updates.

the man sitting across from me is wearing a hat that says "i love Jesus". Thank you sir.

can you believe I survived my first transfer? (and only with a few cacti scratches ;) ) It kind of freaks me out because everyone says your first transfer is your longest, and well....that happened WAY too fast. Because i'm still being trained for six more weeks, I'm still here in West Tucson. I'll actually probably be here for at least two more transfers since Hermana Wheatly goes home in May (I'll let you know when her homecoming is when she hears about it) Super happy to still be here. I love all the crazy people here, and we are meeting some incredible new investigators who actually have the gospel clicking to them!! I already know the month of April is going to be awesome, and it's looking like we are going to have at least 4 solid baptisms this month (fingers crossed)

 

One of which is Antonio. Oh Antonio, Antonio. He's the one I mentioned last email who is from Nicoragua and had the dreams about living waters.

Well...let me just paint a description of him for you, because I just crack up everytime I see him.

If you were to meet a person who spoke like Enrique Eglesias (sp?) sings...you know "I can be your hero baby", super cheesy, super emotional in every word, can't help but laugh at how dead serious they are about it...that is Antonio.

He is super into Christian music, he said it's the song of his heart, and Hermana Wheatley let it slip that I play the violin. Ever since he found out he's been asking me to play everytime I go over. But I don't necesarillywanna play outside in a trailer park so I told him when he had a chapel tour we would do it (which was supposed to be friday). We we show up for a regular lesson on thursday and he's in super nice clothes, newly polished shoes and had a new haircut. He said "I'm ready to go!" We freak out, 1) because we can't drive him 2) it's not the day we planned 3) I didn't have my violin. We run over to his neighbor (who is a member) he drives antonio to the church, we book it to the apartment to grab my violin. Everything else that may or may not have happened during that time is all a blur. 

We give a tour of the church and he just stared at all the pictures of Jesus. When he saw a picture of Thomas S. Monson in the primary room I thought he was going to cry. (He's so stoaked for general conference.)  Finally we get into the chapel, we teach the plan of Salvation and then I play How Great Thou Art on the violin as he reads the words. Hno Limon (the member) said, "it's no coincedence that you met these sisters. it's no coincedence they found you when they did, and that out of all the missionaries, sister waters is the one who can play the violin. you are where you are supposed to be".

Antonio stands up, and starts panting. Clutching his chest and hymn book. I just stood there with my violin. I really thought he was having a heart attack. He said, "I'm so overcome with the spirit right now. That melody, the melody of my heart it speaks to me. I feel the spirit so strong"

 

spiritual experience? yes. however I laughed the whole car ride to our next appointment.

 

then on sunday morning, he left a voicemail while I was still in bed. when I listened to it I was worried he was going to back out on church but the three minute message was "oh Hermanitas, thank you so much for everything....thank you...again. THANK YOU...because, well...thank you...and brother Limon...THANK YOU...again...thank you!"

*again, picture an enrique eglesias song* it's so much funnier is spanish

 

He came to church. LOVED IT. He was going to get up during testimony meeting but said, "he couldn't find the right words in his heart". He participated in sunday school, and was in cloud nine in priesthood. Can you say golden?

 

We went over again last night, and there he was, sitting on his porch waiting for us. He had bought us drinks and just was waiting to give them to us. We taught the Restoration again, because it wasn't clicking to him how the book of mormon/joseph smith/the authority was back on the earth all related to each other. by the end of the lesson we asked, "so if you read the book of mormon, and you pray and get the answer that it's true...what does that mean?"

he said "...that, joseph smith is really a prophet, and that we have a prophet now!" [insert long talk about general conference]

he saw us holding a picture of a temple (not planned for a lesson, just on the back of something) and said WHERE IS THAT? I said in Utah, and he got super happy because he knows that's where I'm from. Needless to say he's just super attatched to everything we say. Sure, a lot of it is because that's just his personality, but he's finally starting to put things together and actually doing them as well! (he had a huge problem of praying to the trinity, and he finally didn't yesterday!)

 

Just when we were at a super spiritual peak, and I thought it couldn't get any better he gets really serious and said, "forgive me for this question. But I really need to ask this. Forgive me. But are you allowed to get married?"

 

Oh missionary work. I love it so much.

