Gitana (missing pictures)

Buenas Días todos!

Thank you for your patience, I have more photos this week.

We got some crazy news, this week our District leaders moved into apartments in our East Stake and they said they are taking over our entire Ogden East Stake. Our Spanish Ward covers 2 English stakes and because of this split we went from 15 people we were teaching.... to 1. All of the work is in the East Stake. But that's ok! That means we will have more time in the Ogden Stake to find and teach. It was a bit stressful doing pass off lessons but I know things will be ok. 

We were going to do a 9 person pass off lesson (because we were teaching all of these people in the same house) and when we knocked, and our recent converts Karla and Ruben (with their friend Melkin) opened the door and said that all if them moved. I went through so many emotions! First, the house had a much stronger presence of the Holy Ghost (but the smoke smell was really strong). Second, it is sad that they moved but I see it as a huge blessing for the Elders because I realized that these people were not progressing. It takes a huge burden off of them and now they can find the true elect. 

We met this new person named Issac that came to church last Sunday! We taught him a lesson right after and we helped him learn how to pray and taught him how to connect with his Heavenly Father. We came back to teach him in another lesson and they moved into apartments in Hermano Balderramos house! So as we taught him we found out he has been a member for 5 years! I knew I could tell that there was something different about him than the rest of the YSA age guys met...and it was because he has the priesthood. It was definitely the biggest plot twist of the month! We are making plans for him to go to the temple because there were no temples in Nicaragua (yet)! 

Last night we had transfer board and I am still staying in the Jefferson 2nd Ward! My companion is moving to J3 which is even scarier than this area so she is really scared but she knows that the lord is with her. Me and my new companion Hermana Dababneh are going to have a blast finding new people in this area! 

We had a lesson with our Friends Mario and Dora and we were talking about how I have moved A TON in my life and I am not sure where I am from. So he said "oh, are you a gypsy then?" And that word in Spanish is "Gitana" (hee-tan-a) so I laughed and I said yes I guess I am a gypsy.

So, art projects. I absolutely love arts and crafts and I wanted to use it in missionary work so that I wouldn't have to give it up to be a missionary, so these are the art projects that I have decided to do:

1. I have plans to put a Spanish and English Book of Mormon with our numbers in it in every small neighborhood "book nook" in our area

2. I got some tea lights and wrote on laminated cards the scripture that says how Jesus Christ is the light of the world and put our number and said "contact the missionaries to help you find the light of christ in your life!" And we are going to put it on trees around parks and neighborhoods!

3. I decorated the house for Christmas with a sentence in cursive that says "oh come let us adore him"

4. I made these BOM bookmarks that give an outline on how to pray :)

5. I made a packet for kids that kids can play and write down things that they can use in their prayers. 

Pictures are at the end of this email so you can see!

Our STL came down for a "talk" about our companionship with me and Hermana Smith. It was really eye opening and I realized that I have a lot of work I need to do in communication skills. Realizing at first was really scary because I could see that it has affected a lot of my relationships in the past but I know that God shows us our weakness so that we can use his help to turn it into strengths. I know that it's not going to turn around easily but I want to be a good missionary and apply these skills to my family, my friends, and everyone around me. 

I am writing letters but I am waiting for a time that I can get to the post office and buy stamps! I promise they will hopefully be out before Christmas lol 

Adios Amigos! Que tenga una buena semana!

Hermana Vestel

Foto

1. Tea light activity

2. Kids prayer activity

3. Christmas decoration

4. We celebrated sister Heiner's Birthday! They are my favorite people

5. My comp needed someone to pose in front of the mountains 

6. Temple trip! This is our zone

7. These are the Hermanas in our zone

8. A pug

9. This is Sister Maslich! I knew her sister at SVU! I love her so much

10. One of the cute book nooks we have