Monday, July 27, 2015

July 27, 2015


Hola mis cariรฑos!


What amazing pictures this week. So fun to hear from all of you! I'm
glad you guys are had a great holiday and are enjoying having wetty
home :) I sure love you guys!



This week was absolutely AMAZING. I know I say that a lot, but this
week was filled with SO many miracles. We had made a goal this week to
try our best to really listen and follow The Spirit and the results
were incredible. I can't wait to tell you all about it!



First off, La Familia Benitez :) The girls have always had the desires
to get baptized and have always loved the spirit they feel at church,
but still wanted their testimonies to grow a little more before they
took that step. We stressed the importance of reading in the book of
mormon, and the change in these two girls is incredible. The book of
mormon is true! Vanessa has always had a strong testimony, she has
just needed help with the word of wisdom. But I am happy to report
that Vanessa came to church for the first time in years yesterday! All
three of them are preparing to be baptized August 14th and we are
praying so hard for them. My favorite thing about their family is the
power that these two girls have. I never really understood what the
scriptures meant by becoming as little children until I met Cory and
Judy. Yes they are 16 and 10, but their testimonies are changing their
family. Incredible!



Next, Susi and her girls. Oh I love this family so much! We talked
about their doubts and fears this week and came to the conclusion that
the answers would be in the scriptures and through fasting. We are
going to be fasting with them this next week to help them recognize
their answer, but they really are progressing so much. It's amazing to
me to hear how their testimonies have grown in the last to months. We
also talked about temples this week and they fell in love it was so
darling haha! They all are so excited to go to the temple one day. I
love that place!



And now Lilian. She is incredible. I really can't say it enough! Last
night we met with her and we had Yami help us and it was such a
powerful lesson. Hearing Yami testifying about the truth of the gospel
was the most amazing experience for me! It helped Lilian so much too.
She knows and accepts that these things are true, and her love for the
church and the book of mormon grow every time we meet with her. Her
prayers are amazing! Her and Kleo (the member that stopped us about 3
months ago) aren't married so that is our main obstacle that we are
working with right now. We are helping them move this week into a new
apartment though, so we are hoping that once they get all settle in
we'll see some miracles.



We had a zone conference this week and we talked about the importance
of unity. Unity between our companions and other missionaries of
course, but also between the ward members where we are serving. It
made me realize that it doesn't matter if we are in an island of the
coast of Africa, Italy, or the Meadows ward. We all have the same
purpose of returning to the presence of our Heavenly Father and we
need to do our best to make sure that everyone gets there. It makes me
want to work harder where ever I am serving here.



Our God is a God of miracles! And I witnessed so many this week. There
is now greater joy for me than to see all of these people that I love
so dearly walking through the church doors on Sunday. Everyone came
yesterday! Oh I love being a missionary. Sorry this email was a novel,
congrats if you made it through ๐ŸŽ‰ love you guys and I hope you have a
great week!



Xo,
Hermana Marsh



P.S. I am currently writing you on a bus on the way to the south of
the island. iPads are great and this island is beautiful! ๐Ÿ“ฑ๐ŸŒž๐ŸŒด๐Ÿ˜Š

we went to the dunes in the south today! ;) they are amazing!!!
Arabian niiiiiiiggts!
 Right after our attempt at taking a jumping pic haha!

 Denisse :) she's the cutest!




Monday, July 20, 2015

July 20, 3015


Hi cute family!
Oh this weeks pictures are so great. I seriously am dying so many fun
things are happening! Steph coming home, Ginny's blessing, birthdays,
and new babies! Our family is pretty blessed. So fun to see you all
together. This week was a great one in Las Palmas, I'm so excited to
tell you all about it!

First off, I want to tell you about the miracles we had with Susi and
her girls this week. The Roka's (members) were out of town this week
so we decided to do some service with them and paint their dance
studio. It was so fun! The girls had disney music in Spanish playing
all morning and I am happy to report that I am now ready for Disney
Scene it in Spanish. Libre Soy, Hijo del Hombre, Bajo del Mar, you
name it I am ready to go :) We had so much fun they really make me so
happy! We met with them after church as well and had a really great
lessons. They are at the point where they have heard all the lessons,
now they just need to take the leap of faith and get baptized! They
are doing their part, and I have no doubt that The Lord will answer
their prayers. But for now, we are just waiting, hoping, and praying!
I really love this family though they are incredible.

Next, Lilian! This woman has so much faith and LOVES her Heavenly
Father. It has been such a joy to teach her. This week we were able to
touch a little bit more about the gospel of Jesus Christ. She comes
from a Jehovahs Witness background, so the Bible is really important
to her and the idea of a new book was a strange thought to her. She is
reading though and her doubts are leaving! And she absolutely loves
church which is the greatest. She has progressed so much this week and
I am excited to see what the future has in store for her!

Vanessa and her girls are also doing great. I absolutely adore my
investigators you guys! This week in our lesson they made me cry,
which believe it or not doesn't happen that much! Cory was sick
yesterday so her and Vanessa had to stay home from church, but Judy
came with her grandpa and loved it as always. We are holding off on
their baptism until they have a little bit stronger testimonies, but
they are doing their part and are continuing to progress.

Our two recent converts received callings this week! Yajaira (she got
baptized in January and I adore her!) is going to be a counselor in
the Young Womens, and Yamilka is going to be a ward missionary! Now we
don't have to feel guilty about having her help in lessons :) They
both will be great I am so excited for them.

we had our mission tour this week at it was amazing. I love the Packs!
I was really nervous about getting a new mission president, but I know
that he was called of God to be here in Spain and him an his wife are
both incredible. It was so fun to get to know them a little this week,
I am excited for the next 8 months with them!

