Dear Family,
Well, last week was a fun Pday trip.
There were a lot of American Tourist and even more retired Americans. It was strange to see them all walking and driving around in beach clothes and tennies. I think Hermana Barker captured our reaction pretty accurately: I can't believe people come here and think this is what Puerto Rico is really like. If only they could see the craziness and quirkiness on the other side of the gate.
I enjoyed it though just chatting with Ilia and Nadia.
This Saturday we are hving a baptism! Airet and Arihesly (Amerfis'daughters) are going to be baptized along with Emily Anderson. I am so excited. The ward is really excited. They have really embraced Amerfis' family right into the ward. Those girls are so cute!
Bruni also came to church again this Sunday all on her own. She is really happy there. I never thought she would ever come back and certainly not so effortlessly. She loves Relief Society and is not afraid to put herself out there. I think she is planning on staying permanently!
Yesterday I was visiting Aida, a former less-active I have been working with for a long time. Sister Krout and I challenged her back in September to read the entire Book of Mormon. She is now reading in 3 Nephi. She shared a sweet and simple testimony that really touched me. She said: "I have changed a lot in the past few months. It is because of this book." It is true even the simplest things in the gospel change our character. I have noticed a difference in her. You can really see a light in her eyes that wasn't there before.
As Christina would say. "What is it with Mormons? They all look different than everybody else." And as Sister Krout would say "It's the mormon glow!" I am starting to see the glow in Christina too. She got called to be a Primary teacher and she is taking her calling very seriously. She has also taken it upon herself to organize activities for the young single adults of this and the surrounding wards.
Ilia has continued to be a huge blessing in my life. She is so excited and nervous to go to Mexico for her mission. I love just talking to her like a friend. We are having similar emotions as she begins her mission and I finish mine. She is so awesome.
Tomorrow is Zone Conference. It will be interesting to see what goes on there. I am sure it will be exciting as always with President Alvarado.
Love you all
Hermana Palmer
Feb 9, 2010
Juncos is amazing!
This past week Sister Barker and I have been sharing a missionary plan, prepared by Bishop Maldonado, to the members to help them participate in missionary work. We have a brochure where member write down 2 families they want to share the gospel with and then write goals of 3 actions they will take to gradually invite them to come to church or meet with the missionaries. It is actually a very well prepared plan and the members have been really excited.
I have been so impressed as we have invited members to share the gospel. Usually they tell us that they are already working with 2 or 3 people. It has really surprised me. In all of my time in Juncos I have never seen the members so excited about missionary work. We visited the Andersons, Maldonados, Carrasquillos, Zayas, Cabrera, Valentín and Santiago families to share the brochure. All of which told us they already had begun to share with other families. I love it.
The Andersons are so much fun for me. They are the house of 3 girls and the Dad reminds me so much of my Dad. They just got back from Disney world and loved it. I had to ask Brother Anderson if he stood in line for all the Disney princesses. He told me that he just sat on the bench and took a nap. That sounds about right. They are doing amazing on missionary work too. They have about 5 families they are working with. They have really influenced a lot of their co-workers and are sharing church articles, movies, and are now preparing to invite them over for FHE. That is where success in missionary work comes from--the members. And Brother Anderson could not wait to tell us that he shared the gospel with the manager of Chick-fil-A while they were at Disney. He even looked up the managers' email online and emailed him while we were at his house. It was funny how excited he was. I love their family SO much!
This week at church we had a miracle. We have been working with a less-active for a few weeks. (Actually a less-active referred to us by the Anderson family!) Her name is Bruni. She was baptized in 1987 and hasn't been to church basically since she was baptized. We have been visiting her just a little bit and invited her to church, but she did not want to commit. It is interesting because she has been going through some difficulties with her son and everytime she feels depressed she says that she remembers the Mormon church. She says she can't explain why. The answer is clear to me: The Spirit! Anyways, we invited her to church but she seemed really non-committal. But when we arrived on Sunday she was already there sitting and waiting. It blew me away. She found the church on her own by a map I had given her the first day that I met her. The Andersons were shocked as well. They had no idea that she was so interested. Bruni loved church and especially Relief Society.
When people are ready they make changes in their life. That was a miracle to me.
Juncos is the best area ever! It has been hard to be here so long, but there are always going to be hard things in an area. I am so grateful that I have been able to see the growth of the ward and the growth in my life as I have served here in JUNCOS.
I have learned and grown so much. I feel that my faith and personality has been shaped and molded by the Lord.
Hermana Palmer
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