The Miracle of a Mission :)

HOLA!

AHHHH Such an amazing week! So much to say! 

Alicia, our very lively investigator, is progressing SO well :) She continues to study a FUL (a whole bunch) the scriptures and pamphlets we leave her. We recently learned she is a chemical analyst and wow, it shows. She literally analyzes EVERYTHING. But I love watching her learn. She takes a concept and then tells us how it applies to her life. When we got to our lesson the first thing, without even letting us ask, she said... "Ya know... I`ve been praying... and I feel like this is all true... it makes sense..." I remember the first time we met her, and she said she was not about joining groups of people and had VERY little interest... and would never go to Church, but we felt we needed to give it a shot. And wow... she has truly softened her heart.. As we left she said... "I was reading in the back of the little booklet about church attendance... and when I end up going, what do you expect me to wear with these old lady legs.." We were dying. At least we know its in her plans :)

Eliana came to church! YAY! We were so happy! She came alone with Elena... but hey its a step! Gonsalo at least came to pick her up, there is definitely hope there. We were so happy with the way the members recieved her, sharing manuals, playing with Elena, all of it. It makes all the difference. She offered the last prayer in Gospel Principles and it was such a sincere and heartfelt prayer, she said in the end... "Help me that I can continue learning of thee and that I can help my family be strong, and that we can become an eternal family." She is so ready for this gospel. She truly wants her family to be eternal and is willing to do what it takes. As we were leaving I asked her how it went and she said it was something COMPLETELY different than any other church she had been to. That it was like a spiritual school, and like a family :) Awe. So excited for her. She accepted a baptism date... but she has to get married. We are workin' on that :)

President Goates has started a pilot program in our zone that is to focus on Family History as we share the gospel, and to let that be our "in". We had a training this week that made me SO excited. I regret not doing more family history work before the mission. But I`m gonna go nuts when I get back. He explained that maybe not everyone is super interested in the gospel, but everyone loves and cares about their family. Boom. In. He also explained that as we invite people to help their ancestors we will have legions of misssionaries on the other side, influencing and inspiring their loved ones here to accept the gospel.

 This week we knocked on a door and started talking to them, and as we began to talk about family history and I showed them my fan chart, they got so excited and want to have one too! I`m excited to use the blessings of Family History work in Missionary Work! 

We also... had a special visit from Elder Zeballos! (He talked in this last conference and gave his message in Spanish, So cool :) I LOVED the conference! We had the opportunity to hear from Him and His wife and President and Hermana Goates as well! Here`s what I loved...

"Teachers whose example radiates through their teaching, are teachers who make a difference" - Hermana Goates

"There is no better place than here. You are exactly where you need to be, with who need to be with, and doing what you need to do." -Hermana Zeballos

All the physical pain, exhaustion, and discouragement end, but that satisfaction of having given your all, doesn`t" -Hermana Zeballos

"The mission is a miracle in your lives and the lives of the people you serve." -Hermana Zeballos

Also... LOVED the idea that Elder Zeballos shared... he asked "How do you really know when you are truly giving your all? He said.... You don`t. He explained that the moment that we say we are giving our all is when we doubt that there is room to improve, we miss all the future accomplishments, we miss all the possibilities, all the miracles that are in our future! 

And to finish off our stellar week... I got to talk with my FAMILY! I love them all so much! I am so grateful for such an amazing mother and for the example and influence of such righteous women in my life :)

I truly LOVE being here. I LOVE this gospel. I LOVE being a representative of Jesus Christ :) Being on a mission is truly a miracle in my life. :)

Con Amor, Hermana Matheson

 Zone Meeting :) Aguanta San Juan!

 Maria and Estrella, our new investigators, (she was my comps first ALB, holla at mi hija)

 Fellow aggies.... (its the rule... whenever there are aggies together, have to take a picture :)

 Stripes :)

 Alicia.... I love this crazy lady. She is an 18 year old trapped in a 70 year old body. 

 Amalia, one of our recent converts. She cracks us up :)

 Thank heavens for technology. SKYPE! I love my family. (horrible picture, but its the idea that counts ;)

Conference with Elder Zeballos :)