Pictures

Baptism day for Carlos!!!

(notice the gift and wrapping paper in the back ground)

Doing a little surgery on the thumb!!

(hope it's ok!) 

Doctor, New House, FIRST BAPTISM!!!

Okay!!!! Should I start with the doctor in Mexico, moving, baptism, or the miracle..... you tell me! well, I can't hear you so here we go.

My thumb got half way cut off today! Mom you know that weird piece of skin I have on my thumb... ripped off once when I was swinging bars... took forever and a year to heal... well it ripped open... while we were moving! ( lets kill two birds with one stone... we moved houses we had some creepin muchachos in our street and mold on our walls so yeah! we have a super fresa house arriba de una dentista arrita with all new stuff its awesome!!!!) 

Anywho it ripped off so I cut that hard skin off and it bled wrapped it up went to sleep. some weird bump grew and kept growing for two days.... called the doc. no one knows what it is!!!!! well he was like we are just goin to cut it out!!! he did. Now I have two stitches and a huge gauze finger.... yupp! thats that! its so deep and yeah... its whatever! I can never be normal! 

okay next! Carlos!!!!!!!!! SO he didn't want anything! we went back and we shared with him 2 Nephi chapter 4! About Nephi when he is sulking in his sins and when he realizes he has so much good and needs to be happy!!!! We talked about the atonement in general and what a gift it was! He was still cold and yeah it was a lot different that usual, but at the end he said... I cant leave soemthing that has brought me so much peace! We gave them a day and came back Wednesday! (we had invitations made for him for the 20th because that was when his baptism was supposed to be) so Wednesday the 19th!!!! We walked up to his door, he stood up and said BUENA NOCHE HERMANAS PASENLES POR FAVOR! VAMOS A BAUTISARME COME IN!!!! WE ARE GOING TO BAPTIZE ME! yeah.... then he asked what day can we next week! We showed him the invitations and everything! It was perfect! He said well can we still do it tomorrow... we said yeah of course! So we planned it right there! Then taught all 10 commandments the pallabra de sabedaria ley de diezmo y la ley de castidad! He was ready we planned it and we were off! 

In the middle of all of this we received a call from the office, this is when they told us we were moving! You can bet we didn't sleep that night! We got together a musical number, violin and all! packed and cleaned our house and slepted for four whole hours! 

His baptism was perfect!!!! President was in our area so he came! His interview was 45 MINUTES!!!!!! I was freaking out! We later found out that it was because he was bearing testimony and Elder Montylla was telling stories as well! We gave him my extra set of scriptures... the ones with my name on them! haha we pasted his name on them! because he loves his book of Mormon and they do not have a bible! Then we also made a picture with the family proclamation printed on it!!!! It was so perfect!

Then get this... yesterday! we wake up to a call at 6 ish! this lady in our ward says she had this boy at her house last night! He wants to be baptized... we are like uh... okay! We get his direction and pass by at nine! super confused! Well.. we have a baptism on Sunday! This boy is 17 read the Libro de Mormon in 2 days! He has gone to mission prep and is reading the manual for the class for our investigators! yeah... he is perfect! Alejandro is his name! Yes Jocelyn!!!! Alejandro! We are super stoked to teach him and he is going to be the best missionary out there!!!! 

This week has been amazing! Minus my thumb, pray I still have some nerves left in it when it heals... !!!! I love you all and know that I am exactly where I need to be! 1 Nephi 3:7  The Lord will make a way for us to do all that needs to be done, so push forward and never give up, especially when times get hard... That's when you know blessings are headed your way! Love you all!!!!!!!! smile always and make it a great week! can't wait to hear from you all!

Hermana Bauer

March 17, 2014

Hola Familia

Well first off we didn't have a baptism.  This has been the craziest week of my life... my biggest fear came to life... divisions and yeah, just keep reading. Here are a few fun facts!!!

1. I cleaned a ton of mold out of our bathroom this morning!!! I wondered why I couldn't breathe in there... yeah discovered all the black on the ceiling and cracks and walls too were mold!!! WAHOO!!!!

2. Saw a man get attacked by a pit bull that was something you don't see everyday, but me... maybe once a week! Nah it was crazy!!

