Leading the Choir

Hermana Ellsworth (flute) Elder Stewart (standing)

Hermana Sutton (directing)

YIKES!!!!!

Miracles in Beautiful Juarez

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN IN A WARD A LONG TIME WHEN THE MEMBERS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY - AN ORANGE GERBER DAISY!!!  THIS JUST EXPLAINS HOW AMAZING THE WEEK WAS!!!  (PICTURE BELOW!)

WE HAD A GREAT TURN OUT A GENERAL CONFERENCE AND EVERYONE WHO WENT LOVED IT!!!  IT WAS SUPER POWERFUL HOW COULD YOU NOT HAVE LOVED IT!!!!  THE WINNER OF MY HEART WAS ELDER UCHTDORF.  WOW, I AM PRETTY SURE HIS TALK WAS WRITTEN FOR HERMANA SUTTON!!!!  I KNOW THAT EVERY PERSON WHO SPOKE TO US IS CALLED OF GOD!  IF WE FOLLOW THEIR COUNSEL WE WILL BE LEAD STRAIGHT TO THE PRESENCE OF GOD!!!!  WE HAVE HEARD - NOW OUR JOB IS TO ACT!!!

WE ARE WORKING WITH THE NEW INITIATIVE THAT THE CHURCH IS DOING FOR THE EASTER SEASON: “BECAUSE HE LIVES” SO WE ARE CONTACTING EVERY PERSON AND THEIR DOG THAT WE FIND IN THE STREET!!!  IT IS SUPER FUN AND WE ARE FINDING A LOT OF PEOPLE PREPARED TO LEARN ABOUT OUR SAVIOR!!! 

HERMANA ELLSWORTH AND I ARE ENJOYING EVERY MOMENT!!!  I HONESTLY HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY MIRACLES IN MY MISSION AS I HAVE SEEN WITH HER!!!  SHE REALLY IS MY HERO AND I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!!  I KNOW GOD PUT HER IN MY LIFE AT THIS TIME FOR A HUGE PURPOSE!!!

NO STORIES FOR THIS WEEK, BECAUSE WELL WE AM GOING TO GO ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL JUAREZ TODAY AND WE DONT HAVE MUCH TIME!!!! :):)

BUT ALL IS WELL AND WE ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH AND HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!

HERMANA SUTTON

Stop and smell the flowers?

The Moreno Family

Cake and Ice Cream

Hermanas Ellsworth and Sutton

Her Final Companion

LIFE IS GREAT HERE IN JUAREZ!!!!

WHAT A WEEK!!!! :)  THE SUN IS SHINING AND ALL IS WELL!!!! :)  Sound any different than usual?? ;)

This week Hermana Ellsworth and I had some awesome experiences, some really really hilarious and some really really powerful!!! 

First of all a few weeks ago a man came to our ward who lives in another area but stopped by to see the church.  His name is Oscar, and he is awesome!  He use to go to church every week with his ex-girlfriend but something bad happened there so he doesn't go with her but still wants this in his life, because he knows it is true!  He told us that he just wants to be baptized and feel really a part of this family that we have!  He is progressing A LOT and reading, and he actually came to the baptism that the hermanas had last week!!  He is really a cool guy, and the ward loves him!  He is starting to go to activities with them already!  HE IS GOING TO FIT IN GREAT!!!!!!!!!  He really is a miracle, and is just waiting to be baptized!!!  Hopefully the day comes around soon soon soon!!! :)

Also we received a reference from a family in our ward (the family of Lamar and Diana!) and we went and contacted them and they are ENGLISH SPEAKERS!!!!!!  We always have the best of luck!!!  I think the Lord is telling me that I need to practice my English more!!!  They are really awesome; they have been through a lot of hard things but they are searching for something that is going to help them!!!  WE REALLY HOPE THAT THEY COME TO THE CONFERENCE THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)  They also have a little girl who is almost 2, (just like Beckham!)  So I am preparing for the shock when I see my big, huge, all grown-up nephew!!! 

I want to share with you EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I WISH THERE WERE WORDS TO EXPLAIN HOW GREAT EVERYTHING IS TURNING OUT!!!!!!!!!!!  I finally feel like all my work here in Ninos Heroes is paying off!  We have never found so many new investigators or seen so much progress in the members and less actives!!!  LIFE IS GREAT HERE IN JUAREZ!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

PREPARE FOR CONFERENCE!!!  IT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT ONE!!!

