hey yalllll (September 29, 2014)

Oh my goodness. Im tired. Today we played soccer as a zone again, but the sun here is so strong. I'm burned, again, ha ha its OK!!   Well this week, I ate a clam ceviche. It was delicious, but I got sick. So sick, and the next day when I was the WORST, I had to go to Quito to renew my visa. hahaha ya ye so I had 10 hours on the bus to and from the city, and I was the gnarliest nauseous ever. I almost threw up on the bus like 3 times, but I was praying so hard to NOT be that girl who throws up on the bus. I made it safely and there was no throw up on the bus. I know. Just ONE of the miracles I saw this week.  Needless to say, I'm traumatized by seafood... and buses now. But it was cool. while renewing my visa, I met 2 Venezuelan girls who were super cool. They have been living in Quito for the last year because Venezuela is doing super bad now... it was sad to hear it... but I know that there is a plan in everything :) The missionaries that came from the Venezuela missions to our mission were telling us that the work was accelerating greatly because the people have been humbled greatly. I know that The Lord is protecting them.

In other news, Marcia, Fabricio's (our recent convert) mom, is so stoked to get baptized. She wants to do it now!!  We put it for the 11 of OCT because of general conference and everything, but she is so happy. She told her daughter, Monica,  about her decision and told her that she was not going to pressure her to follow her, rather invite her, and her daughter was like thanks :) I'll think about it!   well, that night, Monica had a dream that she was in her backyard and all of the sudden this little 3 year old boy came out of nowhere and was like "hey do you want to learn more about God?" and she was like "Yes :)" and the little boy was like " OK hold on I'll be right back" and he came back and gave her a book of Mormon and said "here, this will help you learn more about God! :D"   and she woke up like amazed. They told us the next day and she is so excited to learn. She even told us that her husband wants to learn more and get baptized!!! what the heck!!!   And this last month, the family has been going through some rough, rough times. So the two sisters were sexually abused by their uncles yearsssss ago and they just came out and told the family. Monica told us that she has been praying lately and reading the Book of Mormon and she feels so happy. She feels like she has taken off a backpack. Like, relieved. She feels like she is worth something. That like made me tear up. Man. Its amazing. The Lord is TOTALLY preparing this family so much, They have CHANGED. and I know that it is thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. :) I'm so happy. I just hope that I have more time here to help this family get all on track and help them strengthen their testimonies! :) oh and Fabricio is filling out his mission papers, he has to wait a year, but the branches here take like a year to fill them out. he's sooo stoked!!!

Annnnddd last night. So, there is this family that just came back to church and we're teaching their son, Aaron, who wants to get baptized the 11th de OCT :) ya ye! well they're only there in the night. Its relatively safe where they live, but idk because I'm new. ha ha, sooo there is this house with a woman always in the window.... creepily whistling at us every time that we pass by. Last night, we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ and about the Holy Ghost and how cool it is and always protecting us. Well, we got out of the lesson, we're walking home and I see that house, and the woman wasn't there, but I was like "Hna Chim that house always has a woman in the window and she always greets us, but it's creepy..." and then as I'm looking in the window, she pops outta nowhere, and it was like whoa, and then I just started feeling like super scared. I didn't know why, because I had only felt like that a few times.. so I was like.. thinking happy thoughts.. and I said" the Holy Ghost is so cool" and then, Hna Chim's like.... " I'm scared and I don't know why!!!" and I was like, me too!! Then I grabbed her and we just started running out of that place. Then we both had like the same thoughts and we're like... what just happened?? Like I wasn't scared because she popped out of nowhere, but it was something weird. I know that it was a warning from the Holy Spirit. It was super cool to have another amazing experience of how the Spirit protects us. We don't know what would have happened if we didn't listen, but maybe it could have been like the last time i didn't listen. They robbed us. Hah, or it could have been something different. Either way, I know that the Holy Ghost is amazing and He's always guiding us in our paths. I'm so grateful for the Lord and His Gospel. I know that I'm doing something right because I have had the opportunity to see so many miracles in my life and on this mission. The Lord is truly protecting us. We just have to live according to His commandments. They are what keeps us in line :)    

Its truly been a marvelous week. We didn't have the best numbers, but I know that we are teaching people and not lessons :) Women's conference was amazing and I think everyone should go to LDS.org and watch it, at least President Uctdorf's talk :)  Your heavenly parents love you :)

I love you all and am continually praying for you. Make good choices and keep the commandments :) Listen to the Spirit.

Love

Hermana Leah Tangedal

One year Thursday with Hna Deveraux. reunited from the MTC