somos seres eternos: los finales no son nuestro destino (we are all eternal beings: this is not our final destination)

querida familia,

I kind of lost track of time, but this morning with my companion I watched the district videos (part of her training) and wow did I realize where time went. I went back down to memory lane and I realized how much I love my mission. Que bonita es la misión.

This week we have been strengthening a lot of fallen sisters. For their privacy, I won't share details about their story nor will I mention their names but wow was it a humbling and life changing experience. It was humbling to see how strong these women made themselves be every day for their kids and also for themselves. It was a life changing experience because we really had to rely on the spirit to say the things God needed them to hear in that moment. The most beautiful part is that one began sharing her story and paused for a second. She expressed to us that she felt security in telling us her story and said, "Son representantes de Jesucristo, que no?" or in english she basically said that she recognized us representatives of Jesus Crist and for that reason she shared everything with us. In that moment I realized what it meant to be a representative of Jesus and why I carried His name on my tag for a year and a half. Missionaries are sent to heal people, or better said, missionaries are sent to help people find the healing they need and can only find through their Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Like always, I have ran out of time and I have to close my letter before telling you everything. Thank goodness we will have some time to talk... soon :)

Les quiero mucho y les agradezco mucho por escribirme por un año y medio y mas que todo, me han fortelecido en muchas maneras. Yo se que todo esto es verdad, no lo dudo.

Nos vemos,

Hermana Beardall

fruit week.

querido familia,

all of your letters this week have been very uplifting and I want to thank you all for sharing with me a tadbit of your life these days :)

This week has been the fruit week of the change. We have been working non stop my companion and I and we have had many ups and downs and wow were we exhautsted every day. Our spring bed never felt so comfortable until now. 

Things have turned around quite a bit; the work is reaping its fruits and oh so delicious too!

-We recieved so many references this week. One day our phone was off the hook and we recieved a jaw droppin 7 references. This time feeling tired walking our whole area felt so good.

- ¡PATRICIA TAPIA es una mujer maravillosa! Her boyfriend is moving his way around getting married but man is this sister on fire! She loves it when we visit and man does she love learning! But not only that, she shares the gospel with the people she knows. She is non stop giving us people to teach and so far every single one of them are more than willing to listen. It is a beautiful blessing. She has asked us to help her pressure a little bit Adan so that she can stick to her goal and be baptized August 1st. She is so determined and working hard! She is a wonderful person and is going to be a wonderful member of the church!!

-We are teaching Octavio- again. He said the last time that the missionaries were teaching him, he felt like everything was going to fast and his heart was too cold to accept any of it. Now he says he wants to feel it and when he feels it- be baptized. It may take him a while but his disposition is sufficent.

- José Luis is a man who contacted us and said he was taking the lessons from the missionaries in another area. Turns out that it was four years ago and he really wants to start up again. He wants to believe in God and be baptized. Story continues...

and the list goes on but my time is almost out. my camera has a virus and I can't send pictures. looks like I will be showing them to y'all when I get home.

I know that God lives and that this is His work. I know that everything happens in God's time and it is all with the purpose to bless and strengthen his children. God has 2 wishes for his children- inmortality and eternal life- and being a missionary has helped me to understand what that means and has helped me serve better those around me who are mis hermanos. I love them and I love my Heavenly Father. I knows he loves us and is absolutely aware of every single one of us. 

nos vemos... pronto,

Hermana Beardall

2000 steps.

Dear Family,

This week has been a beautiful week.

A lot of rain this week. The thing about rain storms here in Queretaro is that they aren't sprinklers or a nice mist but they are hot, humid, and giant drops of water.

This week we were working with Hermana Muñiz (whose grandchildren live in Pleasant Grove by the way) who is an amazing missionary. Whenever she takes a bus somewhere, she always takes Liahona magazines with here to give to the people sitting next to her or whoever. Inspiring.

Anywho, it begins to rain and we are working with Hna Muñiz. She gets a little nervous because of the rain, we feel bad for dragging her into a future bathing, but instead of finding a dry place to wait for the rain to stop, she begins to run. My companion and I looked at each other amazed at how fast she was running, especially for her age. We were also amazed at how she out ran us to... um ok I will blame it on my heavy bag... :) My companion and I laughed about it for a good while afterwards.

This week we have been teaching Patricia whose boyfriend is member. She is the most amazing person ever! She accepts everything we teach her and is always excited for our visits. When my companion was inviting her to be baptized she accepted before Hna Morales could finish the question. Our goal with her is that she can get married ASAP and then she can be baptized.

