Feb 17 2014

¡Familia!

   How has this week been for everyone?? Santa Sabina has been awesome and I just love it here in the mission. This week the other Hermanas in our ward had the baptism of Alejandra!! She is the sweetest lady and had such a sencire desire to know the truth. She was so happy as she came up out of the water and I had the opportunity to help teach her a few times so I was so happy for her as well!! Hermana Baturite asked me if I would sing with her during the service and even though we didn`t even get a chance to practice the song, it turned out so great! We sang "Divina Luz" ( I don`t even remember how it is called in English :)) but the spirit was so strong and we were so happy for her. Something about seeing people dressed in white makes me so happy!! 

    I feel like this week went by so fast, but so good as well. Karen our recent convert has been coming out with us a lot recently and she told us she has a dream to be able to go out and help all of the less-actives come back to church and so we are helping her make that come true! She is so pumped for the work and so are we! Everyone has still been going on vacations a lot so we have had to be very patient, but I have Faith that everything will work out in the Lord`s time. 

    This week we really got one of the "eternal investigators" to progress!! Her name is Francisca and her boyfriend is a member of the church and is less-active, but they are working hard to come back so that she can be baptized. This week Francisca expressed her desires to be baptized and to help her boyfriend come back to church and they both had tears in their eyes as she told us this. They finally both started reading like never before and this week they actually asked us for the first time when we can meet with them this week! You know they are good when they ask you that! We just have to help them both put their lives back in order so that they can both receive the blessings of the Gospel. 

   Also this week, one of the people who we taught on the street back on New Years named Hector called us and wanted to meet with us! I thought he was a little drunk when we talked to him, but we were excited because that like never happens... but he decided that it was his time to come to church and wanted to know more. He has a pretty tough life and we are hoping to help him feel happiness again. 

    Welp I love you all so much and will hopefully write more next week!! Keep the Faith strong and continue to read and learn more about Christ everyday so that we can become like him and feel true Happiness!!!

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney
 

Also I hit my 6 month mark this week and burned one of my shirts on our balcony! I`ll send pics next week since it`s not working right now...

One Year!- Feb. 10, 2014

¡Hola mis queridos hermanos! ¿Còmo les han ido este semana? Espero que esten compartiendo el evangelio con los demas y recibiendo las bendiciones que nuestro Padre Celestial tiene preparado para cada uno de ustedes. 

   Well this week was great! But then again, when is there a week that isn`t great?? Of course every week has it`s ups and lots of downs, but when we think about it, our loving Heavenly Father has given us so much to be grateful for. The people that we get to meet everyday, the possibility to live with our families for eternity, Jesus Christ our savior, all of the prophets and people that came before us who kept the faith and made it possible for us to do the same, the scriptures that guide us and help us feel God`s love for us, the simple act of being alive, and the list goes wayyyyyyyyyy on!!!!!!  

   Also sadly, in exactly one year from today, I will be having my final interview from President and finishing my mission. CRAZY!! Really time has flown by sooo fast and I will hit my 6 month mark this week as well. I have got one year from today to give my all to the Lord and help as many people as possible. I have one year to learn soooo many life lessons and grow as a person that will affect me and my family for the rest of eternity. One year to strip myself of my pride and become who the Lord wants me to become. One year to experience the miracle of a mission and wear the name of Jesus Christ everyday. I want to take full advantage of this time I have been given to invite people to repentance, be baptized, and make sacred covenants. This scripture found in Words of Mormon 1:7 really impacted me this week, " And I do this for a ^awise ^bpurpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord ^cknoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he ^dworketh in me to do according to his ^ewill."

I think this describes just about every missionary and what they feel. A lot of times, I feel like I don`t know enough or am not doing enough, but I know and feel comfort this is the Lord`s work and he knows better than me. 

*sorry it won't let me rotate the picture

   As far as our investigators, things have been going great and if all goes well, Daniela will be baptized on the 22 of this month. Lots of people have been going out of town since they all have their vacations now, but we are still doing great and finding people to teach. Hna Lino is doing great and we continue to become better and better friends each week. I love her so much! Also we had an incredible lesson with Roxana, Ricardo and their kids last night with one of our menos activos named Marcela who shared such a strong testimony of how families can be together forever. She is separated from her husband and wants more than anything to have a forever family and told them make sure they take advantage of the opportunity they have to go to the temple in a year. I am sooooo happy for that family!!!  I also love everyone of you and I feel my capacity to love becoming greater and greater as I try and become more like Christ. I have no doubt that the power of God has once again been restored on this earth and that we can all be eternally happy if we choose to be. Be good and do the Lord`s will. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

The pictures are from the beach this past week that I didn`t get to put up before. Also my hair has gotten so blonde from being in the sun all day! It`s crazy!

