Week 52: The Beginning of Happily Ever After!

Dear Friends and Family,

          What a blessing my life has been.  It's just so beautiful!  Yes, the weather has been warmer here and no one has air conditioning, but really it's not that bad.  I am grateful for a car though.  We need rain because peoples' lawns are dying because they don't have sprinklers either.

Waiting for the font to fill Selfie

          But Saturday was an incredible day.  I was able to prepare for and witness the baptisms of the Chavez family!  It was such a beautiful, peaceful and spirit driven experience.  Everyone was in tears. Everyone knows that in a year's time they are going to be sealed together in the Lord's House for time and all eternity!  I can't wait to witness that blessing.

Chavez Family Baptism

         Everything went unusually smooth and believe it or not,  I actually sang a song with my companions...acapella.  Talk about outside of my comfort zone, but I like this feeling of overcoming my fears.  You can ask anyone who knows me well that I am a worrier and a very fearful person, but I have been able to face most of those fears on my mission and have been able to overcome some of them. Even if I am a sweaty mess while doing it, I have been able to overcome them with the help of the Atonement. But basically the Chavez family is perfect and we are going to be friends for life. Que padre! 

         Some other cool things happened this week, not to mention that one of the members, Hermano Garcia, took us to Cheesecake factory last night in downtown Bellevue. I was so happy! Tender mercies!

I really can't remember what I have and haven't told you about... but we met a new friend named Pete. He thought we were Jehovah's Witnesses for a whole week and he just kept getting mixed up between our doctrine and their doctrine. We were like, "We are Mormon."  He was like, "Oh, I like Mormons even better." Basically he adopted us as granddaughters and we call him Uncle Pete. We brought him a pie one day and he about fell over.  He couldn't fathom that three 20 year old girls could be so thoughtful.  Well, my friend, that's what the gospel of Jesus Christ can do to someone...make them a nice 20 year old:) 

          So we had to say farewell to President and Sister Choi yesterday. I learned so many valuable lessons from them that I will never forget. Their legend will live on for a long time in this mission. We will see what these new changes will bring; however, no mission rules can change for 6 months, so it won't affect me!

Have a wonderful, beautiful summer week everyone!

Week 52 Challenge:

Con Amor,

Hermana Stoddard

Quirky Rachel & Monica