Yakima is melting, not me!

Hi everyone! 

This past week was great!  We had a sweet District Council, and we even had it in Spanish, which was fun because I haven't done that before!  We had some sweet practice in Spanish for our lessons with role plays, too. We talked to a ton people this week too, it was great!

We had a missionary training broadcast, which was worldwide, and that was awesome.  I felt the spirit so strong. It was a lot of what we already talk about as missionaries -- living the doctrine of Christ to grow our testimonies, and then to be able to testify even more.  Our two hours of listening to them was a blast!  Later that day we had a set lesson with Chessy and Francisco, her Dad, but we couldn't find a member to come with us, so we asked them if they could meet us at McDonald's.  Francisco called us back and said they could!  So we were still able to have a lesson, haha!  We just had to have it in public, which is always a little awkward the first time around, but it went great!  

Later that night we had a lesson with Jorge, who is our sweet golden referral.  We taught him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he loved it!  He's reading the Book of Mormon, and really enjoying it!  We hadn't gotten too far with him and the lessons until he called us the day before our last lesson and told us he'd be leaving to move back to San Francisco to start over.  I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but he was married to his partner for about a year, who died last July, and that was around the time he was walking around Pike's Market in Seattle when two sister missionaries kind-of -- sort-of chased him down to talk to him.  He felt a bit weird, but he loved talking with them, so that turned out well!  But he's now officially out in San Fran.  He said he'd request the missionaries to visit him though, he's awesome!  Just looking for a bit of peace in his life!

After having the broadcast, and preparing to have a Zone Conference this week, I've been evaluating myself and my personal goals.  Hermana Aldrich and I have been talking things out, between us and personally our mission goals, and I've come to a conclusion.  I don't always look at the time I have left, but in thinking about how far I've come so far on my mission, this past transfer I have truly changed more than I probably have over all my mission. This past transfer has truly taught me what it takes to be a true disciple of Christ. Patient, long suffering, faithful, knowledgeable, charitable, virtuous, diligent, and especially humble. I am who I am right now on my mission because of the endless experiences I'm having with Hermana Aldrich, and my situations right now. 

One thing that has helped me out this week is the Youth 2016 music.  Wow!  How uplifting!  We've listened to a lot of hymns, I love it.  I am so motivated to become more like Jesus Christ everyday!  I truly now feel like a real missionary!  

I LOVE being a part of the W.Y.M. Couldn't ask for anything else!

Sick again & Chessy's Baptism!

Hi everyone! 

Wow, you wouldn't believe how my week went!  This week we had a lot of wonderful lessons with Chessy again, and she even got her interview!  We've had really sweet, simple lessons with her, and then she had her interview with our new district leader, who is Elder Jimenez. He's great!  Chessy's Dad even told him during their interview that he still wants to get baptized, and after talking about the priesthood authority, how he could give blessings to his wife and Chessy after he receives the Melchizedek Priesthood.  He's completely on board.  He already has a testimony of Joseph Smith and that he was a prophet of God!  On the other hand, Delia his wife, Chessy's Mom, we haven't been able to visit with for quite a while.  But she will come a long soon.  They both gave permission to Chessy to get baptized, and our Branch President went ahead and baptized her and confirmed her!  The spirit was so strong as we watched her from the top of the stairs of the font while He was baptizing her. She said she felt relieved from everything.  We emphasized this week on the sacrament and the Laws & Ordinances lesson from Preach My Gospel this week to finish her up.  It was amazing!  Wow, she's glowing!  All during her baptism, I was becoming sick with something, not really sure what.  Let's just say I thought it was reasonable to eat fast food after Chessy's interview lesson because of celebration... Either way, my body isn't too happy with me.  I was able to push through her baptism and feel the spirit so strongly, and I couldn't believe that it happened!

WITHOUT FAITH, GOOD WORKS ARE DEAD!  

Her confirmation was even more beautiful!  The blessing was perfect for her.  Soon we will be teaching her parents, hopefully, if her mom's work hours allow.  They all know that the church is true, it's just fitting in the time to teach them both together, and having members come with us every time. This week was amazing!

I LOVE being a missionary, I never ever EVER want to come home... no offense to my family... but I just love Washington so much... I still can't believe I'm here.  I always dreamed when I was young of serving a mission in Washington with a lot of rain and preferably Seattle, so I could see my Uncle, but Yakima is even better!  I love being so close with President and Sister Lewis, and seeing them so often. They even came to Chessy's Baptism! 

I love seeing the Gospel change people's hearts, their perspectives, their complete lifestyles... It's incredible how much relief and refuge the Gospel of Jesus Christ provides. I stay on my mission for every perfect reason because he stayed in the Garden for me.  I dive into the Book of Mormon every day for something to share with others, and this is what I'll share with you all today..

3rd Nephi 16: 19-20

19. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. 

20. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God. 

11 down... Que?

Hi everyone! 

This past week was pretty interesting...

We had transfer calls, and Hermana Aldrich and I are staying!  Literally no one in the mission is changing... 5 missionaries are leaving to head home, and only 12 are coming in, but we will be having a 3rd district in our zone! We'll be getting a new District leader, and our area will be split!  We will no longer cover the out distanced cities in our area that we haven't been able to visit, but it will be good because there's lots of potential out there!