On the fourth my companion and I dressed very american-spirited. My companion was a little bummed not to be home in the states for the fourth but we did our best to celebrate it here in Mexico :)

My companion and I spoke to the ward on Sunday about missionary work and ward leaders shared some thoughts as well. The spirit was so strong and we saw the change in the excitement of some of the members of our ward! I really love being a missionary and working in God's work. It is rather beautiful.

Thought:

When Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb, he expirimented more than 2000 times before he succeeded. A young reporter asked him how he felt to make so many mistakes. Edison responded, "I failed not even once. I invented the lightbulb. It was simply a proccess of 2000 steps."

Nos vemos,

Hermana Beardall

Foto week...

So I don't have much time this week but I wanted to send some pictures…

Divisions with my sister training leaders- Hermana Cadena and Hermana Womack!! I got to work with Hna Cadena and my compa with hna Womack.​

Um well we didn't realize what we had put on until we were about ready to head out the door...

If your remember about a year ago my companion and I baptized Joel Mejia. This week Joel papa got baptized!!!! Now their next goal is to go through the temple as a family!!!

Enjoying a day of cleaning.. Enchanted style...

HELLO from the Hermanas in Quintas!!!

​

​See you next week!

Hermana Beardall

The Ups and the Downs Story

Dear Family,

Soooo this week we've got an ups and downs story for y'all.

First up: We recieved a TON of refurrals this week from members, investigators and the offices of the church.

Up two: Milenio III. Go to google maps (and next week I will have pictures) and take a nice look at the hills we climb to visit refrerences, members, and investigators. Some times I catch myself singing Miley Cyurs The Climb because really "it's the cliiiiiiimb"

Down. Once we got up there we took a couple of hours looking for the streets  and it turns out that Milenio III is not only the climb but also an ever confusing maze.

Up. We found the street. About two hours later. We take the street and realize the house we are looking for is going to be at the very end of the street.

Down(hill) Sendero de la Girola.

Up. We almost get to the end and the view out is GORGEOUS.

Down. A vicious looking street dog is in our way. WE WERE ALMOST THERE and now a dog is keeping us from getting to our final destination. Tired and laughing hysterically, my companion and I decide that the only way to get passed the dog was to pray.

And we prayed. And it turns out that the dog is only a playful fellow. Up.

The greatest up of all: Sofia was home and we completed our mission. Safe and Sound.

I think I now understand all of the returned missionaries statement that the mission is full of ups and down and in the end:

IT IS WORTH IT.

Lots of lovin'

Hermana

Dear Family,

This week my companion and I had quite the adjustment (Hna Talbot being gone and all...). I have never felt so tired but some how capable of moving around and hiking the streets of San Fransiquito every day. We have been always one step behind in everything getting lost every once in a while and underestimating how much time it takes to wait for the bus. Haha I love the mission! (and I am not being sarcastic but really i am not)

FAMILIA PEREZ: Wow wow wow we have had a fun week with the Perez Family. Lety (mom) is from Celaya and member (when I get home I have a crazy story to tell you about how she knew the church) her daughter Nahiby got baptized a year ago (I went to her baptism when I was in Colinas) and Juan (dad) is an investigator. Lety's mom also lives with her and is also an investigator. We visit the family to teach every one and then we leave to do visits with Nahiby. The family is more united and Nahiby is glowing with so much joy when she comes to visit with us. Future eternal family. Solo dos cosas: Juan is struggling like no other to stop smoking and Mama Elida is a little stubborn when it comes to going to church. "The struggle is real" as some say but it is definitely worth it :) Little by little Juan is quitting smoking and little by little Elida is more willing to go to church- she went this past sunday and said she loved it! Missionary Doctor remedy:Alma 37:6-7 repeat ten times a day for one week and after one week, apply it every time it is necesary.

WE FOUND VIVIANA!!!!!!!!!!! We finally had contact with Viviana and we taught her the plan of salvation. It is one of my favorite lessons to teach (because of my beautiful paper plan- thank you Brayden) and I get all excited to talk about so many things in the plan (adam and eve, life on earth, the atonement, the spirit world, etc etc etc o sea todo!!!) She had some pretty interesting and exciting questions- a few of them we couldn't answer like who is Heavenly Mother etc. because there is no doctrine to back up any answer. But she loved it. She really wants her kids to learn this now.