3. Loving the food and for the most part it is still loving me!!!

 

Wow this week was full of things to learn and grow from and peolpe to teach. First off I had my first divisions that was an adventure and in all honesty that was my biggest fear... I did not want that day to come. Well I do not know what I was scared of because it was AMAZING!!!! Hermana Monroy is such an example to me and I learned so much from her and even learned about myself. Through divisions I was able to see what I could really do and have a little peak at a few things that Hermana Sumsion and I could change or work on. She did the same and this has helped us a lot this week. As I taught with Hermana Monroy I felt the spirit so strong,  I know this is because I was so dependent on it because without it I felt lost. This has helped me make this change even more so this week. As I go into each lesson I am striving to be more sensitive to the spirit and doing my best to have the courage to ask those inspired questions that come to my mind. Through this new idea of both me and my companion talking more and me actually teaching and not only baring testimony I feel that our unity is growing as well this is making each lesson a lot more effective and our companionship stronger. We are also able to make more productive goals.

I know that we are becoming a lot stonger and because of this, well we have been faced with a challenge neither of us saw coming. The baptism of Carlos that was supposed to be jueves has been canceled. We received a call from him slightly before his appointment that he wasn't going to be baptized he didn't want any of it and he hoped we were clear. (click) we were devastated. He is beyond ready. We went to his house to see if we could see, and feel if it was fear or something had happened. Well he looked different and the spirit was gone. He was cold and sharp and asked us to return today. We found out that he had an argument at a wedding about the church with his mother in law and that he ended up taking a drink. He has been really stressed out with work and this argument pushed him over the edge... He fell to the temptation. This has not been a problem for him in the past and we know that more than anything he wants to be a good dad. I know he has a lot of guilt right now and pray that as we enter his house tonight we can teach with the spirit and he can feel that comfort and have a desire to have it back.
I know that we have received this little bump in the road, but we are not ready to let it get us down. He knows this church is true and is ready for baptism, he told us himself. He just needs to find the spirit again and fight to keep his desire and we are here for his support and to show him that the spirit is still there.
Also this week we found one joven, Jorge, in the Calle, he is about 24 and he asked us what is the difference in a Christian Catholic and a Mormon. We taught the restoration and well about baptism because we asked what he wanted for his life he said eternal life we read him a scripture that talked about eternal life and baptism. He said he had too many sins to be baptized. We explained baptism and how he could be clean and have a new start! This is what he wants for his life! He signed the papers right there in the street!!! And when he took his sun glasses off... there was something so sincere about his eyes... I could just see it. He really wants this. I cannot wait to begin teaching him! He was not able to come to church this week because he had work, but I know that as we get started his desire will grow and he will make changes that are essential in his life.

This week I learned that we are given trials that seem unbearable and honestly unreal, but really these trials we have are to remember what our Savior went through and right now we are the hands of the Savior. We are here to carry these people through and show them the way and the light. I am ecstatic to pick these people up and help them back on there feet! They have the drive and the desire we are here to direct the action! Each day I look forward to studying and recieveing inspiration for these people, reading a scripture and knowing it is for them. I know that with Hermana Sumsion and I together, our animation, teaching, service, obedience, and love we can be those tools that bring the Lords miracles to life. This is why I love waking up every morning and thinking I get to be Hermana Bauer!

 

I love you all!!! I want you all to think about this question and when you reply answer... what is the difference in sacrifice and consecrate. To sacrifice your life or consecrate your life. This week this question has set my outlook on my mission and I know that it can make all this difference in every one of our lives! Love you all mmmuuah!

Hermana Bauer

A note from Hermana Sumsion

Our house is fine, our water is clean, we don't live like princesses, buuuuuut its okay right now! :) My mom freaked out and wanted to know how everything was my first week, so just so ya know, things are sanitary here!!! I love your daughter!!

Her first campachana 

HAPPY TWO MONTHS ON MY MISSION!!

Hola yall!!! HAPPY TWO MONTHS ON MY MISSION!!!

Well this week was really really hard!!!! I don't think I have ever been so tired in my life... but here I am still wanting to work harder each day, still don't quite get it! well my mind and heart get it but my body is sure confused!!! 

The weather here is nuts freezing one day hot hot hot the next and then 20 min later its pouring rain.... next thing we know it will be the conicula and it will be 125 degrees all day everyday... yeah.. I have gained a lot of freckles and my hair is more red.. but we all knew that would happen!!!! 

