Email - March 31

    This week has been kind of crazy and one of the most uplifting weeks of my mission! Holy Moly! So on Tuesday we had Zone Conference, it was our zone, the Gilbert Zone, and the Chandler Zone. Us, as Spanish missionaries cover both zones in our large area. At zone conference we talked a lot about conversion, consecration, and the doctrine of Christ. Our assistants and the Mission President taught us, it was way awesome!! Luckily, we sister training leaders and zone leaders didn't have to train. It scares the daylights out of me haha, but I learn a lot as well from being able to study and train other missionaries! We watched the video about John Tanner, I love this video! We talked about how consecrated he was to the Lord. Very uplifting! We then had district meeting Wednesday. Then on Thursday we had Missionary Leadership Council. It was good, we talked about diligence, how to plan more effectively, and how to use Facebook and online proselyting better. President Toone promised us that if we, as a mission, are diligent in all we do, especially planning, then we can double our baptisms per month by the time of the dead heat of the summer. That is a pretty giant promise!! But we will be diligent!

   On Friday, we had a regular planning meeting and on Saturday, you know, THE GENERAL WOMEN'S CONFERENCE!!! Holy Cow! (Santa baca!) I loved it! The spirit was so so strong! I was tearing up in just the first song! Oh man, it was amazing! When all the children sang "Teach Me to Walk in the Light", that was so sweet and I kept imagining Bloom being able to attend this conference in just a year or two! I asked this 8 year old how she enjoyed it after and she just shook her hand like 'mmm so-so" haha. I loved how they talked about judging others is not Christ-like or finding differences in each other. I liked how Sister Burton talked about perfection because that is something I definitely struggle with and I know so do a lot of woman. P.S. Bonnie L. Oscarson is one of my first Zone Leader's and now an assistant's, aunt. So that is cool. The talk from President Eyring was very powerful! I think a lot about before we came down to earth. I think about having to prepare and leave my Father's arms with hope and with faith, that all would be well in this life. I think about what I knew before I came to earth and the fear I may have had that I might not make the right choices on earth to return to live with Heavenly Father. I think of the empathy I had before this life for those people that knew they would not be sent to a home that had the gospel already planted in it, or that came here knowing of the abuse or disasters they would be in. Everything that President Eyring said and explained have been the exact thoughts of my mind. We are not taught about this too often. It is thoughts that I had in my mind that the Holy Ghost gave to me and President Eyring testified of these truths of my thoughts. At the end of his talk he said, "the Holy Ghost testifies of truth, and we all felt it here tonight" this was simple, but so true. I knew just like I did before that I was prepared from a young age to serve a mission at this time. The Lord protected me and prepared me to be here now, and I love it!

   You should read the talk Good, Better, Best. This month we are studying about diligence, and this is a great talk for anyone in any calling to read, even a parent!

   So on Monday night, we taught a man named Armando and his wife, who is a member, Nancy. It was our first lesson with them and so we just did an introduction lesson of what we teach and who we are and set expectations. My Spanish is still not perfect but I do know how to testify and I can't remember exactly what I was talking about at this moment in the lesson but I think I was testifying of how much the gospel will bless their lives. The spirit was so strong, usually the spirit is around us so I feel like we are more immune to the spirit, but at this time the spirit was so strong everyone in the room could feel it. Armando grabbed his wife's hand and laid back on the couch. It was really neat to see how much my ability to speak another language can affect someone's life. I love being able to speak Spanish. It truly is a blessing to learn it! Especially with the Lord helping me so much!

   Everyone tells us how animated we are, and not just boring and strict. We have a lot of fun and we show the members that we love missionary work! I am even learning how to crack some jokes in Spanish :)