February 16, 2015

 Sounds like the fam is good! trouble makers skipping out on church! the wind was defiantly your reward! hahaah sounds like fun though! Man it is crazy to think it is going to be March and then we won't have long until we talk again! WEIRD!!!! Yeah last week was nuts! ( the witch) haha but the spirit saves us more than once a day! haha tell Madi congrats and Brae that she needs to follow her example and she will be great this year!! man Bridger he is a handful I am sure, I cannot even imagine him haha his poor teacher! how is his spanish going! You will have to let him know I am looking forward to having my first conversation with him in español. This week Pablo and Melissa were married the son of our recent converts the ones in the pics of the other week!  Lorena helped us do visits it is so cool to have her fresh excited testimony out in the street with us!!! What a strong spirit she has!!! this week not much is new we have a new investigator but her mom has to give her permission to be baptized she is like 15!!! the Lord will find the way!! Well hope you have a great week I sure love you and thanks for all you do! I will use the face wash when I get it and  the package is here I will have it Thursday! Thanks so much mom your the greatest! 

                   Valentines cotton candy! It kind of  tasted like paint and it painted our tounges PINK!!

Condolence

Nathan McBride, an LDS missionary serving in Mexico, died suddenly of a heart attack while playing soccer with community members Friday.

When McBride, 20, collapsed during a break in the game, other players called paramedics and performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital. He had just started the second year of his two-year mission.

Tri-City Herald said that McBride’s parents, Robert and Rhonda McBride, were shocked when a church official delivered the news to their home late Friday because his son was healthy and didn’t have any medical conditions. They were told that there was no sign of damage or harm to Nathan’s body.

The family is working with the American Consulate to get McBride’s body home. They are hoping to have the funeral Jan. 24.

McBride was known as a dedicated student who maintained a 3.8 grade-point average and had dreams of becoming an orthopedic surgeon one day. He spent his time volunteering at a local Humane Society, and was an active kid who loved pole vaulting, playing basketball, hiking, and fishing.

“Nathan was serving the Lord as a missionary and he was doing what he was supposed to be doing,” Robert McBride told Tri-City Herald. “And he was happy, he was very happy. He loved what he was doing.”

This is one of my friends from the MTC he was in my district! He was an amazing missionary and helped me a lot in my hard times at the MTC! He always kept me going when I got down on my Spanish! I was taken back when I heard this. I cannot believe it is true. But it is such a blessing to be in the work of the Lord and know exactly where he is. He was an amazing example for us all and will always be an example for me! His big smile and great jokes,the way he could keep everyone happy! He passed onto a bigger work and I am sure he is preaching the gospel right where he is today! It was rough to hear about this and really broke my heart. His family is in my prayers and I would appreciate it if you could add them to yours as well! Thanks for all your support and everything you all do for me!. Each day we have are truly special and important! So keep living strong in the gospel and don't ever give up! Give the Lord your all because He gave us everything! This gospel is amazing and the biggest blessing each and everyone of us could have in our lives! Hold strong to the rod and remember he has a plan for each of us! I love you all 

Hermana Bauer

I love to see the temple

I LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE!!!!!! these are some pics of the temple today! loved it!!!!!!!!!!! exactly what I needed! I love my comp she is the greatest!!!! and oh this is our zone they are awesome!!! and Elder Day and Elder Parks!  Elder Parks told me he is related to the cox family in my ward at home and they talk to him about me! SMALL WORLD!!! I love this gospel!! Have a great week and EVERYONE should go to the temple it is the best medicine to any problem, do baptisms or a session.  Its  like going to the house of the Lord and having a good talk with Him personally! Keeps us all going! I love you all! 

Listening to the Spirit

Hello Everyone! 

