Semana 23 Painted Mountain/ Blanco Vista: Service week

Monday: Today the night ended off with some good old Memorial Day fun at the Harley family's house. We did an object lesson about service for Memorial Day and talked about how when we are centered on the Book of Mormon nothing around the world can hurt us. The simple object lesson of putting your finger on a Book of Mormon and pressing hard, then smashing your finger with a can gets the kids attention every time. The can bends under the pressure and doesn't hurt your finger. But, if you were to smash your finger not on the book,  the can wouldn't bend, and your finger would be black and blue. As we related how important being centered on service, Christ and the Book Of Mormon was, it truly helped me reflect on my focus. Even though I am a missionary, where is my focus? Where can I turn for peace? As a person, where is your focus, where is your foundation? I can promise that as we center our lives on Christ and the Book of Mormon, we will be able to stand against everything that comes our way. 

Tuesday: Today we had a meeting with Maria Garcia, someone Sister McBride and I were teaching when I first got here! She had be meeting with other missionaries, but we are now teaching her again. It was cool to see her tell the story of how she met the missionaries and how kind they were bringing her gifts when she was really struggling. We also did a ton with our new video ad for Centro Hispano, and taught at Centro Hispano today! It was a day packed full of appointments which was awesome! 

Wednesday: A very normal day today! We had a couple teaching appointments, our studies, a dinner with the Lowe family, and that's about it. Nothing too exciting today. However, I did want to share this really cool quote my mom sent me. A lot of times the mission, and life, can feel like it's wrong to make mistakes, that you need to be perfect all the time. Exactly obedient, perfectly in shape, have a prefect relationship and partner. The list could go on and on. But, that's not the case. Life is meant to be a learning and growing experience. "Making mistakes is part of learning to choose well. No way around it. Choices are thrust upon us, and we don't always get things right. Even postponing or avoiding a decision can become a choice that carries heavy consequences. Mistakes can be painful-sometimes they cause irrevocable harm-but welcome to Earth. Poor choices are part of growing up, and part of life. You will make bad choices, and you will be affected by the poor choices of others. We must rise above such things." Fablehaven book 5. Don't let your mistakes or the mistakes of others get you down. I know for a fact your Heavenly Father loves you, no matter the circumstances, no matter what gets thrown at you, or the mistakes you've made. 

Thursday: Today we did a palate unloading service project and we got to use our muscles a little bit. So, that was awesome! I love doing big service projects. The rest of the day was pretty normal. Lots of contacting and our weekly planning session. 

Friday: We did a members focused day! We started off hauling probably 60 square feet of sand into the Harley's backyard in 100 degree weather.... I have never sweat so much in my life. It was hard work but the yard looks amazing! Afterwards we went home, showered and did our studies. Then we did some service for a struggling companionship and then went and knocked on some part member family doors. That was rough, but at least we know who doesn't want to talk to us!! We ended the day at the Young Woman bake sale! All in all a fabulous day. 

Saturday: Today we did a ton of teaching! We had a lesson with Sonny, Josiah, Jennifer, Elias, Tim, and a dinner with Ismari! Crazy right? We taught the Plan of Salvation a lot and it was awesome to have that focus on family and that God truly has a plan for each one of them. 

Sunday: Enrique came to both hours of church!! And he's gonna come to our Thursday night sport night with the branch! That was our big news today! Other than that we did more for knocking and finished visiting all the part member family doors!