 READ YOUR SCRIPTURES!!!  AND PUT THEM IN YOUR LIFE!!!

SERVE EVERYONE!!!  THAT IS THE WAY YOU FEEL TRUE HAPPINESS!!! 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

HERMANA SUTTON

YoYo's Yogurt

Easter baskets!!!!!!

Sister Ellsworth's Mom sent these!!!!!

PEEPS included!!!

NIÑAS HEROES

Hermanas Price, Ramirez, Sutton, Ellsworth

Enjoy Every Single Moment!!!!!

DEAREST FAMILY & FRIENDS!

I have thought deep and hard and I have decided that I am just going to give you a little snippet of what is going on!! :) hahahaha  because you know that I am super-duper HAPPY and working HARD and seeing lots if miracles, so we are going to save the awesome stories for face to face!! (It makes them so much better right??)

So this week!  Last Monday we went to Central Park (Juarez-style) with the Bencomo family and it was super fun!!! :)  We saw a giraffe and an ostrich and lots of ducks and we had a picnic!  It was awesome!!

We also had a great and hard week; we are really giving everything that we have!  Every night we think we are going to die from exhaustion but the Lord helps us so much to wake up with energy and desires to work another day even harder!  And we are seeing the miracles and it is astonishing! 

We found A LOT of new people this week, the Lord is really putting us in the place he wants us to be!  We had new INVESTIGATORS at church and our ward actually filled the most part of the sacrament room!!!!  CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!!!   INCREDIBLE!!! :):)  I have had the great blessing of being here in this ward for a long time, and I am seeing progress in so many ways! 

Hermana Ellsworth and I are doing AMAZING!!  We literally are like sisters!  She means so much to me; I love that girl with all my heart!  And the people have told us that they can see that we get along really well, it is helping us in every aspect of the work!  The key to life really is ENJOY EVERY SINGLE MOMENT!!!! :)

It was short and sweet and to the point!!! :) 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!  KEEP SMILING!!!!

HERMANA SUTTON

Sisters Ellsworth & Sutton

Our "Little" Angel

Central Park (Juarez Style)

Picnic with the Bencomo Family

Cooking w/ the Queen of Juarez Tamales

LIVING THE LIFE OF THE MEXICAN!!!!!  I know I have told you this about a million and a half times that I am a Mexican and I am loving it!!!  But now even more tan-  we are oficial.  We learned how to make tamales yesterday with the “Queen of Juarez Tamales”; well that is at least what the sister who taught us says.  It was really fun and we got to know the family a lot better!  (They are less active)  Sadly we do not have pictures, but we do have proof in our stomachs and that is what counts right???

We are seeing some excellent progress in Rosita also!!!  She took her exam to become a nurse and all went well and she feels like God is blessing her in her life because she is being more obedient to the commandments!!  We are so close; she is changing and she is noticing it!  One of these days I know that she is going to notice that everything that is happening is because this is the true church!  We love her so much and pray for her like every momento!  PATIENCE AND LOVE AND THE BLESSINGS COME!!!! :)

We also met an AWESOME guy this week; his wife is a reference that we have but she is never home so we met him!!  We started by talking about the Book of Mormon!!!  AND TO BE HONEST I HAVE NEVER MET ANYONE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE BOOK OF MORMON!!!  He said it was an answer to his prayers and that it makes so much sense that Jesús Christ came here to the Americas!!  He told us when he left, I know you were looking for my wife, but it looks like I will be the one coming to church with you guys!!!!!!!  AWESOME RGHT!!!  To be honest to hear him so excited about the restored góspel and the BOM it made me more excited and to remember really how blessed we really are!!! :):):):)  It is the greatest thing in the WHOLE world that the same church the Jesus Christ established when he was here - is here AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):):):)

QUESTION TIME.... SADLY THEY ARE ALL ABOUT COMING HOME...  WHAT IS GOING ON FAM????