We live in the ugliest house on the planet... but I love it!!! we also are moving this week.. that will be a party NO SLEEP!!!! we are moving because we are receiving more sisters in April! WWAHHOO yes we have water... to brush our teeth and shower we just are not supposed to drink out of the tap so we buy giant jugs of water!!!! The mail here is nuts.. that is why I don't have an address. You can send me letter and packages. I WILL RECIEVE them through US postage only not ups or fed ex!!!! we recieve our mail every six weeks or on special occasions! They literally throw our mail on the ground rain or shine and wind... often people lose their bills... this is when your power or water gets shut off!!!! 

Spanish is coming... I understand more everyday or get better at understanding!!! hahaha nah I understand the important stuff and I know that this is through the gift of tongues. I am speaking a lot more and getting more confident I just need to start thinking more in spanish then life will be easier! I BOUGHT A VIOLIN!!!!!!!!! an elder had one and was going home he didn't want to take it. I paid him half with my American cash I had and then took out about 50 dollars from my account to use! I think I am playing it at our baptism that is hopefully this week!!!

I learned a lot this week about having the spirit with me. As Hermana Sumsion and I contacted we really strived to share concepts of the gospel and not simply invite the people to the chapel. This is really easy for me to say in spanish so... its easy to do, I have been trying to channel the spirit and know what these individuals, as an individual need. This was amazingly difficult this week, but my testimony sure grew.  We had one funny Brother, Marchelo, we complimented his festive shirt and asked him how he was we then introduced ourselves and had a nice conversation about our relationships with God in our lives and then how we could strengthen that relationship. I try really hard to understand when they start going off on stories I don't quite understand and apply something meaningful, and this is when I get frustrated. We invited him to church... well who would have guessed, he actually came. We didnt have a huge AHH HAH moment with him in the street, and he didnt say anything that made him seem all that interested, but we had a conversation and let the spirit have a turn. I know that this was the difference! He wants to take more lessons and hopefully will attend church next week! We had a few other experiences with feeling the spirit and knowing that we were warned and kept safe through the gift of the Holy ghost this week as well. My testimony of working through and in the Lords hands and not trying to do this on our own  has definitely been strengthened this week. 

Hermana Sumsion and I are doing great, we work so well together and I feel like I am having the opportunity and the confidence to help more in all of our lessons! She is such a blessing and I know that they were inspired to have us as companions! We are working for a baptism this week and are both not positive about it. He seemed so ready last week, but this week he is a little washy and really busy. He feels blessed to have more work, but I feel satan is overwhelming him and he is going to forget those important little things we all need to be sure to do each day that keep us going on the right path! we are meeting with him tonight.  I know he is ready and has a desire he just needs to be sure to have a strong foundation before he has his baptism. 

Everything here is great the ward is great the people and I am beyond comfortable, this has helped me a lot with speaking. Now I need to have more determination to speak Spanish in our house when we are alone... because I know when I apply this, this is when I will learn so much more.

This week I have a lot of spiritual goals, goals to stay on track with the spirit and let the Lord lead the way! I am excited to keep moving forward, let Him show me new people and see what really these people need to here because I learned this week, I cannot do it alone, I need my Savior every step of the way! 

Well I love you all and challenge you all to let the Savior lead your steps as well. I know that when we do this and live our life's the way Christ would, this is when we receive the blessings He has waiting for us. He wants so badly to hand them to us... we need to take the step to recieve them. Hoping for something is not everything wanting something, nope you dont just get it... knowing about it. still dont have it!!!! MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! TAKE ACTION EACH AND EVERY DAY TO HAVE THE SAVIOR GUIDE YOUR LIFE!!!!! I love you all have a great week!!!!! mmmmuuaahh Beccitos!

Hermana Bauer

March 3, 2014

Hola Familia, Como esta!!!!

I sure miss you all but am loving being here. All I can say is I am in a dream, but honestly the days fly by and I feel like the Lord moves my feet mouth and everything else! its nuts! These is no other way two guedas could make it around mexico on their own day in and day out! 

Okay some amazing stuff went down this week!! first of all we are having a Baptism on March 15th... here is a little bit of the story! 

