Monday, November 18, 2013

November 18, 2013 La semana de CUMPLEANOS! :D‏

How in the world are you all doing??
 
I know I say this every week... but I have SO much to write I can't even begin where to remember to remember :) Ha, that's quite the mouthful of a sentence. Anyhow, what a week!!! On Tuesday we had Zone conferences. Can I just say ever single time we have a meeting with President Durrant I walk away feeling like in this work we can take on the world! :) Of course we could never do it alone, the Savior and our Heavenly Father are the most important. With them, we truly can do anything :) During the conference we were able to build towers out of paper. We then had a competition where we got to use spray bottles and a blow dryer to try and destroy the towers made out of paper. It was such a blast!! Our President compared it with Helaman 5:12. "12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." He pointed out this scripture doesn't say if the devil sends forth his mighty whirlwinds but WHEN. Our time of testing is now. Trials will come. But we can be strong and overcome them with faith in Christ :) There is always hope. Which reminds me of one of my favorite quotes... "All will be alright in the end. If it's not alright, it's not the end." Something like that :) Take a few minutes and go look at a night sky with all the stars and I promise you'll be able to feel a little hope from above :) Anyways, zone conference was truly amazing. The next day we had the opportunity of going to the temple!!! I was SO excited see as how I haven't been to the temple since the MTC and it's my first time here in the Dallas Temple. It was absolutely incredible. To just sit and feel of the peace and truly forget all about the world was amazing. We got to go as a zone and that hardly ever happens! President Durrant told zones that if they reached their baptismal goals 2 months in a row then we could go. We missed ours barely but another zone got it more than once so they gave their turn to us. I love how President Durrant always motivates us positively. I have learned to be a true and great leader you must show those you lead that you truly, truly love them :) I invite any of you that haven't been to the temple for a while or who haven't been there at all to get there!! It is a place where we can find peace. Where we can find true and everlasting joy :) So a few funny stories for the week. Wednesday we needed Hermana McDonald's bike back. We already had one and the Elders had borrowed the other one. So we decided that she would run and I would bike to their house and then get the bike and we could both ride back together. When we got there the front tire was half way flat.... we didn't have a way to pump it so Hermana McDonald (the champion of all champions) hops on the bike anyways and we just prayed we'd make it home! We found if she was riding really fast then it wasn't so bad. Too funny and we eventually made it home :) Also, we have pets!! Well, sorta. One night we were in an apartment complex not too far from our house but still probably a couple of miles. There was this stray looking dog outside and it was coming after us. We went into the house for the appointment and when we came out it was gone. The next morning we came outside and it was outside our door. I am CONVINCED it is the same dog. Anyways, we felt really bad so we gave it some food and called animal services to see what they could do. When we came home again... there were two dogs. The animal services said they couldn't come until today so since then we have been feeding them and they have been following us around EVERYWHERE! It's the funniest thing :) We sure will miss them when they come and pick them up :( Friday was another funny day. Remember when I talked about how I tripped while running?? Well I did that and I have also tripped up stairs 2 my time with Hermana McDonald!! Can you believe that?? So embarrassing :) We're teaching 3 sisters that live in the same apartment complexes and it happened at one of their houses. The next time we visited the other sister she asked who had fallen up the stairs?? Too funny and SO embarrassing :) So like myself :) The people here that we are teaching are amazing!! I learned how to make tamales this week with one of them named Blanca. They were so stinkin' good!! They have the cutest family and I am so hoping we can get them into the Gospel. We haven't gotten them to church yet but I am praying we will be able to. We are also teaching their next door neighbors. The mom is a member and the daughter is 17 and she is going to have a baby in a few months. It has been a really tough situation to work with because the mom and the daughter don't get along but we love them so much and we are hoping that Ana (the daughter) will see why she needs the Gospel in her life. We are also teaching another Blanca. She had told us she wanted to be baptized and we were so excited! We finally got to teach the husband and he said that he would like to be baptized as well so we are super excited to keep working with them!! Sadly, they didn't come to church this last week but we will keep working with them. I don't remember if I have talked about Alma y Ramon. Alma was baptized but Ramon (her ex-husband) still isn't. We had the MOST powerful lesson about the Book of Mormon with them this last week. Before we went in we said a  prayer. Hermana McDonald prayed that we could have the Prophets who have written the scriptures be in the lesson with us, testifying with us that it is the word of God. That made a huge impression on me. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and I know that if you will read it every day you will have more power to do good in your life. If you read the Book of Mormon every day you will be happier. It was saved for our day for a reason :) People died so that we could have it in our hands. Open it!!!! Also, Hermana McDonald has taught me so much about faith. Faith is power. She is such a good example of showing this :) When we work hard and put our faith in God nothing is impossible! There are still days I start to wonder if I can keep going, if I'll ever speak Spanish fluently, if we are going to have more baptisms, etc. Then I have to remember all the blessings and miracles I have seen in my life and I know I have no choice but to press on :) So remember how my birthday is this Wednesday? :) Well my companion's birthday is this THURSDAY!!! We are definitely going to have to have a fiesta :D Alma said she wants to get us a cake or something :) I am so excited! Also, Lili y David are going to be baptized this Sunday the 24th :) From my last area. I AM SO EXCITED!!!! Hermana McDonald and I are going to drive up there Saturday night to go to the baptism. I couldn't be more thrilled :) They are so ready! They sent me a letter this last week and it had a picture of Choco (their chocolate lab that I love in it) and said he missed me. Haha, too funny! Well, that's about all for this week. Thank goodness we didn't have to kill any more cock roaches this week!!! Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes :) It's going to be the best golden birthday ever!! One last birthday miracle... so today we were doing our laundry and we started talking to this lady that was folding laundry by us. As the conversation keeps going we got to explain that we're missionaries and that we share a message about Jesus Christ. We then found out she was from El Salvador. The people from there are seriously the nicest I have ever met!! Also, they make papusas there... (my favorite.) Next thing we know... she asks us when we can come over and that she will teach us how to make them!!!! :D and... WE'RE GOING OVER ON MY BIRTHDAY!!! :) Even better she already lives next to some members and some less actives in our ward. Such a miracle :) Well I love you all!!! Oh and I hit my 6 month mark on the 15th. Where in the world has time gone??? Another favorite quote... "You don't find the happy life. You make it." Enjoy every day and make yours the happy life!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!! Que tengan buen semana :) Les quiero mucho! Ya dije? Me encanta espanol :) Hablo con ustedes proximo semana!!!
 
Con Amor, Hermana Hadlock :D











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