Pura Locura- Feb 3, 2014

Hey everyone! 

    So first off, the computer cafe where we are right now had a problem with the computers (no surprise) haha and so I don`t have any time at all. However, this week has been great and definitely an emotional one! I am not sure what is in the air or what is wrong with me, but this week we had people crying to us just about everyday. I guess people just see us missionaries as people they can trust, because everyone seems to tell us all of their problems, especially this week. Also the other Hermanas who we live with have been having a hard time, so I have been trying to help with that as well. I don`t know if its because people see that I am emotionally stable or if there is just no one else to talk to, but it has been a good learning experience! I also just wanted to say thank you so much mom and dad for the wonderful childhood I was able to have and the support that you are for me. I really appreciate it soooo much more here on the mission. However, other than that, this week has been another great one! Hna Lino and I are working even more in union and every week I am more proud of my hija! 

       Today we went to the beach as a zone and it was gorgeous! Our zone also is now the biggest in the mission with 14 Hermanas and 12 Elders making up . Wooo more Hermanas than Elders! 

      Also while being here on the mission, I realized how much I really LOVE reading the scriptures, especially about Alma and the Sons of Mosiah because I understand them now!! It is so incredible to read about their experiences preaching to the people and the hard times where they didn`t have success and then when they were able to baptize hundreds of people. I encourage all of you to try and have your own missionary experiences so that you can understand what the prophets of old felt like in the Book of Mormon. It really is such an awesome feeling to be able to relate with ancient prophets in the Americas! Haha. Well I love all of you so much and don`t have any more time, but I will write more next week and remember just to be good boys and girls. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

Karen got baptized!!! - Jan. 20, 2014

¡Hola mis queridos! 

           How has this week been for everyone? I just love being able to email every week and getting energized from the support and love I feel from each one of you! So as the title of this email gives away...KAREN GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY AND CONFIRMED ON SUNDAY!!! WOOOOOOO! We were sooo pumped for her and she was glowing so bright that day! After about 3 years of meeting with at least about 20 different missionaries, she was able to receive the saving ordinance of baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost. She was finally able to take that step forward and progress towards Eternal Life. I think it was one of the most anticipated baptisms this ward has seen since she almost got baptized about 3 different times. Lots of members showed up to since quite a few of them said they had to see it to believe it. Haha. The spirit was so strong and Karen felt it too. Us Hermanas sang a Child`s Prayer and her mom gave such a sweet testimony. I have to admit that for a while at the beginning I was really iffy about teaching her since so many missionaries have taught her and she was still smoking. 

I wanted to drop her quite a few times, but we still kept teaching her and as she felt the spirit more and more in her family and seeing changes in her dad, her desire to follow the commandments kept growing. Also when she actually read the Book of Mormon (she said she never sincerely everyday had before), she changed and had the desire to God`s will. However, all of our efforts, the other missionaries efforts, and the Lord`s efforts paid off that day. I have never seen her so happy and her dad still has a hard heart right now, but he is still reading, praying, and coming to church, so I have high hopes for him. 

     Other than that, this week has been great! We had to look for a new house in our area for the two new missionaries that are going to be coming. There are going to be 6 missionaries in our ward starting next week! Crazy! Apparently our ward is the biggest in the mission, so I don`t think we will run into each other too much, but when I told the Hermana in our ward who organizes the lunches with the members for us, I thought she was going to have a heart attack. Hahahah. She works so hard to make sure that we always have lunch (and we always do!) But there are quite a few people that can only give lunch to 2 people and so that means she will have to schedule 3 different people everyday. I feel so bad for her, but I know that it will be awesome to have so many missionaries. Also Brielle, I know what this still doesn`t compare to the 10 missionaries that are in your ward!! Woo go missionaries!!! Anyways, since the only places that were available in our sector were brand new nice condos, the assistants said that the Hermanas will get to move into the place and the Elders in the slug and flea infested place we are in now. We are not positive that is what is going to happen, but we have high hopes!! 

      

    Alright not much time, but this week has been great working with the members and getting our investigators to progress. I love you all so much and don`t ever let go of the Iron Rod!!!! Read, pray, and go to church everyday. You will see the difference and will be blessed for it. This gospel is so powerful and absolutely true. Keep the Faith strong and don`t ever forget that Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of you. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Romney 

1) Instagram pic: caption: Making cupcakes for Karen`s baptism!! #savingsouls (sorry emailing is the only thing close I have to social media on the mission :)) 

2)Isn`t she glowing?? 

3)Karen with all of the other missionaries that have taught her! 

4)Goofing around with the family