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.

9-28-15 Staying in Brownsville!

Hello all!

Good news! I stayed in Brownsville!! woo!! 

Sadly my dear Sis Acosta got transferred for her last transfer. But it's all good cause I got a great new comp! Her name is Sis. Kingsford and she's a brand new STL. She's 2 transfers behind me and recently hit her year mark. She's from Logan and loves wildlife stuff. pretty darn cool! 

This week was pretty hard, I'll be honest. But really I'm not sad or anything cause God's really good at supporting His children. The Ortega family and Rubi were supposed to get baptized this Sunday, but unfortunately both of their husbands decided against that and asked us to stop coming by. One right after the other. Double knife to the heart! I'm not sure why and I'm not sure what's going to happen, but that's when faith's the most important, right? Ether 12:6. 

So now we're started over in Casa Linda. We're making plans and working hard and I know that God's going to help us out. He's very consistent, so I'm not worried. :)

Did all you women watch the General Women's session of conference on Saturday? If not, go watch it! Pres Uchtdorf's talk really touched me. Just what I needed, really. Let's all just be happy and skip through life, ok? cause really there's no reason to be sad. Because really, it's called the plan of happiness for a reason! just keep the commandments and you're good! Alma 41:10

love you all! keep being awesome and such! 

Hermana Lance

PS that eclipse though!

Sis. Lance and Sis. Kingsford

                                                                   Beautiful sunset!

9-21-15 best district ever

Hello all!

Well las transferencias have come upon us once again. I have no clue yet what's happening but I'm hoping I get to stay here in beloved Brownsville. :) 

In the next little bit, we're going to have Rubi and her daughter Dana get baptized, and the entire Ortega family. If i leave I'll be real sad to miss all that. but God's will be done, ya know? 

This transfer I learned a ton about faith and the power of attitude and God in general. I also learned a lot about planning. goals and plans for dayssss. 
Our zone right now is doing the best in the mission, and it's because of the faith that we have in Brownsville. This has definitely been the best transfer of my mission so far. lots of ups and downs, of course, but I feel like I totally lost myself in the work and honestly there isn't a better feeling than that. This is the best work in the world. quite literally the best. I just love it. 

This week we had a couple noches mexicanas, and they were awesome. We didn't get to wear any cool dresses, but we dressed up in red, white, and green and many of the members wore their legit Mexican clothes. Haha it was great cause at both parties, I was the only white person and they just thought that was hilarious. yay for Utah missionaries! 
Also, el grito is real. Ever heard a Mexican yell like a Mexican for his country? It's a beautiful and incredibly joyful thing. haha <3 

Well that's a million for your love and support and prayers. I can't tell you how much it means to me. I know that even if I didn't have the support I have, that God would help me do what I'm doing, but seriously it helps and strengthens me so much to have it. There's a reason that God put us on this earth in families with friends. Because His plan is perfect! 

Keep Ruby and the Ortega family in your prayers! 

love you all!
Hermana Lance

PS..Will you tell Teresa thanks for the letters they sent me this week? They made my day :) 
ALSO. LAUREN'S TURNING 18???? WHATTTTTTTTTTTTT IS GOING ON HERE. I haven't been gone that long, have I? haha 

I'm going into my last 12 weeks, my last 2 transfers. and I'm going to go so hard that you'll have to hold me up at the airport cause I'll be so tired! Also I'll probs get my flight plans soon. gross. 
love you!

Hermana Lance

Biggest and best district ever

9-14-15 Love you all

Happy Independence Day of Mexico tomorrow!! woo!!

Our branch is having literally 2 parties this week to celebrate. Pretty sure they're going to dress me up like a Mexican. Needless to say, I'M PUMPED.

Well, this week went by super fast. We had 3 exchanges and zone conference, so, really. bambambam. pday! what? woah. cool! asi es.

so let me tell you a little about some of my favorite people. 1) RUBY   2) ORTEGA FAMILY

Ruby. She's probably one of the most gold people ever. We taught her about Joseph Smith and all that the other day and she was basically testifying about him before the lesson ended. 

On Sunday she had promised a friend she was going to help her with something, and was planning on sleeping in and going to church next Sunday. not in casa linda! We went over and woke her up and then cleaned her kitchen/made them breakfast while she got herself and her kids ready. We were pretty late, but it was so worth it. 

Then, we have the family Ortega. Lily and Julio are the parents and they have 5 sons. (3 are 8 and older). They're super boss and went to church a couple times in Harlingen (about a half hour away) without missionary help. it's going to be a process with them because they've been going to The Church of Christ for a looonng time, but they're willing and searching and it's the best. 

so Brownsville is exploding with miracles right now because all the missionaries here have a TON of faith. We're seriously unstoppable, because we trust in God and are working hard. It's pretty amazing to be a part of it. having faith makes one real happy and have real peace inside. i'm a big fan.

Thanks for always keeping me updated! I love it! 

I'm soooo pumped for General conference! It's seriously going to be a spiritual overload. I can't even tell you. 

I hope you all have a great week! I love you all lots and lots!

Hermana Lance

                                                      don't mind the terrible effects of flash.