God don't like UUghly

 Hi friends,

Another amazing week. I love Weslaco. I love the RGV 956. 🛻

GOOD:

- Last P-Day (Day of Preparation), Elder Brewer and I rolled up to the church wearing the same outfit. This was completely unplanned and pretty iconic if you ask me. #twinningiswinning 

- HEADS UP ...this story is a little gross but it must be told. So, if you're not down for that, skip to the next line. This week I had a horrible experience. I started feeling sick while I was talking to my family on the phone last Monday but I figured it was nothing and just tried to ignore it. We then went and did FHE with Obispo Morales and his family which was super fun. After a little bit more work and a few more doors knocked, we went home for the night. At this point I was feeling very gross but passed it off as missionary work stress. #yuh. Elder Steen and I went to bed and I just curled myself in a little ball because my stomach hurt so bad. At about 12:30 I shot up and my brain said "you are going to throw up" I like to argue with myself sometimes so I thought "nope, I'll pass" but then my intestines said "bet" and I proceeded to involuntarily throw up all over our lovely bedroom tile (thank goodness we don't have carpet in South TX). Elder Steen was a champ of a companion and helped me repair the damage that had been done. Good news is that after I threw up I felt better. 

- I got to go on exchanges with my friend Elder Brewer on Friday and we dressed the same again?! (White shirts, ties and a black name tag!!!) Haha, jokes but I had a lot of fun spending a day with Elder Brewer. We did a lot of finding, taught some good lessons and marveled at the wonderfulness of Weslaco.

BETTER:

- This week we had some awesome member lessons including a fun Family Home Evening with Bishop and his family, a post dinner lesson with the Lopez family and lessons with our recent converts in the area! Lots of good teaching opportunities this week.

- Cool experience of the week... so, I don't know if you remember Gilbert, but Elder Oli and I taught him a few months ago and then completely lost contact with him. This last week I found him on Facebook and then proceeded to begin tagging him in our daily Come Unto Christ posts and he started responding every time! At this point I was thinking that I had already witnessed a miracle in finding him on FB and reestablishing contact BUT - it gets better. On Saturday, during our morning planning session, I saw the information for a lady who had self referred herself but then never got in contact with the missionaries. She lives in the middle of nowhere but I said "Okay Elder Steen, let's go meet her." While walking to her house I said something to the extent of "I feel like the lady we are going to visit won't be interested but I think one of her neighbors will be." So, we start talking with a guy outside, his name is Kiko, and he says he is a bookworm and would love to read the Book of Mormon. I am writing down this guy's phone number when I hear a voice say "Hey, I have been talking to your friend Spence on FB!" I look up and IT IS GILBERT! I was sooooo happy, when he realized that it was me he ran over and gave me a good old Gilbert hug, what a good guy. Come to find out Gilbert and Kiko are best friends and want us to go back and teach them a lesson. WHAT A CHAIN OF MIRACLES. (and the Lady we were going to visit yelled at us to get off her property 🙂)

- Danii Boots is incredible. I know that she is without a doubt someone that Heavenly Father had prepared for me to help come unto Christ. On Thursday this week, we went over to give Danii a priesthood blessing and it was an incredible experience. As soon as the blessing began the spirit was present in her home - her dogs immediately stopped barking and you could feel a palpable peace in the room. After the blessing we sat and talked. Danii opened up to us and happily accepted the invitation to be baptized on the next SUNDAY (just 3 days after we extended the date, but she had been learning with us and attending church for 7 weeks). It was amazing to see the difference that the spirit made in this experience. She was so excited to be baptized and SOOOOO ready but unfortunately later that evening she got admitted to the hospital due to a myriad of health complications and still hasn't been released. We have been in close communication with her and she is such a champion. Her biggest concern about being in the hospital was that she was missing her Baptism. Everyone please pray for Danii Boots and her children, they are incredible and in need of some extra blessings this week.

- The Segovia family is progressing well! They all came to church again this Sunday (Carlos pulled up looking so lit in the tie that I gave him🥺) and Carlos and Leslie have been preparing to be baptized THIS SATURDAY!!! They read the Book of Mormon together every night and made all their own little book marks to mark their favorite parts #SOPREPARED!!! We are super excited to help them make covenants with their Heavenly Father and we know that their example and the change in their lives will be huge and inspire their parents to also choose to be baptized. I love this family! They truly have a special place in my heart. Pray for them this week as they take the final few steps towards baptism.

BEST:

Moroni 10:32 says "Come unto Christ and be perfected in Him"

Isn't it cool that we are commanded to become perfect? What a challenge we are given but also a great comfort to know that we have the ability and capacity to become so. Many people we meet in South TX tell us that they "have Jesus in their hearts." Which, don't get me wrong is awesome. However, the Savior expects us to continue learning, continue striving and continue drawing nearer to Him even until we are perfect (which will not come in this life).

I promise that as you try your best to be a little better and strive to get an inch closer to perfection... you will see immediate blessings in the quality of your life. Happiness comes to those who look for it. I love you all.

"Work Hard, Keep the Commandments, Have a Positive Attitude and Show Gratitude."

- Elder Sunshine 🙂