1.        What will you miss most besides the people?

OH GOODNESS THE PEOPLE HERE ARE THE MOST AMAZING!!!  I THINK I AM GOING TO MISS TALKING TO THE PEOPLE ON THE STREET!!!  The fact that the mayoría of the people tell you everything up front, they open all of their heart in like the first 5 minutes!!  I mean sometimes we get some really interesting stories, but it’s awesome the trust that the people have to random people....  It could possibly be our skin color, but I think the Lord is softening their hearts!  I also am loving the food of EVERYONE here!!!  Man I am thinking about how sad it will be not to eat beans and rice and tortillas at every meal...  SO IF I GET BACK 200 POUNDS HEAVIER YOU KNOW I LIVED A HAPPY LIFE HERE IN JUAREZ!!!!

2.      If we stop on the way home for food, where would you like to eat?

HMMMMMMMMM - I AM GOOD WITH ANYTHING!!!  You guys can choose any place that you think would be good! :)  I am not picky anymore!!  MIRACLE!!!  Maybe like MADDOX!

3.        Who was the craziest companion you ever had?

DEFINETLY HERMANA ELLSWORTH!!!!!!!!! :):)  Hahahaha - no to be honest they all have been crazy!! hahaha  In their one Little way, it has been quite the experience to live with lots of different sisters!  I have loved it and learned so much! :)  But really I am thinking these days that the Hermana Ellsworth is the winner!!!! :)

I AM DOING GREAT.  I AM HAPPY.  THE CHURCH IS TRUE.

HERMANA SUTTON

Megan's Final Companion

Hermanas Sutton & Ellsworth

"Just Have Fun & Baptize a Lot of People"

MY COMPANION IS CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;)  She told me I should start my email like that, so it just shows how she is!!  Well let me tell you a little bit about her to start off.

 …1…       Tell us a little about Hermana Ellsworth….  Is she from around here or is she from CA? 

She tells everyone she is from California, but she is really from Illinois.  She thinks she is really cool because she lived in Australia for a year. (Actually that really makes her pretty cool.)  She is 22 years old now since she had her birthday this week.  IT WAS A PARTY!  We ate 3 cakes and a whole thing of ice cream in one day and we gained 10 pounds each.  LIFE IS GOOD HERE IN JUAREZ!!!!  She studied in BYU Idaho and she didn’t like it too much because she is a partier ;) hahahahaha  OKAY NOT REALLY!  But she did study there and she is going to go to Utah State after to be close to Brigham City! ;)  She is funny.  And has cute clothes.  And we may just be breaking the rules about not sharing clothes.  She plays the flute.  And well to be honest, she is really amazing and such an amazing example to me!  One day you have to meet her.  She has more love than anyone I have ever met!  She really is a huge blessing in my life and we are working super hard together and are LOVING each and every day!!!  WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR???? :)

…2…       Have you been learning to cook anything new lately – hopefully – soon? (We’re expecting real food – hahaha)

Well...  That is funny that you asked, we put an appointment yesterday with some less active members to learn how to make tamales super good!!!! :):):):)  WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!!  We are thinking about putting a restaurant in Utah to sell tamales, because they are SOOOOOO  good!!  Other than that, well not too much!  The thing is that I am just really good at eating the food (and gaining weight!) but I will try to write down a few more recipes!!

…3…       Who was the family who had the party for Hermana Ellsworth? (she posted pictures with you guys & a little girl – we were thrilled)

Yes, one of the 3 cakes we ate was with Teresita and her family!!  THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE FOR US WOW THEY ARE AMAZING TOO!!!!  We ate cake and sang the “Mananitas” and really had a fun evening!  It was really short notice about the birthday of Ells because she got here on Tuesday and Wednesday was her big day!!  BUT IT WAS A BLAST!!!!!  We ate ice cream for breakfast and then ate it in front of the heater because it was freezing!!!  BUT IT WAS A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!  We decided that this whole month is her birthday month!!! 

AS FOR YOU, MY DEAR MOTHER!!!!!!!!!!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!  FELICIDADES POR UN ANO MAS!!!!!!!!!!  BESOS Y ABRAZOS DESDE JUAREZ!!!

Let me just make a list of a few things that are going on!!! 

-We are using our music talents A TON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Hermana Ellsworth carries her flute with her usually so we can sing in whatever moment!  It is really a huge blessing that we are together!!  We have loved sharing the gospel through music!

-ROSITA CAME TO CHURCH AGAIN!!!!!!!!  AND SHE ACTUALLY PARTICIPATES A LOT IN THE CLASSES!!!