Whelp that's my schpill (or how ever you spell it) for this week.

Here, have a video to enlighten your mind: LIFT

Also, some pics: 

1.Familia Perez (everyone menos Elida) (Chuleta is the dog and she is the biggest teddy bear ever. She always comes running after us to pet her and she never runs out of energy :) )

2. Quintas has a lot of beautiful artworks on the walls. Here's one of my favorites. More coming soon.

HERMANA BEARDALL

Quintas

Dear Family,

Transfers. I am going to stay in Quintas with Hermana Morales and Hermana Talbot is going to Irapuato. Looks like I am going to finish here in Quintas. :)

This week we did an activity as a district called TODOS SOMOS UNO (we are all one). We went to Paseos the area of our fellow compañeros. We divided with the members and went looking for old investigators and new contacts that the elders could go and teach. The purpose of the activity is to help area by area the number of people we are teaching increase and that they progress to baptism and temple covenants. It was a beautiful experience. I went with a recent convert who is considering going on a mission. We came across many types of people people that accepted us and others who kindly said no.

Here's an investigator status update:

Juan: Struggling to quit smoking. The good thing is he hasn't given up trying. We talked about repentance this week. He said that he didn't believe that we could be forgiven completely. We showed him the example of Saul in the Bible and Alma the younger in the Book of Mormon. I think his perspective has changed a little and he can see that it is possible to be completely forgiven.

Amada Tere: We taught her the Restauration and about prophets. She realized how important it was to have a prophet to guide us in these days and her homework :) is to pray about the experience of Joseph Smith to gain a testimony that he was a prophet called of God to restore God's church.

Mara: We recieved the Book of Mormon on CD so that she can start to hear the Book of Mormon and begin to gain her testimony of it. We haven't seen her a lot this week because she has had trials with family and friends and also big accomplishments in the family so she has been a little busy.

That's all the news I have this week.

Con Amor,

Hermana Beardall

the power of prayer depends on YOU

Dear Family

If you have a difficult task before you, Heavenly Father is pleased when you get on your knees and ask for help and get on your feet and go to work.*

This week we found VIVIANA a friend of an Hermana in our ward. She accepted us in her house and we began to teach the restauration. We almost finished the lesson when we came to the conclusion that she didn't firmly believe there was a Christ. It is an idea heavily influenced by her husband. We reviewed the story of Joseph Smith and how he recieved an answer to his questions through prayer. Then we invited her to do the same and pray about the things she wasn't sure about. IT was a beautiful lesson and I felt the spirit fill the room.

Your prayers for guidance will only be as effective as your efforts to be receptive to the whispering to the Holy Ghost.*

We are looking and looking and looking for people to teach and people who want to listen and live what we teach. It can be hard sometimes. The Holy Ghost really makes all the difference. When you teach by the spirit it is undeniably felt and understood. When someone is putting their wall up and blocking the spirit, it is clear that they won't treasure the gospel truths you want to share with them. With Rosa Maria, she has heard so much from the missionaries and she remains numb to everything we try to teach. With a prayer in my heart I was able to know what to say and when it was time to let her look for these gospel truths and accept them in her heart.

I was praying hard this week for guidance and fasted for answers. I know that GOD ANSWERS YOUR PRAYERS  always and when we pray sincerely, looking for Him and his guidance and peace.

Con Amor,

Hermana Beardall

*from true to the faith

Pictures from the Past

1. Los Arcos de Querétaro

2. Temple Soup (princess soup my compa made)

3. Cleaning the grout :)

Oh How Great The Plan Of Our God (part two)

Dear Family,

The Truth: God's Plans are a lot better than mine. 

Three stories of three tender mercies that are part of God's Plan

Juan: We are teaching Juan, Lety's (member) husband. He has had many missionaries who have taught him but because it is difficult to stop smoking. He smoked 3 packs of 30 every day and when I knew him(quite a while after), he was down to one pack of 15. But when we went to eat with Lety on Friday she told us he is down to 3 cigarettes a day. A childhood habit is miraciously disappearing and very quickly too! His work sometimes makes it difficult to visit him or that he can go to church but he came to church without us needing to say anything! Let's see where this story goes...

