Raincoats and umbrellas

March 19, 2011
FAMILIA HERMOSA:

Thank you for the letters this week. I just love hearing from you all. I love you so much. I know I say that every letter...but I feel like I love you all more every week. De verdad. So thank you for all you do. Thank you for your prayers and love. Thank you for thinking and praying for me. I can feel it. If ever the work gets a little rough, I just think of all your prayers, and I am cured. Just love the missionaries. Spoil them. Treat them like their part of our family. They need it. I feel sometimes very spoiled here in the mission...I just hope every missionary in the world is spoiled by the members in the wards in which they are serving.

Well anyway, the rain has begun! I am teaching Hermana Hunt to do contacts in the rain....a whole new technique. She is really continuing to progress well. I enjoy being her companion. We are really working hard to apply what we learned in the training that we had this week with President Lovell. We reviewed the other trainings a little before and after the training this week. As we have been applying these next two points of capacitation, I can tell a difference in the Spirit of our lessons. I feel very bad that we have not had baptisms in so long. I know that if we don´t improve or change what we are doing, nothing will change or improve in the work. No matter how hard we work, if we don´t work effectively, nothing really changes. I know, and I have faith that there are people that we are teaching and finding that can progress and be baptized. At least one a month. I know it. We just have to apply the Spirit in the teaching and make sure that we do our part. I know that the Lord is and has been preparing people to enter the waters of baptism, and I am 100% positive that if we improve our teaching, and most importantly we teach more with the Spirit, they will be ready and excited to take that step.

This last zone meeting we had a pretty intense talk about what we need to do as a zone. We are so short on the thing that matters most, which is the number of souls we are saving. Our zone leaders presented to us that as a zone we have 5 baptisms for this year so far...we should have 24. When they presented that I felt sick. I know that there is a way that is prepared...sometimes I think there is some magic thing that we are missing, and if I only knew what it was, and applied it the work would suddenly transform. I know there´s no "quick fix", but I have been able to tell that we aren´t teaching people as much as we are teaching lessons. Hermana Hunt and I are trying to practice every day at getting better at that. We fasted yesterday. I think part of my fast had to do with a bit of repentance...to help me change my attitude and have more faith, and to truly love EVERYONE that crosses my path. It is easy to get frustrated sometimes in the work...and I felt like this last week I fell a little bit into that Laman and Lemuel attitude, rather than the Nephi attitude. I have felt a lot better after I have fasted. I know that every time we humble ourselves, we are blessed, and our Heavenly Father is pleased. I am so grateful for His perfect patience with me and His perfect forgiveness and love.

We have really had a hard time the last two weeks finding the investigators that we have or have had with a baptismal fecha. We still haven´t been able to find Orlando...(breaks my heart), but we are going to try and pass by again tonight...pray for us. I know he´ll be there. I know it. We have seen so many blessings this week in finding new people to teach. We have found 2 families, and a young couple to teach! They are all really great. I am excited to continue teaching them, and seeing them progress.

Well, that´s all I got time for this week. The picture I am sending is of a prank that our Zone leaders played on us. They stole everyone´s nametag and then gave them back to us...in jello. Hmmm Mmm...

I am growing and learning everyday...I am so grateful for all the lessons learned on the mission and in life. I love you all so much. Be good.


-Hermana Bertagnole