 

I also got to attend a baptism on Friday. It was such a good reminder of how it's all worth it. How simple the doctrine is. How with just acting on Faith, so many things can be opened to us. Things that last, like Eternal life (I mean common, that's for eternity)

 

I've had so many people tell me this week, they are grateful that our Savior came and died for our sins, but the sins they have done are done...and they can't be forgiven. And it really made me sad, because that's basically saying we don't fully trust that God's sacrifice can save us. Who are we, to think that the ultimate sacrifice isn't enough to cover OUR sins? It is. Of course it is enough. The more we really understand the atonement, the more we will want it in our lives. It's not our last resort, our just incase or last chance. it is our ONLY chance. And even if we feel too far from the path, or unworthy...we still are part of those people who He saved. He saw our face. He felt everything. He didn't suffer in that Garden because it was the cool thing to do, He didn't suffer on the cross because He couldn't get out of it. He had every ability to NOT go through it. But He did. and because He did, He can heal us. Everything about us. Emotional, Spiritual, Physical. He rose from the dead, taking on the pains of the world and overcame death. How can we NOT BELIEVE He can heal.

 

As for Faith mum, read the story of the brother of Jared. His faith moved mountains. We can have that faith too. I believe that if I can have faith like that, I can touch people's hearts. We all need to have the faith that everyone, can be healed.

 

Enjoy General Conference. I'm counting down the days until we can hear from our Prophet. It's my glimpse to see that everything I'm really teaching is real. it's here.

 

Love you all, watch conference

FINISH THE ENSIGN CHALLENGE SIBLINGS!

love,

kaitlyn. aka hermanita aguas

breaking up is hard to do

and it's even worse in the mission field. One of my investigators, who reminds me EXACTLY of bianca flores, dropped us the other night. Well, more like, her mom doesn't want us to teach her anymore. It's a long story, but my heart sunk when I found out. I think mostly because she reminds me so much of Bianca, it was really hard to say goodbye. I walked away knowing she'll be taught again though. I wrote a huge note on her progress record telling future missionaries to go back and teach her. If I'm not still here. But I have a little bit of peace in my heart knowing that she loves and wants the temple. She'll get there some day.

 

This by no means is meant to be a sad email, because it's NOT... because like the good ol' Liz Phair song says, "isn't this the best part of breaking up, finding someone else you can't get enough of? someone who wants to be with you too"

 

yay cheesy love songs.

 

That same night we had a first lesson with this guy named Engles. He's from the dominican republic, here for baseball. He's had a nuts life. We started talking about faith and repentance and his whole life spilled on our laps. He's been arrested over 20 times, been a drug dealer of all the hard and nasty stuff, been declared dead once or twice in the hospital and came back, and has huge scars from being stabbed and all that other goary stuff. There's soooooooooooooo much more, but you get the point. We had a super powerful first vision and committed him to baptism. He said he wants to get into this. And he wants to be baptized. The thing is, when all his bad stuff happened, his mom started doing vodu like sacrificing chickens and nuts stuff like that, and suddenly everything started working out. She wants him to be baptized into her beliefs now.

 

I'm fighting with vodu now. This could get tricky.

 

but he's a stud, and I have a super good feeling about him. He said as we were leaving "I've seen missionaries around in the D.R. and mexico everywhere I go...and I always wondered, why don't they talk to me. am I not good enough? they talk to everyone else...why wont they talk to me?"

 

And then we found him.

 

it's cool stories like that where you hear people say, "the missionaries just showed up, and I didn't even see them coming or leaving. they just magically appeared."

well I now know how that happens.

1) the spirit guides you

or 2) which is much more common, you hide behind walls to make a contact seem nonchalant.

 

but really. my previous stalking skills are realling coming in handy :)

 

We also met a guy named Antonio. He's 26 and just moved here from Nicoragua. right when I met him he told me he had a dream almost exactly like Lehi's dream. at the end he said he was being led to the "living waters" and so many things were holding him back and he was scared but he knew he had to go.

then we showed up.

I'm like "what more of a sign do you need? you have a dream, which is almost exactly like one we show you in the book of mormon. it's about you going to the living waters, which is Jesus Christ. You have two girls show up on your door right after talking about Christ and baptism, and one of them just happens to have the name Waters."

that's almost as good as a flashing neon sign.

