Hermana Jennifer Hadlock: October 14, 2013 A Rainy Day.... :) Gotta Love 'Em!!‏

Buenos Tardes Quierdo Familia y Amigos!!! :D

So uh, I've learned that lotion is not needed here in Texas. Today and during the night last night it has been raining :) I love the rain! It's so different here though than from Utah... #1 When it rains, IT RAINS! Normally the storms are pretty big. #2 More rain means cooler weather and a happier Hermana Hadlock :) #3 It means LOTS of humidity and Hermana Hadlock not even bothering to do her hair :) I thought I would get used to the humidity and most of the time it doesn't bother me... but on days like today I just have to laugh because it's like you're breathing air! I'm not quite sure why Texans haven't morphed (don't know if that's spelled right... my spelling is getting funnier and funnier every day because of the Spanish :) ) into something with gills yet. Nah, it really isn't bad! Just no need for lotion or my hair straightner on days like today. Where do I start with this week? It has been a crazy one!! We have been working really hard to try and find 1500 new investigators as a mission in the month of October. So far, we are doing awesome!! It has been a lot of work but we haven't been knocking on doors as much either. We talk to EVERYONE we see in the streets and outside. It's kind of funny... sometimes we see people running in their apartments from us and ya just have to laugh :) The Elders are actually teaching a family right now that told us they used to run from the missionaries too! Now, they are loving the church and wanting to get baptized :) It's so awesome to see the change that takes place! This last week was a bit interesting... for 3 days we didn't have a car. Normally, it would be a little hard but not impossible. But the thing is that we live outside of our area and so it would take basically all day to walk out there. It's about 10 or 15 miles. So we had to find rides everywhere. It was a challenge but Hermana LeBaron and I were SO excited to get our car back on Friday when we went to pick it up and realized that the things they were supposed to fix on the car they hadn't fixed at all :( We had already paid for it and so they said that we could bring it back in and they would fix it! But that means another 2-3 days without a car. It makes for a challenge... but hey, we'll probably meet people we never would have met before :) That meant for a lot of walking during the first part of the week! We normally walk a lot anyways and just drive to the main area and get out. But to where we had no car, it meant walking everywhere. I am just SO grateful that didn't happen during July :) I am really excited about a family we have been visiting lately though :) Her name is Rosa and she has 5 little kids. We haven't really got to talk to the husband much... just for like 2 minutes when he got home when we had to be home so we were heading out. Maybe I wrote about her last week. She is a member and was raised Mormon but none of her kids are members or her husband. Her kids love us though and we love them so much!! Everytime we go over they draw us pictures and such :) I'll send a picture of the Halloween decorations they made us. They're SO cute! She didn't make it to church this last week but we are going to really try and get her there this coming week :) Honestly, she knows it's true I think we just gotta get her reading the Book of Mormon so she can feel that Spirit in her life again! I absolutely love this family :) We're excited to see what happens! Being on my mission has made me appreciatte so much more what I have in my life. It's so sad to see the hard things that people have to go through but I know that God knows them, loves them, and is ALWAYS mindful of them. I know that one day, all that they don't have right now, will be made up ten fold :) Oh yeah!! Something kinda crazy happened this week too. When we went to pick up our car we were really close to a TAQUERILLA (it's this place where I honestly feel like I am in Mexico) They have delicious street tacos for super cheap. We stopped there and it was hilarious because everyone stares at you because we're the only two white girls in there... we were waiting in line for our food and then this lady walks up to us and is kinda looking at us with a grin. I ask her in Spanish, "What are you thinking?" With a grin on my face... thinking she'll respond with something like, "Why are two white girls in a Taquerilla?" When she actually says, "You're beautiful angels of God" is spanish of course. We started talking to her and it turns out she was baptized in Venizuela. She loves the missionaries!! Since that time she has attended lots of other churches and her husband and son aren't members... so she wants to have the missionaries start coming! Sadly they aren't in our area :( So we sent the elders their way! Later that day, we contacted a really cute Hispanic family in Lewisville when they say hey we saw you at the Taquerilla earlier!!! Which is so crazy because it's pretty far away!! It's in a completely different city and everything. We talked with them for a bit and sadly they were just visiting a friend and didn't live in our area either :( so we sent the missionaries to go visit them where they live too! :) It truly was a couple miracles :) I am somewhat worried about Heidi y Angel... :( They didn't come to church this last week and haven't really been keeping any of the committments. It's just so sad because I know they know it's true!!! Keep them in your prayers :) Also, Ruben. He had been coming to church and conference and reading the BOM and we were SO excited but this last week he started working on Sundays so he won't be able to come to church anymore... :( We asked him if he would talk to his boss and he said he would try and get the day changed. Nevertheless, whatever happens he said he hasn't been drinking anymore! And without even us saying anything... he took out all his piercings (I think I talked about this before). He knows the Gospel has had an impact for good on his life and tells us that he knows it's true :) He said the other day he wants to get baptized so we were fighting tooth and nail with his job but it's not working out right now... so keep praying and hopefully soon we can work something out and he can be baptized!! If you ever doubt the Gospel, look at the miracles it brings and changes in peoples' lives :) It truly is incredible to watch. On a happy note... LILI Y DAVID are still incredible!!! They showed up to church again this week and even to the Noche de Espanidad we had on Saturday night!! :) I'll send pictures. All the different people from all the Hispanic countries brought food and music from their country. We got to go because Lili y David came :) It was so awesome! They have their test on the 25th and we are trying to get a solid date for soon after that :) The last thing I want to say... actually a challenge... this week do something nice for someone every day :) We challenged Rosa's family to do the same and all the little kids have papers! They write down the 1 nice thing they did that day and who they did it for. If they do it every day for a whole week, we told them we'd play a game of soccer with them on Saturday as part of the lesson :) I know that service brings joy. It makes us more open to feeling the Spirit. When we love and serve those around us we are going to find greater joy in our lives. Maybe even serve someone you have a harder time with or don't get along with... it's amazing the changes that can happen and the forgiveness that can come :) I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I feel His love for those I serve. Work hard and give it all your hard and share your testimony of Christ :) If you do that, todo esta vale la pena!! I also know that God has a sense of humor :) Let's be honest here... :) So look for the things that make you laugh!! Make someone else laugh :D

P.S. SHOUT OUT TO MY BEST FRIEND JYLLIAN SANCHEZ!!!! Happy 20th BIRTHDAY!!!! :D All my friends and I are getting old :) I'm gonna wear my nine- TEEN year old title proud for another month before I join the old geezer group :) LOVE YOU MY FRIEND!!!!

Until next week, I love you all :)

Con Amor, Hermana Jenny Hadlock!!