New Assignment- Sister Training Leader

Leaving Linares

New Leaders

Sister Training Leaders

Finding a new dream

 Leaving Linares was so HARD! Wow I am going to miss everyone so so much. I made some life long friends in that little corner of Heaven. But it is like Flynn Rider says in Tangled- The fun part is finding a new dream. Good thing my new comp is a princess fanatic as well.

       Tomé is the most beautiful sector of the mission! Wow it has been a warm welcome here! (okay it has been FREEZING with sheets of rain but the people: quality- kept warm by their hearts) The ward is very strong and supportive here. It is awesome. The view from our house is incredible. We are on a big hill over looking the ocean and all of central Tomé. (I will send pics next week)

      It has been a pretty tiring week. We knocked doors and got a little wet but it has been a lot of fun getting to know the sector as well as the hermanas that live with us and the ones that are in our zone.

      We had two meetings in the office this week, first leadership training for me and after that we spent all of Friday morning in mission council, talking about the state and goals we have for the mission. It was really fun to see some old friends who were also made leaders this cambio.

Les Amo!

Besitos

Hermana Saunders

April Showers Bring.. cambios‏

Well winter has hit us hard here this week. Rain just about every day. I am loving it but it is definitely taking a little bit more time to get dressed when we head out (2 layers of socks plus 3 jackets ;)

It was a wonderful week full for lots of spiritual moments, Claudia the new convert came with us to visit Diego's family and it was one of the best lessons they have had. They are making break throughs. Hector Diego and Natalia went to the temple for the first time to do baptisms for the death. On Sunday they both gave their testimonies in a Home Evening we had about service. It was one of the most rewarding moments of my mission. We followed their testimonies with the song ''because I have been given much' which was the song that helped me deiced to serve a mission. It was a really tender moment.

Well we have cambios this week. It is my time to wake up from this dream sector and head out. I will be going to Tomé to be with Hermana Gonzales from Colombia. I will be an Herman training leader in a sector called 18 of September (my lucky number;). In my first cambio I went on a mini cambio to the same sector. I am so excited. I don't know how I am going to leave Linares but I am looking forward to the new adventure. 

Hermana Long is coming here to be with Hermana Rigby to finish her training. I couldn't be more relived. She is such a good missionary. She will be in good hands. 

Thanks for all of your love and prayers sent my way.

Besitos

Hermana Saunders

Diego at the temple,

Goodbye (for now) Linares!

Pray it isn't my last week in the City of Dreams

So some fun updates about the week:

We taught the Hooky-pokey to our English class. They are really coming along well.

I had a mini cambio with my CCM companion, Hermana Graham. It was such a fun day. I love her so much!

So we had these two incredible investigators when I first got here: Claudia and Fernando. After a lot of pray we determined to stop teaching them because they had stopped to progress as we had hoped. The Elders started teaching them and they were baptized this week. I love them so much and I am so happy for them, but I have to admit, I was feeling just a little bummed that I couldn't be the one to help them get baptized. I put a lot of work in and I know, it was really prideful thought, but I was like 'why can't I pick the fruits for my labors?' I prayed to be humbled. I knew I was in the wrong, thinking like that.

With this in mind we went to an appointment with our recent convert, Hector. He bore such a strong testimony about the priesthood and on Sunday he got to bless the sacrament for the first time. It

made me so happy. I realized if we hadn't dropped Claudia and Fernando at the time we did we never would have had time to find Hector. I was knew the Lord had answered my prayers.

In reality, I was the most blessed there because I got to know and love all three of them. And each one has touched my heart and changed me with their testimonies. The Elders had really helped them progress from where they were, and I know it was the plan God had in mind. It was an important lesson to learn for me that really anything that we ever do as missionaries is only because the Lord is so loving that he let's us do it. 

I am so grateful for the lessons I have learned here in Linares. Next week we have cambios again! Fingers crossed I get one more here in the sector of dreams!

Besitos

Hermana Saunders

General Conference Week

Good week. Lots of walking and looking without luck but we ended up getting some good references for this next week. ya! 

So how was conference? Did you tune in? Well if not you missed out. It was basically incredible.

(My personal favorite part was the women's conference.)

I always like to come with questions to the conference. I went a little over board and wrote down 15, knowing that I probably would not get them all answered. My miracle- within the first session, 10 had been answered. Then followed the final 5 through the other sessions. My mind was blown. I know that the Spirit is real and through him we can become the people God wants us to be. I know the Lord wants to bless us with personal revelation and we will have the opportunity to receive it when we listen and come prepared. I invite you to see it if you haven't (ALL of it) and review it if you have.

We have a good new pool of investigators that we are working with right now. Progressing slowly but we are really happy to see they are moving a little just a little closer to baptism. We had a few join us for Conference and they all said the really enjoyed it. I am anxious to hear more of their thoughts as we visit them this week. ( I wish more would have heard Elder Beadnar's talk)

Normally we would have cambios this week but due to some changes in the MTC training we will be staying but for 2 more weeks. (2 more weeks in the sector of dreams- yes please!)

Besitos

Hermana Saunders

Happy most important day in the history of the world‏

It has been such a great week! I love Easter. It has been so fun remembering the most important event in history and getting to share it with people all day. I love the new video the church came out with. It's pretty incredible.

On Friday night we had an activity, it was a really spiritual experience for me. We got to sing a musical number and participate in the branch choir. Few people came but I felt like we were the lucky ones. Talked about the week leading up to Christ's death and it was really amazing. It made me think back to a family home evening we had we I was 12 and my Dad explained the significance of the Final week of Christ's life. 

They talked about how everything that happened was prophesied of before the coming of Christ. His birth death and Resurrection. Our District leader spoke to us about how our Patriarical blessings are like the prophecies of OUR lives. All we can accomplish is scripted but is up to us to follow our savior's example and be obedient enough to fulfill with the blessings that can be ours. 

The invitation I have is that you can all re-read your Patriarical Blessings this week and look to find ways to fulfill with the prophesies that have been made for you.

AND to prepare a good questions for conference so that you can be looking for some spiritual guidance.

I LOVE YOU

Que éste excelente

Besitos

Hermana Saunders