Gracias a El

November 30, 2015 

Hola todos! So....this week was a bit rough with health but yesterday was an INCREDIBLE day.

Surprise delivery from home!

We left to go and bring a possible investigator to church when I had the impression to go to another house of an investigator who is NEVER home on Sundays and we have passed by multiple weeks in a row without any success. We went with the feeling and SHE WAS THERE and was able to accompany us to church. She is only 13 but has incredible fe <faith>. We are going to continue working to see if she can make church attendance a solid habit. 

Quite the bday party!

Such a miracle, but only the first of many this day. We went out with a member during the tarde <afternoon> and through no success ended up just contacting a señora to ask about another house. Had a good visit and are excited to get to know her more. Then we headed to help with a birthday party of a menos activo for a little bit where we found out about a crisis that was happening in a member family with their daughter. We were able to pass by and offer some words of comfort that come from some personal experience and the scriptures. Then I felt clearly in my mind the next person we should visit and she let us in. Then as we were with this person, I felt sure of the next person. And they were there. And then the next. It was an incredible night and such a testimony builder of the power of the Holy Ghost and a testament that this is NOT my work and that if I truly ask, listen,and then follow the spirit will lead us to those that the Lord is preparing. 

We are really excited for this next week and there is not a day that goes by that I am not extremely grateful for Hermana Lopez as my companion. She is a delight and a joy. SO much so that I had a nightmare about having cambios and finding out I would be training and not with her anymore. I have learned and am learning so much, and not just Spanish. Really, I just have reflected this last couple of days and felt the urgency of the time I have left and the need and desire to give even more then I have and to run hard to the tape and not look back, because I do not want to have regrets! My ponderizer for the week is Isaiah 28:10 about the rock which is Christ. It talks about it being tested. He has been tried again and again and HE NEVER FAILS and GRACIAS A ÊL we can also get back up and have the reassurance that if we build upon his rock we will NEVER FALL! Incredible! Hope you had a wonderful dìa de gracias!! 

Love,

Hermana Albach
 

My bonnet :)

Our little tree

P.S. We bought a fake little christmas tree and lights. Should be wondrous!! Oh...and I caved a bought a bonnet after getting SUPER sunburned this week and HATING using umbrellas. Pictures to come..... 

The Deets

December 7, 2015

Hola familia (if you are receiving this email you are considered family)!!!

H. Lopez and K80

 Hope all is well and looking like a winter wonderland where you are at and if it doesn't that you are making a winter wonderland in your heart. This week was spent with a lot of members and a lot of service. A girl in our rama had a panic attack and had to go to the hospital and we were able to visit her there and then check in with her every day after she was released to be at home. She has felt very alone but we try every day to have a little bit of contact with her to help her remember she is never alone or forgotten. It was a neat (hard) experience for me. I felt for many days that a part of my heart was being squeezed really hard. I was a bit emotional and it hit me how much I love these people and this country and my mission. I truly was called to serve among these people and it is easier now for me to understand how the sons of Mosiah could stay and live with the Lamanites for 14 years. (Don't worry, mom. I won't do that....you hope. ;)) But you truly are so filled with love. You forget about your own life and fill your life with the worries, disappointments, successes, and concerns of others. Their lives are your lives and their struggles are your struggles. It is something I still don't understand it fully but I know the Lord loves these people because I LOVE Them.

We are now teaching Richard and Carin who were able to come to church yesterday. They are so cute and have SO much potential. We are hoping that they will progress towards that nasty green water that should be clear before the new year. We will see how it goes.

H. Lopez and I are doing great. We do our Christmas devotionals every
night....my ability to be google translate is about as reliable as the real google translate is....which is NOT reliable. ;) But we have fun with it. I know that the Lord helps us to change and become better.

I also know that we are stronger than the elders...want to know why? We sandpapered three walls to the one wall the elders were able to do in the same amount of time. Good times. Love 'em all the same. This week was great and I truly know that the sacrament is SO IMPORTANT, putting goals is how we take advantage of this gift of the sacrament, and as we truly let the Lord make us His we will become sanctified and a better person each and every single day!!!

Love you!!!

Remember the reason for the season!

Love,

Hermana Albach

It's SUMMER! So hot!!!

The Dragon

November 24, 2015

Hola mis queridos! 

This week was super great with a couple of hiccups but if there weren't hiccups then it wouldn't be the mission. We were able to do divisions this week and my comp is a beast. She found so many new people and was able to have a lot of success with the others we had planned for. I was able to get to know the hilarious H. Quispe better who makes me laugh all the days. She is from Peru and she is just great. We found some menos activos that we hadn't know before and then I had to do some nursing. It was super great. Then we were babysitters at noche de rama on Wednesday where I ended up teaching piano and those that know me know that I don't really play. Exciting stuff. 

Then the "dragon" hit really bad and strong on Thursday night. (This is what the missionaries call food poisoning.) But luckily I was still able to work and we were able to go to lunch on Saturday and be with Vanessa. She was really struggling this day with the cravings to smoke again but we were able to call the elders and they came and were able to give her a Priesthood blessing. I am SO GRATEFUL for the priesthood and the blessing it is in our lives to bless and help us at any given moment. That is why those who possess it have to live worthy to exercise it siempre <everyday>. 

I had a presentation I had to prepare to give in the zone conference we had yesterday. Worked out pretty well and I was also able to sing "Savior Redeemer of My Soul" with Elder Umbides (Elder Hutchison at the piano) and it was awesome. I couldn't think too much about the words or I just started crying. It is so true what they say. "Chasten my soul till I shall be, in harmony with thee. Make me more worthy of thy love and fit me for the life above." Truly when things are hard are we BECOMING...are we CHANGING...because as Brad R. Wilcox said in his talk about grace...."have we been saved by grace? YES! But the real question is have we been CHANGED by the grace of god? That is what we are after. That is what we are seeking!"

Also I read today in Ether about after 344 days the first thing the people did when they stepped on land after being in a closed boat without natural light and with lots of livestock was not to run around and yell, "I'm free" or "LAND!!!!" (like I would do). They dropped to their knees and thanked the Lord for their safety and arrival to the promised land and the companionship of the Lord siempre. We all must strive to search more to be like this pueblo <town/group> and look for and always be first to give this thanks to our Father in Heaven for what He gives us. Trials and all. 

Love you and remember you are all loved by the greatest creator of all the worlds,

Hermana Albach