Missionary work brings SO many blessings! All the time.
We're teaching the Zuniga family right now, who are basically the greatest and most prepared people ever. We asked them on Saturday if they had prayed about the Book of Mormon, and they said they had. We asked them what they thought, and Josecito (he's 14) said,
"I think the Book of Mormon is true...and the church, too." And his parents, Jose and Lucia, were basically just like,
"Yep ditto." Jose came to church yesterday and said that he liked it and all the people are nice. His parents couldn't come though. Lucia has a blood disease and has to have blood removed and cleaned every 2 weeks and it leaves her really weak. It's so hard for her. But she's been progressing in the gospel a lot; when we first found their family she never ever smiled, and now she smiles sometimes. :) Jose can't read because his eyesight is reaaaaally bad, and they can't afford to buy him glasses. We told them yesterday that someone from church said they'd pay for him to get glasses, and they were so happy!!! We also brought some people over yesterday to give Lucia a blessing, and she and Jose were crying. It was pretty powerful.
Gabe (our recent convert- he was baptized about a month ago) is doing pretty good. His mom hadn't come to church for a looong time, but since he's been baptized she comes almost every week. The difference in her is huge; she laughs and jokes and smiles now, which never happened before. I'm so happy for them. She gave us hotdog tortas (mexican sandwiches) the other day and they were super good.
OH YEAH by the way tortas have changed my life. They're like magic Mexican sandwiches full of magic and happiness.
Elizabeth is basically the most amazing person ever. She's on date to be baptized Feb 23rd. She's so amazing and excited! We taught her 20-yr-old daughter the other day and she's amazing tooooo. Sadly we have to give her to the singles ward missionaries. But she's amazing and can't wait to read the Book of Mormon.
Aurora is going to be baptized on the 23rd as well. She was supposed to be baptized my first Sunday here, but she's divorcing her husband right now and having a really hard time. She wanted to wait until it was all over, but she realized that now more than ever she needs the blessings that come from being baptized a member of the Church. She's pretty amazing.
Ahhhhh this email is so long SORRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. We also met an amazing lady yesterday. She's had such a hard life. Her stepgrandma made her pretty scared of God, because she is gay; her grandma said if she ever set foot in a church God would strike her down and a bunch of other crazy stuff. So sad. She has an adorable 7-yr-old daughter. She's been sober from meth and coke for like 6 years. She was crying when we were talking to her. We were able to really help her come closer to God when we talked with her though. God loves her so much.
I love serving in Denver! Missionary work is the best. Hermana Smith is awesome. Sometimes we talk in Batman voices. It's fun. Also I pumped gas for the first time ever this week. It was weird and awkward. I took a picture but I lost my camera somewhere so I don't have any pics this week sorry. Also we lost our district leader Elder Redd this week SO SADDDD. They sent him over the mountains. We got a new Hermana, Hermana Marley, who is from Portland. Fun fact: Bishop and Sister Laughlin are her aunt and Uncle! Also I discovered that Hermana Flores, the other Hermana in my district, was roommates with Lindsey Lopez at BYU and would hang out with Bradley Laughlin and Matt Trone and stuff. Small world!! Also it keeps snowing and it's just so magic. I never knew snowflakes were real, they're so neat.
Missionary work is so cool because as people change and act upon the principles, they're just so much HAPPIER. It's amazing.
Have a great week! I love you all. :)
~Hermana Nielsen
