I´m a little excited. ahahaha If you couldn´t tell.
Miracle story...so embarrassing..."I love Valencia and the members and my companion and our pisomates. I am seriously so happy :-) I think I just smile and laugh all day long. But the miracle story is from my last area, Hospitalet, right before I left.
So this is embarrassing to admit, but it makes for a great story, so I guess it is worth it. We were heading back to piso after Singing of the Angels and there were 7 of us. We got in the elevator and there was plenty of room so no one thought to check the capacity or say anything. The elevator made some weird noises, started shaking and then dropped a foot. The emergency light started flashing. We all froze and didn´t know what happened. Then everyone looked at me, which is terrifying because I am claustrophobic and had no idea what to do. So I said "Let´s pray"--always my first answer. Good heavens, I never know what to do--I´d be lost and unable to function without praying all the time. We prayed and then tried calling on the phone,...but there was no service, of course. So I decided to pray again and this time I asked that someone would hear the alarm bell I planned on holding down. We held the bell down and right after the prayer, someone heard us and called the Pres. We were stuck in there for 29ish minutes and I was fighting claustrophobia, but we talked and laughed and it helped. Everything worked out and Heavenly Father answered our prayers immediately, again. He never gets tired of us, thank heavens. From now on I will check the capacity limit of elevators before we get in!"
Oh huckleberry, here´s the rest of the letter too:
"I love Hna Oslund! I love the changes that I see in her since we were companions before, especially how much she loves me :-) She teaches me a lot without knowing it. The other night I was talking and goofing around with Hna Goodman and walked back to the room and Hna Oslund was laying on her bed, reading the Book of Mormon and writing down the miracles she found. It really impacted me. She doesn´t get the credit she deserves from other people who just see the funny, crazy side of her, but she tries and works so hard to be the missionary and person she wants to be. I have lost some focus on that and want to follow her example and be more diligent to improve daily. I also LOVE Hnas Goodman and Maxwell. They are so great and I am learning daily about the kind of person I want to be from their examples.
We met some recent converts here at conference and set up visits for the week to come. There are a few progressing investigators in our area, but they live in a pueblo and were unable to come in. We will visit them tomorrow. We are excited to find those who are prepared here! We know Valencia is full of them!
I love General Conference and just love being a missionary! I received so many answers and much personal revelation this weekend. Heavenly Father loves me so much-- I just can´t comprehend it."
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Wow, how am I so blessed? It must be all the prayers from family and friends at home because it´s not me. Miracles:
"There have been too many miracles to count this week. I try to write them down and remember, but I feel like I miss so many! (What a great problem to have, right?) I am so blessed by the Lord. Ok, two simple yet profound examples of my Heavenly Father´s love for me and how he knows me personally. Mom sent me some of my missionary pictures while I was in the MTC to give to people during my mission. I had 6 left yesterday. I cut 3 out to give to 2 recent converts and 1 investigator. I put one in Ruby´s triple combination that we gave her after her baptism and another in Maria Rosa´s Bible that we dedicated for her. Her son Julian wanted one for the back of my superman keychain that I gave to him, but I really wanted our investigator, Xavi, to have the last one for the triple combination that I wrote in for him and marked my favorite scriptures. I said a quick prayer and decided to give the last one that I had to Julian. I felt like it was the right thing to do. Xavi came to the baptism that night and I was writing in his triple and decided to check the empty envelope one more time, even though I knew there was nothing in there…but there was another picture!!! When I got back to the piso I checked and still had 3 pictures left. I don´t know how, but I had enough and Heavenly Father knew how much it meant to me and answered my prayers.
