It was an awesome week! Conference was incredible!!!

So uplifting and inspiring. I can't wait to get the Liahona and be able to read them over and over again.

Pictures from the activity last week with all the Hermanas in the mission.

Another fun thing about watching conference is seeing how much my Spanish has progressed over the past year. The first conference was super hard to understand and just got the overall theme. Then in October I definitely understood all the doctrine but some of the stories were hard to follow but this time I felt like I could actually understand everything really well and even was able to laugh at the stories :) Such a good weekend. Too bad Elder Scott didn't speak though. I usually love his talks. President Monson didn't speak that much either.

I loved the talked about the family. Elder Packer was just adorable. There was so much about the importance of the family and defending marriage and the home. Learned lots about my potential as a daughter of God and the responsibilities I have as well. I love how it was mentioned in several talks the importance of having an eternal perspective.

Thanks for the Easter cookies! They were delicious. Still have lots. It's been so fun this week finally having a companion who works out with me and eats healthy with me. Gonna miss that when she leaves in a week! Today we had a zone activity and played capture the flag and dodge ball with little marshmallow guns and then soccer for quite a bit. That sport has actually been growing on me. I'm not that bad on defense :)

I think the best part of conference was being able to sit by our converts. They are doing so well! Sadly we didn't have many investigators show up because lots of people are out of town this past week and the next for vacations and Semana Santa. It's a big deal in Mexico. But we were so pleased to see so many of the recent converts just loving every minute of their first general conference. Definitely made me really happy.

All is well here! Hope you had an awesome Easter and were able to take some time to reflect on the miraculous resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. This event really changed the lives of each and every one of us. It gave us the hope that we live by today knowing that death isn't the end, that we can live again and eternally with our families in God's kingdom. I'm so grateful for this knowledge and for the love of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They have a perfect plan for each of us. Have a fantastic week!

Con amor, 

Hermana Rhoten

Hola!! Longer week and so many fun stories

I'm just not gonna be able to type it all out! 

new comp is Hermana Medwin from Canada!!

Not even sure where to start!

Rocio and Uriel got baptized!!! They are so stinkin adorable! Such a fun baptism. It was a miracle too. They had their interviews last Monday and they were even more prepared than we expected. They love primary and young women's. Friday night we took them to a ward family night and Uriel asked us what would happen if he accidentally went to the bathroom in the water. We were like uhhhh Uriel! He said sometimes he wets himself when he gets nervous. It was hilarious! And explains why one time he randomly got up in the middle of a lesson and peed in a bucket in the same room we were teaching. Their house is actually just one room and an outhouse outside. Not sure why he couldn't make it to the outhouse. But it was behind our backs at least :) Funny kid.

There was a really good turn out at the baptism and some investigators too. Uriel had to get baptized twice because his toe came out the first time. He had gotten water up his nose and didn't want to do it again. We went around back to cheer him on and then his uncle Abel came around back and started bribing him with chocolate kinder eggs. It was actually pretty funny. One kinder egg... then two kinder eggs.. then three kinder eggs. One of the Elders came around back and asked if it would help if everyone left the room and no one watched. Then he was able to do it :) We were laughing about it a little afterwards. Missionaries baptizing children for chocolate.

They were confirmed on Sunday and Abel got the Priesthood! So cool to see him and Santa back at church after being inactive for about 20 years. They are doing so well.

I haven't felt nearly as sick this week and the medicine didn't affect me as bad as everyone told me it would. Such a relief!!! But I still didn't want to eat lots of greasy food. One day I felt bad telling the Hermana so I snuck some of the tacos in napkins and hid them in my clothes until I made it to the bathroom to flush them down the toilet. It worked great! She didn't even notice :)

We had transfers yesterday and I'm staying in my area but Hermana Wilkinson left! My new comp is Hermana Medwin from Canada!! And Hermana Fowler is now with Hermana Amor in the same ward as me. Hnas Medwin and Amor are both going home in two weeks to start school and it sounds like after that Hna Fowler and I will be combining our areas to finish the last month of the transfer! So fun. Love them all. Hna Medwin loves to work out too!! First thing I said to her was hey you like to run right? Yep. Then she asked me if I liked to wake up at 6 to have more time to exercise. I was so overly excited! Finally someone who understands. Were gonna be best friends for sure. She is an awesome missionary and I am already learning lots from her! Sad it will be short!

