn't really think it through before but we found out that it is extremely hard to find a store open on Christmas Eve! We tried a few places and found that they were all closed so finally we went to Walmart. When we got there we only had 20 minutes before the store was going to close so we grabbed our goodies and headed for the checkout lines which were of course over flowing. Then we got a call from Hermana Z and she asked us when we were going to go to Hermano L house for dinner and to get our presents. Hermana L and I were so surprised! We had no idea that they were planning for us to go over. So then we headed over there and Hermano L, Hermana P, Hermana Z, Hermano B, and the Elders were all there. They were waiting on the Hernandez family (the same family that Hermana L and I are teaching!) to get there with the turkey. Hermana Z was so nice! She served us some pasta because she knew we hadn't eaten yet. The Hernandez family was running a little late so basically when they got there we had to leave but it was really nice to be able to spend a few minutes with the members on Christmas Eve. Our presents were scarfs from Hermano L and they are super cute! :)     

The next day on Christmas Hermana L surprised me with a gift! We had been at the drugstore one day and we were buying chocolate (by the way I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to chocolate) when I saw this cute elephant figurine. Well I don't know how Hermana L did it so sneakily but she ended up getting it for me. It was so sweet of her! :) I also got from my family a really pretty Texas necklace and a t-shirt with the mission name on it! So I had a great Christmas! Thanks mom and dad! :)

Christmas morning we had a brunch at the S's home. The B's, the C's, the L's, and Hermana Z were all there. Hermana S is like Wonder Woman. I literally don't know how she pulls off the projects that she does. Thanksgiving dinner was awesome and then for this Christmas brunch there was so much food! There was biscuits and gravy, regular and gluten free pancakes, crepes, waffles, eggs, sausage, bacon, peppers and onions, toppings for everything and fruit. It was all so delicious and then we got to do the best part which was Skype with our families! It was so great to be able to see and talk with my family! I miss and love them so much!  It was the best! It was also kind of funny just because I'll be seeing you all in person real soon! 

On Christmas night Hermana L and I decided to go to the assisted living home to visit some of the people there. It made me so happy to be able to visit some of them and brighten their day! It was also a little sad because  a few of them were saying that they just wanted to die. A man named P just kept asking me if I could take him somewhere else and let him loose. I helped him get out into the hallway where there was light but we didn't get very far so then we took him back to his bed, tucked him in, and sang a Christmas song for him. Another man was very nice and his name was K. We talked to him about his dog Penny and how he likes cops and robbers. There was another lady that was so sweet! She talked to us as if we were her own grandchildren and told us how much she loved us. She was so thankful for our visit and when we left she told us to remember to be careful and to look both ways when crossing the street, :) The last man we visited was named Peter and he was also very appreciative of our visit. He was recovering from a stroke and hoping to return to his home soon. Even though it was a small thing it made me so happy that we could do a kind act of service for these people! :) 

Another cool experience we had happened just last night! So when I first got to Auburn I remember visiting a young man named J and his family. After that one lesson we never went back but I had thought of him from time to time. I have tried finding him since then but I couldn't find anything in the area book for him. I've even gone back to those apartments and knocked doors that I thought would be his apartment but never found him. That was a long time ago. So then he came to my mind again recently so we decided that we would go to those apartments and knock doors again. Well when the time came to go to those apartments I couldn't remember exactly where they were so we decided to go visit someone that the Elders referred to us instead. The referral lived on the second floor so after getting to the top I looked across the street and it was the apartments where I knew Jose lived! And guess what it gets even cooler! I couldn't remember his apartment number but I knew that in one of the buildings it was the apartment on the top right. So after trying the referral we walked exactly across the street to try the top right apartment of that first building. And guessed what happened? Jose answered!! It was such a miracle! God totally led us there! J told us that missionaries had come in the past and that they were Catholic but that he still listened to anyone who talked about religion. He couldn't have a lesson then but set up an appointment with us for later. I don't know what is going to happen with J but I know that God helped us find him that night and that there is a reason for it! If nothing else it helped me learn that God is always aware of us and our righteous desires. He will always help us get to where we need to go as long as we trust in Him! :) 

Love you all! 

Hermana Soliz

Feliz Navidad a Todos!

