Buenos Dias!! We had an awesome week!

I can't believe how fast the time is flying by. I feel like I just got here still but I guess its been two and a half months. We already have transfers again in a couple weeks. It's way crazy how fast the time flies in the mission! Have to make the most of every day :) 

Peru!!!

I'm writing kinda early today because there's some cultural festival thing in al centro or the socalo I think it's called. We went there my second week here and it's way huge and I got some cool pictures. But today they have some thing where there's lots of different cultures and food and stuff from each country. It sounds cool :) I am using half of my time now and then will get on later to send pictures! 

With the toy story guy in the street!

U.S. just had hotdogs, cupcakes and brownies! Pretty funny :)

I am having a hard time keeping up with replying to emails so sorry but I still LOVE getting them and hearing from everyone. Madison Rose! I have lots I want to tell you. I will hopefully get time to email you later today but if not I will get a letter in the mail soon :) Glad Kerry is pushing you to start family history more. We got permission to do it on pdays and I teach it lots! It's hard to find time but I'll work on it when I can. Pretty sure there are still some names on my user that you could take to the temple :) I'm SO excited for you and Siena to start swim lessons!! You are going to LOVE it!!! Oh and tell Siena happy birthday! Even though I'm a month late! Also I love your goals to share the gospel! Share them with the Lord in your prayers. As you pray specifically you will receive specific answers of how you can share the gospel and be an instrument in His hands. There is nothing better than the joy that comes from sharing the gospel and watching others accept it and change their lives for the better! Love you! Looks like you and Dad had a successful fishing trip as well! Good work! 

Japan!!

We had another baptism yesterday! She had been taking lessons since October and almost all the Elders who had taught her were able to come too! That's the plus about having a small mission! With their extra companions and all there were 12 missionaries there! It was way fun and the Spirit was really strong! We all sang together and took some fun pictures. Mahetzi is the girl who was baptized. Her boyfriend is a member but had been inactive. It's been really sweet to watch how her example has helped him come back. They both had a glow on their faces yesterday. It was really a beautiful day!

With Mahetzi!!

All the missionaries that came! And her with her boyfriend.

We had divisions again this week! I love working with other Hermanas and getting to know them. Hermana Campbell came to my area! All the Hermanas in our mission are really so great! There was another small earthquake this week. Only a 5.0 I think. Around 3 in the morning. My companion and I were asleep and didn't feel anything though :) 

We love the metros!! Or subway. Especially when its empty like this :) Nap time.

Romina just keeps improving more and more!! The fruits of the mission are so sweet! Ivan Diaz still came to church yesterday! That's the family whose mother just past away. Him and his mom were the only ones who were really active so I'm sure it was really hard for him to come without her. We are working with the other family members and sharing with them the plan of salvation. We are so blessed to have the knowledge that this life isn't the end and that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us. Thanks to our Savior Jesus Christ, we can all be resurrected. The gospel is so beautiful and really brings so much joy and hope even in a world that's unstable and full of challenges. Just this morning in my study I finished the Book of Mormon again. I know that this book is true and am so incredibly grateful for these records that God has preserved for us and for our day. I know with out a doubt that it is true and my love for it has grown tremendously here on my mission studying and teaching from it daily. 

I can make perfect omelets now! Mom would be proud.

There's always so much more I could write but I want to save time to send pictures in a few hours so I better get off! Love you all and hope the best for everyone! Have a good week :) Hermana Rhoten 2

What a crazy week!!!

Good for sure but busy and different! We had our first baptism too!!! Romina!! I'll go through each day a little!

Romina's baptism

Our ward missionaries together

Tuesday we had divisions with Hermana Anaya, President's wife. We took her to our appointment with Romina! Then later we met up with President for one of our investigators baptism interview and after they gave us a ride to our next appointment. It was good to talk with them and get to know them better. They also told us that we need to be inside at 8 now unless were in an appointment close to the house or with members, then were good til 8:30. I was a little disappointed because a lot of investigators like the evenings and we always feel safe til 9 but were being obedient and using our time really well. Ive been trying to always make sure we have an appointment at 7 or 7:30 so we don't have to come back so soon. 