This week as we taught Carlos, a nonmember who is in a full inactive member family, we were very prepared for his lesson. That morning we had practiced the first lesson and me leading, because that is my job this week. As we did this we were inspired with three questions we needed to ask. What are your expectations for your family, yourself, and us. as we practiced it all went well and we taught the first lesson as planned. When it came time to actually teach Carlos we started with our inspired questions, and it did not lead to the first lesson... he told us his expectations and then when it got to his expectations for us he simply said I have listened to missionaries before and I have never felt this feeling before. (We have been teaching Carlos very small principles and building his faith, giving him a foundation before we dove in, we were always very inspired about his lessons.) Well he went on to tell us our small scriptures and lessons had given him this feeling he had never felt before and that he knew he needed and wanted to be baptized. He explained his family and he goes to church because we want to,not to prove anything to anyone or meet people or because we were asked to, but because I know I need to and we want to. He knew who he wanted to baptize him and we answered all his questions. Tonight we are starting the lessons in more detail, reviewing them from the missionaries in the past. This experience has helped me grow in my language as a missionary and as a person. I talk in his house because we are always inspired and I feel the spirit, I have seen felt heard and witnessed a change in not only a person but a family, and I have a stronger testimony of working through the Lords hands and that everything happens in the lords time! 

Next amazing story... well we met this crazy funny lady in the street and her name is Ellida, we gave her a LDM in the street and then came back and taught her the other day from 1 Peter 2: 20 -21 (read those that was an inspired lesson on following the footsteps of Christ in patience in good and bad! there is a lot more to it too, go study them... awesome scriptures) anywho invited her to church! She accepted! returned sunday her son was home! invited him, came to find out Ramon was almost baptized a year ago, or so he came with us. Remember this lady is a little loony... she like touches me a lot and I dunno shes just a bit nuts not sure how to feel about her, she got up and bore her testimony about us!!!!!!!!!!!! yeah first time at church... it was insane!!! yeah really don't know what to think about her,but I know we are supposed to teach her son and her as well. Her son has been listening to us sing in Engish with another inactive member... yeah crazy huh...

The Lord works in crazy ways, but never forget he is always working around you. study 1 pedro 2: 20- 21 and be patient with your trials, learn from them, that is why we have them to grow, be an example, and help others around us that are down as well. Never forget God when things are going well either, He does everything for us, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS give thanks. Without our Savior and the amazing plan He has for us, we would be nothing. I love you all!!! have a fantastic week!!!

BECCITOS!!!! hermana bauer

Hermana Bauer and Hermana Sumsion

Hi! I'm your daughters comp! She is great! I love her, and I'm so so excited to work with her. She brings a great spirit to our ward, and I feel like I knew her before this life, thank you for your support in getting her here!

First week in Mexico

Surprise!!!!! today is p-day because we went to the temple... yes I went to the temple in Mexico and I listened in Spanish and... yeah... Oh wow it was amazing!!!! anyways sorry for the set back, but for another six weeks my email will be on Mondays!

This week has been amazing, I received my companion and her name is Hermana Sumsion from Twin Falls Idaho. She is a fun, light hearted, but determined, out going, smiley, happy, hard worker!!!!!!! OH my goodness we get along oh so well.... and did I mention, we re both GRINGAS!!!!! yupp both white. She has been such a blessing to me and we are like dynamite. We talk to EVERYONE!!! and she has beautiful spanish which she is teaching me! Oh my goodness I could not have been more blessed. The most amazing experience we had, just us was when we prayed for how many baptisms we need to have in this cambio... as we prayed we both had a number come to our minds... 6 yes SIX!!!!! we have a lot higher goals than the rest of our district, but I know that this is what we need to do. We received the same answer and oh my goodness it was amazing!!!! We have been so determined and worked so hard, just in this week we had 100 contacts and 14 NEW possible investigators! that's just from being outgoing and following the spirit while on the street! She is just amazing I couldn't have a better trainer! 

