I am where I need to be

Hello family!!

 

So I haven't really told you details about the mission area itself. The "major cities" we cover are Incline Village, NV and Truckee, California. Most of My area is in California. I think I already mentioned that the Ward is about 500 square miles. Thus far, we haven't been doing any tracting. Everyone is pretty spread out so that isn't really effective. This week we spent alot of time attempting to find the people the Elders were teaching before we got here. One family we found, we are teaching tonight! We also spent a day over in Truckee going around to less active member's homes to get to know them. We are still just trying to get to know everyone in the Ward and work with them to find more people to teach. We have been teaching B----- alot this last week, he is 13 and is set for baptism on Friday! It has been interesting teaching him. He is definately a 13 year old. who has a hard time sitting still, so we've been a bit creative with him and the lesson we had with him last night was the best so far. He was paying attention to the things we were teaching and not as distracted.

I know that the changes we saw in B----- were because of the changes he's made in his life! He is reading the Book of Mormon everyday and praying everyday!Those 2 things really have an impact in our lives. I know that for myself, studying the Book of Mormon has helped me to focus on learning and has helped prepare me to teach!

And, I know that Heavenly Father is watching over us everyday! My companion and I were heading to a ward function the other day, both of us were carrying alot of stuff and kept dropping things as we headed to the truck. She was frusterated. I said that maybe Heavenly Father was preventing something bad from happening to us. She didn't really believe me. As we got into the truck, though, we heard sirens and as we left there was an accident on the road we usually take, it looked as if a car had hit a person who was maybe biking or something. If we had left just 3 min earlier we probably would have been a part of that. I am SO GLAD that Heavenly Father is protecting me, I know that he blessed me in that instance because I am here doing his work! And I am sure that there are many other instances that I am unaware of that He is watching over me and helping me right now.

Later that same day we taught Y-------'s family how to hold a family home evening. My companion helped me learn some phrases in Spanish so that I could start off the lesson, boy do I feel like I talk so slow when I am speaking Spanish! But, the spirit was so strong in that lesson! It felt so good to be teaching in Spanish, even though I can still mostly only read in spanish out loud for them to understand even if I can't understand it all!

I have never been so sure that I am where I need to be, that the Lord wants me to be at this place at this time, as I feel right now on my mission. I know that there is still so much for me to learn. And it isn't a piece of cake- but I know I am becoming someone who the Lord is proud of and can count on!

Thanks for your support and your prayers! I love you all!!

Love,

Sister Goodwin