Wednesday was tough day for Romina and she was having some doubts. I wish I could tell you more about her but it's hard to explain. We ended up going to her twice that day and decided to fast so that she could overcome her difficulties and that her baptism would go well! We had a really good talk with her that evening. A moment I will probably never forget! So we took a picture :)

With Romina!

Thursday we had divisions. I stayed in my area with Hermana Cole! We worked hard and had an awesome day! I love divisions and getting to know other Hermanas :) She only has one more transfer than me here in Mexico but she said that my Spanish is really good! I feel like I have really been blessed to be able to communicate quickly. It's still hard sometimes but keeps getting better!

Divisions con Hermana Cole

Friday... well I'm not sure what it was Thursday night because I didn't eat anything weird but it was not a good night. I was up sick most of the night. I still woke up and studied but was feeling miserable. We met up to switch companions again and went back to grab our things. I wanted to work but my stomach was aching, head pounding and in the bathroom constantly. My companion and I decided we would probably just need to call President and stay home for the evening. I laid in bed for a minute and started thinking about how many times Christ preformed miracles in the scriptures. I've been reading about His ministry in the Americas! I love 3 Nephi :) Every time He said ¨thy faith hath made thee whole¨ Then thinking about it more I decided that God sent me here to preach the gospel, not to stay home sick. I had faith to be healed and knew that it was the Lord's will. I called the Elders to get a blessing and then we left for work. It was a really cool experience for me to see that the power of the Priesthood is real. I am so grateful to be a member of the church and to have the Priesthood on the earth again. It was still a tough day but God made it possible :)

 

Saturday was a great day! Whatever I had was mostly gone by morning and we had a ward activity :) It was way fun!! I played basketball with the Elders and some other Hermanos in the ward barefoot and in a skirt. I miss running and playing and had a really good time! The ground didn't feel that hot.. but one of my big toes is totally burnt! Its all gross and black tehe. It made me think of Dad and his burnt knees from painting the pool deck. But it was way fun and definitely worth it! 

Sunday was a crazy day!!!! Getting investigators to church at 8 in the morning is always busy and then making sure they are all doing well during the service and on top of that we had Romina's baptism at 11 right after the church service. The baptism font was dirty and wasn't draining but the Elders helped us get it taken care of. Then we found out Hermana Diaz, a lady that lives in our area and just recently reactivated, past away. She had been in active for about 20 years and has been going a little over two months. We spent lots of time with her and her family. We knew she had cancer and her health was struggling but didn't realized how bad it was. We really really love both her and their family so it was hard to take but we are happy to know that she died on the path. She was a woman of great faith and always told us that she was confident that Heavenly Father would take care of her. Sad news but the baptism still turned out really well!! My companion and I spoke and there was a great turnout! Romina shared her testimony afterwards and told everyone that we would always be her angels because now she knows who God is and that she is on the right path. Definitely a day I will never forget :) 

Romina with the Bishop.  She wanted him to baptize her.

Romina with the program we made her.

Today was way fun too! And super busy! I went for an hour run in the morning!! It felt way nice. We had a birthday breakfast with the district at Diana´s house for Elder Iniguez! Went bowling at this huge mall afterwards :) My companion and Diana didn't want to play but I had fun playing with the Elders and even got a strike! Once. Went back to study and buy food and now heading to walk Romina to seminary :)

Breakfast party at Diana's house for Elder Iniguez´s birthday

We went bowling for our district activity :)

This mall we went to was pretty sweet! It had a really cool view but I think its hard to see with the lighting! The mall was huge!!!

Life in Mexico is going great! I am learning lots and am so grateful for my time here. I hope everything is going well back home! Thanks to everyone who wrote be this week and sorry I don't have time to reply to everyone! Next week :) 

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Rhoten 2

Hola!

Earlier this week I was thinking that I wasn't gonna have anything to write today because I could just tell you everything over skype but the hour passed by so quick. No worries. I still have lots to say :)

Our Mother's day flowers :) We didn't have any appointments Saturday because it's Mothers day here and everyone was gone! But we got some flowers from our flower investigatores and took them to some of the women we love here and shared a hymn and scripture. It was a fun day :)

 It was sweet getting to skype as a family and talk together though. And way fun to talk to Miranda en Espanol! I am excited to be able to talk together when we get home. I was a little nervous I was gonna get homesick and distracted after seeing and hearing everyone but no. It was AWESOME!! But I love my mission and couldn't imagine leaving. I feel like by being away from home I've developed a lot stronger love and appreciation for my family. I love when people here ask about my home and family and always jump on opportunities to share stories or pictures, but I know that this is where the Lord wants me right now. The time has already gone by way fast so I am trying hard to make every moment count. It will be fun to skype again at Christmas though! Really not that far away. 

