All these things shall give thee experience

The fastest 40 minutes ever!  We loved our short visit with Hermana Ava...

1. I GOT MY VISA!

2. I GOT TO TALK TO MY FAMBLY ON MOTHERS DAY!

3. I FOUND THE FAMILY I WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET!

Wow. This week has been full of moments where I thought "so this is what joy on the mission feels like." It's usually while I am taking out my contacts at night and reflecting, really quiet beautiful moments.

Hermana D and I fasted so that we could be physically led to the people who are ready to hear the gospel and be baptized. It has been SO COOL to just be sitting behind the wheel after praying, "Alright Heavenly Father, we are here. Tell us where to go," and He puts people and places into our minds! One of the many miracles this has brought to pass was finding "Yolanda" and her daughter "Dottie." This is that family Heavenly Father sent me here for. I walked into that house and I thought: "No...could these be the ones?" After hearing her talk about God for 30 seconds I just knew!

As I listened to her speak I really had to fight back tears because she shone and her spirit was so strong and I kept looking at Hermana DeMaio, wondering, "Are you hearing what I'm hearing?!" She explained the gospel of Jesus Christ to us with more clarity and beauty than we could have. We got out of that dark little basement and began to run and leap and squeal because WE FOUND THEM!! Oh my goodness, the LOVE I felt for her!?! 

"Frida": Satanas has been working double time on my beloved Frida. We go in and teach a beautiful lesson and I look in her eyes and I just know she knows, but OF COURSE he comes in with a baseball bat after we leave and I just want to yell, "WE JUST CLEANED THIS UP." However! There is progress. She is such a strong woman with so much hurt that she has been pushing through. I shared Doctrine & Covenants 122:7-9 with her:

• 7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
•  8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
•  9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

... and that was a changing moment. Even her wild toddler became still.

I love seeing the gospel heal people. Especially people I love so much.

I loved every minute of our call, family. I love you so much.

Hermana Pidge