mis hijas! My children... or Oro's!
THE HERMANA ANDERSEN!!! Everyone loves them so much! I am so thankful to have them here with me. It is such a blessing!
All of the hermanas that are leaving!
Our mission mom, Hermana Cook!
You will never believe where I am right now!!!? Right this very moment, I am in Progreso, my very first area! I feel like I am in a dream being here again. I keep having so many memories come back to me as I walk these streets. Hna Harvey said that she is enjoying hearing all of my stories of when I had her time in the mission. I was praying and praying so hard that I would be able to visit my "Promised Land" (MELO), but it is so far away and the mission has a new rule where we cant go visit our old areas far away. I have been so devastated every since I found out that I wont be able to see my people of Melo one last time, knowing that they were throwing a goodbye party for me. So second best, Progreso! haha. It will be a fun day today to see everyone here in Progreso! This is the place where all of the adventures began! I honestly cannot believe how fast time has flown. I feel like it was just yesterday that I was walking these streets!
I am so excited to talk with you all on Christmas! We are planning to skype at 6 Uruguayo time.
A few random things....The Christmas season has been super fun here in Piripolis. In the ward, I was in charge of directing the choir. We performed a few hymns yesterday at church. I am going to miss those un tuned pianos and tone deafed voices! haha. Someone told me earlier that I am not leaving Uruguay without finding a husband! haha. It was so funny! I am running out of time to find me a Uruguayo husband!
It has been a beautiful week. Wednesday was our Christmas Conference as a mission! It was so amazing. Each zone performed a musical number, we had messages prepared by Pres and Hermana Cook, the choir sang, and all of the "valientes" were asked to share their testimonies in front of the whole mission. haha that meant me and many others. It was such a neat experience and the spirit was definitely present. It is always so fun to see Viki and Steve too! oops Hermana y Elder Andersen! :) We so enjoying telling everyone that we are related!
I cant even express it enough, but we are witnessing more miracles here in Piriapolis! Since Hna Chavez left, we have been in a trio with Hna Hernandez from Honduras! We have been managing both areas that are so big. Because Hna Chavez was sick, they hadnt been able to work in their area so much and have not baptized this month. We set out searching for someone prepared to be baptized in the other area. We left with so much faith that there was at least one person and the Lord would guide us to them. We prayed that people would recognize us as representatives of Christ. We approached one home and it was a man that we had contacted before named Luis. Luis wasnt home, but his neighbors were! We clapped our hands (because we dont knock on doors and there are no doorbells haha) and out came the mom. She immediately invited us in. We found out that she was MARRIED (wow never happens), has 10 children, and that she had listened to the missionaries before! Immediately her children began to gather around us and told us how much they love Jesus. It seemed as though they were soaking up our presence. We knew that this was a big miracle sent from Heavenly Father. A family of 10! It was such an incredible experience. We invited them to be baptized and they accepted! It was amazing how the Lord had guided us and how he had heard and answered our prayer, and how they had recognized us as servants of the Lord.
I know I always talk about our dear Enrique now, but he is absolutely AMAZING! He told us something so powerful that I want to share with you. Earlier this week he told us that before he was baptized, we promised him many blessings as he follows Christ, blessings for his family and for his work, but most importantly, blessings that he would be HAPPY. That he would feel a happiness that he has never felt before. He told us that before, he didnt believe us. He thought that they were just nice words that we were promising him. But now, he told us that we were right and that all of those blessings that we have promised him and are promising him are coming true. He told us that he has never felt Joy and Happiness like how he feels now! Missionary work is so rewarding! I was thinking the other day, what is my joy? In the scriptures, it talks about the great missionaries of the Book of Mormon and how being an instrument in the hands of the Lord is their GOZO, their joy! I know that that is my joy. I so enjoy seeing the change in peoples lives that only comes through the Atonement of Jesucristo. It is remarkable. For Christmas, I sent out all the ties and journals to our Priesthood men and families in Melo! Thank you so much for sending me those great packages! We also gave Enrique a tie for Christmas and he wore it yesterday to church. How fun is that?
I love you my dear family! I am so excited to talk to you and in a few days actually SEE YOU in PERSON! I love my mission so much! and I love my family so much! The church is true and it brings us so much happiness!
Love,
Hermana Coon
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