We have seen SO many miracles this week. God really is a God of miracles. Every week has been getting better and my companion and I have been SO happy!! Last Sunday we were convinced that it was the happiest day of our lives. But I dunno. Yesterday was up there too! We had 6 investigatores make it to church and it was crazy helping them and making sure they felt comfortable. We have a lot who are preparing to be baptized right now and our focus this past week has been fully on them and helping them feel ready that we haven't been as good at contacting and finding new investigatores. We just haven't had time. Lots of appointments but the cool thing is that the Lord really does provide. The ward is working with us a lot more and we are getting more references and support. 

And Mother's day flowers with Lilia. She works at the laundria.

My companion and I have had some really good study sessions over the past few weeks on how we can improve and exercise more faith so that the Lord really can do His work through us. We have been trying really hard to remove all doubts and really trust that the Lord will provide. And it's worked!!! Heavenly Father really does hear and answer our prayers. We have seen lots of progress in the people we are teaching and for the most part they are progressing on their own. We don't even do that much. This really is the Lord's work and He is guiding it. Hermana Burrola and I are constantly amazed. 

Matching nails with Hermana Benita :) Diana´s mom

Our sweet Romina is going to be baptized this Sunday! We love her so much and she has changed so much!! She is 17 right now and a few days ago asked us when she can leave on a mission! She said she wants to go to Argentina :) We have been SO happy because of her progress and can't wait for this Sunday. I could go on about her for hours. She proved to us that everyone can change and that we shouldn't give up on them. With pacience, diligence and faith, all things are possible. 

We feel so loved and spoiled in this area. Everyone gives us things. The people here are very loving and giving. We joke that if we get transferred we will starve because we get lots of free food here :) We had an investigator invite us to 6 flags for a pday too! Offered to pay and everything but it's not in our mission anymore. It's just a little bit out of the boundaries so we aren't allowed to go. But that's alright :) We are truly SO blessed!

Yep! More pineapple ice cream from the Perez family. Spoiled.

We also had some fun earthquakes this week! Well one on Thursday and the rest were just replicas. Apparently it measured a little bit smaller than the last one we had a few weeks ago but it felt way stronger. My comp and I were just entering into an appointment. It was like... ¨Mucho gusto¨... Ësta temblando!¨ Or like.. ¨nice to meet you¨... ïts an earthquake!¨So yeah everyone ran outside and it felt like the whole world was spinning and everything was moving back and forth. Or like we were on waves like surfing or something. My comp and I weren't really freaked out at all. I think they're kinda fun but the people around us looked terrified, hugging each other like it was the end of the world. It really wasn't bad and nothing fell but they have had some really bad ones here before. They just don't scare us because we don't know how bad they could be. The other were about four other little ones that we felt in the past few days. We have heard that there might be one more replica but no one really knows. But the past few nights my comp and I have been sleeping with socks and sweats and jackets and our shoes, keys, phone and cameras ready just in case...tehe. We told the Elders and they were making fun of us but we want to be prepared :)

Swinging at the park this morning after my pday run :) Beautiful day :)

Little miss Emily Cabbage!! I was SO happy to hear from you again and honestly overjoyed to know that your swimming and jumping in the pool without fear! It brought back lots of fun memories from last summer in the pool and makes me feel so good to know that you can enjoy swimming now. That's one thing I have missed on the mission but definitely gonna jump in the pool when I get home. Mexico is AWESOME!! The mission is the greatest experience and I am loving the city. We live in part of a inactive families house. They are so kind and always willing to help us and receive us in their home to share the gospel. My companion´s name is Karla Monique Burrola :) She is so great! We have become really good friends and I LOVE working with her! I hope you are loving Spokane and getting to do school with your mom. What a great blessing. Enjoy every moment you get to spend with her. That is a relationship that will last forever and be a huge blessing in your life. Hmmm cool things about Mexico... the city is built on water which is pretty cool. It rains a lot!! Almost everyday. And its hard to predict. One day this past week my companion and I had been carrying our umbrellas with us all day and then we had to stop by the house before our last appointment and we decided it wasn't gonna rain so we left them. Then it started pouring!!!! Running home in the rain only a couple blocks away and we were soaked!!! I'll send some pictures.