Okay so here is the story... we were teaching this lady and the sign that is outside her house says shes a fortune teller. Well anyway we prayed a lot about teaching her and felt we needed to! After two lessons we still felt good about it and she was progressing! Well we took Lorena our recent convert to visit her with us! They are backdoor neighbors! The lesson was AMAZING!!!!! Lorena was a powerhouse she blew it away the spirit was so strong they were both crying it was just amazing and then we put a baptism date!!!! and Maria Elena accepted and told us she was willing to quit smoking right there she wanted to go to the activities and church and wanted to be baptized in less than a month! WE WERE FLYING HIGH ON THE SPIRIT!!! Well the next day we were in divisions I was n Los Elizondo helping Hermana Calderon! (she is training and her daughter had a breakdown in the morning and we had a huge flash back talk of why we are all here our stories and what is our purpose! I think it helped us all! Hermana Rodriguez is amazing and spent the day in Las Puentes with Hermana Carrillo) so these two passed by and said she would not open the door Hermana Carrillo peaked in and she was doing something weird! Well they felt really gross and that they needed to leave so they went! The next day I returned home to Las Puentes!! We passed by to remind her about church on Sunday! They turned up their music really loud and would not open the door I didn't feel that great even on her porch, so we left a note on the gate and off we went! Sunday night we were looking for a direction and it was near her house (oh they didn't go to church) so we were just  walking down the street and all of the sudden I was like is that the Book of Mormon, my comp said YES! it was crumpled and hanging from her gate! We ran over grab it and to see what happened! she had her door FULL of post its! saying I hate Mormons, leave to die in peace, don't come back. anti Mormon, leave me alone, I wont be baptized, don't come back, and the biggest one I AM A WITCH!!!! we didn't know what we were playing with but we felt terrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! man i cannot even explain it was like the air was so heavy you didn't want to breathe it! we ran off.  I  needed a blessing for health (yeah got a nasty cough we don't want bronchitis like last year haha) so it was already in our plans to meet up with the elders! When we found them I had my blessing and we told them! They told us to throw away the Book of Mormon! Things have happened before in the mish with like cursed objects and stuff so well of course I was the one with it in my hand! hahah we went to a park and threw it away and then.. well yeah everything was good and we have to write to future missionaries to NEVER enter that house again! I really gained a testimony of how protected and blessed we are by the Lord and His love for each of his children, even if she does the things she does he wanted her to have the opportunity to learn! He sent us there! We entered that house under fervent prayer and received our answer! This is a great example of our right to choose we each have the opportunity to choose right from wrong! sometimes its hard and maybe its not playing with spirits and doing witch craft, but each and every choice we make will change our lives so look for the ones that will change it for the better!  A lot of other crazy stuff happened this week, I sure learned a lot! I am so thankful to be here on the mission and to have the opportunity to teach others of this amazing gospel! I have really seen a lot of changes in myself as well! The ability to listen and feel the spirit is something we have to strive for and practice! I also had an amazing experience with Hermanan Henao this week in Felipe!!!! DIVISIONS! we felt we needed to visit a menos activa! and Hermana Henao had not met her yet! We went and knocked the door she answered but was so tired! She told us sorry about the mess and that I was sleeping I just got home from helping my mom. She is a young mother! she told us her dad passed away Thursday! We had NOTHING planned to teach her just felt we needed to pass. So we listened and listened about her father and how it is hard for them but they know he is where he needs to be now! Listening we were looking for a scripture to share at the same time we opened up to Ether 12!!! I thought no... that is not what we need to share then I glanced at the scriptures of my comp.. she had the same page and pointed to verse 4! we invited her to read it and she began bawling... she expressed to us her feeling of this scripture and that it is the favorite of her father!!!!! We were completely led by the spirit! It was amazing and an answer to this sisters prayers! THIS IS WHY I LOVE THIS WORK!!!!  Working  in the hands of our Lord and he changes lives! We just have the opportunity to watch it happen!!!! I love you all and hope you have a great Valentines Day and week! Your all the greatest, thanks for your prayers and love! 

Hermana Bauer! 

"Grandma Legs"

mother dearest,

so remember how you told me my health was better.. I have something to tell you. haha I have been starting to get varicose veins and spider veins in the upper part of my thighs. Yes those things that grandmas get. Im super happy about it... hah. they are from walking so much and standing for long periods of time. There is not much you can do for them except wear the compression socks. I was thinkin about how you are going to send that package and Hermana Swapp told me you could send in in the next couple of days to her house and her friends can bring it down in two weeks when they come. So you could send me some of the sock things. She said a really good brand is jobst. But you can find the best ones you think. she says they are expensive, but its something important so... better to pay for the health I am hoping for haha. Dont worry too much they ache a bit and look weird not loving that part hahaha.  I am going to start elevating my legs when I study the whole nine yards! My legs just are the best of luck aren't they" haha well anyways I would really appreciate it if you could buy these tomorrow and get the package sent off.

February 2, 2015- A Few Odds and Ends

We have been praying for Randy and hope that he is doing better.  He was included in our fast this week! I know the Lord will take care of him and the fam!!! tell him to hang in there and that I sure love him!!  Our family is one of a kind and each of us are very different, but its a good thing of we were the same you would get bored! 

Contacting people with service is my favorite tactic!!!! sweeping, dishes, taking a garbage out sometimes painting! hahah who knows there is a bit of everything here! our relief socity is NUTS!!!! the sisters fight and think that all the single adults have the responsibility (feeding and helping the missionaries) and need to make the sacrifice of time because there is no time as a mom and yeah it is nuts they fight about giving us food because not many want to!  We have some strong sisters that are always there for us like the Hermana Sisi! she always saves us when we got nowhere to go haha!  We are finally going to the temple next week, so  ready for that! I sure love you mom and hope all is going well I am gong to write a big letter about he crazy stuff that happened this week. Give everyone loves and thank you for all you do for us! you are the greatest mom in the world and I want you to know your testimony and strength has held our familia together! 

Oh and my 3rd cousin Elder Day is in my zone! his mom is Collette Kimball or something like that I think she is your 2nd cousin from what we figured out! haha 

 well we have cleaned the whole house from top to bottom because it is infested with mold!!! we cannot kill it so all we can do is clean it! When i have a house of my own it will be clean and we will not have these problems.... YUCK!!!

 We went to Sirlon for an activity today I think I gained a lot of weight in about an hour or two! We ate sooooo much but it was sooo good sushi, wings, desert... you have to take advantage of it when you have the chance things like this don't happen much in the mish!