-We are working to share the Book of Mormon more to everyone, and we are seeing a huge difference in our work and in the acceptance of the people!

-HERMANA ELLSWORTH LOVES DR PEPPER ALSO... this is a problem!

-Yesterday we helped with the music in a funeral of one of our leaders of the mission; it was a great service and it was a blessing to use our talents.

-Our moto is JUST HAVE FUN AND BAPTIZE A LOT OF PEOPLE ;)

I am loving every moment!  I feel more and more grateful each and every day for the blessings the Lord has given me.  I can’t complain, THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!! :)

LOVE YOU ALL!  HAVE A GREAT WEEK! :) 

HERMANA SUUUUUUUUUUTTON!

Hermana Gomez

Hermana DeJesus

Hermana Ellsworth's Birthday Party!!!!

That's 22

To Be "Older" and Still Have a Prom Dress :D - YES!!!

QUERIDA FAMILIA!!!!!!!!!!!! :)  COMO ESTAN????? 

As for me and Juarez we are STILL, and will ALWAYS be doing GREAT! :)  My companion and I voted and we think that really really (and we mean really) this week was the fastest of the whole mission!!!!  But that is a good sign I think, that we are learning and teaching and finding and laughing and well, being missionaries!!  What else could you ask for??

So like I have mentioned in the past, we are teaching the family Velazco, they are the Adventistas, and we are learning so much and studying our little hearts out because they have so many questions that are super great but hard!!!!!!  We are still on lesson one with them because we are making a big emphasis in the authority that is needed to work in the name of Jesus Christ.  Because, like I mentioned, Adventistas are not THAT different than our church in the sense that they live healthy lives and believe in revelation in these days.  But they are progressing and every lesson that we have with them is super powerful and you can tell they are really trying to learn and understand.  Like yesterday, we got to their house and they were waiting for us with cookies and notebooks to take notes and write their questions!  They are a really great family, and when they accept the gospel they are going to be really faithful and strong!!!

Also, a bit of a funny story, so we received a referral from an activity that one of the zones did for the 14 of February of an older lady. (In the activity they took pictures and then we deliver them and talk to them about the gospel!)  So we went to see her and get to know her, her name is Ramona... and oh my goodness she is hilarious!!!  She is a little bit older so I think she forgets a lot of things, but man we were laughing our heads off with her!!  SHE IS A HOOT!!!  So we got there, and she let us right in.  But to get to know her, she told us she was going to show us her music and dance... so there she went... hahahah  Then she gave us some capirotada (which is a dessert made of bread and nuts and a whole bunch of stuff)  It was super good!!!  But then all of a sudden she stopped and looked at me and said... you aren’t from here!  Do you speak English??  I told her yes and then she asked me to call this random number in El Paso to try and get the will of one of her friends figured out!!  IT WAS A MESS!!! hahaha  But after that we got to share a little with her, and told her about what we do and all that jazz and invited her to church!  On Sunday morning we passed by and she was waiting outside with her diamonds and her fancy almost prom dress!!!! :):):):):):)  We could not believe it!!!  She came to church and well actually shared her testimony also... CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!!!!!!!!!  She may be crazy but she felt the spirit and that is what matters!!! 

ALSO......  Sadly Hermana Hernandez and I have changes.... :(  We spent the night reminiscing about all the memories that we have had together and the high hopes we had about staying together... (I really think she just wanted to kill me in the mission! ;) hahaha - but I will be STAYING IN NINOS HEROES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I AM SUPER EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GUESS WHO IS MY COMPANION!!!!!!!!!!!!!  HERMANA ELLSWORTH!!!!!!!!!!!! Let me explain in case you have forgotten.  So Hermana Ellsworth & I are pretty much best friends!! ;) hahaha  She was here in Ninos Heroes already and well she is a HUGE example to me!!!!  SHE IS SUPER SWEET AND I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was a shock, not going to lie!!!  But the Lord knows why and what and how so I am excited!!!! :):):):)

Other than my rambling and all that, WE ARE DOING GREAT!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):):)

I love you guys so much, (I hope you understand that!!!)  I know that what really ties us together is the love for our Savior who makes everything possible!!  I know He lives and that through Him we can return to our Father, have eternal Families, receive the forgiveness for our sins, and truly be HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so grateful for Him and for the opportunity to be a representative of Him!!! :)

HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!!!!!

