I've been waiting for a camera card that's supposed to be coming in the mail so I can post a bunch of Camille's past pictures with this post, but I'll have to put those pictures up later. Hopefully the card isn't lost in the mail -I will cry!!! Here is Monday's email with a couple of photos that came with it. I think they were taken that very day.
Mi Familia!
...I'm so happy to be here. La Confrencia General was incredible. I don't think I have ever needed Conference as much as I did this weekend. We watched it in our chapel (It was played in Spanish but we got to use headphones and listen in English) and I never once got bored sitting in those pews. And it was so great to think that you guys and Scott were all watching at the exact same time. :)
The weather here has been very un-Texan. It's been pretty cold! We had a super-awesome torrential rainstorm on Tuesday that flooded some of the streets. It was really fun, especially because we have a car. :)
So. Missionary work. In the Riverside ward we have been focusing a ton on recent converts/less actives. This means I have met a bajillion new people since I've gotten here. It's been kind of overwhelming. I just feel so disconnected; I just don't know what's going on most of the time. But at the same time it has been really cool to get to know and help so many people.
And it's been so rewarding. Not only have we been able to help strengthen the testimonies of so many rcla's, but we've found so many new investigators through our rcla work. For example, we found Abacu--the sweetest old man you'll ever meet--outside when Jesus Hernandez wasn't home. And we found Alfredo y Erica when we went over to visit Erica's aunt Monica. Lorena and her daughters were referrals from the husband of a menos activa. It just testifies to us that we are doing what Heavenly Father wants us to be doing here.
We set dates for Abacu and Alfredo y Erica last week. Also, Lorena and Veronica agreed to get baptized. But since then we've had some bad luck. Abacu went to Mexico to visit a sick friend and he won't be returning until the 23rd, 3 days after the date we had set. We haven't been able to get a hold of Alfredo y Erica, which is really sad because they were so excited about the gospel. And Lorena wants to get baptized but she's a single mom and works on Sundays. Dimas is the same: he is supporting his family back in Guatemala and always works. He hasn't been able to come to church yet and it's difficult for us to visit him.
Here everyone is willing to listen. But it's really hard for them to get all the way to baptism. Everyone here is very poor and working on Sunday is a necessity. Another problem we often run into is couples living together who aren't married. Like Erica y Jose: they've been taking the lessons forever but can't get married because they don't have papers. There are a lot of couples who are just stuck like that.
Being an active member of the church is such a sacrifice for these people. I am amazed at the faith of these members. They are going to have incredible mansions in heaven, no doubt about it.
My companionship is still hard but my companions are so great. I feel like we teach with such unity. They have shown me how to teach lovingly and passionately. And they just love everyone! They are so friendly and caring and are always so sincerely ready to jump to the aid of anyone they meet. They show me how to focus on the one and how to make anyone's day. I love it.
Spanish is coming, too. Yesterday I could totally understand Hermana Gonzalez! I'm kind of at the point where I know what's going on but I can't think hard enough to get out a response before someone else does. I've been trying hard to speak and not be afraid of messing up. It's coming. It's frustrating though and sometimes I'm legitimately angry at Spanish for getting in the way of my conversations. But it's coming.
Mucho, mucho amor,
Hermana Lund
Camille and her companions (and their car) on p-day with Jesus, a less-active member they are working with who works at a car wash.
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