      The next day we were sure again it wasn't gonna rain but it did. And our investigator made us plastic bags to cover our head as protection. It was way funny :) I'll be back either August or September of 2015. Not too far away :) Love you and hope you are doing well!

Well I think that's about everything for today! Hope everyone is doing well at home! I know that the gospel is true and am so grateful for the many blessings it has brought into my life. I hope everyone had the greatest mother's day! I love my mother and am so grateful for her example and support in my life. And very grateful to know that my family is eternal. Have a good week!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Rhoten 2

This week was AWESOME!!! Being a missionary is so fun.

Matching bags with Hermana Young

We had cambios this past week but both my companion and I stayed which is what we were hoping for :) One of the companionships of the Elders in our ward got transferred which was sad because we were all really good friends but our new district leader is really determined and helping us set some new goals. We are really excited about this transfer and ready to work hard. We have been trying hard to be more consecrated servants of the Lord and exercise more faith so we can have more success in helping others come unto Christ and feel of the joy that comes through living the gospel.

Today at the Perez's house

Making crepes and smoothies at the Perez's house today

Lichee - chinese fruit

Last week we had found lots of new investigators but felt like lots of them weren't really interested in making commitments and progressing in the gospel. They just like us to come and talk about Christ and give us food and flowers. Which is great and all...we feel so loved and spoiled here but we really wanted to spend all of our time fulfilling our purpose which is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. In order to do this, most people have to be willing and ready to change. We prayed hard to know which people are prepared and who we should focus on. In return felt like the Lord really answered our prayers and led us to the people who are ready to accept this message. We found more people who are keeping commitments and preparing for baptism. 

Saturday night we went to the Visitors Center with Lilia. Its always an incredible experience there. It is gorgeous and the Spirit is always so strong. She loved it and is excited to be baptized so she can do the temple work for her mother. It was raining hard that night too. We have to be back in our house by 9 and we have never been late. Usually running back and opening the door with 20 seconds to spare but never late. Waiting for a camino to get home was taking a while tho and we were really worried we wouldn't make it in time. We prayed hard that we wouldn't be late because well sometimes the city is sketchy.. but we know if we are obedient we will be protected. We got off the camino and ran past the guards to our little neighborhood, past the guy with the tamale cart yelling ¨tamalleeeeeeeeeeeessss!!!!¨ And opened the door at 9:00 exactly. We felt like we had just gotten out of the shower we were so wet but it was a fun adventure. We took the tamale guy up on his offer and got a couple. They were way good!

Things with our investigator Romina turned around dramatically. We have been teaching her almost daily since I got here. She kinda has a crazy story and has been involved in some interesting things so I haven't mentioned her much but I will tell you more when we skype on Sunday :) But it was a miracle this week!! She bore her testimony at church yesterday!!!! I wish I could describe how it felt as she shared how she now believes that God exists and He hears and answers her prayers. I was up on the stand with her waiting to share and my comp in the congregation with another investigator and we both just looked at each other and smiled filled with so much joy! After church there was a baptism for a girl the old Elders had been teaching. Romina stayed and sat front row. Almost the whole ward stayed too. Yep. 3 hours of church then an hour for a baptism.. on a fast Sunday... there are some strong members here :) We love our ward and have been receiving lots of support from them. Our old Elders came for the baptism with their new companions so there were 10 missionaries there total and we all sung Josephs Smith's First Prayer to the tune of Come Thou Fount. Romina had really been struggling to gain a testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith but she said that this really helped her and she is finally open to praying about it. Her faith is so strong and I know she will receive an answer soon :)

Well I'm about out of time but everything is going good here. Missionary life is hard but SO rewarding. And I love the city! I know that this is the Lord's work and have seen His hand in it several times. I know that if we keep working hard and being obedient, we are going to receive all the Lord's promises. His promises are sure. Better go but I'm WAY excited to skype with you and Miranda on Sunday!! Happy early Mother's day!!! I love you Mom and am SO grateful for all you have done for me.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Rhoten 2