HERMANA SUTTON

Importance of Sharing Your Talents

WELL - WELL – WELL - LOOK AT ALL THE FUN THAT IS HAPPENING IN BRIGHAM!!!!!!!!!!!!  I FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING HAS BEEN ON PAUSE, BUT I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE A PUNCH IN THE FACE WHEN I SEE THAT EVERYTHING IS CHANGING... OR CHANGED!!! (hahahahahaha)  But congrats to all the weddings and all the fun adventures at the dinosaur park and I am super excited to go to Oregon!  You guys really are the best; I feel so blessed to have such a great family that not only loves this crazy nut head missionary, but lives life to the fullest!  THAT IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT!

As for us, it was another successful and wonderful week in Juarez!  And the best thing about the whole week is that we saw the results at church yesterday!  YES!!!!!!!!!!!  WE LITERRALLY WERE CRYING WE WERE SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!! :):):):)  Let me explain a little bit.... so the Adventistas (remember them?)  Well Eric, the dad, is a super musician; he plays about every instrument and he is super good!  He told us he was doubting a few things of his church, and one of them was that they never let him play the piano, (they use a CD instead).  And I know it is something really simple, but he was upset and commented to us that he wants to use his talents.  WELL... and I being the ward pianist thought, with pleasure I will hand over the piano to him!  AND THAT WAS JUST THE KEY!!!  So we told him that we needed him to play at our church.  He thought we were joking and told us that we had to call the bishop.  So we did and he said, “OF COURSE!”  So we told him to come early so that we could practice, and he came like 5 minutes before the classes started because he was so nervous!!! hahaha  BUT HE CAME!!!!!  We quickly played a few and I sat by him so he would know how the hymns sounded. (To be honest, we were a little bit scared, because it was ward conference and the entire presidency for the stake were there and lots of people.)  BUT HE DID GREAT AND LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):):):):)  After sacrament meeting the bishop came up to him and thanked him and asked if he could play next week also!  He said yes and was super excited!  We stayed after all the meetings with him to play and sing and show him the church!  He is super excited, and told us he felt in his home there!!! 

NEXT ROSITA CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!!!!  We were super surprised, because this week we went to visit her and she told us that she would come when she felt like it, and she didn’t want us to keep asking.... YIKES!!!!!!  But I turned back to look at something in the middle of the meeting....  AND SHE WAS THERE AND HER HUSBAND AND HER LITTLE GIRL WITH THE PATLAN FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WE WERE SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  AND the lessons and the messages were so perfect for her!  The stake president and his counselors and the bishop all talked about receiving answers to our prayers and how we can PERSONALLY know the truth of the gospel!  I know they were listening to the spirit, and I am so grateful because I think it really was a turning point for our investigators.  All together our ward conference was a success and filled with the spirit!  What more could you ask??  We feel blessed to have seen miracles at church, and soooo excited to have another great week and find more investigators who are searching for this wonderful happiness!!!!!!!!!!!!!

..1..      What is your choice for your first meal when you get back?

HMMMMMMMMMMMM - I´m not quite sure!!!!!  CHEESY POTATOES, TURKEY STEAKS, BREADSTICKS, AND MACARONI AND CHEESE!!!!!!!! ;) hahahahahahahaha

..2..      When was the last time you drove a car?

October 15, 2013

..3..      What’s your new favorite scripture?

OH MY THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY GOOD ONES!!!!!!!!  MORONI 10: 32 - 33!!!

It is just incredible to me that Our Father in Heaven has prepared a way that we can literally become perfect.  He has sent His Son to the earth so that we KNOW exactly what we need to do and who we need to be!! 

I love you all so much!  Keep staying strong and living with all of your heart, the blessings of the Lord are so much bigger than any other sacrifice that we have to make!  In the words of mom!  REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE AND WHO YOU STAND FOR!!!!!!!!!!!  Have a great week!

Hermana Sutton

Miracles - Not Coincidences

MONDAY ALREADY?????  WHAT IS GOING ON!!!!!!!!!!!

Just another great week here in Ciudad Juarez Mexico!  Hermana Hernandez and I are loving life and finding some really awesome people who are excited to learn about the gospel!!  I quite possibly say that this week was one of the best I have had in all of my mission!!  To be honest, nothing HUGE happened, but the small and simple miracles are good enough to make this sister happy! :)  Well let’s start off with your questions and then I will ramble about our investigators!