Side note: Lety is friends with Pinos bishop's wife and Hna Dana (Bishop Robles' wife) was the one who introduced her to the gospel- SMALL WORLD:

Mara Montes Morales: We were running a little late to a ward activity (talent night) when we ran into Mara. I noticed as we were passing by that she was doing everything in her will power to talk to us (she was a little nervous). She asked us who we were, what we do and asked if we wanted a tour of her house (the oldest house in Colonia Quintas). It was a little weird, but we accepted her invitation and she told us that she wanted us to come back and share our message. I was a little shocked but I know its God's tender mercies.

Tere: Amiga of Hna Tere whom we live with. She came to church willingly and accepted to hear our message and also accepted the invitation to be baptized. ... WHAT?! It almost felt too easy but I couldn't deny the sincerity in her answer.

This week has been a week of tender mercies coming after four hard weeks of no movement or progress in our area. Things changed and changed dramatically. God taught me valuable lessons and expanded my vision of trials and how his hand is everpresent in our lives.

The moment when we decide to follow God's Plans and not our own is when we see that everything is so much better- sunshine or rain.

Hermana Beardall

The Morning Breaks

Dear Family,

It was great to see you guys yesterday!

This week has been very interesting. As a missionary you have the blessing to know a LOT of people. This week my companions and i have been looking for new investigadors because we have almost nobody to teach.

Let me tell you a few things that happened to me this week.

1. We met a women named Consuelo. She called me her prophet and told me I had this light about me that illuminated her mind. I took this as the opportunity to teach her about prophets and the restauration. 

2.We met a woman named Pueblito. she has a little shop where she sells food and cleaning products. I understood what it means to be humble and happy in our circumstances when I saw that her store could use some help so that people buy from her. She is a strong woman.

3. Old investigador - Rosa Maria. She is the bluntest person I know and I absolutely love it. I love how she says how she really feels and how it really is because it makes it easier to teach frankly how things are in the gospel and talk honestly how she can apply and live the gospel. She could be a toughy to teach but I know she will accept the gospel soon.

There are many experiences that you can have with people and it brings so much joy to share the gospel with so many. Some times its hard because people have hard lives, but when they begin to live the gospel its like the sun rising over the mountains and filling the valley with light. There is no better cure for their problems than the gospel. 

see you later alligator,

Hermana Beardall

sorry I lost my cable in the house and can't send pictures this week but I promise I am taking pics... :)

animo en el servicio celestial

FAMILY:

First week in Quintas. 

My new companion? Hermana Morales from Layton Utah.

I was listening to the Priesthood session of General Conference and something that M. Russell Ballard said has become the theme I have chosen to have for this change and for the rest of my mission. He says,

"We need your whole heart and soul. We need vibrant, thinking, passionate missionaries who know how to listen to and respond to the whisperings of theHoly Spirit."

This week we had a day that went completely in different directions than we had originally planned. We found a less active who had just moved into the ward and we got to see her face and excitment light up  and burst when we told her that we wanted and needed her help and participation in the ward. Her name is Jill. She came to church this past Sunday.

Also, when we had nothing left to do and thirty minutes before we had to head home we had the impression to go and visit some less actives. When we got to their house, the first thing that was said was, "I am so glad you sisters came, I was waiting for you!" 

God needs us vibrant, thinking, passionate, and knowing how to listen and respond to the whisperings of the Holy Ghost. He needs us to be this type of missionary and member to help those who we know to be lifted in their trials and confusion. 

There is a work to be done and we need to be what God expects us to be.

Sorry I don't have much time this week but we will be calling be calling home Sunday from 6 in the afternoon (mexico) or later. I was planning at 7 here in mexico...

I love you,

Hermana Beardall

Leaving the Pines

Dear Family,

Yesterday we had changes. My companion Hna Guevara is going to stay here in Pinos and I am leaving the Pines and heading for Quintas (in Querétaro).

I am going to be in another trio with Hna Talbot and I am going to train a new Hermana. I will find out tomorrow who she is and what her name is. I am more than nervous and excited for a completely new adventure. 

Something beautiful about these changes is that one of my converts Josefina in Colinas now lives in Quintas ward bondaries!! I will be able to see Josefina again!!!!!

The most exciting news about this week is that well, Hermana Irene is progressing rapidly. I can't believe all that is happening and how excited she is to share the gospel with others and to invite people to her baptism. She has had many trials with her boss who wants her to work on the day of her baptism and with her mom that doesn't want her to get baptized so soon, but the miracle about all of this is that she is more that determined to be baptized May 16th. I wont be there but I don't have to be there to be proud of her for all that she is changing and doing to be happy. 