Cool thing is it looks like Hna Fowler and I will be companions for a few weeks and it will include Mother's day when we skype with our families!

Today we had a get together with all the Hermanas from the mission. Well all 20 of us.
We took lots and lots of pictures this week! Still lots more. It was a fun activity with all the Hermanas! Love them all so much! It was so fun to see everyone and watch some videos and see pictures from all our time together. We have all gotten pretty close and it will be so weird this transfer when 11 of them go home!!! I took a picture with all my companions!

Even Hna Jones from the MTC so fun to have a chance to talk with her!

Another highlight of the week is being able to share the Because He Lives video with everyone. I'm so grateful for my Savior and know that He is always there for me. I feel that I am still beginning to understand the power and significance of His sacrifice. Each day I learn something new. He lived a perfect life, facing temptations but He never sinned. He is the light the life and the hope of the world. His path is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. I love teaching and testifying of Him each day. I hope that everyone can look up the Because He Lives video and share it this week especially!

Also the Women's Conference was awesome! Learned lots and received so many answers. So so so excited for General Conference this weekend! Hope Madison had a good birthday! I haven't had a chance to read your emails yet but I will print them and reply on Monday! Have a great week and a Happy Easter!! Love you lots!

Hermana Rhoten

Hola! It was a successful and eventful week! Lots of fun surprises :)

Santa showed up at church yesterday!!!! We were so shocked! She is the less active mom of Rocio and Uriel. She was baptized when she was about 13 and has been less active for about 15 years or more. Her kids usually go to church with her brother Abel who has recently activated and is now preparing to get the Priesthood :) He has an interview tomorrow and if everything goes well he should be able to receive the Priesthood on Sunday and be able to baptized his niece and nephew. We love them so much and our excited to see them all progressing together in the gospel.

Earlier in the week we had the most powerful keeping the sabbath day holy lesson but Santa just didn't get it. We shared with her the promised blessings that can come but she would only shrug and say "But Hermanas I have to work" She was also really unsure about her kids getting baptized because she feels like they are still too young and need more time to decide. Rocio is almost 18 and Uriel is 9 and they LOVE church. But the Lord worked miracles and her heart was touched. She let Rocio go the the Stake Young Women's camp out over the weekend, came with us Saturday to the Stake Relief Society Activity and by some miracle came to church!!!! Rocio and Uriel have their interviews tonight! So excited for them. They were also so happy to have their mom at church with them. Rocio is adorable and so sure about the gospel path. Definitely a chosen young girl. We love her.

And from our district activity today! We made sandwiches and played some card games. It was really fun and relaxing. Our matching zone shirts :) Pretty sweet. Hermana Fowler and I also went to the gym today. Best 2 dollars I've spent in a long time. Gonna go more often on pdays!

We have been praying really hard and trying to do all we can to help a woman that was baptized 6 months ago now and never got confirmed. So sad. We have been trying to do all we can to find her, serve her and show her how much we love her and her family. This week we found an opportunity to surprise clean her door and window. I'll be honest. It was pretty nasty. Covered by so much dust and SO many spider webs. And spiders. She wasn't there for her cita so we grabbed some supplies and got to work. We haven't seen her yet but are really praying that she goes back this Sunday. She doesn't have anything against the church. Actually her 14 year old daughter Fernanda has a golden testimony and says she would like to be baptized. Hopefully soon :) 

In our district meeting we focused on some gospel doctrines and how we can teach them with more clarity. I have been working on improving my teaching skills and teach the gospel as it is, simple life changing truths. Trying to help the people understand that the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to completely change their lives for good and forever. It is clear and simple and true. It's so sad when seeing people not understand the power and importance of the gospel truths. Especially the Atonement. 

Speaking of which, our gospel principles lessons was on the Atonement this week and it was so incredibly good. Our convert Eduardo made some really good comments which made me so happy to hear. He has really changed. That was another happy thing about this week, seeing lots of recent converts and menos actives at church. Our ward counsel meetings are getting better too and I feel like we are gaining the ward's trust more and more. More members are volunteering to have family nights held in their houses so we can bring less actives, converts and investigators to their homes. We are going to make a calendar to pass around so they can just start signing up what days they can.

My family booklet! It's finally done and all decked out inside. It's so fun to teach with. Thanks mom for sending me pictures and info. I love teaching family history with it!

