Week 25 in Florida (Full Spanish Week 9)

Well, I've officially been living the missionary life for 7 months. HOLY WHAT?!? But, I still got at least 10 1/2 months left to live it up! 

To start off this week, we had a 1 1/2 day exchange. To Metro! It's in our area, but you do the work a little differently. You just walk, and talk to EVERYONE!!!!! We were out for about a total of 12 hours, and invited about 200 people in some manner or other. Our feet were DEAD! And the sun killed. I realized I've definitely been very spoiled being a missionary in the states. I'm sure what we did is what missionaries outside of the states do everyday. We were completely exhausted. And then when we got back to our area, we did the same thing. Whenever we saw a person, we'd give them a card and invite them to check out mormon.org. You should do it too! That website is so cool! And! We met a young man who said we could come back and meet his family. Which we did yesterday! There are 6 boys and one little girl, a niece, a mom, and a dad. Hna. Miller said "That's a lot of future missionaries!" We left a prayer in their home yesterday. Most of the boys weren't too into it. The little girl loves us, and the mom said we could come back TONIGHT to teach more! I'm really hoping this works out well :)  

We did a lot better at visiting the members this week to leave prayers. Sometimes I worry if they really want us there, or if they really want to help in the work. But going into the homes, learning their stories better, and seeing how they really are helping the work has been great! These Hispanic people are so hard working. They sacrifice so much, and they don't even show it! In ward council they were talking about making they're trip to the temple in Orlando, and then also a trip to the open house in Fort Laurderdale. They said they wanted to leave at 4 to get there by 8. Hna. Miller said to me later "They're going to miss the whole thing!" So I told her they meant 4 AM. Some of them work until 4 AM, and others won't even be off work by then, or get off just a few hours before that. A lot of them come from countries that they would leave at 9 pm to get to the temple by 7 am the next day! It's so inspiring to see these Saints trying their best to serve the Lord.  

TECHNOLOGY IS SO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!! We've helped a handful of kids this week download the children's Book of Mormon on their tablets or other devices. I helped a less active put the scriptures on her tablet, and she was so excited!!! She asked to get new books, because her's are so old, so I showed her what's new! She was so excited and said she could read the scriptures while she waits for her husband to pick her up from work :) 

ALSO!!!!! We're most likely, pretty positively, almost for certain, getting devices (iPads) TOMORROW!!!!!!!! I. AM. SO. EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If I wasn't spoiled before, this is definitely going to push it over the line. It's going to be SO much easier to teach people now. We live in a world where everyone is glued to a screen of some sort. Now they can be glued to a screen that's helping them learn about the gospel. WHAT! At first we thought that iPad were going to be so expensive and not be worth it. But then we realized how much money we spend of paper for area books, planners, pamphlets, scriptures, Preach my Gospel, and other things that we have now. And it'll save so much time! We can update the areabook in the car. We don't have to waste time driving or walking to the library, we can do facebook stuff at lunch or dinner! It's going to be so great!!!! 

But it also means we have to be so obedient. Sometimes it's easy to say that the rules are bogus, and we'd be more effective without them, or that they're turning us into robots, or that we're being scared into being obedient. But there are SOOO many blessings we get from following the rules, even if they are bogus. The way I see it, the more rules we have, the more opportunities we have to be follow the rules, and then receive the blessings we have the right to recieve :) 

Well, I think that's about it!! I hope the weather is suiting you all well! I hear things are going nuts in the rest of the states. I guess Florida really does have the perfect weather :) Be safe, and remember to pray! 

  

con amor siempre, 

Hermana Despain 

This is Maria Avila! She's a less-active member. She actually can't go to church because of her health. She's probably the person I'm most excited to see in the Resurrection, if you know what I mean :)

We made muffins that Grandma D. sent us. They were so good! Hna. Miller's brother sent her the decorations for her birthday, but we didn't make cupcakes, so we used them on the "healthy cupcakes"!