10-26-15 Happy Halloween this week

Happy Halloween!! 

This year I'm dressing up as a member of the army of Heleman. Pretty clever, right?

Well this week was super awesome cause Elder Dube, of the seventy, came and visited the grand TMM! On Wednesday we had a special leadership meeting with him, which was a really cool opportunity. Just the STLs and ZLs of the mission with Elder Dube for 3 hours. So cool! Thursday the bottom of the mission got together and we had a big long conference with him. 

I learned a ton from him! Elder Dube is super lively and fun and happy, just that taught me a lot! He's a great example of how when you lose yourself in the service of God, you're truly happy. I testify of that! He taught us a lot about the Spirit and as well about the Sacrament. It was a truly special experience.
At the end of the conference on Thursday, they had about 6 missionaries bear their testimonies, Sis Maluenda, Sister Dube, and then Presidente Maluenda and Elder Dube. Presidente's testimony was probably one of the most powerful testimonies I've listened to. As he testified that our Savior fights our battles for us, he choked up and there was no denying the truth of his words. Then Elder Dube closed it with another powerful witness.

THIS IS THE WORK OF THE LORD. I know it. I know God is with us and that he is our loving Heavenly Father with a perfect plan for us.

This weekend was super cool cause Julio finally came to church!! woo! and he brought his son, too! He's super pumped and can't wait to get baptized in November. smile emoticon smile emoticon I can already see him changing and I love it so much! keep him in your prayers, please!

Well, I hope everyone has a super great week and never forgets to pray!

Love,
Hermana Lance

Jessica, our now reactivated member and her 2 daughters, and another random kid. 

mile emoticon

Splits with Sis Cannon

Splits with Sis Cannon

10-19-15 Losing myself in the work

Hello all! 

Well this week was just swell. We had interviews with Presidente Maluenda, which were super great. He gave me some advice on losing myself completely in the work and not getting distracted and finishing strong. Super helpful! He also has his missionaries make plans for after the mission during their last transfer, so I have to start doing that soon. boooo. Helpful, but not fun. haha.

Speaking of craziness! Yesterday I hit my 16-month mark! honestly it doesn't feel like it's been that long. But at the same time it feels like it's been a while. Mission time is really weird. But anyways, I'm super excited to give everything I can my last 2 months, and then to party it up with my dear readers once I return home. (haha. readers.) 

This week is going to be awesome! A general authority is coming to visit our mission, so on Thursday we get to go to McAllen for a big conference. SO PUMPED. I love conferences and stuff like that, such a great opportunity to receive revelation. 

Anyways, I hope that you all have the best week of your life so far this week! 

Love,

Hermana Lance

Also please keep praying for Julio! That darn alcohol's got him good.

    Here's a demonstration of how much Mexican women love my blonde hair. #awkward

                                      

                            I love to ride my bicycle, I love to ride my bikeeee 

                                      

10-12-15 Confidence is key

HOLY COW TIME IS GOING BY FAST. 

phew. ok. got that out of my system. 

Well! this week was great. Lots of curve balls and tests of patience and it was great! We had lots of fun exchanges and met some really great people and saw lots of miracles, it was a blast. 

I learned a lot about humility and confidence this week. Confidence is probably the biggest issues with the sisters in Brownsville right now, so we've been trying to help them all to believe in themselves more. Because really we're all daughters of God and can do literally anything with Him on our side. That's what I've learned about confidence, that true confidence comes from the Lord. Pride comes from ourselves. We just have to be like Ammon and rejoice in all that God helps us do and trust that He'll help us do even more. 

Happy news! Jessica, the less active lady I talked about last week, came to church! and all the members are super pumped to welcome her back and it was just splendid. 

Also! A struggle we're having right now is getting people to church. Plans and rides keeps falling through, so if you could pray that Julio, Christian, Juana, and Jorge come to church, that would be lovely. :) (thanks in advance!)

I hope you all have a great week! Siga adelante!

Hermana Lance

Pics from the zoo last week

                                                   A baby camel eating me

exchange selfies

comps in front of the sign at church. Funny that it's English because the ward and branch that attend there are both Spanish. haha

10-5-15 General Conference...WOW

October! Woah. 

This week was insaneeeeely awesome. :) 
We had a leadership mtg in McAllen, so that was a fun 2 days spent up there. 

and then. CONFERENCE. 
oh, general conference. I probably received the most revelation from a conference in these past two days than ever before. First off, I am so grateful for the three men that have been called to be apostles. While they spoke and bore their tender testimonies, the spirit testified to me for each one of them individually that they are called of God. Such a special experience. 

I learned so much about God's expectation for me, how I can stay strong and firm forever, and man. I just felt so good and happy! The simplicity and beauty of the gospel is what makes my heart sing. And I am forever grateful for it. 

Cool story! 
So a few weeks ago we got a media referral from the church for a lady that wanted a Spanish bible. So we went to deliver it, but an angry husband answered the door and after defending our beliefs and testifying, he told us that he didn't want his wife to talk to us, and went inside. For some reason, however, I didn't feel like that was the end. A few days later, we got a text from someone with the same name as the bible lady! and it turns out she's a less-active member we didn't know. Well, we went over on Friday to deliver the bible and talk with her. She told us that things are bad in their marriage and her husband doesn't like the church. Then she showed incredible faith as she said, "I really don't know what's going to happen to me. All I know is that I need to go back to church." 

The next day, she bravely spoke to her husband and he miraculously gave her permission to go to the afternoon session of conference! That was the session where Elder Holland testified of the power of a righteous mother. 
As we exercise our faith and trust that God will take care of us, He does! this sweet, young mom is a living example of that. 

Well! I hope you all go over your notes and don't leave them as notes. Transform them into action and strive to improve! Truly ask yourself, "What lack I yet?" and never stop progressing, cause that's what we're here for. 

Have a great week! I love you!

Hermana Lance

PS...Thanks the love! and the prayers! I can feel it. I'm growing a ton and I can't even tell you all the crazy stuff going on or just how dang happy I am!

Mi compa y yo

Once upon a time I was on an exchange 

and our investigator gave 

us her jellies!

                                         The wonderful sisters we live with.