GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL!!!

Dear Familia,

I am sitting here and writing in an internet cafe and in the time that I have been here, Mexico has made three goals. That's a lot!!

GOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! ( But honestly, I swear the person is saying goal for a minute straight) 

Also, all of Mexico is hiding in their house because it's the world cup. The streets are pretty desolate when Mexico plays. 

Ok. So I have two weeks to tell you about and MAN have these weeks been a whilrwind of emotions.

So the week that I didn't write a lot: I was under a lot of stress and I got sick. I'm fine now, but I was sick mas o menos for a week. Better said that I was under the weather for a week. In this week, I really had to look for the Atonement and really rely on my Savior to help me feel better and have the strength to work and to understand the spanish and the people. My testimony was strengthened on the power of the Atonement and that through prayer we can access His peace and his help to strenghten us and clean us of our sins and afflitions.

In that Monday, there came a moment to share this story with my investigator, R. She has been recieving the missionaries for three years and has a baptisimal date for september 6. The spirit was so strong and I could feel that she understood my story and understood that I had a testimony of the Atonement and that she could have the same. She has many things that are hard in her life, but she is learning how important the Savior is in her life. I love to watch this change in her and can really see her love for the gospel!

My companion and I have also had many moments of ups and downs were we needed to access the atonement to repent, restrengthen, and come closer as companions. Truth be told, I love my companion, Hermana Noh! She is always teaching me things that has helped me love being a missionary!

MOM!!! I RECIEVED YOUR PACKAGE!!!! I went to the offices (with permission of the president) and retrieved the package for myself!!! I was holding so tight to that package and praying my heart out because I didn't want a single drop of rain or anything to impede me from having my package. Thank you a million times a  million!!!!!!!!!! I loved the pictures and McKayla's Graduation announcement and the braclets!!! I put the photos in my scriptures and I carry them with so much pride and as for the garments AHH what a blessing!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!

Also, this week has been a down pour of rain. The way the streets are constructed and where the city is built, the streets become rivers and wow WE ARE DRENCHED!!! But, truth be told, it makes missionary work so much more entertaining! Haha also, with the slug bugs (because there are millions here in mexico- the old kind) I am teaching my companion the colors in english. Let's just say she is pretty good with her colors now :)

Speaking of teaching english, I have my very own english class here in Mexico!! Every saturday at 12 I am teaching members and investigators the basics of english. I teach the class with Hermana Greenberg, another american sister inmy district. My english class, after my calling as a missionary, is my pride and joy! I love teaching them English!! The price of the classes is listening to us, as missionaries, teach a simple lesson about the gospel. In this way, it is easier for the members to one learn english and two share the gospel with their friends. I love it.

Well, I just vomitted a bunch of words. Thank you for reading my word vomit (for those who really read it) and we will talk next week!

Out into the rivers to get wet and spread the gospel,

Hermana Beardall

SONRISA (Smile)

Dear Family,

This week was a week of little smiles, little rays of sunshine. Last week my companion gave me the  talk by Joseph B. Wirthlin called "Venga lo que venga, disfrútalo" or Something along the lines of "come what may, enjoy it." This week I have been working on truly enjoying my mission.

Let me just tell you, every day there was a moment every day that was simple and sweet and definitely enjoying my mission.

On Thursday we had a full agenda visiting new people and our converts too. But, sometimes the plans fall through and plan b too. Thursday this happened and we decided to visit an investigator named R, whom we didn't put in our plans for the day. We didn't know exactly what to teach but we went in with a prayer in our hearts and began to read Ether 12 with the family. This day, D, the spouse of R was home (which is rare bc of his work) and both were in the lesson. We read the entire chapter and asked questions. R began crying and telling us that this night and this chapter was an answer to their prayers como family. I had no idea the impact of this chapter, but I know that our plans fell through for a reason and that we visited this family for a reason. God is always answering our prayers!

Sunday, was another beautiful, beautiful smile. We were singing the opening hymn when I realized that J wasn't in church. I was worried because she told us that she could come and this day was important because we were waiting for her confirmation. After the opening prayer and many prayers in my own heart, J walked into the chapel and sat down next to me and my companion. She was confirmed and I honestly couldn't stop smiling. It was another beautiful moment with my dear dear J.

God is always aware of all of his children. Don't you forget that. God answers our prayers and blesses us in ways we can't even imagine! Don't forget to look for the little smiles that God gives you every day because there are many. We most definitely have something to smile about!!

SONRISAS,

Hermana Beardall (aka Hermana "Birthday" for those who can't pronounce my name :) )

Let Us All Press On

Dear Family,

I am going to be honest with you, this week was probably the hardest week of my mission, but at the same time, the most growth I have had so far.

On Monday we did divisions with new sister missionaries and I had to leave my food that I had purchased for the week in the church- over night. When I came back the following morning (early for a district meeting) My food had been taken- all that was left was my oatmeal. That same day the elders told me that they had forgotten my package on a bus. I am sorry mom, but I don't think I will be recieving your package. I was pretty bummed to recieve the news.

This week, we contacted every person that we and also the other Hermanas had contacted in the street and tried to have new investigators. Every single person on our list of more than thirty either weren't home, didn't want to hear, or didn't have time. Our numbers decreased dramatically.