1.                Do you expect a transfer or new companion before you come home?

NAH!!!!!!!!!!! We dont think so, well we are hoping not!! I really hope I finish here in this area, I LOVE NINOS HEROES!!!!

2.                Taken any new trips to Bible Mountain?

Sadly we have not returned... hahaha  It was really cool when we went there but we have been taking our journeys more to El Centro, and exploring!

3.                What is the most exciting thing that happened to you this week?

HMMMMMMMM - THE MOST EXCITING????  I think... well I can’t choose, so I will name some cool things that happened this week!! 

We handed out valentine’s candy to all the kids in the street and on the bus!   We played basketball this morning with the other hermanas.  We found a really cool familia, who are Adventista, trying to find a less active member.  We made a heart shaped cake with an awesome hermana that lives alone for valentine’s day.  We had divisions (exchanges) again with a few other hermanas.  We are now teaching the daughter of the family Patlan!!!  My companion and I are super happy together!   And I made some homemade granola that is to die for!!!  IT WAS A GREAT WEEK!  :):):):)

4.                Do you have top ramen in Mexico?

Yes, of course!! hahaha :)  But usually it has chile in it! ;) - MEXICO STYLE!

 

Okay so let me explain some really incredible things that are happening here in good old Juarez!  So one day we were searching for a family less active that we found in the ward list; we went to the house and no one lived there with that name... so well we did what missionaries do and asked if we could share something with them!  (They are a familiy Adventista - to be honest I have no idea what religion that is in English!) hahaha  But we went in and got to know them a little bit better; it is a mom and dad and their little daughter!  They have always been members of their church, but to be honest they don’t love it or live it.   But they had a lot of questions for us just like everyone does about our church - if we have lots of  wives and pray to Joseph Smith and so on....!!!  (COME ON PEOPLE!) hahaha  But they are a really great family!  But what really connected us is that he is a music teacher and plays a lot of instruments, so we got talking and then singing and then well, we are best friends now! ;) hahaha  The dad commented to us that he doesn’t believe in coincidences and it was a miracle that we were searching for his house!  He said he thought we were there to try and make him a member!!  We just smiled, and he said, I’m not against it!!!!!!!!! :):):):)  The next day we went by and they were waiting for us with sweet rolls and milk and lots more questions!! :)  We are really excited and hope they keep progressing!!! :)

Also, like I said above, we are now teaching the daughter, Rosita, of the Patlan family!  Her husband is also with us, he is a less active but he is super awesome, and is coming back to church!!  He just needed a little push I think! ;)  But Rosita is really awesome too; she has studied with the Jehovah’s Witness a little so she knows a lot of the bible, so she keeps us on our toes to answer all of her questions!  She is a really special daughter of God, and has a lot of desires to improve her relationship with Him, but she likes to be absolutely sure of things before she acts! haha  They have a little daughter who is the cutest thing I have ever seen, every time we walk in the door she yells our names “SUTTON Y NANDEZ”!!!!!!! ;)  She is almost 2 and she talks and repeats about everything that we say; she is really the reason I think that Rosita wants to learn about the church!!

BUT IT WAS A REALLY GREAT WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)  THE LORD IS BLESSING US FOR OUR OBEDIENCE AND LOVE FOR THE WORK!!!  IT IS TOUGH, I’M NOT GOING TO LIE, BUT IT IS SO WORTH IT!!!  I KNOW THAT I SAY IT EVERY WEEK, BUT I RECIEVE A BIGGER AND BIGGER TESTIMONY EVERYDAY...  I NOW THIS IS THE TRUE CHURCH!!!!!!!!  I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE POWER OF THE PREISTHOOD TO SAVE THE CHILDREN OF MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  THIS IS THE GOSPEL OF HAPPINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!  AND I AM LIVING PROOF OF THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

I love you all, have a great week!!!

HERMANA SUTTON!!!!!!!! (la guerita!)

9 months out

El Centro

Socks from Valynn

Some old photos from earlier on her mission

Elder Pieper from the Area Presidency Came to Juarez!!!!

Hay rumores que mi blog todavía sigue, y hay algunos miembros que practican su ingles cuando lo leen.  ENTONCES para darles (los miembros)  un poco de alivio y felicidad tenia que escribir algo en español.  Y también para que sepan que hablo de vez en cuando español. :):):)  BUENAS SUERTE!