Until next week when I will be in Querétaro,

Hermana Beardall

next week I will tell you about our actividad misional here in Pinos....

luchando hasta la lucha eficaz (fight the good fight)

Hola mi familia,


This week I read a scripture that gave me another perspective to enduring to the end. In the story, Ammon and his brothers find king Limhi and his people. They are held under a heavy law by the Lamanites and they want to escape from bondage. The words of king Limhi to his people after Ammon and his brothers came to help go like this:


O ye, my people, lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in subjection to our enemies, notwithstanding our many strugglings, which have been in vain; yet I trust there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made. (Mosiah 7:18)


I realized that many times we see that our struggles have been in vain and we have accomplished nothing or better put, we didn't accomplish what we thought we would. At times we begin to question God why couldn't we do it if we were doing everything we could to be obedient and we were doing everything that should have guaranteed the results that we wanted. I love what king Limhi teaches his people: there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made, or in other words NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO GIVE UP.


This week I saw that the effecutal struggle had finally came to pass with one of our on and off investigators here in Pinos. Maybe you remember me mentioning the name Irene. Whelp, here's the news: Irene has two weeks attending church and basically invited herself to be baptized.

Seven months of vain struggles and one effectual struggle that has results of a changed woman who has willingly accepted the gospel to bless her life never crossed my mind as an experience that I would have in the mission.


If you don't believe that God's timing is better than our idea of timing let me tell you that God's time is infinitely better than our own. If you think about it, He was the one who created time and we as humans with a wristwatch think we can control God's creations. God doesn't ask us to control time, He simply asks us to keep on struggling until we have discovered and accomplished the effectual struggle.


Thanks to all who shared their favorite talks. I hope you enjoy something from the conference every day this week.


luchando,
Hermana Beardall

ENJOY IT.

Dear Family,

Greetings to all.

This week we had divisions with our sister training leaders and guess what? I got to work with Hermana Noh! She only has one change (6 weeks) left and she goes home (ahhh how weird). I enjoyed every experience she shared with me and it made me realize that the mission is SHORT. Time is limited and you have to use ever bit of it working hard trying to bring the salvation unto all you possibly can. To be honest, 18 months is short but I am not going to let that keep me from finishing strong and enjoying every minute of it. To be hones, I am sincerely enjoying every minute of my mission. 

We visited Familia Villafuerte this week, well actually only Renata. We talked about general conference and she told us how her desire to be baptized, to be member of God's church had grown. We decided to talk with her to see if there was a way that she could receive permission from her parents to be baptized. In the end, we decided that we were going to fast and that they were going to ask for a signed letter from her parents, giving her permission as well as Mauricio her brother to be baptized. We are hoping and praying that they will be able to be baptized this weekend!

Today with Maria Dolores we learned how to make Pan de Naranja or Orange Bread. Maybe it sounds weird but it is absolutely delicious! It is basically a cake- maybe the picture shows better that my word how delicious it tasted. We have more confidence with Hna Dolores and we see that she enjoys our visits cooking or learning the gospel- both of them equally enjoyed.

Two short things to finish:

1. My favorite general conference talk this week was Jeffery R Holland's talk. I invite you to read it.

2. I want to hear which talks were your favorite and a favorite quote from the talk. 

Whelp. Gotta go. I hope you know I love you all!

Hermana Beardall

Easter Sunday

Beautiful spring flowers in the trees here in Celaya

G I R A S O L E S. (sunflowers)

Dear Family,

Before I say anything, I just want to let you know that I am extremely grateful that because of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, I AM TRULY HAPPY. 

This week has been a beautiful week full of skin-burning sunshine and beautiful "Diosidencias" as Hna Womack says ( or Godly coincidences in English).

NUMERO UNO: This week we finally visited M D. She let us enter her house and we taught her in preparation for the General Conference. At the end of the lesson, she invited us to do an Family Home Afternoon with her niece A S who is currently less active along with her three sons. We readily accepted the invitation, surprised and more than happy to participate. 

I loved it. I watched as M D took control of the event, assigning the opening and closing prayer, choosing the hymn, and participating immensely in the lesson. I watched how her excitement made her less-active family members begin to participate, the rebelious teenage sons listening closely to what was being said (even if it was a few minutes here and there :) and A willingly accepting our invitation that they could join us in the conference. The way everything unfolded couldn't have any more perfect and it was clear that the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ really is a guide and blessing to unite the family. 