I love and live through my music. I prepared my ipod very carefully and meticulously before the mission with only uplifting, edifying songs, all the scriptures in Spanish and English, and the last 4 years of conference talks. I was adding some more music to my ipod in the locutorio from cd's I found in the piso left by other missionaries. But when I got back to the piso, my ipod was empty. All 14GB of music and talks were gone. Nothing. I had a minor panic attack. I sat on my bed and thought for a long time and realized that I had the chance to choose how I was going to react. I could get mad, cry, freak out…or I could let it go, have some faith and know that God is in control and would take care of me. This is how much my music means to me. But I decided to let it go and moved on. Hna Stephenson and I talked and decided it was my test of faith--if I could live and serve normally without my music. I actually forgot all about it during the week--something I NEVER thought was possible for me to do, but hey, life goes on and is SO much more than music. This morning I decided to put a few cd's on my ipod, just so I have something for when I leave to Valencia. I plugged my ipod in…and ALL my music was there. EVERYTHING! I have NO idea how, there is no way logically--I checked the ipod multiple times during the week and it was empty--zero GB used. There is no explanation other than a miracle. Heavenly Father knows me, so well, so perfectly.
I kind of feel like these are selfish miracles because they are just for me, but they are very specific and personal 'divine signatures' that Heavenly Father has written in my life and I will never forget them."
Those miracles are real, I promise. I couldn´t even make them up if I tried. There are so many more that I don´t have time to write, but I WILL write them in my journal. Haven´t missed a day yet and I am filling up journal #3. haha My future self will thank me...maybe.
So transfers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are crazy! Are you ready? Firsties, I went in and talked to Pte this week. There is a lot going on in the mission, especially with the Hnas and I needed counsel, advice and help. Such a sweet experience. We talked about some transfer possibilities and I have been waiting to see what would happen....are you ready?...some changes I was prepared for and some I was not...are you sure?...haha I´m heading to Valencia tomorrow!!!!!!! With...Hna Oslund!!!!!ahahahaha But really! We are going to whitewash and open an area down there. And my daughter, Hna Maxwell, will be a pisomate! As well as Hna Goodman--who is a hero and really good friend of mine. I still can´t believe it. Hna Pazuengo is taking it really hard...but I´m kind of the "rip the bandaid off and roll with it" kind of person...and she´s not. haha Gotta cut the cord sometime, right? She´ll be fine. And my first comp, Hna Farrell, is coming down from SanSe to take my place here! I´m excited and a wee bit nervous and kind of dazed. We have done lots of running around and visiting CRs (recent converts) and trying to say goodbye to everyone. Singing of the Angels should be good for that tonight. I´ll be thinking of Connor the whole time :-)
I´m just...happy. Tired beyond belief and my body is aging and falling apart right before my eyes, but I am so happy that is doesn´t matter. haha And it´s Conference this week. INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!! Superbowl for the missionaries. We are inviting everyone to bring specific questions to the conference to get specific answers. DO IT! I am for sure. I am so excited. Test the Lord and He ALWAYS comes through. So the real question is...what do you want to know? 90% of the challenge is always asking the right questions. I can´t wait to hear about your questions and answers!
Thank you all so much for the emails this week--there were so many! haha I love it and they will all be read and reread during the week. Love General Conference. I can´t wait to go in April. I´ve already decided :-) Isn´t it about...time?ahahaha I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
Hey Mom, thanks for the package. The office is on the lookout for it and will send it on to Valencia when it arrives. I´m excited about the blue tape...but you will be shocked to know that I have a sudden love for bright hot pink. Europe has really worked me over, I know. ahahahaha The 2nd Coming should be any day now--Clare Dalton likes pink!!!!
"There have been too many miracles to count this week. I try to write them down and remember, but I feel like I miss so many! (What a great problem to have, right?) I am so blessed by the Lord. Ok, two simple yet profound examples of my Heavenly Father´s love for me and how he knows me personally. Mom sent me some of my missionary pictures while I was in the MTC to give to people during my mission. I had 6 left yesterday. I cut 3 out to give to 2 recent converts and 1 investigator. I put one in Ruby´s triple combination that we gave her after her baptism and another in Maria Rosa´s Bible that we dedicated for her. Her son Julian wanted one for the back of my superman keychain that I gave to him, but I really wanted our investigator, Xavi, to have the last one for the triple combination that I wrote in for him and marked my favorite scriptures. I said a quick prayer and decided to give the last one that I had to Julian. I felt like it was the right thing to do. Xavi came to the baptism that night and I was writing in his triple and decided to check the empty envelope one more time, even though I knew there was nothing in there…but there was another picture!!! When I got back to the piso I checked and still had 3 pictures left. I don´t know how, but I had enough and Heavenly Father knew how much it meant to me and answered my prayers.
