I can't believe it's already almost Thankgiving! There is so much to be grateful for right now. We're teaching a lot of amazing people and there will be more to come. As of now those we're teaching who are progressing are Maira Bravo; Silvia Rodriguez and her daughter Silvita; and Jose Gonzalez.
We're are still teaching Roberto Reza but he is very skeptical and doesn't seem like he wants to change or really know that this is the only true church. He has been attending church the last several Sundays, which is great, but we don't know if we will continue to teach him; we shall see.
This last Sunday Eva Lugo actually comitted to go to church. I asked if she knew the church was true and she said yes. I asked if she still wanted to be baptized and she quickly said yes. I asked her if she would do anything posible in order to be baptized and she said yes to this also. I then told her that she had to go to church or else she could not be baptized. I expressed to her that I know it is hard for her to commit to go but sometimes we have to make sacrifices and show forth our faith by our actions and then he can bless us. After saying this she said she would go. Crystal Torres, a member of the ward who was there during the lesson, told her she would give her a ride and everything. It was all set and I really thought she was going to go or maybe I was just hopeful of but she ended up not going yesterday because her family suddenly showed up to visit. Something always happens. So we're going to give her one more chance to go to church this coming Sunday and if she doesn't attend, we're going to have to sit down with her and tell her we can't teach then anymore unless she goes. That is going to be so hard but we have to do it. It's tough love as our mission President puts it. So hopefully she ends up going because that will be so sad if we have to stop teaching her.
But Maira, Jose, and Silvia are doing great! Maira comes to church on her own and still has the date to be baptized the 5 of Dic. Her kids loooove us too it's adorable =-) Jose came to church again yesterday and last night we gave him a baptism date for January 3 which he accepted, yay! Silvia is great. She is so involved in the classes and even asks the members for rides because she doesn't have a car, amazing! So tonight we have an appointment with her and we're going to commit her to baptism, which we probably should have done sooner but it's ok.
We're also now teaching Josefina and her mom Josefina. Laura Ramirez is one of the members in our ward. (Just a side note, Laura is amazing and loves accompanying us at our appointments. She is married to Marco who has only been a member for 1 year. He for a while didn't go to church and said he never had a testimony of the church and therir marriage just wasn't going very well; it was so sad but the last some weeks he's been going to church and totally coming around! They seem so much more happy now and flirt with each other again and it's just precious. We started teaching Marco, because he's was turning into a less active but now he's doing great. We had them go the appointment for Josefina and after the appointment of Jose last night and he, Marco, was helping out so much. I think Hermana Ramirez was pleasantly surprised at the things he was saying. It makes me sooo happy to see him coming around and their marriage doing better. Last night Laura told us that Marco is going to cry when we have to leave lol he laughed and agreed. Oooh I love them!) Anyway back to what I was talking about... So, we taught Josefina and her mother. Josefina is the girlfriend of Laura's son. She has been a little depressed because she has had complications with her pregnancy (yeah we'll have to get them married) and is now on bed rest and still has 3 months left. The lesson went soo well though. The spirit was so strong and I was fighting back tears when bearing my testimony at the end of the lesson. They loved it and all though they had never heard of Jose Smith and it was just all so different they said they liked it and wanted to learn more. They liked the feeling they had when we were teaching them. It was a good lesson, I was really gratefully for that. It was cool also because Josefina (the younger one who is pregnant) was telling us that she's gone to church, the Catholic church, but she didn't feel anything when she went. It was like they were just feeding information but she felt something different with what we were teaching and liked that we taught the only way you can know that it's true is by praying and reading. She said in the Catholic church they were told not to pray or read the bible. I'm guessing they believe in a blind faith kind of thing. I couldn't befeive that but I am so grateful that we do know that the only way we can know the truth of things is by reading and pondering the scriptures and especially when we ask our Father in Heaven in prayer. This church is the only true church and what a blessing that we can ask He who knows all whether this is His church or not. That's what they learned and they were excited to read from the Book of Mormon and pray about it. It just all makes sense and that's because it is true.
So yeah things are going good, lots to be grateful for. Maria Concepcion and Militza Paulin, who were recently baptized, are doing good. Maria is adorable and sooooo much sweeter and happy now that she has been baptized and received the Holy Ghost. It's AMAZING what the Gospel does to people =-) Militza is doing well for the most part but doesn't have that great of a life. We had no idea things were not going well at all with her husband or mother. She hadn't said anything to us but last week when we taught her she vented to us about everything that is going on. Before she was baptized she told us that she had tried to kill herself because she had severe depression feeling trapped and no one loved her or would help her. Things really aren't going better as far as her health or relationships with her husband and mother but she said there's something different that keeps me going, which is the Gospel. With the doctors permission, Militza even stopped taking her depression pills after she was baptized. I think those of us who have had the Gospel our whole lives take it for granted. There are others out there who know what it's like to not have it in their lives. Militza was on the verge of killing herself before she had it but now, even though things are not going a lot better, she has found hope and peace. This is what the Gospel can do for others. I hope that those of us who have the Gospel in our lives will not take it for granted and will share this infinite gift with as many people as possible. With Christmas coming up I hope your hearts will be turned to others and you will think of who you may share the greatest gift you can EVER give to someone, which is the Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love you all soooo much and wish you the best Thanksgiving!!!!!! We all have sooooo much to be grateful for =-)
Love,
Hermana Alvey
P.S. I know this letter is already so long but I have a challenge for you all. In our mission they have challenged us to read the whole Book of Mormon by the end of January. I can't begin to express to you what the Book of Mormon has done for me in my life! No matter how many times you have or haven't read the Book of Mormon, I challenge you to start reading The Book of Mormon today and finish it by Feb. 1. We all were given a red pencil and we highlight where ever Christ is mentioned. I've been challenged to do this and I hope you will take up this challenge also, no matter how busy your schedule may be many blessings will come and we can do it together! =-) Let me know how it goes and any thoughts or experiences you have when fulfilling this challenge!
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