 I cannot believe how fast the mission flying  by.. makes me sick sometimes don't like to think about it, I am getting to the point of being an oldie I don't know the new missionaries and all my buds are going home.. Hermana Sumsion mi mama only has one more change left! AAAAAAAAH! Cannot believe it I am taking advantage of every second I have! 

The Fonseca Family

Well this is the miracle of the week! ... hope you enjoy it! 

the one on the left is. Hermano Pablo, he was baptized in May last year. He was a bit of a trouble maker but now has become an amazing father of three.  Four months after his baptism he helped to convert is oldest brother and about a week ago the wife of his brother was baptized ( Miguel his brother is the last one on the right)

Hermano Pablo has been a strong convert living the gospel and sharing with everyone how it has changed his life... and this is where the story begins! 

One night his parents were in town they live in Mexico Mexico but came and stay with him for months at a time (his mom is in the pink in the pic)  Hermana Lorena has always listened to us. but did not want to take the examples of her kids as an answer she wanted and has been looking for her OWN answer, something special.  She always reads her Book of Mormon and even when she was tired from work listened to at 8:30 pm when she got off. All because she wanted to know more and was waiting for her amazing experience her answer. When I got to this area she had gone off to Mexico to feed all the people who go and worship  the giant Virgin Mary she has outside of her house. When she finally got home she wanted to listen again and I had the chance to meet her. She wanted an answer but really was not putting her heart into it because she didn't want to change the things she knew she had to. When she came back we had the chance to meet her hubby who she Hermana Genaro he told us the missionaries had been visiting him in mexico!!! (the man in the middle of the first pic :D ) We saw why the missionaries stopped teaching him he showed no interest, but we felt something special about him and he listened to us and was happy with his wife by his side!.  They had a lot of problems but, two weeks ago Thursday we challenged them to be baptized the first of February!  They responded with if they receive answers they will be baptized. We showed up for the lesson Saturday and we had a FULL HOUSE!!! 15 people!  We had a family night did some games and got to know everyone we focused on the faith.. but were left hanging not knowing how they were feeling with the whole date of baptism.

Last Thursday we were in the middle of a lesson and one of their daughters called (the two daughters live in mexico) they were informed that their youngest daughter had a party alcohol smoking the whole nine yards IN THEIR HOUSE!  The older sister was upset and could not control the situation! they both began to teach that they had never done these things and never taught them to do them either, it is not what they wanted for their daughters and they let them know it. We had planned to teach the word of wisdom but we listened to them teach it over the phone to their two daughters! It was absolutely perfect!! hehe we taught castidad and diezmo!  We asked about 1 de February they still were not so sure looking for that answer..,.this last Friday we had an activity misional in the ward, the goal was for them to get excited and feel the spirit, but they had tons of OPOSICIÓN, they said they didn't know if they would be going home to mexico for their daughters or getting baptized! They were given a blessing by their sons and received peace and comfort from the faith and desire they truly had inside to receive their answers! They did not go to mexico and we had an amazing lesson with them in the temple! There was a ward trip and we had permission to go with the new converts! They met us there and we had a lesson inside in the waiting room!. The president came and talked to them and others who could not enter, we all felt this peace and spirit that you can only have in the temple even of we were not inside! It was an amazing experience and they accepted baptism for the next day with a firm stand on their decision.  :D 

We left the temple and off to their interviews! :D 

The next day (Sunday) we ran to the chapel at FIVE IN THE MORNING to begin filling the font. The baptism was at eight before the services at nine.  We were up at four and preparing for it all within this time! :D hehe They got there at eight and we began! the whole family came with members and non members  Hermano Pablo baptized his mom Hermana Lorena and Miguel Genaro! 

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 Through all of the opposition and difficulties the time and efforts of everyone they were baptized! They bought their own white clothes.  I played my violin with my comp singing!! It was a very special service! Off we went to sacrament barley making it before the prayer! they were confirmed as members of the church and recieve the Holy Ghost that day!  Hermana Lorena went up front to bare her testimony all on her own we didn't even say anything and shared her story!  She explained she has the change she had been waiting for. They were very happy and grateful for all they had gone through, all they want is to get to the temple and have their family forever and that their last couple kids can become members as well and feel what they are feeling!

As you can all see it has been a very special week for the family Fonseca and for us as well.  The Lord can touch hearts in many ways and touched theirs  We all can help others have experiences as this one if we share what we know is true and help those around us.  We are very happy and would not trade this experience for anything, this is what makes me happy, this is what keeps us going, this is why we live the way we do.  Each one of us can change the lives of others but only if we trust in our Heavenly Father and give him a reason to trust in us! what more could I ask for than to be here giving my time to my Father and my Savior.  I wouldn't trade the ups and downs we have for anything it is how we learn and grow.  The real question we should ask is what more can we do! We are always growing and learning and more so when we are doing what is right and working to reach the potential that our Father in Heaven knows we each have! I hope you could enjoy this story and realize this is the work of the Lord. He gives us the ways to complete the things we need to we just have to stay strong and choose what we know is right! 

I love you all very much and hope you have another amazing week!!!! thanks for all your support and what you do for me! 

Hermana Bauer
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