nonalcoholic wine and dine w/ entertainment

 What is up friends?!?

I am learning so much here in Corpus Christi. I hope you're all doing well! Please send me some pictures and let me know how you're doing!

GOOD:

- Let me explain the email title right away. This week we had a meal appointment with Chase and Myka. Chase is a member of the church and Myka is not but they love getting to know the missionaries and being around them! They invited us over for dinner and Myka sent us a text that said "we will non alcoholic wine and dine y'all with entertainment." They are funny. We had a great dinner with them and were even able to teach a lesson afterwards about receiving guidance from Heaven and how to know God is aware of you. It has been very fun getting to know Chase and Myka these last few weeks.

- This week we did 2 exchanges and both times I got to spend a day with a younger missionary in the zone! On Tuesday I worked with Elder Miller who is still being trained but such a beast and on Thursday I worked with Elder Andrus who is a goofy guy with such pure desires to be a good disciple of Christ. We taught some good lessons, met some new people and learned from each other. Both exchanges were motivating to me, I left wanting to be better and improve on my goals!

- The weather is insane here. High 90's every day. When you add the humidity in our weather app tells us everyday that is "feels like 115" ...yeah it does. We have been biking a lot this week and just getting destroyed by the heat! But it has been incredible, I love the feeling of being on a bike, covered in sweat and with a big smile on my face. Being a missionary in South TX is amazing! 

BETTER:

- Presidente and Sister Larreal came to Corpus Christi for interviews this week and it was so fun to have them. After the day of speaking with each missionary, Presidente told my comp and I "you have the best missionaries in all the world here in Corpus." It was exciting to see how impressed he was with everyone! I also cherished my one on one time with Presidente. He is such an awesome guy! After a turn of events I ended up with his missionary standards booklet and forgot to give it back so now I have Presidente power in my standards book. 

- While biking this week a guy waved us over. He is awesome! Our friend Jacinto is from Weslaco (The promised land) but he lives here now and he told us right away that he wants to be baptized. His desires are so good! We have been teaching him this week and helping him to keep the necessary commitments for baptism. God is truly preparing his people.

- Alicia is still doing well and like I have said many times before, she is more active than a lot of the members. She has a bunch of friends in the church and is being converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ! Minnie still is working towards being baptized although we weren't able to teach her much this week due to her crazy schedule. So many cool friends we have met here! I love being a missionary.

BEST:

I have had the most cheerful week. 

At the beginning of the week, Presidente Larrreal invited us to study "the 4th missionary" which I had read about a year ago as a new missionary. Looking back over this document filled my mind with inspiration and helped mold my mindset for the week. 

A scripture that stuck out to me was 2 Corinthians 9:7...

"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."

God wants us to serve Him with our might, mind and heart. Sometimes we devote our might and our mind to God, but we withhold our heart. We serve... but we do so grudgingly without a cheerful spirit. I believe what makes God truly happy, what makes him grin from ear to ear - is when we cheerfully give to him and happily follow his Commandments. Yes, it is good to be obedient but it is better to be cheerfully obedient.

I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father and I know that true joy comes when we cheerfully give to Him all that we have. He truly loves the cheerful givers. 

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

- Elder Stringham