NUMERO DOS: La Conferencia General de La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días. Once again, I watched the conference in Pinos Ward (and for those who were asking, I watched it in Spanish). I can't believe it has been 6 months since I started here in Pinos. The members ask me if I want transfers but with a firm NO I enjoy every moment I can be here in Pinos.

Anywho... General Conference. R came to the conference with her sister E but because M was embarassed because he forgot his sunday shirt, he didn't come (He is 11 yrs old and the most animated person I know to come to church... but only when he has his Sunday Shirt :) D came to the conference too! I was so happy to see everyone that came but even more to see our investigadors there. I was praying so hard that there would be atleast one talk that caught their attention and gave them the answers they needed. And you know what? I think God heard my infinite prayers :) 

I honestly can't think of ONE talk to share with y'all but I will share snippets of a few talks that I like- Things I learned from one of the speakers. One thing that really struck my mind was the talk by Quentin L. Cook. Crazy enough, I had been thinking about sunflowers all week long and to hear Elder Cook talk about sunflowers caught my attention. I am not exactly sure if these are his exact words because it could be personal revelation or errores in the translation from spanish to english, but I liked this idea: "That which will protect us and guide us is our righteousness." Being obedient and righteous have the blessings of protection and direction. Like the Girasoles (sunflowers) having our mirada (sorry I can't remember how to say this word in english) set on Christ, our spiritual growth and strength is clear. As sure as the sun will rise every day, Christ is always there. His light is bright and possible to find and follow.

I hope General Conference was just as wonderful or more for you as it was for me. 

Thank you to everyone who has been my teacher and example in learning and living the gospel. Because of the gospel I AM TRULY HAPPY.

HAPPY HERE IN PINOS,

Hermana Beardall

And we keep on rollin'.

Dear Family,

This week has been crazy and I am excited for a normal (ha) week again. (Can you have a normal week in the mission?) I got sick (went to the doctor and now I am fine) and had to go to Queretaro to renew my Visa. Practically we haven't worked in our area at all this past week but here we are- still on rollin'

We have been working with Dolores this week. Dolores is Hna Lara's sister and the only one in the family that isn't member of the church. She told us that she doesn't want a "i told you so" conversion but a real and personal conversion to the gospel. She told us that she knows that it is true and we think she just needs to know the way she can recieve a confirmation not from her sister but from God, an answer JUST FOR HER. Stay tuned to see what happens.

Renata and Mauricio? Whelp, we are still waiting for their parents to return. Here we are- and we keep on rollin'. They are pretty active in the church and you could almost say they are members but the are missing one important step- baptism. :)

If you can, read this talk called Living with a Purpose: The importance of real intent 

https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/worldwide-devotionals/2015/01/living-with-purpose-the-importance-of-real-intent?lang=eng

And think on something he says: "I got stars because that is what I was reading for."

Feel free to share any thoughts ideas scriptures, etc that come to mind. 

Sorry I can't write much but know that I love and think about you every day.

Love,

Hermana Beardall

Seek, and ye shall find.

Dear Family,

Thinking back on this week and all that had happened, I began to realize a pattern forming in everything we accomplished.  I thought of the words of the Savior to the people in the Americas from his teachings from his earthly ministry in Jerusalem:

 7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (3 Nephi 14)

When we follow the spiritual equation to recive divine blessings from our loving Heavenly father with obedience with exactness the blessings really do come.

Finding Familia Frias One of the sisters that we are teaching gave us a reference of her neighbor- Familia Frias. We visited them right after Catalina had mentioned their name and when knocking on the door, we explained that we were the missionaries, their neighbors. The immediately let us pass into their home and we began to teach. The accepted to hear our message with a very strong, "si, yo quiero escuchar" or yes I want to listen. 

Finding People with a Specific Prayer On Wednesday our mission president asks us to do a special activity of our choice to find 5 new people. My compa and I decided that we wanted to do a prayer aksing for indications of who to find during the day. For example: Someone that already has a Book of Mormon. We listed 6 specific ideas to find people and throughout the day we talked with many people. We found Isabel and her son Luis who willingly accepted that we share our message with them. Turns out, Luis has a Book of Mormon and the missionaries five years ago were teaching him.

Finding the Family Villafuerte we lost contact with them for almost a month, but we got in contact with them and now we can continue teaching them.