I can't believe that Christmas is already going to be this Friday! I hope you all have a great time with family and friends and that you eat lots of yummy food! Just not too much! And that you are all safe while traveling to where you are going!

Hermana Lewis and I will be having Christmas breakfast with the Sandoval family at 10 am Christmas morning and we will be Skyping soon after that. I'm so excited to see and talk to you guys! It'll be great! :) 

We had a lesson with the Hernandez family and we set up lessons with them for every Saturday until January 30th! January 30th is their perspective baptismal date. They really don't want to commit to a date right now but they are willing to work towards January 30th! They know that that is the plan we have for them and they know that they can be ready at that time! It's such a blessing that we were able to set up lessons for each Saturday because that is the only day that we can teach the whole family together! 

Hermano Arvayo also went to teach that lesson with us so that was super cool! 

Elder Oliva got transferred but Elder Gonzalez stayed. It's funny because we were in the MTC together and now we're serving in the same branch so I started and and will be finishing my mission with him. 

We made Christmas cards for some of the people we are teaching and also for some of the members. They came out cute I think. :) 

We have our Christmas devotional this Wednesday with half of the mission. I'm excited for it! 

I'm very excited for some new investigators that we will be teaching very soon! :) 

I love the teachings of the gospel so much! It is all really simple! I don't know or understand everything but I want to strive to put my trust in God. Here is a quote I want to share, 

“Only faith that He suffered for our sakes will give us the strength to endure to the end.”—Elder Robert D. Hales, “Finding Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ”

I love you all so much! Remember to count your blessings this Christmas and look for ways to build your faith in Christ! 

All my love, 

Hermana Soliz

Another transfer...and last one, gone!......

I have big news!!!!

I'm staying and finishing out my mission here in Auburn! :) This is my 8th transfer here! At the end of my mission I will have served here for about 11 months! :) I'm so glad that I get to stay here! It would've been so sad to leave all of these people that I love right before Christmas! 

Hermana Lewis is also staying here so I get to be her companion for the rest of my mission! 

The Hernandez family that we are teaching are so sweet!! They signed up on our dinner calendar to feed us and the elders so this past week they fed us all dinner! It was so nice of them to do and they aren't even members! Also, this Sunday not only did Rojelio and Lourdes come to church like they've been doing for quite a few weeks but so did Cecilia! Cecilia hadn't liked going to the youth classes because they were in English so she came and just went to the adult classes in Spanish with us and her parents! :) It was such a blessing! 

We had exchanges again so I got to visit my lovely home of Enumclaw, WA! :) It made me so happy!! :) Right when I got there Hermana Singer told me that she wanted to stop by Juan and Rosa's house to follow up with them on their missionary work. I was so excited!!!! Juan opened the door and at first he was just looking at Hermana Singer but then he looked at me and he was so surprised to see me. Haha! He went and got Rosa and then she came out and we hugged like five times! I love that family so much!!! Rosa asked my when I was finishing my mission and then I told her that I was planning on visiting in March. That's when she told me that they might get  sealed in March!!! :) I was so happy!!!!!! I hope I can be there at the temple with them on that special day! 

Then after that Grandpa Blad stopped by our apartment to see me and give me a special gift! It was a Christmas card, some candy canes, a Seattle temple key chain, and some of his smoked salmon that he knows I love! :) It was so sweet! 

I also heard that the Ayala family that was baptized in Renton might be moving to Auburn soon. I hope that it's true because I would love to see them! They will hit their year mark on the 28th of February so they will be getting sealed soon as well! :) I need to write them ans see how they are doing! 

On Saturday Hermana Perez's daughter, Addie, was baptized. We invited Hermano Arvayo to go and he went so that was awesome! It was such a nice baptism and even though I don't remember very much from my baptism it reminded me of my own. After the baptism we all went over to Hermano Lara's house to eat pasole. That was good because all of the members got to spend time together and chat. 

Yesterday we had a miracle as we used the area book. We chose a potential from a few years  back to try to visit and she didn't live there anymore but we knocked the doors of her neighbors and found two Hispanics! It was such a blessing! We have a set appointment with one and the other family said just to stop by when we were in the area. 

