One Small Fish in the Great Salt Lake: A Very Smashing week indeed!

March 2, 2015

Mom, Dad, I hate to break this news to you but i have to confess that I'm not a perfect driver. And when I said this week was smashing I meant it... literally. there I was, innocently backing out of a parking spot at some apartments we were visiting when all of the sudden this pole came out of nowhere and hit our left fender! So much for having my companion back me right? don't worry, the pole is still intact... and most of the car. Elder Tucker, our car guy at the mission office is very forgiving and isn't revoking my driving privileges because he said he needs me too much. I think my guilt for causing damage to a mission car will cause me to be the best backer you've ever met from your side of the Mississippi.

On the bright side of things, we had a great week! Since we didn't have a car for 3 days we had more adventures walking and getting member rides. We usually schedule appointments every half hour at night so that had to be adapted a bit but we have another car to use in the time being...we're spoiled missionaries! We park and walk a lot but it really is a blessing to have a car at night and enables us to do a lot more work than we otherwise could. Junior got baptized yesterday! The only night his giant spanish family could make it was sunday night so he won't be confirmed until next week. during fast and testimony meeting we sat by him and challenged him to bear his testimony. He said he would do it at his baptism but after many people got up and made comments about how grateful they were that Junior had made so many changes in his life to get baptized, and after Sister Aguilar and I got up he got up right away and bore a sweet testimony, mostly thanking everyone in the ward who had helped him get to that point. I don't know if I've written much about him but he is a 14 yr. old who grew up in a spanish household but never really learned to speak it well so the spanish sisters referred him to us to get involved in the english ward. Little by little after taking the lessons, coming to church and activities all on his own, and going to multiple baptisms, he has felt the confirmation that Joseph Smith is a prophet and that this is christ's true church. He has such a good heart and desire to do good. some of his family members are less active members in the spanish ward but I'm sure his example is going to motivate them to rediscover the gospel. Sister Aguilar and the spanish sister missionaries bore testimony in spanish at the baptism, and Brother Jones, the young men's president who baptized Junior performed it in spanish as well because he served a spanish speaking mission in Texas. The spirit was very powerful and I think Junior's dad and grandpa who aren't members were very touched. I love working with youth and seeing them for who they can become. They have so much fire for the gospel and I know Junior's decision to follow Christ will affect a lot more people than just himself!

Claudine and Godelive have become the most amazing missionaries. Godelive has been teaching her refugee friends in Texas about the gospel over the phone and they want to move out here as soon as they can to be baptized. Claudine's friend said something bad about the church so Claudine defended it and got on mormon.org with her to show her friend what the church actually believes. she almost started crying because she loved what she read. Now she is reading the Book of Mormon (claudine gave her the on we gave her to read) and wants to come to church! They have no fear in sharing what they know because they understand the impact it can have on everyone's life. Hopefully the book of Mormon gets published in Kinyarwanda soon! It's a beautiful language and I'm trying to learn a new phrase or word every time we visit.

Marta and Raydeen are doing well and should be getting their temple recommends this week. Hopefully we can go before the week is over in case I get transferred! I think I've grown more in these past 5 weeks than I have in any transfer prior. I've learned a lot about communication, going to heavenly Father first, and looking outside myself. Selfish people will always be unhappy. As long as we are seeking for our own happiness, it is likely we will never find it. As long as we are seeking to make others happy, happiness finds us before we realize it. And isn't that God's greatest wish for us? His work and glory is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life. As we align our will for his in laboring to bring our brothers and sisters the same peace and joy we have felt, it is inevitable we will have joy! I feel lucky to work side by side with the Savior each and everyday and my greatest wish is to continue this work throughout my entire life and after:)

Love,

Sister Pearson