"Have I not sent unto you my word three times...?"

Hello Family!

We were able to see T enter into the waters of baptism and receive the Holy Ghost this last week. It was truly a huge miracle, and her conversion story is pretty amazing. Teresa had first met missionaries over 30 years ago as a young mother in the street. She was in very difficult situations and even though the missionaries came every other day for 2 months trying to help her, she had no intention of changing. It wasn't until the area got closed and the missionaries left her with a note on the door step did she realize the hole they were filling in heart. She said she cried all that night.

Fast forward 10 years and 2 Hermanas stopped and offered to help her in the street, and she allowed them to help her move, but never came to church and eventually blew them off.

Fast forward another 20 years and Elder Hodgman and I are doing a mad contact everyone frenzy and stopped T at her door step.

She told us later that that night she immediately felt that same hole in her Heart filled as we spoke after all these years.

Although it seems perfect it was no easy 2 week endeavor to help this women become converted... oh my goodness no.

She was just having the hardest time making a decision whether to continue with us or to continue catholic. She had been struggling for a very long time. She just found it difficult to leave behind a tradition she's lived all her life. She even came to the point where she was trying to tell us that she doesn't think that we should waste our time, she didn't think she could change. After that frustrating lesson we ran home frustrated.

She that night was praying and praying and did that classic open the boom and read the first verse thing and while I don't suggest that you all do this and base life decisiones on this, Heavenly Father just came in so clutch.

"Have I not sent unto you my word three times...?" Yes it was some random proverb that just saved the day. It doesn't even say that in the English version so don't go looking for it. But wow.

So she continued to read the Book of Mormon and later related to us that the more she read the more she felt that it was what she had always believed. The catholic church seemed further and further away. She felt the Holy Ghost burning and growing a testimony. Just so much prayer, and she finally found the courage to take this step towards Christ!

Elder Layton is making immense progress on his Spanish! Its amazing to watch him grow. He has such spiritual strength, it shows in his quick and sincere apologies, humility to change, and earnest testimonies. I love working by his side, he truly is exactly what I need.

I am trying to improve my ability to choose to be happy, find happiness, as well I want to keep myself from ever getting offended ever. More than anything I want to exercise my agency more, and do so if a better manor. Just so much love,

Elder Gardner