CELAYA

Dear Family,

This week has been very interesting.

MY COMPANION: Hermana Gimenez from Argentina. She has 11 months in the mission and 

1. Before I came to Celaya, my companion had some problems with her hip. She had to stay in bed for four days straight. When I came to Celaya, she was still recovering from hip (and now back) pains and also a sick stomach from the food they ate at a consejo with Presidente. Because of this, I haven't really had the chance to know the area or our investigadors.

2. Speaking of not knowing the area and consejo with presidente- My companion is a Sister Training Leader with another Hermana in our Zone and they had a meeting with presidente Thursday. Hermana Montoya (comp of the Hermana Rodriguez (STL)) and I are both new to our new areas and we had to work together while our companions went to Querètaro. WOW. Talk about being absolutely lost BUT HEY- LO HICIMOS!!! (I finally understand what Dora sings at the end of each episode. Muchas Gracias.)

3. CONFERENCIA!!!!!! Oh wow didn't you just love conference? I watched conference in Spanish this time and I was surprised at how much I understood.  Also, I LOVED that the brethren spoke in their native language and YES I understood the talks in spanish :) I was amazed to hear that Elder Richard G. Scott recorded his own talk in Spanish- he has amazing spanish!!

Something that stood out to me this conference was the talk(s) (sorry I don't have my notes with me today so I can't be specific... :))  About obedience with exactness and not justifying anything but doing everything the Lord's way. I have been really reflecting on the importance of being obedient and being obedient with exactness. The mission has been putting a special emphasis on this concept for a while and I am starting to understand why. Excito viene por medio de la obediencia. We can't justify our choices with the voices of the world but live the words of the prophets in the scriptures and in our day and time. We will see a major difference in our lives when we remember the Lord in everything and do His will. I PROMISE!!!!

OOPS. So I received your package- and opened it. Haha sooooo here I am saying thank you to all for remembering me in my journey here in Mexico on the Lord's errand. Your words (y dulces :)) came in the moment when I needed them the most! THANK YOU A BUNCH!!

Ok. Times Up. I hope y'all enjoyed conference and that you take the time this week to reflect on what you heard in the conference and makes some goals. Start living what you loved from conference!!!

Les amo mucho!!

Hermana Beardall

 Last Photo of our Trio :)

 

Part of my zone

 

Pues, soy yo

 Kung Fu Panda anyone? Ya we are the furious 5 mas Po (our Ward Mission Leader) :)

Investigador/Mom of Ward Mission Leader/ A. M.- I am going to miss this special lady!!

We Are Not Made For Endings: one beautiful pause in my life

Dear Family,

Guess what? Cambios. Guess what? I'm going to Celaya. Guess what? All three of us in our companionship had cambios and our area is going to be opened up by Elders. 

The truth be told: This companionship was the most beautiful and history-making companionship I have had here in Mexico. Mejor dicho- The Fab Five in Azteca Ward is an area and experience I will never forget. 

It's kinda hard this change to leave my dear companions and my investigadors and the ward, but the comforting words of Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf helped me have a better perspective:

"In light of what we know about our eternal destiny, is it any wonder that whenever we face the bitter endings of life, they seem unacceptable to us? There seems to be something inside of us that resists endings.

Why is this? Because we are made of the stuff of eternity. We are eternal beings, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless and who promises eternal blessings without number. Endings are not our destiny.

The more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions—temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful.

How grateful I am to my Heavenly Father that in His plan there are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings."

Although it may appear to be an ending, my relationships with the people here in Azteca León are only on pause for later in This Life or for in my Eternal Life. 

One experience that I want to share with you:

We found a woman and her husband- J and T. J has never excepted any religious thing in his life- until now. Because of this, T also wants to listen. Sadly, J is gone on the weekends, but happily we found T and she gladly excepted us. She is a very lively person with a great knowledge of the Bible. She loves to hear us and comment and ask questions and AH I love her sooo much! One quirky thing that I love about here (that I don't fully understand but HEY) is that every time she is asked to read a scripture she likes to stand up and read it, when we say prayers she can't kneel but we stand to say the prayers- I guess you could say that we don't have the slightest chance of falling asleep in the lessons.

Thanks for your letters and love and prayers. I couldn't ask for better family and friends, la verdad!

I hope you have a beautiful week and remember: WE ARE NOT MADE FOR ENDINGS!

Love,

Hermana Beardall

Ps quote from Wise Hermana Doughty:

"No hay cosas difíciles, sólo cosas NUEVAS."

Ponder that.

Photos: Fotos of my district and my comps and us celebrating the birthday of Hna Doughty :)

 

ENJOY IT

Dear family,

Mostly I just want to share one thing.

We have been studying CH 9 of PME this week and....

CONTACTING.

But this week has been a unique experience. I am scared at times to go up to people and start talking to them, but this week we have been trying new things. We are contacting in the way that we ENJOY IT. 

The pictures of the wigs: we tried on wigs and took pictures AND we talked with the Hermana of the store.

We buy pan dulce AND we contact the Hermana in the store (when it isn't busy).