Also Saturday night at the activity we realized that someone had been breaking in and vandalizing the chapel. Just little silly things but it was still sad to see. Lots of things broken and random messes. Decided we won't be going their alone anymore. Oh also felt like we had a really cool miracle with our district contacting activity on Saturday. We all contacted in our area this time. It's so cool because this is our third time doing it and every time we put a goal of how many people we want to find and pray about it together and every time we've reached it. We found some new young families to teach and are so excited about it. 

It was kind of a harder week because I've still been sick whenever I eat but I started taking some meds today to kill all my little parasite friends that I have to use for the next week and a half and then they should be gone. Not gonna miss them. Good for a losing a quick and unhealthy 10 pounds but that's about it. I was a little discouraged and tired of feeling sick and asked myself "what am I doing here?" I decided to pray and ask God just like we invite each and every one of our investigators to do. To ask to make sure baptism is the right step, or if they should stay on the gospel path or keep a commandment. I tried it out and the Lord confirmed to me that this is where I'm supposed to be and the path that he wants me to follow. I'm so grateful for the power of prayer and also for the power of the Priesthood. The gospel is great. 

I'm about out of time but have a spectacular week! Hope Madison has the best 17th birthday ever! Can't believe she's that old. And Ryker and Kennedy too! Looks like it's gonna be a week full of lots of parties :) 

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Rhoten 

 PS: Also we have cambios next week so I won't be on til Wednesday!

Hola!!

Another awesome week!

We had a really interesting zone meeting on Tuesday about how we can help others understand the doctrine of the gospel which will change their behavior. It was fun to analyze behavior and think about how we can help our investigators understand the gospel doctrine better. 

 

We were able to take Uriel, Rocio and their uncle Abel to a baptism Tuesday afternoon. They had been asking us to see one. Abel had been less active for over 10 years but has recently activated in the past couple months and is preparing to receive the Priesthood so he can baptize his niece and nephew. It was such a miracle that we were able to get them there last minute. The timing was SO perfect that I know without a doubt that the Lord was guiding our path and helping us all the way. Moments like that when you cannot deny that God exists and is watching over each of us. 

 

We had a fun plan of salvation lesson with them this week as well. Uriel is 9 and hilarious. We asked him why he wanted get baptized and he responds "I wanna get wet!!! Woo hoo!!!" Gotta help him understand that a little better. Later in the lesson. "Do you know who Adam and Eve are? What do you remember about them?" Uriel: "God kicked them out of the garden because they wouldn't pay the rent!" Never heard that one before. I don't know where he comes up with these things but it was pretty funny and we were trying so hard not to just bust up laughing. It's so fun teaching children :) 

Thursday we taught the relief society how to make banana bars in Bishop's house. It was a fun activity and we were able to bring an investigator and less active member. It turned out really well and we taught them how to play "signs" too. Fun stuff :)

Friday we had a ward family night that was about to fall through but we threw it together last minute because we had a family of investigators show up! A couple and their 4 boys! They have 5 but the oldest was with friends. We planned a quick lesson and taught some more games. It was small but turned out really well. They didn't make it to church but hopefully next week! Their kids are adorable. Little Juan is 4 and kept begging me to pick him up. It was so hard to tell him no over and over again. One of the sad things about being a missionary, we can't carry children. We are hoping they start to progress more. Their dad and oldest brother recently got out of jail. Were not sure why but he's the one who seems most interested. It would be good for them to have a change. 

Church yesterday went well! I've actually been a little sick this past weekend so I was struggling to stay awake but feeling better today. I hope everyone is doing good at home and all is going well! I love being a missionary and every moment I have to serve the Lord. Have a good week!

Con amor, 

Hermana Rhoten

 

Hola!! Another awesome week!

We went to the Visitor's Center again last night with Rocio, Uriel and their mom and another family in the ward. It was really good! Rocio and Uriel are loving primary and young women's but we still haven't gotten their mom to church. She has been less active for lots and lots of years. But she really liked the visitor's center and hopefully will go this week and let her kids get baptized :)

Friday we had a really good lessons with Jose Luis! He has been investigating since August and has gone to church several times. He just hasn't gotten baptized because he doesn't want to live the law of chastity. He's 61. yeah. But President Anaya went with us to the lesson and it went really really well. He is a good guy and knows the church is true. Hoping that he will chose to live the commandments because he will be blessed so much. He is sad because his wife died 5 years ago and he really misses her. President promised him that she had already accepted the missionary discussions in the spirit world and is waiting for him to help her with the ordinances. It would be so cool if they get sealed :)