I love and live through my music. I prepared my ipod very carefully and meticulously before the mission with only uplifting, edifying songs, all the scriptures in Spanish and English, and the last 4 years of conference talks. I was adding some more music to my ipod in the locutorio from cd's I found in the piso left by other missionaries. But when I got back to the piso, my ipod was empty. All 14GB of music and talks were gone. Nothing. I had a minor panic attack. I sat on my bed and thought for a long time and realized that I had the chance to choose how I was going to react. I could get mad, cry, freak out…or I could let it go, have some faith and know that God is in control and would take care of me. This is how much my music means to me. But I decided to let it go and moved on. Hna Stephenson and I talked and decided it was my test of faith--if I could live and serve normally without my music. I actually forgot all about it during the week--something I NEVER thought was possible for me to do, but hey, life goes on and is SO much more than music. This morning I decided to put a few cd's on my ipod, just so I have something for when I leave to Valencia. I plugged my ipod in…and ALL my music was there. EVERYTHING! I have NO idea how, there is no way logically--I checked the ipod multiple times during the week and it was empty--zero GB used. There is no explanation other than a miracle. Heavenly Father knows me, so well, so perfectly.
I kind of feel like these are selfish miracles because they are just for me, but they are very specific and personal 'divine signatures' that Heavenly Father has written in my life and I will never forget them."
Those miracles are real, I promise. I couldn´t even make them up if I tried. There are so many more that I don´t have time to write, but I WILL write them in my journal. Haven´t missed a day yet and I am filling up journal #3. haha My future self will thank me...maybe.
So transfers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are crazy! Are you ready? Firsties, I went in and talked to Pte this week. There is a lot going on in the mission, especially with the Hnas and I needed counsel, advice and help. Such a sweet experience. We talked about some transfer possibilities and I have been waiting to see what would happen....are you ready?...some changes I was prepared for and some I was not...are you sure?...haha I´m heading to Valencia tomorrow!!!!!!! With...Hna Oslund!!!!!ahahahaha But really! We are going to whitewash and open an area down there. And my daughter, Hna Maxwell, will be a pisomate! As well as Hna Goodman--who is a hero and really good friend of mine. I still can´t believe it. Hna Pazuengo is taking it really hard...but I´m kind of the "rip the bandaid off and roll with it" kind of person...and she´s not. haha Gotta cut the cord sometime, right? She´ll be fine. And my first comp, Hna Farrell, is coming down from SanSe to take my place here! I´m excited and a wee bit nervous and kind of dazed. We have done lots of running around and visiting CRs (recent converts) and trying to say goodbye to everyone. Singing of the Angels should be good for that tonight. I´ll be thinking of Connor the whole time :-)
I´m just...happy. Tired beyond belief and my body is aging and falling apart right before my eyes, but I am so happy that is doesn´t matter. haha And it´s Conference this week. INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!! Superbowl for the missionaries. We are inviting everyone to bring specific questions to the conference to get specific answers. DO IT! I am for sure. I am so excited. Test the Lord and He ALWAYS comes through. So the real question is...what do you want to know? 90% of the challenge is always asking the right questions. I can´t wait to hear about your questions and answers!
Thank you all so much for the emails this week--there were so many! haha I love it and they will all be read and reread during the week. Love General Conference. I can´t wait to go in April. I´ve already decided :-) Isn´t it about...time?ahahaha I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
Hey Mom, thanks for the package. The office is on the lookout for it and will send it on to Valencia when it arrives. I´m excited about the blue tape...but you will be shocked to know that I have a sudden love for bright hot pink. Europe has really worked me over, I know. ahahahaha The 2nd Coming should be any day now--Clare Dalton likes pink!!!!