We visited J, our investigator of 94 years and that was baptized but not confirmed, this week and were shocked to find to missionaries of Testigo Jehovah (I can't remember the name in English...) in her house. We introduced ourselves but couldn't share a message with J because the spirit would leave the minute the other missionaries began to try to prove us wrong. We were shocked and I was clueless of how I should respond.

I am not trying to depress you guys by telling you this, but I learned something extremely valuable because of these events. This work is sacred and is the work of God and because it is, we are going to face the Adversary MANY times like a brick to the face. Everytime something bad happened I had a comforting thought: Because we are going through this hard trial, we are going to do something BIG (spiritually, of course).

We are going to do something BIG. 

Satan knows that we are rapidly bringing forth the work of the Lord and he knows our potential. He tries to break us by giving us moments or in this case weeks of difficulty to discourage us and try to distract us from our potential.

So WATCH OUT, SATAN- Hna Beardall and Hna Noh are going to do something BIG.

This week I have been learning a lot about having the Spirit in our hearts at all times and how to ask inspired questions. We can't ask inspired questions without being in tune to the spirit. When we have a prayer in our heart, we are in tune with the spirit, the questions begin to flow. And when the questions begin to flow, I realize that it isn't me teaching the lessons anymore, it is the Spirit. The lessons where the Spirit is most definitely present, I can see what seems like a physical change in the person and when I begin to see this, I can't help but smiling. :)

Quiero testificar que se que esta iglesia es verdadero. Se que Dios nos ama muchísimo, y por eso, envió su hijo Jesucristo. Se que José Smith fue llamado a Dios para restaurar la verdad. Se que el Libro de Mormón es verdadero y mediante el, podemos saber por nuestro mismos que tenemos la verdad completamente y estamos en el camino para recibir muchas bendiciones, todos las bendiciones que Dios tiene para cada uno de sus hijos. Se que podemos vivir con nuestro familia para siempre. Tenemos la verdad. Estamos feliz porque tenemos la verdad.

I hope that all of you can find a way to strengthen your testimony this week. Devour the scriptures. Open and pour your heart out in sincere prayer. Know for yourself that God loves you and through your faith and your obedience and your desire to know, you will know. I can promise you this.

I hope you have a wonderful summer break and that graduation was a BLAST!! I am bummed I missed it but I am EXTREMELY grateful for the photos! 

McKayla, can you send me your grad invitation through email? I didn't get the chance to see your beautiful and hard work!!

Les amo muchísimo!!

Until next Monday,

Hermana Beardall

 Somos 4 en nuestra casa- Look! Another American! NEW!! Se llama Hna G

Yo y mi compañera :)

CAMBIOS 2

Family,

This week there has been A LOT of rain lately which has made working very interesting. Truth be told, I don't mind being soaking wet, but I feel bad walking into the house of our investigators and getting their couch all wet. C, one of our investigators who has 88 years INSISTED on us wearing her shirts. She gave my comp (Hna Noh) a blue sweater and me a fleece pj shirt. We were the funniest sight! I am going to send you a picture because we sure looked great :)

OH! I almost forgot to write about the baptism of last week. Entonces, last week we had a baptism for J who is 94 years old. Five minutes before the baptism, the member that we asked to pick up J told us that they passed for her and she was bathing. They said that she wouldn`t finish for two hours. Hna D and Hna O went to her house to help speed things up. All the members were waiting for about 45min while the Hnas went to pick J up. All six of the missionaries in our ward (including me) sang Donde hay amor (I don`t exactly remember the name of the song in English...). Bueno. They sang and I played the piano. I was nervous because I hadn`t played in a while and it was the first time (besides the practices antes the baptism) that I had played this song but it turned out just fine. I had the chills running up and down my arm the whole time because the spirit was so strong! Then the actual ordinance was so precious. Because she is so old, it was hard to find a way to get her completely under the water without causing her pain. It took about 20 min or so. Elder Allen did the ordinance, but his companion had to get in to the pila (in his suit) to help Elder Allen complete the ordinance. The faith of Hermana J was demonstrated so clearly and strongly that I began to cry tears of immense joy! 

The next day, Hermana Davis and I visited J and I had never seen a smile so pure and so full of joy. We asked her how she felt about her baptism and her answer matched the smile on her face! She is a special daughter of God and I know that God is happy that his daughter accepted the gospel, no importa su edad!

También we had a baptism of another investigator named A (30 años). After 4 years of taking lessons from the missionaries (on and off), he finally accepted the gospel and was baptized yesterday. His mom was unbelievably happy and pleased with her son! The Hermanas and I were extremely pleased, too. 

We taught a contact (con Hna Noh) that turned out to be very interesting. Turns out that he hates Americans. He was insulting everything American (including me), but I wasn't sad or upset. I was sad that he wasn`t willing to read the Book of Mormon because "it was from the United States." Let's get things straight: The Book of Mormon isn't from the United States, it is from God and contains words concerning our salvation. For this, I was sad that he was bitter against our message.

We recieved our cambios this Sunday. Hermana Davis is leaving, Hermana Orduño también, and..........

Hermana Noh and I are staying in Colinas!!! 

I am so excited to work with Hermana Noh this cambio! I can't wait to see what we can do together this change! 

Les amo mucho!

Con amor,

Hermana Beardall

Member gave us bags to put our things in but Hn Orduño wanted to put it on her head- SPAZ :)

The four enjoying the rain.

Despues la comida in the rain. (After dinner in the rain.)