Okay I have two contact stories... so we have an investigator Carlos, Their family is absolutely amazing and he is the only one in his family not a member. We have family home evenings with them frequently and actually invited him to baptism the other night, that was an amazing experience as well... He accepted a date for the 15th of March and we are going to keep teaching him with the rest of his Family. I know his family is ready for the Gospel the spirit is so strong in their house and their family is just amazing.. oh I love teaching them, anywho sorry that was a side story! this contact happened in their house. They had a friend over for NDH ( noche de hogar family home evening) she was dying the moms hair when we got there we asked her about hair etc. and how we could get ours to grow, she said to cut the ends, so she offered to give us a trim. We invited her to our next appointment, a haircut contacts and teaching her... great deal right! Well she came with this magic comb and pulled our hair in a pony tail combed in and chopped the end of our pony tails off.... yupp... I now have a million layers again and she cut like a good inch and a half off. Looking like my 9th grade hairstyle layers long bangs and all.... But we are getting contact information and are going to continue teaching her! Now for a bit of a more serious one, We went to an investigators house, Yolanda, she was not there, but her friend Cony was, who we had never met. We asked if we could just sing her a hymn. The people here love when we sing for them... they cannot sing at all.... and it brings the spirit in the 2 seconds) we sang and just explained why we teach Yolanda. We asked her about her family, goals, etc, and then what she thought of our visit. She said she felt something so warm so peaceful in her heart, she had never had while we were singing and she didn't understand why. We invited her to pray about this feeling, and set another appointment to teach her more about the restoration. I know she was prepared by the Lord and He testified to her in a way that would strike question because she already has religion in her life, but it is more tradition than anything. It was amazing and when I was teaching with the spirit so strong there was no worry about the Spanish the questions and answers rolled off our tongues. I know this is working in the hands of the Lord. 

Today has been a day off miracles as well.

1. We were able to get to the temple on time and the cab did not have to wait for us because we had to ride with Elders, this is difficult because we cannot call the Elders we rode with

2. Hermana Sumsion received her new credit card, blessing we have bills to pay

3. So backpacks were not allowed in this mission until Elder Oaks came we had to get new bags... mine does not fly.. its pretty obnoxious and if it rains... yeah so we finally found one.. asked the girl of there was more she said no but she would look. we prayed.. she came out with one!!

4. My credit card is not one of the recommend banks here we didn't know if it would work... prayed again worked.

5. We then found out we only had enough money for our bill... not for our groceries or a taxi home... we called a member her daughter came bought us food for the week and gave us a ride...

6. Oh the girl at the store has a friend that is a missionary and she is not a member, she is moving into our area we are going to contact her in two weeks got her info as well.

7. We prayed once more and counted our money literally we had the exact amount for our bill and our other bills are not due until we get more money.

I know that we are being obedient and doing our very best to be exactly obedient. I know that is why we receive miracles in our lives. As we all strive to live in the example of Jesus Christ we can receive small and simple miracles every day! just having the family and people in my life I do is a miracle! thanks for all the support!!!! You are all amazing and such a blessing to me!!! I love you all and will try to get to everyone personally next week I printed off your emails so I can read them and reply on Monday! Until then.. Nos vamos!, we only have 45 min to email everyone and the President! I love you have all a great week!!!!! Beccitos!!!

Made it to Monterrey! February 17, 2013

We are here and have arrived! Just about to head to a house to sleep with two adorable hermanas for the the night!  I had an amazing experience in the airport here in Monterrey in espanol already. I do not know how to use these key boards sorry no punctuation.... and now italics hahahahah  

Anywho i was able to talk to a man who asked why I had so much medicine they didn't want to let me take that much medication into Mexico. I had to ex'plain to them in Spanish that I was serving a mission for a year and a half the sweet man asked what a mission was I was able to explain our purpose, we held up the line forever. He even expressed to me he was catholic and yeah i will explain more later.  P day in on Mondays unless it is a temple week which is every six weeks. We get to go every six weeks so amazing.

Our mission presidents our amazing and all of the native missionaries are so sweet that came in today.  They all want us to teach them English.  I am so stoked to teach and for the opportunity to be taught, such a great reward. 

Everyone here is so dedicated and President Swapp said that he can tell I am a hard worker just from how I lifted bags and was ready to help... it was funny.  He said I have one of the best trainers around and things are going to be great! I am safe and so ecstatic to be here.  Love you all, have a great week!!!!!!

Beccitos!!!!MMUUAAAHH TEAMO!!!!! 

Hermana Bauer