Monday, September 24, 2012
Hey Everybody,
"We had a miracle this week that came from a missionary saying a prayer and because of her faith, it was answered immediately. The Hospitalet 2 Hnas were preparing for their baptism when we realized that no one had a key for the door to get into the changing rooms and font! We all called everyone that we could think of--Bishops, the custodian, counselors, Auxiliaries Presidencies, everyone and no one could come or was close. We prayed. Then one Hna had the idea to put the key they have for the front door in. It isn´t the right key and has never worked before, but she prayed and told Heavenly Father she didn´t know what else to do and that she was going to her put key in the door and it was going to work…and it did!!! There is no way it was a coincidence or anything short of a miracle and an answered prayer. What incredible faith. It really is the key to everything…pun intended.
We met lots of new people this week and will have many Lesson-- 0's and 1's. We are going to invite everyone to be baptized! It will be a week of miracles, I know it!
We had a woman, Anai, come into the chapel Sunday looking for English class and I invited her to stay for the meetings and she did! We gave her a Book of Mormon and will meet with her this week.
Evelyn and Pabel´s friend, Clisset, came to church this week and when we asked to set up a visit with her, she said she was going to ask us to come and teach her! She also wanted to buy a Book of Mormon and participate in the Talent Show we are having! We gave her her own Book of Mormon and feel like she can be ready for baptism in a few weeks!
The miracles abound in Hospitalet!
In the past 2 weeks, investigators that we met and passed on because they didn´t live in our area got baptized!!!! So exciting! And I got news from SanSebastian about a part member family I was teaching there-- the father finally is ready to change his life and is getting baptized! Some of the best news you can receive as a missionary :-) I almost couldn´t believe it. We are so blessed. I am keeping this short again because I want to email some individual people. Mom, that kinesio tape and instructions for my feet sound amazing. I really need it. I`ve tried to find that stuff here and can´t. Tender mercy.
I love you all and it warms my heart every week to hear about you :-) Keep being who you are, it keeps me going here.
Much missionary love,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
"We had a miracle this week that came from a missionary saying a prayer and because of her faith, it was answered immediately. The Hospitalet 2 Hnas were preparing for their baptism when we realized that no one had a key for the door to get into the changing rooms and font! We all called everyone that we could think of--Bishops, the custodian, counselors, Auxiliaries Presidencies, everyone and no one could come or was close. We prayed. Then one Hna had the idea to put the key they have for the front door in. It isn´t the right key and has never worked before, but she prayed and told Heavenly Father she didn´t know what else to do and that she was going to her put key in the door and it was going to work…and it did!!! There is no way it was a coincidence or anything short of a miracle and an answered prayer. What incredible faith. It really is the key to everything…pun intended.
We met lots of new people this week and will have many Lesson-- 0's and 1's. We are going to invite everyone to be baptized! It will be a week of miracles, I know it!
We had a woman, Anai, come into the chapel Sunday looking for English class and I invited her to stay for the meetings and she did! We gave her a Book of Mormon and will meet with her this week.
Evelyn and Pabel´s friend, Clisset, came to church this week and when we asked to set up a visit with her, she said she was going to ask us to come and teach her! She also wanted to buy a Book of Mormon and participate in the Talent Show we are having! We gave her her own Book of Mormon and feel like she can be ready for baptism in a few weeks!
The miracles abound in Hospitalet!
In the past 2 weeks, investigators that we met and passed on because they didn´t live in our area got baptized!!!! So exciting! And I got news from SanSebastian about a part member family I was teaching there-- the father finally is ready to change his life and is getting baptized! Some of the best news you can receive as a missionary :-) I almost couldn´t believe it. We are so blessed. I am keeping this short again because I want to email some individual people. Mom, that kinesio tape and instructions for my feet sound amazing. I really need it. I`ve tried to find that stuff here and can´t. Tender mercy.
I love you all and it warms my heart every week to hear about you :-) Keep being who you are, it keeps me going here.
Much missionary love,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
Monday, September 17, 2012
Hey everybody!
"We had a man named Aurel walk into church this Sunday from Romania. He found out about the church online and came! He was very interested and stayed for the 3 hours. Our Ward Mission Leader accompanied him everywhere and we gave him a Book of Mormon and introduced it. He listened very carefully, repeated back what he understood and said he wanted to read it! It is a miracle and testament to me that Heavenly Father is always preparing people and sometimes they just walk into the path of the church and we get to be a part of it."