We had a family night with family Galicia and taught them how to make chocolate chip cookies. They turned out pretty good but a little more flat than we hoped. Probably because we are a lot higher up here. Its so fun living with members :)

Today Hermana Fowler and I went to visit our converts and other members in Bosques!! Our companions wanted to go visit one of their old areas too. It was so fun to see people we had taught and see that they are still doing well. Being a missionary is so rewarding :)

I'm so grateful for the time I have to serve and give my heart, might and mind to the Lord. I know that He is guiding every step of our every day. I know that Christ lives and loves us. I have been studying His Atonement a lot this week and am understanding more and more the great need we all have to go to Him and apply the Atonement in our lives so we can be cleansed from sin. I know that the plan that Heavenly Father has for each of us is perfect and personal. He wants us to live with Him again and the only way is through faith in His Son, our Redeemer and friend. 

Have a great week!

Hermana Rhoten

We had an awesome week!

The four of us in front of the chapel. Love them.

Tuesday we had a really really good zone conference with President Anaya. Learned lots about how we can improve our teaching skill. A big part of being a missionary is striving to improve constantly. There is always so much we can work on to try and be better servants of the Lord. Always trying to reach our potential. 

Wednesday we went to Polanco to renew our visas so we don't get kicked out of Mexico! It took up most of the morning and part of the afternoon. But it was a fun little field trip. Best part of all was that the secretaries took us to Dairy Queen!!

Blizzard... banana strawberry and brownie chunks. Yummy. 

Polanco isn't within the limits of our mission so this was the only chance we were gonna have and just had to take advantage and buy a grande :) SO good. We also found these pretty legit piano stairs in the metro.. or subway. They look like a piano and play music as you step on them like a piano. We thought it was the coolest thing ever.

Piano stairs! So.cool.

Thursday! Finally had a full day to share the gospel. And a fun day with children. Eduardo´s work schedule had changed and he has been getting home at 11 at night from work. We get to their house and ask how they've been and our little 9 year old convert Raymundo says "muy mal" or really bad. Us.. "Uh.. por que? What happened?" "It's because we haven't been saying our family prayers at night" Love little kids. Good thing is his work schedule changed again and they can now have family prayers. It was just so cute the way he noticed it and was so concerned. Him and our other 9 year old investigator, Uriel became best friends yesterday in Primary :)

Cooking in the other hermana's house!

We also had a fun family night at Bishop's house with a family of investigators to watch the Jose Smith movie. There were 3 adults who are all siblings and their kids. 5 of them under 10. They were so good during the movie which was an answer to our prayers and afterwards when we asked them each how they felt during it. We got some "bonito" or good I guess? it means pretty but you wouldn't really use that in English.. :) Some "bien" and "alegria" or happy! And then 9 year old Ashley "Tristeza" or sadness.... "Por que?" "because they told him none of the churches were true. He couldn't find the true church." So cute. And it gave us an awesome opportunity to testify of the part that happened at the end of the movie. The restoration. They understood well and are all working for to reach their baptism date :) But... still haven't gone to church! Getting there.

Our zone activity today we had a little city building competition between our districts. We made them out of corn tortilla dough stuff... there is a lot of it here. Pretty sure I've eaten way too much of it the last year. It was fun though.. kinda turned in to a tortilla maiz war... but it was a good time :)

Our zone conference this week.

Friday we got taken out to eat for the comida to a Chinese Mexican fast food place... And that explains why Saturday we weren't able to leave the house. First day I've ever had to stay home all day but it hit my comp really hard. I lucked out and didn't chose the orange chicken and was fine but Hermana Wilkinson and Hermana Fowler were both pretty sick. I was able to leave for a couple hours with Bishop's daughter for a couple appointments but other than that no. But it was still a really productive day. Deep cleaned the house.... sewed on all the buttons that have fallen off in the past year... painted my nails... went hunting for spiders and roaches for a bit too. I hate it when they surprise me so I figured better that I surprise them first. Ended up winning about 8 to 0. Yep. I've gotten pretty brave.

From Hermana Fowler's camera.

Sunday was great as always! Eduardo´s brother came to church and accepted a baptismal date! He's pretty cool! He has dreadlocks too. Good guy. Well I better get going! Love you all and hope you have a great week! Hermana Rhoten

Baptism of Gerardo a couple weeks ago in Balbuena!!!