So I got transfer calls 15 minutes after I finished emailing last week. I have been transferred to the Provo Slate Canyon area. My new companion is Hermana Bumstead, she is awesome! She has been out a transfer longer than me and her Spanish is really good! We cover just one stake (Provo Stake).
Tuesday was my last day in Payson and we had President Interviews that day. My interview with President McCune was amazing, one of the most spiritual experiences I have ever had. President asked me how I was doing and without getting into too much detail I told him that I have learned to be a lot closer to my Savior. I said I know I went through this tough time so that I could gain that Testimony of my Savior. He asked me if there is anything that I needed help with. And I said I have struggled with listening to the Spirit and to feel it. I have shared the first vision and every time I share it I don't feel the significance of it for myself. I have felt it super strongly when I shared it in the MTC but it hasn't quite had the effect on me out in the field. I have been studying it really hard and praying that I feel that strong spirit again but I haven't yet. He then asked me if I had the first vision memorized in English and I said actually I don't, I just have it in Spanish memorized. So he then pulled out his scriptures and turned to Joseph Smith History and asked me to read the first vision to him and he asked me to read it slowly and to read it as if it is the first time he is hearing this. So I started reading and paused between phrases and halfway through reading tears were coming down my face. I kept reciting it but the crying didn't stop. When I finished I looked up at President McCune and he was crying too. He said that was amazing Sister Garces, that was the most powerful reciting of the first vision I have ever heard. You have power Sister Garces, you are an amazing missionary. Share your strong testimony to the people of Provo Slate Canyon because this area needs you now. I couldn't stop crying, the spirit was so overwhelming. It finally hit me again in that moment, the spirit was brought back to me. That experience was something that needed to happen to me, I will forever be grateful for that experience and to be able to share that with my Mission President was amazing!
Later that night our ward was having a trunk or treat so I got to say goodbye to a lot of the members in our ward. It was a little sad saying goodbye but I knew that being transferred to Provo was going to be the best thing for me. One of the less active family's we are teaching their daughter who wants me to play the violin for her baptism was so sad I was leaving. She was like nooooooooo Sister Garces you can't go, I don't want you to gooooo. I said Sammy its ok, I promise I will stay in touch and that I will be back for your baptism and play the violin for you.
Wednesday was transfers! We met at the chapel in Provo by the temple and MTC and met our new companions! I also got to see Hermana Read, Hermana Sablan, Hermana Derges, and Elder Hodges! I always love seeing my MTC district! O also I have been out in the field for 12 weeks so I am officially done being trained as a new missionary! I said goodbye to Hermana Lish, she definitely has taught me a lot and we had some struggles but I know we learned a lot from each other! She is an amazing missionary! I met with my new companion Hermana Bumstead and like I said she is awesome! We relate to each other so much! After our first day together we were already like best friends. So my area is a biking area which is interesting especially in a skit haha. It has been adventure that's for sure! We are hoping we get a car because its gonna start snowing a lot here. The first day we taught a few lessons and I met with our ward mission leader. Our ward mission leader just got off his mission a few months ago and he is awesome! His whole family is so nice, they were so welcoming to me! And I can already tell that I love the people we are teaching. Thursday was Halloween. We were locked up in a church building from 5-9:30 with our district! We made breakfast burritos, brownies, salsa, and all other kinds of good stuff. We also got to watch the movie Ephraim's Rescue, it is a lot like 17 miracles. It was such a good movie, we were all crying during it. My MTC district is so much fun, I already love all of them. We have 4 elders and 4 sisters in our district. We are already like super close, it is going to be a fun transfer!
O also the people I live with are so nice! They are an older couple (the Andersons). They are so sweet and will do anything for us. What is super awesome about being in Provo is that there is a temple booth by the construction of the new Provo City temple that is being built. And we as missionaries get to take turns working at the temple booth and get to watch the construction of the temple and answer questions to people that are walking by. It is way cool, I have already done it twice since being here!
Sunday I went to church and met our ward. The Bishop invited me to introduce myself and bear my testimony to the ward so I did. It went well with my broken Spanish haha. This ward is amazing! They are so sweet and welcoming! O and guess what Dad there is a lady is this ward that is from Quito, Ecuador! We bonded super well haha, she wants to know what part of Quito your family is from because she said she has heard of the name Garces. So ask your Dad what part of Quito they are from. Also there were these two young women ages girls that came up to me and they were like are you from Burke and I was like yeah. These two girls used to be in the Little River Ward and recognized me and they knew all these people from the Burke ward. I felt bad cause I didn't recognize them but small world, crazy! They said they moved to Utah this past summer!
We had dinner at our ward mission leaders family's house. They are so amazing, I love them! They made us tacos and they were like real Mexican tacos that were to die for! And we had a FHE at their house with the Gonzalez family that is being baptized this Saturday! They are such a sweet family, I met them my first day in Provo and I immediately fell in love with them.
So yeah it has been an amazing first week in Provo! I love my new companion, my ward, my district, my area, and just everything! I know I am supposed to me here right now, it is amazing how Heavenly Father works and knows where you are supposed to go!
Anyways thanks for all the love and support! I love you all!
Hermana Veronica Garces
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