Nayelli´s baptism was great! She is really the anchor for her Mom and has such a desire to follow Christ. I can´t remember if I told you this already, but during a lesson we were teaching HOLA (Hermano, Orar, Leer y Asistir a la capilla) I asked Nayelli why she reads the scriptures--she is in 2 Nefi. She said simply, "Because I trust in my Heavenly Father." Our ward mission leader talked right along with what he thought was the "real" answer, but I stopped him and went back and made sure she knew that hers was the RIGHT answer. As long as she trusts Heavenly Father and does whatever He and the prophets say, she will be just fine. What an incredible answer from a 9 year old. It really had an effect on me.
Pte and Hna Pace came with us to a visit with Evelyn and Pabel and it was really spiritual--we all felt like Heavenly Father is watching over them and even though they can´t get married until March, they´ll be ok and are on the right path. ALSO--we found 2 new investigators, cousins of Evelyn. One of them, Clisset, I have a really strong feeling about. I can´t wait to teach her.
Xavi is doing well and in school now. He is like a best friend. I love him so much. We are getting there, he´ll be baptized.
Mom, thanks for your email. It was exactly what I needed to hear and read, so thanks. I´m glad you talked at the Institute and you know I love hearing you sing, especially "Consider the Lilies." I can´t wait to hear you sing again :-) I haven´t walked barefoot in over a year now and the sandals that I have have good support. I bought a new pair of walking shoes, my most supportive ones are trashed, and a pair of Adidas to run in. I hope they help. I have vitamins now, too. So all is good.
I love you all so much and thank you for the prayers.
MUAH!
SMILE!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
"We had a man named Aurel walk into church this Sunday from Romania. He found out about the church online and came! He was very interested and stayed for the 3 hours. Our Ward Mission Leader accompanied him everywhere and we gave him a Book of Mormon and introduced it. He listened very carefully, repeated back what he understood and said he wanted to read it! It is a miracle and testament to me that Heavenly Father is always preparing people and sometimes they just walk into the path of the church and we get to be a part of it."
Nayelli´s baptism was great! She is really the anchor for her Mom and has such a desire to follow Christ. I can´t remember if I told you this already, but during a lesson we were teaching HOLA (Hermano, Orar, Leer y Asistir a la capilla) I asked Nayelli why she reads the scriptures--she is in 2 Nefi. She said simply, "Because I trust in my Heavenly Father." Our ward mission leader talked right along with what he thought was the "real" answer, but I stopped him and went back and made sure she knew that hers was the RIGHT answer. As long as she trusts Heavenly Father and does whatever He and the prophets say, she will be just fine. What an incredible answer from a 9 year old. It really had an effect on me.
Pte and Hna Pace came with us to a visit with Evelyn and Pabel and it was really spiritual--we all felt like Heavenly Father is watching over them and even though they can´t get married until March, they´ll be ok and are on the right path. ALSO--we found 2 new investigators, cousins of Evelyn. One of them, Clisset, I have a really strong feeling about. I can´t wait to teach her.
Xavi is doing well and in school now. He is like a best friend. I love him so much. We are getting there, he´ll be baptized.
Mom, thanks for your email. It was exactly what I needed to hear and read, so thanks. I´m glad you talked at the Institute and you know I love hearing you sing, especially "Consider the Lilies." I can´t wait to hear you sing again :-) I haven´t walked barefoot in over a year now and the sandals that I have have good support. I bought a new pair of walking shoes, my most supportive ones are trashed, and a pair of Adidas to run in. I hope they help. I have vitamins now, too. So all is good.
I love you all so much and thank you for the prayers.
MUAH!
SMILE!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
Monday, September 10, 2012
Hi,
Here we gooooooo!
