Blue Island Letter #11

Hermana Hoer & friend

Hi!

Well, onto a new chapter of mission life. I have a brand new missionary to train, Hermana Santos. She speaks fluent Spanish, which is a huge help to me.  Santos is a sweet girl and a good communicator. She's really homesick, which breaks my heart for her. She didn't go to the MTC. They did a "mini mtc" at the mission office for a few days, then she came with me. So, that's kind of difficult. We're starting from the bottom. Still, she's a good teacher and listens well to investigators.

This morning we went outside for our work out! WOO HOO!! Santos walked, so I jogged at a walking pace. But, I loved being outside!!! My last comp didn't like to go outside to work out, so this is progress.

I met a missionary named Lishelle Stewart. That was fun. She was as excited as I was that we had the same name (different spelling). She's never met another "Leshelle" before now, either.

Tomorrow for Thanksgiving we have four hours to play sports, and we're getting together with the elders in our district to play volleyball at our building. I'm looking forward to that.

I am so grateful for the place I'm at. I still struggle with all sorts of things. However, I'm more able to focus on the "here" (opposed to the "there") -- focusing on enjoying the "now" and it feels great!

Today marks NINE MONTHS that I've been on my mission!!! 

It's crazy, the training schedule with the new program we are using. I was the "youngest" trainer. I was trained with the new program we're using, and none of the other trainers have been trained by it. I honestly feel really humble to be assigned to train Hermana Santos. Super Humble. I've felt my testimony jump in just the last 24 hours as I now am able to focus more on the work. I feel increased hope and faith, and I expect to see miracles, baptisms, and conversions.

Leshelle

Blue Island Letter #10

Hermana Sosa and Hermana Hoer


Leshelle & friend


Wow! That's all I have to say. Things have continued at a great pace around here. Missionary work continues forward. Just these past three days we have found a few new investigators. Two of them look really promising.

Eliluth, our investigator who owns the taqueria, is learning to speak English right now. Their son's baptism has been big for her, but she still has a big obstacle with her hubby. He's a good man. He's simply worldly.

I'm learning a lot about what being a companion is. There are sacrifices. There are tough things. There are struggles. There are prices to pay. There is communication, humility, love, compassion, empathy, compromise, etc. More important, there are blessings: knowledge, growth, Spirit, strength, testimony, relationship depth, etc. etc. etc. The list goes on and on. This has been a huge blessing for me.

I'm sorry this is so short. I've got a time restraint. !!! We're going to a zone activity today and doing something fun! woo hoo!

Blue Island Letter #9

Alrighty, I have to appologize. I am running really short on time.

I had a very painful experience this week. I cannot share details. However, I can share what I learned: Love is the answer to even the impossible.

I had an impossible situation. Through it, I recognized love sometimes hurts, because if love is honest, we are vulnerable. We are vulnerable because we open our hearts, if it is a humble, true, and pure love. I can't say I've always had that type of love. But, I am developing it. I felt that kind of pure love toward someone; and I felt a consequential pain of showing that love.

The outcome of the experience helped me see that, even in times of intense pain and heartache, Heavenly Father knows we are fantastic. He knows what He's doing. As a result of this experience I feel so blessed to be able to understand even a tiny, itty-bitty reason of what He sent me here to do. I have been miraculously blessed by the outcome of this situation.

Love is ALWAYS worth it, no matter how badly it sometimes hurts. Ultimately, love heals anything and everything. Real love. That's why Christ was able to endure impossible pain and suffering and still be willing. Love heals far beyond our own hearts.

In the end of my situation, love produced a miracle. The impossible, unlikely, "no way will that happen", happened in the end. My heart grew.

Love,
Hermana Hoer