BEFORE I FORGET!!!!!!!!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEREK!!!!!!!!!!!  AND ALSO GRANDMA CARLENE LAST WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  YOU KNOW ME, I’M STILL FORGETTING THINGS!!!!!!! :):):)  But I hope you all had lots and cake and ice cream and enjoyed the great big day!!!!

IT’S SUMMER TIME HERE IN JUAREZ!!!!  AND WE ARE LOVING IT!!!!  SHORT SLEEVED SHIRTS, NO BOOTS, AND RED FACES!!!!!!!!!  NOTHING IS BETTER!!!!!!!!  We had a really busy week; we started it all out with a nice little trip to El Centro to look for vanilla and little fun things!  We found a little cute store that has a lot of ancient Spanish things and we became friends with the owner, so we are hoping she will give us a great deal when we head back next week!  I wanted to ask you mom exactly how is the vanilla.  I know I have bought it, but is it extract or about how much did it cost??  So that I can make sure to buy the kind that you are looking for!  (oh and how many?)

This week the counselor of the area presidency (Elder Pieper) came to visit JUAREZ!  (THE BEST MISSION EVER!)  And we had a lot of conferences that were so powerful!!!!  IT WAS AWESOME!!!  We started on Tuesday with the leadership counsel and we actually got to talk to him on a more personal level.  He is really great and I felt like I was talking to the profet!!  (I think it counts for something right??)  Right now he and his wife are living in Mexico City, but they are originally from Idaho - I think!!  He focused a lot of attention on the power of fasting and the miracles that he has seen in his life, as well as the benefit we have to teach the members and investigators the law of fast.  I really related a lot to what he was telling us because I personally have seen SOOOO many miracles in my mission thanks to fasting!  (To be honest, before I came here I thought fasting was a punishment or something super hard!)  But I have learned that IT IS SO WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My companion and I were talking and we think we are going to start fasting every other day cuz it is so awesome ;) hahahaha  But Elder Pieper really helped us remember how powerful our spirits can be when we give them the right amount of nourishment and live in the Lord’s way!  

On Wednesday we had another meeting with our zone and 2 others.  It also was AWESOME!!!  We focused more on the proselyting side of the mission and the ways we can use “Preach My Gospel” better and work with the members!

All in all it was such a spiritually filled week!  I know that the priesthood is here on the earth today.  I know that God calls men who are willing to serve Him and help his children; I could feel the power of the words that Elder Pieper shared!  There isn’t a doubt in my mind that the Lord told him what he needed to share with us. IT’S AMAZING!  And I feel so blessed to have been able to have heard it. 

Also this week we had the most amazing experience!!  SO we have a reference that we have been trying to contact but we never seemed to find her in her house, so we were almost at the point of calling it a contact!  But one morning we stopped by this cute lady in our wards house and she happened to mention the name of our reference.  We both stopped and said, hermana do you know who she is!??  And she said, “Well of course, she is my family!!!”  WE WERE SO HAPPY!!!!!!  She told us a little about her and the situation.  Her husband had just passed away about 3 weeks ago and she was having a hard time.  We knew that it was an answer to our prayers to hear about her, so that same day we stopped by to see her.  And well, we finally got to meet her and in that moment she opened up completely to us.  She told us about her husband and about her parents-in-law.  To find out her mother-in-law was an active member....  Well to make the story short, she has special dreams in where her mother-in-law comes and talks to her!  She says it is just normal but that she feels so great when she sees her.  She dreamed also that her father-in-law accepted something that her mother-in-law had (OF COURSE WE KNOW IT IS THE GOSPEL!!!) and she was really interested in what she needed to do to accept it also and to be as happy as her parents-in-law!!  We really feel that she is prepared by the Lord!!!!

How are your teeth?

GREAT!!!  MY NEIGHBOR IS A DENTIST IF THERE ARE ANY PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!! :) 

Did you ever receive our package? Valynn sent you one also.

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WE ARE GOING TO MAKE COOKIES TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!  AND THE HERMANAS LOVED THEIR SURPRISES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):):):):):):)  THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Can you see the end of your mission yet?

Around 10 weeks left………. NO!  THANKS FOR ASKING!  I AM NOT READY YET!