We also had a new family move into the branch! They are the Chavez and they are so cute! They have two cute little girls and Hermana Lewis and I are planning on visiting them soon so we can get to know them better! 

Ponderizing scripture for this week, 3 Nephi 27:20 - " Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day."

I know that as we go to church each Sunday and truly repent and partake of the bread and water we can be made clean and be spotless like the scripture says. So I invite you all to go to church this Sunday and to feel of the spirit there. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and that as we make an effort to truly live the gospel will receive the greatest gift God has to offer, which is eternal life.

Saludos con amor

Hermana Soliz

Week 70...Blessed week!

Something that God helped me remember this week is that there is no need to worry. All we have to do is trust in Him. He will never leave us alone, even in our trials so we just need to trust in Him and keep moving forward.

Hermana Lewis and I received so many blessings this week and I am always so grateful for the guidance He gives us! I love sharing the gospel with my brothers and sisters! It makes me so happy and it helps me grow closer to my Heavenly Father.

There are great things happening here in Auburn!! We were able to see a lot of people that we haven't seen for awhile and we received a lot of new referrals so I'm excited to visit them! 

So last Sunday Hno. A went to church and made a joke about cinnamon rolls and well long story short I made him homemade cinnamon rolls. He was so surprised and we got to set up another appointment with him which we ended up having at a restaurant. It went well besides the fact that I indirectly gave him a death threat. We were talking about enduring to the end and I said "You could die tomorrow!" Hermana Lewis thought it was hilarious! But he came to sacrament meeting on Sunday! It was the best! Hermana Lewis and I were so happy that he went! 

It was also testimony meeting so he heard a lot of strong testimonies that I know strengthened his own. One of the members who shared their testimony was M. Valle. She was serving in Peru for four months and she just got home this week because she is sick. She is hoping to get better and as long as the doctors say it's okay she plans on going back out into the field. M used to be very quiet. Kind of like me. Haha! And it is amazing to see the change in her just after four months! She bore a strong testimony that brought the spirit and I am so excited to have her here to help us! 

I learned something from everyone who shared their testimonies on Sunday and I am very grateful for that! I love that in the branch  we are all like family and we try to serve and support each other. I also learned a lot from other people that we are teaching. Some of our investigators are going through some really big, hard trials and they are facing them with so much faith and hope. One of them just found out that she has leukemia and that it's spreading fast. When we visited her she talked all about the miracles and blessings God has given her and the she knows He can make another miracle happen for her. She is facing this trial that would tear a lot of people down with so much faith and grace. I definitely admire that! 

Also, miracle of the week! We finally had contact with Hermano Hernandez! :) So I had been praying that one day we would go by his house  and find him getting out of his car so that we could talk to him. Calling and knocking on his door was not working so that's why I was praying for that. Also, on the day we talked to him Hermana Z had gone to the temple and had been praying for him as well. 

So we go to try to see him and we see that the tail lights on his car are on! He's in the car! But we weren't fast enough at parking and getting out of the car so he drove off. I can not tell you how bad I felt. I was thinking, "Seriously, I prayed for this to happen and I missed my chance!" I was so sad! But I told Hermana Lewis that usually if Hermano leaves he just goes to the store real quick and comes back. So we decided to wait and ten minutes later he was back! I got out of the car and started walking across the parking lot to his car and when he saw us he looked surprised but happy! He's been having some personal problems that he's trying to fix and he's basically shut everyone out for now so it was so great to talk to him! We were so happy that we just stood there with these gigantic smiles on our faces for awhile. And it turns out he got the donuts we left him and he liked them! He told us not to worry about him and that he loves the church but just needed a break to resolve some personal things. Then he said that if it wasn't us that other hermanas would be visiting him soon. That's when I pulled the, "I'm going home in two months" so then he told us to go back in a month. So that's the plan! :)

We also had our branch Christmas party and it was a lot of fun! We changed things up a bit and had Italian food instead of the traditional Mexican food. After we had a little Christmas program for the audience so Hermana Lewis and I were able to participate in that :) 

If you haven't seen the new 2 minute Christmas video you should all check it out at christmas.mormon.org

Les quiero y que tengan un buena semana! 

La Hermana Soliz

In the choir for our Branch Christmas Party