I didn't say that naturally. it's a bit more difficult to convey in spanish :) but I was sure thinking it.

He's super stoaked about church, and he says he wants to be a missionary too. We just need to work out the whole working on sunday thing.

 

to add ontop of my giddiness, I HAVE MY VIOLIN! while Hermana Wheatley was getting ready for bed I just played for about an hour. it felt SO GOOD. I never would have thought that I would miss it so much, and I'm already being asked to play for things. I know music converts, so i'm hopefully I'm intune enough to bring the spirit. (pun totally intended) But thank you so much for making that work out with Kelly Killpack! and I LOVED the package(s) and post cards.

 

Sounds like everyone is doing pretty fantastic. The snow sounds awesome. We have had some rain, and a few of us (ok, the Hoyos and I) are praying for snow, so I can teach them how to make snowmen..it's a weird thought that these kids have never seen it! Keep praying for miracles. I KNOW they can happen, they happen everyday, and most of the time we fail to recognize them.

be safe. be happy. pray.

love you all

love,

hermana aguas

oh, I'm just dressing up like a warrior right now. can I call you back?

Well...this week we've had a lot of crazies, but I don't really remember much of it. That's what drowsy medicine does to you. Pretty sure I was missing for about half the week. BUT I do have a super cool story about Edgar. We just finished a lesson, and seemed particularly quiet during the whole thing. So when we were all chatting at the end, I go over to shake his hand and asked if he was feeling ok. He said "Si. Esta bien."........uhm. ok.

So I go to give his mom a hug and he goes over to the other side to shake my hand again. I say "otra vez?" (again?) and he's like "I don't know what you're talking about" ...I just went with it, and he's like "but really, I have something to tell you."

He pulled me aside and said he got an answer. He had told me this before, but I was still excited. Especially since we had extended a baptism date. He said the night before he was having a really really rough night with everything. He was praying and finally just went to sleep. he said, "I had a dream last night and I saw my grandpa. He was dressed all in white and came walking over to me. He put his arm around me, gave me a kiss on the cheek and said, 'everything is going to be alright'." I got the BIGGEST smile on my face and he continued, "he was just as real as I am. I could feel it. And I just started crying in my sleep. And I knew that nomatter what happened it would all work out. I know he's okay and that I'm ok"

I asked him a few questions and basically just got really excited, and then he started walking away. I remembered that his dad is having issues believing in a life after death so I chased him into the kitchen (it's ok..it's a trailer, so my companion could still see me) and I say, "Edgar! You HAVE to tell your dad. There's more than this. You know that!". I felt like I was in a super dramatic scene in a movie. It was great. We had another really long talk last night about it, and some of his doubts. He still has  A LOT to get over, mostly getting faith back in his family, but it showed me how powerful prayer is and that there's always hope. Even when you don't think there is any.

 

this work is hard. and it takes a lot of of you. I feel like a little bit of my heart breaks everytime I see someone I love turn away from Christ BUT it's moments like that, where it is completely completely worth it. And you forget all the bad things, and realize what a cool opportunity and amazing message this really is. The restoration is so unique, that we literally have God's power on the earth once again, which makes it possible for God's plan of Salvation, plan of happiness to work. Where we can live with God and Jesus Christ again, and ultimately with our families forever.

 

Life's great. always remember that. The gospel is so worth it!

keep reading the bom. p.s. mum, is the fam reading it together and marking?! I would love to hear about it!

love,

hermana Aguas

look who's driving

"mom. the elders are here!"

Elders. Sisters. same difference. I give credit to 8 year old Miguel for that one.

So this week...

Hermana Wheatley discovered that I take dares. This may or may not be way too much entertainment for her, and it's made my contacting a little more enjoyable.
We were driving behind this car, and a few guys were in the bed of the truck. We got to the stop light and I started waving at them. I pull out a Libro de Mormon and asked if they wanted one. Not a big deal, basically like chinese firedrill....missionary style. I would have gotten out of the car too...except they drove away.
Then there was a man riding a bike on the road. Hna Wheatley slowed down the car, and I got up and reached out the car window explaining mormon.org and how we have faith in Jesus Christ as he rode next to us. He almost crashed. I would have felt really bad. But he didn't so I feel good about it.
And then I contacted an Ice cream man. First of all, I have NEVER seen SO MANY ice cream trucks ever before in my life. I think they stalk us. I WILL NOT FALL FOR YOUR OVERPRICED SCOOPS OF GOODNESS....anyways, I went up to the window, he thinking I would buy ice cream got excited, I said I couldn't buy his ice cream but I could give him something.

check yes juliet. sometimes contacting is fun, especially to see the looks on their faces.

