Hermana Amy Geis: 2015-04-05

Hello everyone!

So this week Pday changed to today, because today we went to the TEMPLE! It was so awesome :)

This past week, another huge miracle happened. So about when i first got to cartago, the bishop sent us a reference of an inactive family that nobody had ever visited. So we called right away and they recieved us super warmly and were way excited that we had come (i might have written about them before). Rosa and Roberto are life long members, sealed in the temple, but havent gone to church for about a year and all their kids except one are inactive. It was interesting because they showed us a bunch of photo albums and told us a bunch of stories, and basicall their whole life has revolved around the church. So we were thinking, How could you have not gone all this time?? Theres always a reason and we found out why, but it has been AMAZING because rosa and roberto have completely reactivated themselves - and that is not easy to do. Since the day we visited them, they have come every sunday and to every activity and are working towards going back to the temple. It is amazing. Rosa actually told us that whenever she has had doubts about the church, Heavenly Father has showed her that its true. She had prayed and asked God if this was really His church, and right after that we called her - so she took that as her answer again.

So anyways, the second time we visited them (probably like a month ago) the bishop went with us. And we found out that their three grandchildren, Carla (15), Adrian (12) and Cristofer (13) were never baptized. So the bishop said, ¨they need to be baptized! How about this sunday!¨ And they were like, ¨sure!! we´re readu any day!¨ Hahaha we were laughing because it was so crazy. But we wanted to teach them first obviously and make sure they understood everything. So we visited them a few times every week and we had originally put their baptismal date for march, but we wanted to wait a few more weeks to prepare them more. But then our zone leaders called us the beginning of last week and asked us if we thought they were ready to be baptized. we prayed about it, and for some reason, we really felt like they should be baptized that week. It was funny because when hermana chatwin and i talked about it, we told each other, ¨I dont think they should be baptized this week, but the spirit is telling me that they should!¨ Haha so we really had to trust heavenly father and trust that response. So we went with them and their family and brought our ward mission leader, and we challenged them to be baptized THAT SUNDAY. And they accepted. It was a miracle.

So on sunday, the three of them got baptized :) They were SO happy it was so awesome. And the grandparents were so happy as well. I am so excited for them to start growing within the church, and i know that they will stay strong and do so much good within the church.

So basically this month of march was amazing for our area. But hermana chatwin and i feel like we did nothing. Honestly. It was Heavenly Father. We set even higher goals for april, and we knew that that would make satan work harder - and it totally has. He is trying to break our faith but we wont let that happen. We know that the Lord is in charge and that he is preparing people for us to find.

For example, a member who used to be the ward mission leader gave us some old papers of missionaries from like 2 years ago, that had info of people they had taught. So we saw some info about a family that had been to church a bunch of times, and decided to call them. It was a miracle because they were so excited to hear from the missionaries again and let us come and visit them! So we found out that they know practically all the members in the ward, they went to church for like 6 months straight, and the only problem is that they are not married! The dad, Jorge, told us that they stopped going to church because the missionaries got transferred and then they just lost touch - that happens a lot, investigators stop progressing just because they lose touch with the missionaries or whatever other reason. They said that they talked a lot about marriage with the missionaries, but it just didnt work out back then. They said that maybe this is the time. Jorge also said that there are some things about the church that he just doesnt fully understand - so thats really the problem. Because when he understands, he will kow its true. So we are working super hard with them to explain everything and help them gain a testimony of everything. They accepted a baptismal date for the end of april, and we just have to work with them for their marriage!

So im sure lots of you have heard or seen, but the church put out a video for easter. In english it´s ¨Because he lives¨. Ok now i just love this video. Every time i watch it it gets better. I just feel so GOOD when i watch it, and i feel so much peace and gratitude for Jesus Christ. Please go watch it if you havent yet, its like 2 minutes. And its so powerful, and personal to each one of us.

I am just loving the mission and am grateful for every day. I have so much to improve and change, but I know that we can all change and get a little better every day. My testimony is so strong and i know that this church is true and the Christ lives.

Oh my gosh and its general conference this weekend! Everyone better watch every session! ;) D&C 1:38.

I love you all and thank you so much for everything! pura vida!

Love, hermana geis :)