I have gained a testimony of missionary work as being ENJOYABLE.

I challenge you to think of something you don't really like doing or don't have confidence doing and think of a way that you can ENJOY IT. 

ENJOY your week,

Hermana Beardall

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Family,

Here is a small list of the things that happened this week:

1. Hey look who it is?!? Hna WOMACK!!! We are currently in the same zone so we see each other every once in a while :)

2. A member couldn't give us comida but they gave us the opportunity to eat with M and S again!! Hna M didn't want to turn around because she was too busy cutting veggies :)

 

It was sooo good!! We made tacos with frijoles and churriso (meat- maybe i spelled it wrong...) I was in charge of making the salsa- BY HAND ya know with a hallowed rock to hold the salsa and a rock to mush the chiles and tomatoes and yeah I forgot to take a picture of my hard work. All I can say is that it was deliciously spicey- perfect to my taste!! Weird, eh? Before my mission I could barely eat at cafe rio without a runny nose from the "spicey food" and now I can't eat anything without salsa or chiles.

3. I am going to tell you about some of my favorite people: Their names are V R and J G. This couple always has me on my toes every time we see them! They have a lot of trials in their life right now but they are all ears to hear what we have to share with them. V has her GIANT Bible and a notebook and pen- she really wants to learn something from our Heavenly Father :)  J, who makes shoes, always has his interesting point of view that, like I said, always keeps us on our toes.

The most beautiful thing about this family is that we are really beginning to see a change physically and spiritually in them. Hna V wears more make up and does her hair all pretty. Hno J tells his wife how pretty she looks and says that he loves her. They are beginning to look for how they can change and not point fingers at anyone else. They are beginning to look for how they can increase their faith and ability to feel the spirit more in their life. It is a dramatic change and it is only been 1 1/2 weeks!! As they continue to learn more about their gospel I know that they will see all that God has in store for them and they will be tremendously happy!

 

LOVE,

HNA BEARDALL

 

Soakin' Wet Trio

Dear family,

Here in León it rains every day. Every day we come home soaking wet. My shoes smell like roses and my baby umbrella is in recovery from a broken limb :(

We found a person very special this week named Angeles. We were trying to find a contact we made the past week and with confusion of the street names that are almost identical we found Hermana Angeles. She accepted to listen and we came back for a second visit three days later. She told us that the day we found her was a day that she was struggling a lot and our visit helped her remember that she needs to remember God more in her life. It was a beautiful experience that helped me see that God prepares his children and a way that we can find them so that they can accept His message.

Also, we ate with members that don't have a lot. We helped them prepare rice and eggs (separate). It was the humblest meal I had eaten in all of my mission and it definately was the most filling and memorable meal of my mission so far.

Well, sorry I don't have more time to tell you about the beautiful blessings and miracles God has permitted us to see but next week there is more!! 

I love y'all mucho!!

Hermana Beardall

One beautiful week.

Hey fam fam!!

Quickly I am going to tell you a few things that have happened this week.

1. We discovered that A (old investigador) moved back to our area. She was a missionary for another church and loves talking with us. We taught her basic principles of the gospel to help her remember what Hermana Ibarra had taught her before she moved. She has a fecha baptismal (I can't remember what it's called in english) and is very attentive to the things we teach her. 

2. We didn't have a family to eat with on Sunday and so one of our investigadors E, gave us food. It was fun to eat and get to know him a little bit more.

AHHHH. Time's out. Things are going well and I promise to write more next week (I will write it down before I begin to write you)

LOTS OF LOVE

LOTS OF HUGS AND KISSES:

Hermana Beardall

 

 

Land of Cheap Shoes

Dear family,

Hey guess what? I am in León. Happy. Content. Ready to work.

Hey guess what else? I have TWO companions. 

 

Hermana Doughty (3meses in the mission): Massachusets (or however you spell it...) Practically the twin of miss Brenna Bergeson. I have to blink twice all day long because I honestly think that Brenna is my companion! She is absolutely lovely hilarious and a joy to work with!

Hermana Ibarra (11 meses): Monterrey Mexico. Wow. She is one spiritual giant (but still shorter than me :)!!! She is Sister Training leader with another sister in our ward and wow seriously she knows how to work with the spirit! I love working with her.

Because Hna Ibarra is STL she had some business to do in another area this weekend. That meant that Hna Doughty Hermana Valdes (companion of Hermana Cruz, other STL)  and I worked together! It meant that I was responsible for the training of Hermana Doughty and remembering where our investigadors live to pass for them on Sunday for church. It was an interesting experience that helped me learn a LOT!!!! 

This week I have been thinking a lot about the Sacrament and what it really means. I am so grateful for the time I have to really reflect on my Brother Jesus Christ and what he has done for me. It is a moment that all of us can reflect on our relationship with our Savior. It is a moment where we reflect on our week and say hey, God loves me and he has his hands in every thing.

I know that Jesus is our Savior and his sacrifice, his pains physically and emotionally was all for us and to know our hearts and desires perfectly.

I hope all is well with you this week and that you can see then hands of God in your life everyday!

Les amo!

Hermana Beardall