I've only backed down once, and that was to a cop. Needless you say, he did not look very happy.

Que Mas?

Oh, so a lesson was learned this week. Remember Meth Alley, and how Michelle told us not to go back? Weellllllllllllllll...we went back. Most of the homes were abandoned, and we walked into one. It was completely fenced off with , which is really odd for a trailer. Hermana Wheatley went in first, and I just felt really odd going in. as I was closing the gates I said "I sure hope there aren't ravenous wolves in here, otherwise we wont be able to get out". As I was closing the gate I felt "get out". But I was stupid and continued to close the gate, not all the way though. The next thing I know, Hna Wheatley is running around the corner with 3 giant bloodthirsty dogs chasing her. I swing the gate open and we both get out.
oh dogs. couldn't it at least been coyotes? that would have made this story so much cooler?
anyways. Mom and Jared. Don't worry about me (especially you Jared) We aren't going back there. We had a few more experiences that told us to get out, so we did.
Also, there was a man who was meaner than those bloodthirsty dogs who wanted to call the cops on us.

I'm just talking about Jesus!

Anyways. so that's not following promptings, onto good, uplifting stuff.

All our appointments canceled the other day, which was really frustrating, especially since we had a member with us, but then we found Edgar walking in the middle of the street. I run up to him and we start chatting. He told me that he finally got an answer from God! He said, "when you first told me to pray, I was like okay whatever...but now I know it works! For EVERYTHING".
It's actually a much longer and funnier story, which may have to wait for another occasion, but he's talking to God which is what I care about! I love his family so much, and I'm really hoping that they continue to pray about the date we extended them. He told me if we keep visiting them, eventually it will happen (he's the closest out of all of them) We just have to work through a few things with them.

Que Mas? Que Mas? OH!  I went over to a members house the other night, and their youngest daughter just started to learn to play the violin. She found out I played, so I played dad's favorite song Ashokan farewell. It was a teeny tiny violin, so it didn't sound as awesome as it could have..but I was just giddy to play. Now they want me to play in church. President gave me permission to have it, and Hna Wheatley said sister Olsen created miracles with her violin music. So hopefully I'll either be able to track down one my size or maybe possibly by some great and miraculous miracle, have mine sent here? It was a little ridiculous how much I miss playing..

oh random. but
any future missionaries. If you DO NOT have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. GET ONE. You will hear so many things from people, and hear so much about the book of mormon, that if you did not have a sure testimony of it...you could get pretty shaken up. SO PLEASE read it. Pray about it. Become converted to it.
that's my soap box.

But how are all of you?! Make sure you tell Ashli Stringer congrats of getting engaged! When is she getting married?
Also...I'm writing David today, but that was sure sweet of him what he wrote on facebook. He's gonna be an awesome missionary, his sweet powerful testimony and humility is exactly what people need in their lives, and he's going to love Tallahassee!
Erin Spencer. I already miss you. #tweetingbuddiesagain? 

man. getting kicked off. Sorry not as many stories this week. I'll try and get some good ones out next time. but I have one more grand announcement. wait. 2.
1) GUESS WHO IS NOW DRIVING?! that's right me. the events that led up to this decision. I will leave it to your imagination *cough *cough. parking blocks
2) CHALLENGED. COMPLETED. I finished the ensign. everyone. do it. I'm hungry for conference now.
typical cliche missionary? yep. I'm way passed that.

well. I love you all. you're all super great. everyone go to the temple! (do it for me, i'm going through withdrawals)
choose the right. pray. listen. read the bom. all that good stuff.
oh and you know, feel free to write me letters.
i love letters.

happy birthday jared, on sunday! and momma on monday.
you'll get a better tribute later!

Love you!
-Hermana Aguas