WEEK 21: I know that my redeemer lives

Hello everyone! Another great week of miracles, Easter pageant, and Easter! Last Monday we had exchanges and Hna. Gonzalez came to my area, and Sister Judy went with Sis Hernandez. Every time we have exchanges I get nervous or unmotivated to do it, but then we do it and I love them! I am able to learn so much from the other Hermanas. We went to go see a new investigator named Laura, and when we came over she was home but said she was about to leave, so we asked to set up another appointment with her, and Hna Gonzalez asked to share a scripture and then she let us in! So we were able to have a little lesson with her. Then we had a lesson with Linda and read in the Book of Mormon with her. We have been trying to get her to church, but now she works and can't even attempt to go. She still feels confused and doesn't know what to do. So we invited her do everything she possibly can in order to receive an answer. Unfortunately now she doesn't have the opportunity to come to church.

On Tuesday we had a lesson with Carmen and she is doing so well! We read in the Book of Mormon with her because she had a hard time understanding, but now she understands. She told us that with other religions she would always find something she doesn't like about it, but with ours there isn't anything so far! She really likes it. We also taught the Estrada girls and we kept our teaching more simple and fun for kids. And it went so well. They still liked to talk, but it was about what we were teaching which was pre-earth life and the creation. We decided we are going to move really slow with them so they understand and learn.

On Wednesday we had a great district meeting and Sis. Judy and I gave a training on getting investigators to church. It went really well and we learned a lot from that! We also found two new families to teach that day! And we got to work the Easter pageant! It was so amazing just like it is every night. We met this lady in the cast named Travis, who plays the wife of the blind man that gets healed. And she carried the Spirit so strongly. She was telling us how her husband also plays one of the people on the cross beside Jesus Christ during the crucifixion scene, and how they dirty them up a lot with makeup to make them look tired and dead. But then she said it's the most amazing thing to clean him after because it's like getting cleaned by Christ. Through Him we can become clean again and forgiven of every sin and dirtiness that we carry. Every night watching the Easter pageant it gets more and more beautiful and I notice something new every time.

On Thursday, we finally had a lesson with Jesus and Idania! We taught the gospel of Jesus Christ to heir family and it was beautiful. And at times at the end we asked if being baptized was a desire he had and he said yes! So we're just working on getting him to church as well. But he said he's going to go in order to receive an answer.

On Friday, we had another lesson with Carmen and we taught the plan of salvation, well part of it because she likes to talk. And she really liked learning about it! She reads all the pamphlets that we give her and is fairly far in the Book of Mormon. So she understands when she reads and then has questions to clarify, so it's really great she has a desire to learn. We also met with Osman for a little bit. He's doing so well! We talked about the Easter pageant because he went to go see it on Wednesday with the youth, and he loved it. We also talked a little bit about baptism and he told us that that is his goal. Now he just has to be willing to ask his mom if that's okay. I really hope soon she will allow it because Osman is so ready! And then that night there was a wedding baptism (Waptism) for the other sisters, and Socorro came! We could only stay for the wedding part because we had to do the Easter pageant again, but it was so beautiful! Also the Easter pageant was beautiful as well. Every night we get to sit in on the cast devotional they have and I can just feel the Spirit so strong with that group of performers.

On Saturday, was the General Women's Conference and it was so amazing. I love being able to hear from the general authorities that give us specific guidance for our day. I also love how a lot of the conference was about service and forgetting yourself. Something I always need to work on in the mission field. Nothing is ever about you. It's always about the Lord and serving his children, and when you are doing that things are so much easier. We were lucky enough to see the Easter Pageant on e last night with Socorro! We were a little nervous because we can't go early to save seats and all he hold seats were full because it was kind of last minute, but then we talked to someone and they had four seats open in the front section that they weren't going to use! It was such a miracle. So we had pretty good seats and Socorro absolutely loved the whole thing. We were also talking to some other missionaries and she told us we are the perfect missionaries for her. It's just good to know that despite all of our imperfections with Spanish and teaching she still loves us and trusts us as her missionaries.

Sunday, we had seven investigators at church! So great for Easter Sunday. Socorro brought her mom to sacrament meeting, and Osman didn't use his phone for the whole three ours, so I said I would bring cookies to his lesson tonight. Hna. Ledezma also came for the first hour and she wanted to leave after that, and we tried so hard to find her a ride but no one could. So although she didn't have much choice to be there, she stayed for the whole three hours! We will probably drop her because she's only coming to church to get out of the house. That night we had another lesson with the Estrada girls and taught them a little bit more of the plan of salvation and it went really well. Our teaching tactics with them are getting a lot better. We're waiting to get their moms permition to invite them to be baptized, but once we do that they will be on date!

Well after studying the atonement for a month and getting to watch the Easter Pageant these past two weeks, my testimony of Jesus Christ and the atonement has grown so much! I know that He lives and gave His life for us only out of love. We are so lucky to have a Savior to redeem us from our imperfections and forgive us of all our sins. Never forget that. I love you all so much and am grateful for all of your examples to me to be where I am. Love you!

Hermana Brown

We got a picture with one of the centurions of the Easter pageant!

Thanks for the package to my family

Ward correlation!

So for district meeting Hna. Gutierrez made Mexican rice for everyone, but there was no silverware in the kitchen, so we all ate with whatever utensils we could find!

A little bit of the decorations from the Waptism!

Us with Socorro at the Easter pageant!!!