Chesy did not end up getting baptized, but she will definitely be prepared for next week.

This past week I got some amazing news!  Burt Ramsey back in Toppenish had plans to get baptized this past weekend!  Due to our baptism falling through, and multiple other of our baptisms for our District falling through, we found a member to take us to Burt's baptism, and it was wonderful!  He'll probably be my last English investigator to be baptized, but who knows? Maybe I'll do some english work in the future again. His baptism was amazing, everyone from the ward was there, and still plenty of the people I knew from before.  Ever since he told us about his dreams of seeing multiple people and assuming it was a sign of family history work, I always saw him in white... and I got to see it actually happen!  He looked glowing!  I did not get a picture of him in white, but trust me when I say he looked like an Angel!

On Tuesday we had planned to have a FHE with Chessy and Francisco, but they never showed up.  They called us and told us that Francisco was working and plowing snow around town, so we weren't able to have them.  We were able to help the member who we made the plan with to have her first real FHE, and despite her kids going crazy, she pulled it together and shared her testimony along with her daughters' testimonies. She's literally amazing.

Wednesday we met Carla, who is outstanding!  She has so much potential, and she let us talk to her for 15 minutes while she stopped cooking in her kitchen, and she was so excited to accept a pamphlet. She's awesome!  We are going back to her this week!  We also did A LOT of walking on Wednesday, so my calves are definitely feeling like rock!

Friday we had a big discussion with Chesy about rearranging a new date for her baptism, and we had Hermana H. with us from the branch and her grandson Alex, who's going to be like... the BEST missionary ever!  We are patiently waiting as a branch to see where he will go, and he totally testified of the commandments to Chesy and promised her in the name of the Lord that she would be blessed if she used the atonement to do better everyday. It was perfect!  Then Alex got ordained an Elder this past Sunday.  WOOHOO!

Saturday night we went to Burt's baptism, and that was amazing!  Here are some pictures.  Hope they show up - and of course, a tag picture!  Sunday was also awesome because we had Francisco, Chesy, AND Delia at church, and they stayed the WHOLE time this time... YESS!  I'm so happy we've been seeing little miracles still.

Another crazy thing happened...   I hit my 11 months... Que?  No!  No Quiero!  I can't believe it's been just under a year since I got on a plane just as Sarah, and then arrived in Mexico as Hermana Marble, I absolutely love being here, wearing this tag humbles me, strengthens me, gives me the power.  I never thought I would change this much over the past 11 months.  I have enjoyed every minute so far of becoming more like Christ, and I have a strong testimony of the life of Jesus Christ.  As I put on my tag all I care is about representing him, and doing my best to put my personal worries aside and worry about teaching those who need the gospel and my time more than I need my own time. 

 Love you all, thank you for all the endless prayers and support. I feel it every day!

Feliz Ano Nuevo!

Buenas Dias, Como Estan?

All is well here in Yakima, The weather is perfect, I LOVE this snow. This week a lot of things happened...

Chesy will be getting baptized this Saturday! She is so ready to make her covenant with Heavenly Father!  We will be bringing members over to Chesy's  house just about every day to prepare her and finish her lessons, including her baptism interview.  We are so excited!  Francisco and Delia don't feel quite ready to get baptized, so we are going to help Chesy get baptized first, and her parents will follow along sometime either at the end of January or February.

This past week we even visited Karen again, She unfortunately won't be ready by the 16th. We haven't been able to see her enough  so we will end up pushing her date back.

Lately Hermana Aldrich and I have had a few times of miscommunication, and it has hurt our companionship lately, so for companion we talked it all out, and it's amazing how much better we both felt after talking about everything. She's like a little sister.  We've come to better terms and we start fresh every day and every week.

We finally met a less active family this week since coming here, and she's the cutest single mom ever!  Her kids are even more adorable!  We even shared a Mormon message with her (THANKS MOM, FOR THE DVD:) and she loved the idea of the videos and the DVDs.  She's currently stuck in her trailer because her car stopped working, so she may not be getting to work for a week or so...  So we are going to go back one day this week and keep her company!

Our District Leader and his companion had a baptism this past week, and he asked us to come sing for the baptism, which Chesy, Francisco and Delia all came to watch!  We sang the same arrangement of "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" that I sang at the other baptism in Wenatchee.  The spirit was so strong, even though half of us were sick with head colds still.  I'm getting better though.  I love being a missionary, its the best experience ever!

Love you all!  Have a wonderful week!  :)

onda

  

ripple, wave

onda

FEMININE NOUN

1. (of water) 

a. ripple (small) 

Tiró una piedra en el estanque y observó las ondas que se formaban.He threw a rock into the pond and observed the ripples that formed.

b. wave (large) 

El terremoto ocasionó una onda marina que destrozó la costa.The earthquake caused a tidal wave that destroyed the coastline.

2. (means of energy transfer) 

a. wave 

Las ondas de radio y las ondas de los rayos X tienen frecuencias distintas.Radio waves and X-ray waves have different frequencies.

3. (shape or design) 

a. wave 

Le encantaba ver cómo el aire jugaba con las ondas de su cabello.He loved to see how the air played with the waves in her hair.

Definition thanks to Dad.