Finding my companion's surprises See the pictures :)

Finding Answers and Animo This past Sunday we had Ward Conference. I had been feeling a little confused in these days and I was looking for answers. God hears our prayers and I recieved the answers I needed to keep on going :)

8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

I invite you to try it out for yourself. Prepare yourself for a revelation-filled General Conference with confidence that God will fulfill his promise to you.

finding,

Hermana Beardall

Life in the Pines

Dear Family, 

We had transfers yesterday but I have the GRAND BLESSING to keep living in the Pines and Hermana Guevara is my compañera!

In April when conference comes again I will have 6 months in barrio Los Pinos. Wow. Time flies. Honest truth: I absolutely love it here (can I finish my mission here please?)

Another honest truth: I don't know what it is like to have dry feet or dry shoes. Practically this whole week has been raining and raining and raining. For a day and a half it was raining non stop. But ya it has stopped-for now. 

This week has been really hard to find our investigators or to keep our appointments with them. We have lost contatct with almost all of our investigadors. This week we are on the search to find them again :) 

But walking through the streets that are more like rivers amidst the pines I got super wet and lost a pair of shoes because the velcrow (or however you spell it) was so wet it wouldn't stick. We walked barefoot for a while to get to the bus stop but the bus never came. We called a member and they helped us get home.

I almost got really upset but then I remembered something that I had learned in my personal study. I read the talk by President Dieter F. Utchdorf called Agradecidos en cualquier circunstancia (sorry I can't remember what it is called in english). 

Jokingly I started to list things I was grateful for to make my companion laugh. When the bus still didn't come, I kept listing my blessings and the two of us began to list many things but now with more sincerity. We learned the importance of elevating ourselves even in the moment of trial. In place of feeling bad for ourselves, we began to laugh and feel a greater joy that one can't experience eating chocolate (and thats a lot of joy). In place of crying over our circumstances I wanted to cry tears of gratitude for all that I had. And I have A LOT, gracias a Dios (or thanks to God) as they say here in Mexico for everything but I say it with so much more meaning.

Read the talk if you would like, it is pretty great and inspiring (especially the part that talks about how we are not made for endings but I am not going to spoil it for ya...)

Fotos:1. Us and Hna Torres una Hermana that we helped come back to church--WOW this Hermana is PODEROSA.

2. Irene-- do you remember me talking about her? She calls me Guera (white girl) because  she can't say Beardall. Ya ni modos.

3 y 4. Gorditas- basically a stuffed thick tortilla with cheese and meat and salsa y all the Mexican food goodness. En fin, this is what we ate for breakfast in PDAY.

Hermana Beardall

March 9, 2015

Dear Family,

On Friday we had a ward actvity about the Plan of Salvation. The Elders put it together and assigned every orginazation a theme- the example in the pictures A FIESTA and FHE. The investigators and a few members held to a rope with "the guide of the Holy Ghost" or the elders to two rooms. They had to choose a room and according to their decsisions they made they went to one of the three kingdoms.

I had to go in to the Terrestal Kingdom and explain to the people that they hadn't accepted Jesus as their Savior and so they didn't make it int the Celestial Kingdom. I can't imagine how it would be like for God to do the same for all of his children. It was sad to see their reaction to what I told them but it gave me peace to know that now they understand the importance of obedience and to make good decsisions.

Yesterday I had an experience that hurt but taught me a valuable lesson. I had the first door slammed in my face. We lost contact with our investigator Erica that was planned to be baptized this upcoming Saturday  and yesterday we went to see what happened (because she didn't come to church).  We knocked, they responded, but didn't come out to talk with us. We called her phone and she turned it off and ignored us. Then while we were waiting outside thinking what we should do next, Ericas mom walked by and asked what we needed. We said that we wanted to talk to Erica. She entered the house to look for her and the next thing we knew, her dad came out and began to speak angerly at us and told us that he never wants to see us again or know about us teaching his daughter and that "this house is catholic and always will be catholic" It hurt but in the sense  that I felt like in place of uniting the family with the gospel, we managed to separate them a little more. 

 I read the talk The Priesthood Man by  Pres. Eyring and found peace in reading the part where it talks about prayer. I applied it to my self and my situation and to pray with gratitud for the experiences I had with Erica and to ask forgiveness, etc. I felt a huge change within me that I can't express with words. I really felt the peace that I needed to know that Erica was fine and that her family also was fine.

I know that prayer changes who we are to help us become the children of God he knows we are.

Love,

Hermana Beardall