marachi dreams 🎺

Week 55

Things are rocking and rolllllllling!

We've been busy and tired, but soooo happy and enjoying the work. I have rediscovered my love for the mission that I partly lost last transfer and it has been wonderful.

This week we had CLM which was awesomeeee like always. This time there was a special surprise planned for Presidente and Hermana paz! They hit 2 years here in Oaxaca and so the couple that is in the office brought in a Mariachi band to play for us after the consejo. If I've learned anything in the mission, it's that I LOVE a good marachi band. Check the google photos if you want vids. It was a fun and bonding moments for all the leaders there and fun to celebrate the Paz's time here! #blessup that I never have to change my mission president 🙏

Had 2 different exchanges this week with pure American hermanas. It is fun and gratifying to be able to minister to them and share my own experiences here to help them on their way. Basically all of the hermanas in our 2 zones are verrry new. They have been in the mission like 6 months max so it makes me feel like the old lady that they all ask for wisdom 👵 

The work is for sure progressing in Oaxaca. As a mission, we hit a new high of 156 baptisms in the month of June! There are so many people coming to the knowledge of their Savior in this part of the world and deciding to change their lives. Its incredible. One of those people is a man names Luis that we met 2 days ago as a reference from Facebook. We called him, set and appointment for that same day, and then he came to church the very next day. Afterwards we visited him to see if he liked it and he asked to be baptized as soon as possible. He's set to change his life July 13th. Big miracle especially in an area that has not had a lot of success recently. Miracles exist! God is hastening his work!

Other things:

- another cyclone passed through this week and it has been raining so much

- my companion thinks I'm the funniest person and laughs at all my jokes. I'm less senior companion and more jester companion these days 🤡

- there is a lady in our ward who is literally the sweetest soul. Her name is Esperanza and is our literal grandma. She lived in the US for about 40 years and speaks great English and made us lemon bars this week. I love her 🥹

All I can say is that God's plan for everyone one of his children is perfect. Sometimes as missionaries we can get frustrated when we see people so close to changing their lives for the better and recieveing all kinds of blessings and then watching them choose not to. But a scripture that I have shared very consistently with our hermanas is D&C 64:32:

"But all things must come to pass in their time"

His timing is better than ours. Things happen when they need to. Trust in His plan and not in yours. 

'Til next time!

-hermana stephenson