Powerful

Hey there familia!

Man so this is literally my.last.email. as a missionary to you guys at home! WEIRD!!!! and let me tell you today is BUSSSSSSSYYYYYYY

We were up late last night as i was packing (what a mess that is) and cleaning the apartment to get it ready for Hermana Alvarez's BABYYYYY! somebody is gonna be a momma :) shes gonna do great!  And then today we've got to do some super running around--post office, office max, cvs, grocery store, pottery place, having lunch with the bishop and his wife, then we got to go see the famila chavez and the familia guzman hoy....and the zone leaders and the english elders in our area are kidnapping us for the afternoon-don't know what we are doing? but with them its pretty much guaranteed to be fun. And then we are getting some deep dish pizza (one last time out here) and yeah. Good way to go home :)

This week has been AMAZING! we taught 37 lessons, found 2 new investigators, had a wedding and 4 baptisms! :) It was pretty sweet. Let me tell you though i am so exhausted. its like ill be fine and then ill sit down for a bit and the exhaustion will just hit me like a sack of bricks. its like my body knows that mission is up and so its slowing down. idk its weird....RMs should understand what I'm saying. this is a pretty common thing I hear. so I am looking forward to catching u on some z's :)

the wedding on Friday was absolutely amazing! this ward has seriously been one of the driving forces for the amount of success that is in this area. They are so pumped about missionary work it is exciting to work here. The wedding was so beautiful that the ward put together. we literally had to do nothing. and i can pretty much guarantee you that any other missionaries in any other area would have had to plan out the whole wedding. but here. man that was such a cool blessing. and really helped la familia chavez feel super welcome. They were so happy and the kids are even super excited that their parents got married finally.

and the baptisms on Saturday--OH MY GOSH!!!!!! so cool. Like my favorite and I am so happy that that is how i got to end my mission. I was talking to Carina and Carlos after (ages 12 and 10) about how they felt and this is what they said "Its like the water was tight around my waist but then I like got in the water and i just felt like this happy inside. Like a little kid and i just wanted to jump and scream I'm so happy." "yeah its like a feeling i cant describe. I loved it." The chavez family was one huge miracle that i feel so blessed to have been able to see. :) we wern't teaching them 5 weeks ago. didn't even know they were there. and boom--lord performs miracles. :)

So Ive been thinking  about how i could end my last email to you all and i thought---you need to know some of the things Ive learned on mission

so 10 things Ive learned being in the Spanish Program:

1.) Sin tortillas, no hay vida

2.) You can eat chile with ANYTHING. Literally ANYTHING...fruits, candy, water, pizza, ice cream--whatever. chile goes right along with it

3.) If you ask for Agua, you re gonna get anything BUT water.

4.) You spend more money on your car than your house

5.) When you run out of storage in your kitchen--your dishwasher and oven make great cupboards.

6.) If you don't have curtains-bedsheets do just fine.

7.) If you don't have utensils, don't worry. you can use your tortilla

8.) If you don't have a napkin, don't worry. you can use your tortilla

9.) If you don't feel well, Vicks cures EVERYTHING.

10.) There's Mexican standard time. There's Mormon standard time. When you put the two together--Mexican Mormon Time---ohhhh boy.  

10 things Ive learned being on a mission

1.) Miracles happen EVERYDAY when you expect them.

2.) If you let him, God will always guide you

3.) Eternal Marriage is essential

4.) My parents are my biggest support and they know a ton

5.) I thirst for the scriptures.

6.) Prayer should be a literal conversation with God.

7.) The Spirit is Real and it is POWERFUL

8.) Its when we give our all to God that he makes of us a masterpiece

9.) Communication with your companion is necessary. When you re in unity-anything is possible

10.) My testimony is secure in this gospel. I will not move for I am a Disciple of Christ.

Thanks to everyone that has been there for me-supporting and praying for me. it has been a huge help. I have felt them. They have kept me going in the hard times and helped me enjoy the good ones even more. This mission has meant everything to me and I know it has changed me and my life for the better. Missions are the best thing out there. Seriously. bombskies. If your questioning whether to go or not--GO! do it. High chances you ll regret not going on a mission--but you ll NEVER regret going. its the best. Ive loved it!

pues hasta pronto entonces! :) les quiero mucho!

se cuidan!

paz y amor,
hermana maughan