tears and testimonies

Holaaaa amigos y familia!!


First off, the highlight of my week was definitely sacrament meeting on Sunday. Sunday morning started off pretty frustrating. We passed by a lot of our people like normal and couldn't find any of them that wanted to come with us to church. Haha its kinda funny because I swear everyone is willing to receive us ANY day during the week EXCEPT for Sunday mornings when we invite them to come with us to church!! But anyways we passed by Ulises and Naim's house (our recent converts) to wake them up for church and bring their 8 year old sister Victoria who we've been preparing for baptism. Ulises answered the door and said that all of his family was asleep and didn't want to get up for church. But he said he wanted to come!! Haha he is my new favorite child:)) This Sunday was fast and testimony meeting and we of course encouraged him and another boy Maxi (a menos activo who we've become friends with) to get up and bear their testimonies. Ulises has only been a member for less than a month and I think this was his first fast and testimony meeting at church. But surprisingly both he and Maxi got up to bear their testimonies!! And wow they were amazing. The spirit was SO strong during Ulises' testimony that I don't think there was a single dry eye in the audience. He had Hna Quequezana and I bawling in the back of the chapel during our proud mom moment haha. It's pretty special to get to teach and baptize people but I don't know if there's a greater feeling than watching your converts progress and grow in the gospel after their baptism :) 

This week we also spent a lot of time helping the members plan and carry out some rama actividades!! We had another awesome noche de hogar (family home evening) where we gave the lesson. We chose to talk about priorities. I really love the scripture Mateo 6:33 that says
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." I know that as we put Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ FIRST in our lives then all the rest of our worries and needs will be taken care of according to His plan.  

We brought Luciana and her siblings to the noche de hogar and the members were really awesome about making them feel welcome and comfortable. We had asked our members if they had any extra clothes to give to them because a lot of their clothes had gotten lost in the rain storm the other week and since then we have been making countless trips back and forth from members homes to bring bags and bags of clothes for Luciana and her siblings!! The generosity and selflessness of the people here in Mosconi never ceases to surprise me!! 

Also Luciana, even though she comes from a difficult situation, including a mom that doesn't know how to read, has been AMAZING as we've been teaching her. Thankfully she does know how to read and loves to! We gave her a normal Book of Mormon last week but in order for her to read as well with her siblings this week we brought her the kids version of the BOM - with illustrations. And she read about HALF of that thing in ONE DAY!! I thought maybe she was lying when she told us she was already in Mosiah, but she actually remembered the names of the prophets and their stories!! Capa!! Sadly she didn't come to church with us on Sunday bc she went to her grandmas house but hopefully in the next month or so she will be baptized!!

We also helped plan a surprise birthday party for Maxi, the menos activo, who turned 21. He has been a member for a little more than a year now but only comes to church once in a while. Lately however we've been visiting him and encouraging him to come to church and he has been coming!! He has gained a desire to serve a mission and in order to keep that desire in him active we've been trying to get him more involved with the branch!! His testimony also really strengthened mine on Sunday as well because even though he doesn't have much conocimiento or experience in the church he shared a simple testimony of the truths he does know. Short and sweet :)

My testimony today is short and sweet as well. I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. And He has a plan for us. I know that Joseph Smith restored the church to its fullness. I know that the Libro de Mormon is true and is the key to our salvation. I know that Russell M. Nelson is our living prophet today and continues to receive revelation for the Latter-days :) So excited to get to hear from him and other authorities in about a month! 

I hope you all have a great week!! 
Con amor,
Hna Tate

My lovely comp :))

Ulises!! My favorite niño y la mejor converso!!

 Luciana y her little sister



pics from the surprise party for maxi





Making some maza (dough) for pizza w Hna Gabi 

Ulises y Naim y Victoria had us over for lunch one day 

Maicenitas - my favorite food de la calle 


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