Our Texas Sweetheart: Places to go and Ice Cream to eat!

Hola Todos!

   It's been a week full of many emotions, miracles! Today marks 14 months on my mission! I'm grateful for all the experiences I'm having and don't want them to ever end!
   I would like to start my email today with a wonderful Sister Mann story....so the background you need is that we live in a small unit behind our Branch President's home. One night as we arrived home he and his wife were in the backyard and so they decided to hide near our door. We had no idea of this and I really needed to use the bathroom so we were rushing back to our room. Can you guess how this story ends? As we got to the door President and Sister Russo jumped out from the darkness. We both jumped and screamed and I peed.....right then and there. My companion and I haven't laughed so hard in a long long time. When my companion stopped laughing enough to unlock the door I waddled in and changed and she sat down to laugh some more (that is my funny and embarrassing moment for the week).
One of our investigators, Betty Garcia, has decided she isn't ready for baptism just yet. So she won't be getting baptized this Saturday. We went over to her house yesterday and talked with her, and after we talked for a little while we told her we didn't want her to feel pushed, but wanted her to feel like she was truly ready. That night she texted us and said she felt like she needed more time to meet with us and learn more. I am grateful that she told us how she was feeling because I don't want to just baptize those who want to be baptized...I want them to truly feel converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That was a little sad to hear about that but I'm happy to continue helping her and teaching her more. Betty was super grateful that we understood!
   Anna and Pearl are doing really well. Their whole family came to church again yesterday and really enjoyed it! They are progressing so well and love learning from the Book of Mormon. Every time we have a lesson with them, or when they come to church, they take a lot of notes. Pearls kids love going to Primary (that's their favorite part)! I love seeing the pictures that they draw after church as they all come running up to show me. Each time we meet with them the kids want to know when they get to come to church again. We hope to continue seeing them progress and gaining a testimony of their own.
We set a baptismal date for Kris Poff for June 10th (when she goes back to Utah with her family). Today is day 11 without a cigarette for her! WE'RE SO EXCITED AND PROUD OF HER! Her husband Jim (non member) has stopped chewing tobacco because of her example! Also she has been doing her family history a lot lately and thinks she might be close to finding someone in her ancestors who is a member of the Church and she is super excited about that.
This week we found a couple new investigators and we are super excited about them. They seem really ready for the gospel in their lives. One of our new investigators, Marisela, had read the introduction to the Book of Mormon (she kept her commitment!). She told us she felt happy when reading it and felt peace. She was super excited when we came back because she had a lot of questions and she was excited for them to be answered. We are excited to keep teaching her.
At church yesterday we had 8 investigators come! It was great! The Relief Society lesson was on the Holy Ghost and his role, and how we can recognize the promptings we receive. Both Pearl and Anna loved that lesson!
As we were knocking on apartment doors a bunch of kids came up to us and asked us if we could come to their house and share a message with their family (miracle).   We were able to share the new Easter video with them and we gave each of them a card that has a picture of our Savior Jesus Christ on it, and they each said they would put it by their bed! After we left a few minutes later they came out of their house running after us and asked if they could take a picture with us..... it was so cute! I love teaching little kids about who Jesus Christ is and what He did for us.

We have been priveldged to have the opportunity to share the new Easter Initiative "Prince of Peace" (visit mormon.org ) as we talk with people about this upcoming Easter season. I want to share with you all a story that our Mission President shared with us this week....
"There is no message more hopeful than “the tomb was empty”. Elder Marion D. Hanks shared an account of an eleven-year-old boy named Philip, a Down’s syndrome child who was in a Sunday School class with eight other children. Easter Sunday the teacher brought an empty plastic egg for each child. They were instructed to go out of the church building onto the grounds and put into the egg something that would remind them of the meaning of Easter. All returned joyfully. As each egg was opened there were exclamations of delight at a butterfly, a twig, a flower, a blade of grass. Then the last egg was opened. It was Philip’s, and it was empty! Some of the children made fun of Philip. “But, teacher,” he said, “teacher, the tomb was empty.” A newspaper article announcing Philip’s death a few months later noted that at the conclusion of the funeral eight children marched forward and put a large empty egg on the small casket. On it was a banner that said, “The tomb was empty.” Do you know, do you truly understand, that Christ's sacrifice was for you? The life that led him to that now empty tomb was a long and weary one yet, it was filled with compassion."

Mark 6:30-34

30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.

34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassiontoward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

Even in a moment when he was seeking much needed rest, Christ turned outward to teach and bless all who would come unto him.

Alma 7:11-12

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succorhis people according to their infirmities.

His life was never for glory, nor for fame. It was for you, and for me, and for all who have or would live on this earth. He lived, died, and rose again, because of love. And now, He lives. What comfort that sweet sentence gives.

In times of trial I invite you to remember His words..

Doctrine and Covenants 50:41-42

41 Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me;