A Labor of Love: Pray He Is There

HOLA Amigos!

What a great week :)

We started off the week with a stellar little trip to Mendoza, the whole mission got to go and hear Elder Soares of the Seventy speak. Every time I hear the Lord´s servants speak my testimony of modern prophets continues to grow. Heavenly Father really does reveal his will through the mouths of his servants. A couple highlights of things he said that I Loved....

· "God cannot withhold blessings from someone who is obedient."

· "Missionaries are called to be extroverts."

· "We are the keys to help God´s children unlock the fullness of the atonement."

· "We are successful as we invite and help."

Also... other highlight of the week... my cool new companion! Hermana Tuia! I LOVE being with a polynesian. We are already the best of friends, she is teaching me Samoan... it´s a work in progress for sure. I am already learning so much from her :)

The Aguirre family, Norma and Enrique.. are doing so well. This week we went to visit them with an older couple in the ward and It was so cool to just sit back a second and watch the miracle of fellowshipping unfold. They had so much in common. Anyways... we asked Enrique if he read and he said... yeah I read it 3 times... gotta understand it right? hahah What a stud. Unfortunately Enrique didn´t come to church... but Norma did! So that was happy! She LOVES church and is literally like a member. I love seeing how when investigators come to church, the messages are literally perfect for them; funny how that whole inspiration thing works out right?

We are teaching a new couple Nancy and Cesar. They are so cool! Last week they came to church by themselves, we didn´t even know them yet. The Elders are teaching their son and they wanted to come with their son and check it out! They loved it. We went to teach them this week and wow... so receptive.. at the end Nancy offered one of the most sincere kneeling prayers I´ve ever heard. She truly wants to help her family find the right path.

The Estampononi family are just doing swell! We went this week with one of our good member friends, Marisa, and it went so well. This ward is really starting to get into the work.. and it´s making all the difference. She fell in love with that family and is so willing to do all she can! Darel, the older of the 2 Estampnoni sons, out of nowhere this time decided that he was super interested! It was adorable. We got there and he ran to his room to grab his little booklet and show us all he read. Before we could even ask who wanted to say the prayer, his hand shot up and said ME ME ME! He was so sincere and said a prayer as if he had been raised in the church. Afterwards.. his mom was speechless... then after a second she said.. That´s the first time I´ve ever heard him pray. So incredible to see how the spirit influences. Esteban... got there late and we asked him how his reading and prayers went... he said that when he prayed, for the first time in his life, he truly felt Heavenly Father was listening, and now knows that He will answer his prayers. Such a miracle family :) I love seeing how the power of prayer influences so deeply conversion. As I left that lesson the words of a primary song came to my mind....

1. "Heavenly Father, are you really there? And do you hear and answer every child's prayer? Some say that heaven is far away, But I feel it close around me as I pray. Heavenly Father, I remember now something that Jesus told disciples long ago: "Suffer the children to come to me." Father, in prayer I'm coming now to thee. Pray, he is there; Speak, he is listening. You are his child; His love now surrounds you. He hears your prayer; He loves the children. Of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of heaven."

I am absolutely sure that Heavenly Father truly does hear His children´s prayers. His love surrounds us as we pray. I feel so blessed to be able to see people come to recognize that surrounding love :)

Con Amor, Hermana Matheson