What’s the first American food you want to eat? 

HMMMMM - LES AVISO LA OTRA SEMANA!!!  QUIEN SABE!!!!!! ;) hahahaha

Well I hope that a little bit of this letter made sense; I am losing my skills for writing!!  YIKES!!!!!!!  BUT it was a great week!!!!  I love my life, I am exhausted ever night, and I am HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):):):):)  I know the Lord is our Savior, I know that this is His work, and I thank Him every day for this amazing opportunity to be here!!!!

WITH LOTS OF LOVE!!!!!!!!!!

Hermana Sutton

Hermana Sears

This week also we had interchanges!!!!!!!! AND I GOT THE WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE TO BE WITH HERMANA SEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She really is such an example to me, I am not sure if you remember but at the beginning of her mission we also did interchanges and wow she is growing and progressing so much!!! :):):):) I LOVE HER TO DEATH AND WE HAD SO MUCH FUN TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!

Competition of "TAZAS DE TE" - Tea Set? Her English is Slipping

HELLO FROM THE JUAREZ HOOD!!!!!!!!!

Once a Sutton always a Sutton!!!  (We are running around like crazies, talking to everyone and not having a moment to spare!!)  BUT WE ARE LOVING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!  This week was a super super super quick one!!  We have no idea what happened; I think that maybe Heavenly Father put on the fast forward button!!  WHAT IS HE THINKING???? ;) hahaha  I wish it would slow down a bit!!  But we are doing great and enjoying the wonderful weather of winter without a coat!!! (knock on wood....)  As for the happenings of this week...

We started out with an amazing experience with Carlos; we went to teach him about Jesus Christ and Father in Heaven.  (The basics are the key!)  We went through the lesson and he was loving it all, he was sharing some amazing experiences and wow, it really was great!  To end the lesson he said the prayer and it honestly was one of the most powerful prayers I have ever heard.  He was literally talking to our Father in Heaven.  He said, "I know that you know me, I have seen your miracles in my life..... but I want to know you.  Help me to be more worthy to know you personally so that we can work together as a team."  ISN'T THAT THE SWEETEST!!!!!!!  He really is such a great guy!!  We are working lots and lots with him and we are seeing progress!!! :)

We also are starting to teach all of the members the missionary lessons!  (I am not sure if I already mentioned that....) but this week we went and taught the bishop and his wife!!  WOW - WHAT A POWERFUL EXPERIENCE!!!  They are both amazing, ex-missionaries, and leaders for the ward!  But it really was something special to be there with them and know how they gained their testimonies.  They are examples to us; the bishop is a convert of about 5 years and couldn’t be stronger!!!  We are blessed to be in their ward!

On Friday it rained.... A LOT!!!!!!!!!  We had planned to have a ward activity at the church, but sadly all the rain came about 30 minutes before the activity!  (SAD DAY!!!)  We still had the activity, but just with the few members and investigators there!  It was fun!!  We had a competition of TAZAS DE TE....Oh dang I forgot the word... like little mugs for tea! hahahahaha - maybe a tea set??? hahahah  BUT IT WAS FUN AND EVERYONE HERE HAS OLD TAZAS SO IT WAS FUN TO SEE THEM ALL AND GET TO KNOW EVERYONE BETTER!!!

Yesterday we had an amazing meeting with the President!!  Wow it is true that God answers our prayers; my companion and I have been praying to know how to help our ward better and to become the best missionaries that we can, and we both felt the whole time that he was talking to us!!  We got back to our house at night and we both were pretty much in tears because we saw the hand of the Lord in our lives so literally!!  I know I am not even beginning to explain the whole experience BUT IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!  Here are a few scriptures that the President shared with us!!!  (I know how much you love to read scriptures ;)  DYC 93:1, ISAIAH 40: 29-31 , JEREMIA 1:5

But there you go for my ramble ramble of the week!!!  We are doing great as always and learning more and more every day!!  I can testify to all of you that we truly have a

Father in Heaven that loves us and He ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS!!!!!!  I know I am a daughter of God, and even though I am crazy and so imperfect and sleep talk at night HE LOVES ME FOR BEING ME!!  AND YOU GUYS FOR BEING YOU!  REMEMBER HIM ALWAYS!!!

WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF JUAREZ LOVE!!

Hermana Sutton