I think that is about it for this week. It was a great one! It is
getting pretty hot in the islands, but much worse in the peninsula so
we aren't complaining too much. Thank you so much for the love and
support, I couldn't do this without you guys! I am so thankful for
your wonderful examples and for the opportunity to serve the Lord.
Have a great week, I love you!

xo,
Hermana Marsh

Sent from my iPad
Hermana Finch :) Words don't describe how much I love this girl!!
 and Hermana Santiago :) We celebrated our 10 month this week! It's
been so fun to be doing this mission thing with her and Hermana Toone
by my side. Love these missionaries!
 and oh were they good. :)
 sleepover!! :)


Tuesday, July 14, 2015

July 13, 2015

Mis Cariรฑos :)
Thank you so much for all of the great emails, pictures, and videos this week you all look great. Especially Steph!! I seriously can't believe how great she looks make sure to send lots of my love her way this week :) 

Okay before I start I need to give a little update. We are having our mission tour right now so president and sister pack are here, their kids, and all of the missionaries in the islands are here in Las Palmas! We are having so much fun I love the Packs. They have the biggest hearts and they are so ready to serve the lord. We've only been together for a few hours and I've already fallen in love with them they are amazing. We played sports this morning, went out to lunch, then will have our conference tomorrow. Plus Hermana Finch and Santiago are here and are staying at my house tonight :) so stayed tuned for that next week! We are having lots of fun this is a great group of missionaries. 

We have a lot of stuff going on today so I'm sorry that this week will be a little short. I'll be honest though, it was a little bit of a harder one. But it is okay because I have felt the love of the lord even more this week! Our investigators are doing well, but 2 to 3 aren't filling our schedules and we've really been fighting to get new investigators. Saturday nightfinally came and the only thing I felt like I could do at that point is pray. And that I did! I don't know if I've ever prayed that hard before. And what happened Sunday at church was the biggest blessing comfort Heavenly Father could give me. 

First off, so many of our less actives came that I haven't seen at church in weeks. Then a family that the missionaries met with a while ago came and have a lot of potential, I'm excited to work with them. And last but not least, Susi and her girls. They have been coning for about a month now, but we had a lesson this week where she told us she didn't know if she could come this week because she has been struggling financially and had an opportunity to work. We taught that when we put the lord first he will bless us, and she came! We are praying hard for her. She has heard everything and her girls are ready, she just wants to be sure. We will see! 

Lilian wasn't able to come to church this week but she is continuing to progress so well. I have really never met someone more kind than her and she is so ready to hear the gospel. Every time we talk to her, my testimony is more strengthened that the lord is preparing people. Which gives me a lot of hope! Even though this week was a harder one, I know this is the lords work and everything happens in his time for a reason. 

Thank you so much for the emails and especially the prayers. I can feel your love and support and would not be able to do this without you! The church is true and even when it's hard, I couldn't feel more blessed for the opportunity to be a missionary and share it with others. I love this work!! Have a wonderful week I love you guys! 

Xo
Hermana Marsh

This is Scarlett, Lilian's daughter and I love her. She makes being
away from my littles not QUITE so hard ;)
 Susi drinks mona vie!!! I tried a little bit and I still think it
tastes funny. Sorry Henry!
 We taught mutual this week and I can't even tell you how great this
group of girls is. Plus 3 of them are daughters of investigators :)


Monday, July 6, 2015

July 6, 2015

We are proud to be Americans. ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ
 My shoes died this week. But don't worry I found those babies on my

feet on sale for 11 euros :) I love rebajas!

 My cute English students. We made snicker doodles this week ( in

English of course) and they were a hit!

Mi Familia :)

You look darling. Thank you so much for the fun pictures and videos I
am the luckiest. Can you believe it's July?! It's crazy how fast the
time flies. Another transfer has come and gone and I am happy to
report that Hermana Rossberg and I will be staying together! There is
a lot of work to be done here and I'm very excited for the next six
weeks.

This week was an incredible one. I have a new investigator to tell you
about! Her name is Lilian and she is a miracle. She is living with a
less active that just starting coming back to church and it is amazing
to see how The Lord is preparing this family. I wish I had time to go
into detail about it all!! Remind me to tell you when I get home ;)
she's great and I'm so excited to see her progress.

Susi and her girls are doing great! We had our birthday party Monday,
had a lesson with them Wednesday, spent almost all day Saturday with
them at the young womens activity, church Sunday, and they ate with us
at the Roka's after. I hope they aren't sick of us haha :) Carmen and
Stefi (her girls) were brave and bore their testimonies at church
yesterday and they are so darling. Brightest testimonies! Susi is
progressing so much as well. So excited for this family!

The Benitez family is doing great as well. The girls were able to come
to the young women activity with us and came to the baptism of one of
a little girl in our ward. They loved it!! We also had a great lesson
with their mom Vanessa and all three accepted the invitation to be
baptized. There are still some things we need to cover, but lots of
potential with them.

Yami bore her testimony yesterday as well and I just bawled like a
baby. She'll never stop being our miracle! Great things are in store
for this girl.

That's about it for this week! My heart is very full as Steph is
officially done with her mission. What an incredible example and
partner she is! It was sure a blessing to have her serving by my side
these last 10 months. Be sure to give her the biggest hugs for me!! I
love you guys- thank you so much for the prayers. They are felt and
appreciated! I am so thankful for this opportunity to be a missionary.
One of the greatest blessings I have ever been given! Have a wonderful
week! ๐Ÿ˜˜

Xoxo,
Hermana Marsh