"One miracle we saw this week was through a special fast. We had a visit with our investigator Xavier and a member friend Jonathan. Xavier was sick on Fast Sunday so he didn´t fast. We invited him to fast with us this Sunday and Jonathan asked if he could fast with us too! Xavier came to church in a polo for the first time and was just different. He looks and feels happier every visit since we really opened up to each other and talked about his struggles. He also stayed for all 3 hours and then we broke our fast together with Jonathan after. I love seeing the Gospel work in people´s lives and seeing them change for the better.I love that
Hna Pazuengo is ingoring so much that is going on at home and in her personal life to be here 100% mentally and spiritually. I wonder what it would be like for me if I were in her shoes and if I would be as valient and strong.Evelyn and Pabel received the news that they might have to wait longer, until March to be married, and baptized. I don´t know what to think of this and it hasn´t been confirmed so I am continuing to plan their baptism and having faith. We shall see what miracles the Lord has in store for them, and when.Nayelli is doing great. It is hard to have visits with her because of her mother´s work schedule but she is ready. In a visit this week, I asked her why she reads the Book of Mormon, she´s in 2 Nephi, and her answer both shocked and humbled me: "Because I trust in my Heavenly Father." So simple and pure. That´s really what it´s all about isn´t it? Our ward mission leader tried to move on and give her the "correct" answer but I stopped him and made sure she knew how rigth her answer was and how it impacted me. She is incredible.We had lots of recent converts and less actives come to church this week. This is what we are focusing on with the ward council.
One miracle I found in my Book of Mormon reading was through the "wandering" that we have to do in the life. Heavenly Father mercifully allows us to wander in the wilderness sometimes to build the faith and preparation we need to face our future. Lehi´s family, Moses and the children of Israel, the pioneers from New York to Kirtland to Missouri to Illinois to Utah. It is the trial of faith and fuller´s fire that makes us fit for the kingdom."
The heat seems to be making one more last effort to hang around but I think we are officially in fall here. I can´t wait for General Conference in less than a month! And I really want to go to GC in April, FYI.haha
Yes, I got the package Mom and it was great :-) thanks so much. New clothes! I wear them probably more than I should.haha And I made the cornbread and threw in a can of corn and it was delicious. I ate it all week. Thank you so much! I´m all out of vitamins but I think the Zone Leaders have some that they are taking for me so I will let you know next week. We know I need my vitamins to function.ahaha Speaking of functioning, guess what little fun has snuck back into my life? Plantar fasciitus. SO fun as a missionary, let me tell you. I bought tennis balls and am taking Ibuprofen like candy...doc´s orders.
Church sounds like it was really good. I love hearing about that. The little stuff, you know? So jealous about the FHE! Can´t wait to hear how it goes. I love you and I´m going to keep this short to try and send everybody a little personal email.haha I LOVE YOU ALL! Thanks for keeping me going most days.
Smile. It´s a beautiful day.
Love always,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Cómo estáis? ahahahahahaha juerga alert, we aren´t supposed to use the vosotros form, but I just wanted to see if I actually could. It was kind of natural, win.
One miracle among the many that we had this week was with our investigator Xavier. We have had very powerful lessons with him, but he has been unable to take the step of faith to baptism because of some personal issues that he is struggling with. He finally opened up to us and was honest about his doubts and feelings. I felt very strongly through the Spirit that I am here right now because I can help him through experiences that I have had and gone through in the past. Helping him has helped me find answers to things that I have been looking for and dealing with. It was also not coincidence that this all happened over fast Sunday weekend--an example of the power there is in real intent, prayer and fasting. It has been a miracle to me and for me.
Hna Pazuengo is very crafty and loves to use these skills in relation to missionary work. I love finding ways to help her use these skills as well. We made cards to hand out to members and less actives that have the points of what we can do during the Sacrament to feel the power of the Atonement and use it in our lives. We have been trying to teach everyone this lesson from you and Hna Pace and it has really changed the feelings about the Sacrament in our ward and members.
Evelyn and Pabel are on track to be baptized; we will find out when today because of their papers. We had a run-through of the baptismal questions and Pabel´s answer and his testimony about living prophets really touched me. He said they hold all the Priesthood keys and that means everything to him.
Nayelli is a shy 9 year old and getting baptized in 2 weeks. She loves drawing things for us and even volunteered to pray to open our Noche de hogar at the church with lots of other youth and young adults. I was impressed.
Catalina is a recent convert who has decided to attend another ward to fellowship her friend who is getting baptized in barrio 2 and she wanted to be able to take the Sacrament every week after our lesson about it. It´s great to see the application!
