Week 53

Hola Famila y Amigos,

Spiritual experiences.. So I have mentioned the Valle family from time to time, but they are a less active family who I have become very close with. This includes Hermana Valle (she is blind), her daughter Giselle, Omar, and Giselle's two kids, Jomar and Leuhani. They LOVE to feed us anytime we come over and we had a lesson with them last Tuesday and were able to teach them a cool Restauracion lesson with these cool cups Hermana Thelin made us.  It literally builds a pyramid, making The Church of Jesus Christ, and it has the 12 Apostoles, the gospel of Jesus Christ (fe, arrepentimiento, el bautismo, la recepcion el don del espiritu santo, y perserverando hasta el fin- (I just realized I wrote that all in Spanish not meaning to, haha), other commandments, priesthood and revelation, then Christ at the top! It was very cool. They really liked it. We invited them to church and invited them to start reading the Book of Mormon as a family.  After the lesson, Giselle took us home, and she always talks to us for 5 minutes after she drops us off.  I don't know how it happened, but she ended up talking to us about her conversion story, and how she took the lessons, and got a very spiritual confirmation that the Book of Mormon is true.  She testified of it and it was the COOLEST thing to see.  They also said that they were going to try and come to sacrament meeting, and that she wants to come.  It was everything we have been trying to help them with ever since I got here and it is finally unfolding.  We expressed our love and gratitude for her and her family. She paused for a second and said, "I am going to start reading the Book of Mormon again, like you guys said. You have inspired me and now whenever I start reading it, I can remember all the times you guys have came over, and taught us, and shared with us. "My heart felt very happy".  That family means so much to me and we have got such a good relationship with them. I am planning on giving Leuhani (Giselle's four year old daughter)  the CTR necklace President Ward gave me when I got set apart as a missionary.  He handed it to me and told me that when the time was right, that I needed to give it to someone.  I have been wondering when I was going to meet that person, and now, a week before transfers, I am planning on giving it to her.  We see them tomorrow so I am really excited to see their reaction, it's a surprise, and I love surprising people.  Pictures will come next week about that!

Investigators:

Dolores: She still hasn't come to church yet. :/   We are not sure how much of a desire there is for her to go.. but we aren't giving up!  She is keeping all her other commitments like praying, reading the Book of Mormon and any other thing we give her.  So we will see what happens this week.

Luis: our joven (teenager) friend we met last week DECIDED TO APPEAR AND COME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY.  It was NUTS!!!  I was warming up on the piano, and the Elders just say, "Hermana Green", and I turn around, and LUIS IS THERE. We hadn't been able to get a hold of him for like 5 days and we haven't been able to teach him either. So him coming to church was a miracle!!   He has to do a project where he goes to a church, and learns about it and visits it, meets the Bishop, and writes a report on it.  I don't think it's coincidence that we met him when we did.  It might be that the Lord is helping him learn about the church in this way and helping him understand the gospel through a project.  He was very attentive in church and was going to take notes, but Hermana Post and I kept peeking over and he wasn't writing any notes, he was glued on the speakers. We know he felt something, and he said he is going to come back this Sunday!  We have a lesson with him this Sunday as well.  We are excited to see where this goes. 

Rosa y Jessa: we met Rosa, an older woman and her granddaughter Jessa, a couple days ago while contacting in this small urb (apartment complex). Rosa has a daughter who is a member and we asked her, "have you ever met missionaries from our church before", and she said no.  We were able to share the Restoration with her and really focused on Eternal Families.  We were able to establish a really good relationship with them right off the bat, It was great!!  We even got a musical performance from Jessa singing a song in English, It was grand!!

This week was a bit fuerte (hard).  Our numbers were very, very, very, low and I got sick at one point, but I was just trying to push through and do my best.  Even then, we didn't have a successful week.  But, one thing I re-learned, is that, not every week in the mission will be perfect.  In fact, NO week in the mission will be perfect.  One thing that I must keep reminding myself is that I am NOT a perfect person and that no one expects me to be a perfect missionary.  I remember one time, in an interview with President Boucher, I was telling him that I didn't feel like I was balancing being a good trainer, and that I felt the need to do all these things, and he cuts me off and goes, "Sister Green. There is no such thing as a perfect missionary", and he carried on, giving me advice (love that man. Also President Smart. They are the BEST).  I started to laugh a little this week but also got a bit of comfort from a phrase that Mom and Dad constantly told me, " Honey, you are too hard on yourself, cut yourself some slack".  I thought about that a lot yesterday.  I may have trials, I may disappoint myself, but, I am not perfect, and that's okay.  I am okay with that concept, and I am continually being shaped and molded, and that's okay too!!  Because, we may not see numbers, but I know that as we strive to do our best, the Lord will fill in the rest.  After all, we are the INSTRUMENTS, and not the Director in this grand orchestra that is missionary work. I loved Dad's spiritual thought, about how there needs to be opposition in all things, and I need to remember that too. This week was full of learning moments, and I will forever be grateful for that.

I just want to say how much I love and adore Hermana Post.  She is such a great companion and her Spanish is coming along great!  She does A HILARIOUS Christopher Walken impression of the "I need more cowbell" skit.  I love her.

My Present to Hermana Post (A Spanish Hymn Book) She was a Little Excited!

So every Wednesday we have correlation, a meeting with the missionaries (the Elders and Hermana Post and I), and Obispo.  This last meeting we had was AMAZING.  We set up a game plan to work with the leaders and set callings, and visiting and home teachers for each recent convert.  It was exhilarating.  I know it doesn't sound like it but I was FIRED UP!  The work really is moving along here in good ol' Puerto Rico. 

Last Monday, we walked into Papa's Pizza to grab a pizza and we didn't know what to get yet, and this man comes up to us and says, " you guys are missionaries right?" we nodded, yes. He said, " you know, you guys are doing a great work here, and we want to buy you a pizza what do you want", my jaw dropped to the floor and I was in shock.  Hermana Post and Thelin quickly answered while I was still in shock.  I was able to get a quick picture with them before they left.  I love nice people :)

Hermana Green, Peter, Post & Thelin with the Nice People.

For my one year mark, Hermana Thelin bought all of us cute little cakes and postres from a local panaderia. She got me monkey bread and it reminded me of Aunt Kelley's monkey bread she makes :)

My One Year Mark Celebration Monkey Bread!

SHOUT OUT TO THE MSP WARD YOUNG WOMEN! They sent me the CUTEST birthday package!  Thank you girls so much! I love you! 

We had a zone activity today and it was so fun!  We had a barbecue, played capture the flag and soccer (I scored a goal, I felt really cool) and ate and shared and spent time together.  I love being part of this zone.  We just are like a little family and it is so cool to think that missionaries, all over the world, are doing the Lord's work together. What a cool concept!!!

Zone Activity with the Hermanas!

Transfers are next week...... I have been in Cabo Rojo for 7 months.  I am scared I am going to leave.  It also doesn't feel like I am going to leave.... we'll see what happens!

Family and friends, I love you all dearly.  Thank you for being in my life.

All my love,

Hermana Green

Hermana Vaszuez is A HOMIE and made us empanadillas (she makes the Best emapandillas) and brought them to church! I Love this Woman!

Jolee & Elder Henroid (Hermana Greens District Leader in Ponce) made a returned visit to Puerto Rico and took out the Hermanas and Elders for Lunch.  Thank You Jolee & Elder Henroid!