First off, just thought I'd let you all know how grateful I am for each and every one of you! This week I've been reflecting on all that the Lord has done for me in my life and I truly am so grateful for every person that has touched me over the years...thank you for your love and constant support! I really don't know where I'd be without it.
Anndd with that aside ;) on to the news from this week. This week was a little bit different because mi compi and I traveled to Talara for our intercambios with the Hermanas Capacitadoras for this transfer...so unfortunately we weren't able to spend a whole lot of time in our area, but it was a really neat trip so totally worth it! We left on Wednesday morning super early, and hopped on a bus to Mancora, where we had to get off and walk to another bus station to catch our ride to Talara. It was a little bit stressful because they didn't tell us where we were when the bus stopped, but thanks to the plentiful advertising for the popular tourist city of Mancora, we were able to recognize it pretty easily once we got there. Once we finally got to Talara, we met up with Hermana G. and Hermana V., dropped our stuff off at their "apartment" (that is basically a small house!), planned out our day, and headed out to work!
It was kind of interesting because it was the first time that for intercambios I went WITH my companion to the area of the H.C.'s but even with that being the case, we didn't hardly spend any time together because we went on divisions basically the whole time. I was able to go with Hermana V.. She really is quite an amazing missionary. She's had to go through a lot of really hard things in her mission...including the passing away of her own mother in the middle of her mission and right around her birthday...but she hasn't let that stop her! She's about to finish her mission next week, but she isn't slowing down for anything! What a great example. I was able to learn so much from her in the afternoon that we spent together...most importantly that when we trust in the Lord and do His work, we'll never be alone and we'll be able to overcome literally ANY trial that comes our way.
By the time we were on our way home on Thursday morning, my companion and I were super excited to get back to work and apply all the neat things we learned! We had a bit of trouble getting a ride back to Tumbes from Mancora-because you just have to wait for a bus heading to Tumbes to stop, and you board right there and hope there's a seat for you-but thankfully everything worked out all right! By the time we finally arrived here in Tumbes around 4pm, we were SO happy to be here. It seriously felt like coming home after a long trip. What a wonderful blessing to be in an area that I love so much!
Even despite the big chunk of working time that our trip took out of the week, we were able to work really hard the time that we spent here, and it was actually a really great week! Maybe not super duper extra successful in terms of numbers, but we both felt good about the work that we'd done, and I guess that's the most important part!
We've recently been working with the son of our pensionista (A.), and his girlfriend (M.) and her daughter (N.). M. and N. are both super great and now have baptismal dates for the 27th of September...now it all depends on if they're willing to come to church! A. is the last person in his family that isn't a member, but as the result of a lot of really difficult circumstances, most of the family is inactive right now. However, we've been working a lot with them and are super grateful for the miracle that A. is finally taking the lessons!
Hermanos A. and M. continue to progress and are really doing super well! If things go as we're hoping, they'll both get callings pretty soon! The man that's in charge of the ward right now (we still are without a bishop) invited both of them to come up and bear their testimonies yesterday, and Hermana C. and I sat in the congregation smiling our faces off in pride as they each bore their testimony of the church and the Book of Mormon and all that they've been able to learn about how Jesus Christ truly lived and died for us. Wow. What a blessing.
As I said at the beginning of this letter, I've been spending a lot of time reflecting this week. I testify to each of you that this is the only true church that exists here on the earth. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that through him the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored on the earth in this time. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I am so grateful for the blessing that I have to read it and recieve strength and peace from it's pages each and every day. I know that prayer is essential for each and every one of us in this life, and that God really does hear us when we pray...and will always answer us in one way or another as long as we pray in faith!
I love you all! Keep looking for the tender mercies of the Lord in your life, and never forget how much I love you and how much your Heavenly Father loves you as well!!
Have a WONDERFUL week!
Love,
Hermana Garner
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