Marco hasn´t left yet for the U.S. and accompanied us in a visit with other members. We taught tithing and fasting…and he told us he was going to fast for us!!! It was incredible. We also helped him pay his tithing for the first time and I felt so good seeing him progress.
In starting the Book of Mormon challenge (we are reading the Book of Mormon as a mission by 3 Diciembre, specifically looking for and marking miracles--Connor are you in? You are and will always be elfaro in my book!). I found a miracle about Nephi´s example for his older brother Sam in 1 Nefi 2:16-17. When we receive confirmation from the Spirit about truth, sometimes it is not just for us and we need to share it! Nephi bore his testimony to his brother, OLDER brother, and he believed him and it built his testimony, too. That is a miracle.
We had a HUGE rainstorm this week and I about died from happiness. We got caught in it and were soaked and I did some puddle stomping...my companion might have been slightly annoyed...puddle jumper? Yes. It has cooled off and I think we are almost at the end of the humidity, finally.
It has been good and different with Hna Walker. She is Hna Stephenson´s new companion and she was Hna Preston´s companion in Zaragoza. So that is fun. We´ve had some good talks. I really love being here in Barç and around other missionaries and hermanas. I don´t want to leave. I had a dream that Pte asked me to open up Ibiza with Hna Goodman at the end of my mission...it was a great dream. Prophecy? We shall see.ahahahaha so funny!
Well, sounds like everyone loved Labor Day.It has moved up on my list of holidays :-)
Love,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
One miracle among the many that we had this week was with our investigator Xavier. We have had very powerful lessons with him, but he has been unable to take the step of faith to baptism because of some personal issues that he is struggling with. He finally opened up to us and was honest about his doubts and feelings. I felt very strongly through the Spirit that I am here right now because I can help him through experiences that I have had and gone through in the past. Helping him has helped me find answers to things that I have been looking for and dealing with. It was also not coincidence that this all happened over fast Sunday weekend--an example of the power there is in real intent, prayer and fasting. It has been a miracle to me and for me.
Hna Pazuengo is very crafty and loves to use these skills in relation to missionary work. I love finding ways to help her use these skills as well. We made cards to hand out to members and less actives that have the points of what we can do during the Sacrament to feel the power of the Atonement and use it in our lives. We have been trying to teach everyone this lesson from you and Hna Pace and it has really changed the feelings about the Sacrament in our ward and members.
Evelyn and Pabel are on track to be baptized; we will find out when today because of their papers. We had a run-through of the baptismal questions and Pabel´s answer and his testimony about living prophets really touched me. He said they hold all the Priesthood keys and that means everything to him.
Nayelli is a shy 9 year old and getting baptized in 2 weeks. She loves drawing things for us and even volunteered to pray to open our Noche de hogar at the church with lots of other youth and young adults. I was impressed.
Catalina is a recent convert who has decided to attend another ward to fellowship her friend who is getting baptized in barrio 2 and she wanted to be able to take the Sacrament every week after our lesson about it. It´s great to see the application!
Marco hasn´t left yet for the U.S. and accompanied us in a visit with other members. We taught tithing and fasting…and he told us he was going to fast for us!!! It was incredible. We also helped him pay his tithing for the first time and I felt so good seeing him progress.
In starting the Book of Mormon challenge (we are reading the Book of Mormon as a mission by 3 Diciembre, specifically looking for and marking miracles--Connor are you in? You are and will always be elfaro in my book!). I found a miracle about Nephi´s example for his older brother Sam in 1 Nefi 2:16-17. When we receive confirmation from the Spirit about truth, sometimes it is not just for us and we need to share it! Nephi bore his testimony to his brother, OLDER brother, and he believed him and it built his testimony, too. That is a miracle.
We had a HUGE rainstorm this week and I about died from happiness. We got caught in it and were soaked and I did some puddle stomping...my companion might have been slightly annoyed...puddle jumper? Yes. It has cooled off and I think we are almost at the end of the humidity, finally.
It has been good and different with Hna Walker. She is Hna Stephenson´s new companion and she was Hna Preston´s companion in Zaragoza. So that is fun. We´ve had some good talks. I really love being here in Barç and around other missionaries and hermanas. I don´t want to leave. I had a dream that Pte asked me to open up Ibiza with Hna Goodman at the end of my mission...it was a great dream. Prophecy? We shall see.ahahahaha so funny!
Well, sounds like everyone loved Labor Day.It has moved up on my list of holidays :-)
Love,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
Monday, August 27, 2012
Howdy ya´ll,
The miracles continue:
"Fátima´sbaptism and all that it entails is my miracle for the week. From June 13thwhen Jesús called us late at night to come over the next day and teach his wifeabout the purpose of life because she was feeling really weighed down, to August 25th--what an incredible journey it has been and will be one year from now when this little family that I have come to love so much is sealed together for time and eternity and ready to receive the blessings Heavenly Father has waiting for them. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the opportunity to be here, now and share a part in their story. Sometimes I wonder if I should have gotten my life in order and repented sooner so I could have served a mission at 21…but my Heavenly Father shows me time and time again that this is my time and I am on the right path."
It was truly incredible. And man, do they know how to eat after baptisms--there were 3 tables of food! I think I have a pic. We as missionaries sang Joseph Smith´s First Prayer to the tune of Come Thou Fount and Hna Pace accompanied us--this hymn is Fátima´s favorite and she was mouthing the words and crying as we sang :-) (and we all know it wasn´t because of my singing abilities...) There were rowdy kids on the floor after the actual ordinance while we were singing hymns...I don´t understand why parents here don´t discipline their children-- pet peeve--but I tried to make them be quiet and then had this idea in the form of a mental image of you, Mom. So I grabbed a big hymnbook and plopped myself on the floor in the front, right in the middle of them and gathered them around me and we sang the hymns together--me tracing the verses with their fingers. It was very sweet and worked fantastically well. That´s what Jesus would have done, right? Shushing them obviously wasn´t the way to go. Who knows, maybe I´m slowly growing up.
It has been weird without Connor, but Heavenly Father is sending me plenty of comfort and signs that we are both where we need to be. :-) It makes me very happy to hear he is home safe and sound.
Mom, I can just see you sitting in class taking notes, awww so sweet! Did you all remember that there is a hidden spare key to the Celica in front of the driver side bumper? Just checking...
I LOVE YOU!!!!!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
The miracles continue:
"Fátima´sbaptism and all that it entails is my miracle for the week. From June 13thwhen Jesús called us late at night to come over the next day and teach his wifeabout the purpose of life because she was feeling really weighed down, to August 25th--what an incredible journey it has been and will be one year from now when this little family that I have come to love so much is sealed together for time and eternity and ready to receive the blessings Heavenly Father has waiting for them. I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the opportunity to be here, now and share a part in their story. Sometimes I wonder if I should have gotten my life in order and repented sooner so I could have served a mission at 21…but my Heavenly Father shows me time and time again that this is my time and I am on the right path."
It was truly incredible. And man, do they know how to eat after baptisms--there were 3 tables of food! I think I have a pic. We as missionaries sang Joseph Smith´s First Prayer to the tune of Come Thou Fount and Hna Pace accompanied us--this hymn is Fátima´s favorite and she was mouthing the words and crying as we sang :-) (and we all know it wasn´t because of my singing abilities...) There were rowdy kids on the floor after the actual ordinance while we were singing hymns...I don´t understand why parents here don´t discipline their children-- pet peeve--but I tried to make them be quiet and then had this idea in the form of a mental image of you, Mom. So I grabbed a big hymnbook and plopped myself on the floor in the front, right in the middle of them and gathered them around me and we sang the hymns together--me tracing the verses with their fingers. It was very sweet and worked fantastically well. That´s what Jesus would have done, right? Shushing them obviously wasn´t the way to go. Who knows, maybe I´m slowly growing up.
It has been weird without Connor, but Heavenly Father is sending me plenty of comfort and signs that we are both where we need to be. :-) It makes me very happy to hear he is home safe and sound.
Mom, I can just see you sitting in class taking notes, awww so sweet! Did you all remember that there is a hidden spare key to the Celica in front of the driver side bumper? Just checking...
I LOVE YOU!!!!!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
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