Easter Week in American Fork

Sorry I wasn't able to email last week, I was really short on time.  These past two weeks have been really great! We had transfers and I am not in a trio anymore, Sister Figueroa got transferred and now it is just Sister Holladay and I! It was sad to see Sister Figueroa go because we had so much fun as a trio!

First off, I hope everyone had a great Easter! It was a great Easter week in American Fork! I mentioned this in my last email about the Because of Him video.  We shared that video with everyone that we were in contact with whether it was a relief society President that we were meeting with, less actives, members, EVERYONE! We shared that video and bore our testimony of the importance of Easter and what Jesus Christ means to us.  We had many great experiences sharing the video.  I loved watching people's expression's as they watched the video, I could tell they were feeling the spirit.  I loved seeing the light in their eyes.  I loved that the video applies to each and everyone of us that Because of Him we can start a new life again, Because of Him we have the Atonement, Because of Him we can live again.  Word cannot express how much I love my Savior.  I am so grateful for this time that I have on the mission that I am a representative of Jesus Christ and can share that with others.

Sister Holladay and I have been working really hard to keep track of 14 stakes that we cover.  We have been going to a lot of correlation meetings, looking for more service opportunities, talking to more people whether it be at Mexican Markets, parks, yard sales, we are trying to find more people.  We have been meeting with a lot of leaders especially relief society presidents to try and work more in their wards and to find the Hispanic people!

We have taught a lot of less active lessons and recent convert lessons which have been amazing! I love teaching less actives, they know the difference of what they are missing.  It is so neat to be with them through their process of getting reactivated and coming back to church and helping them reach their next ordinance. 

I had an incredible experience with a less active lady we are teaching.  She honestly is actually pretty active now but she still lacks a little bit in her testimony.  She goes to church regularly now and reads and prays everyday.  She is going through a divorce right now that had been really hard on her, she loves him but she knows she doesn't deserve what he has put her through.  She wants him to change for himself not for her.  We talked a lot about the Atonement with her and something came over me that I felt really prompted to share a really hard experience that I went through my last transfer in Provo.  I had to really rely on the Atonement in this experience.  I knew I needed to change but not for other people for myself so that I could become better.  I cried a lot telling her this experience, she cried too.  It was a pretty powerful lesson.  She is such a strong lady and I told her that we can get through anything with the help of our Savior.  He doesn't want us to have a cloud of darkness over us, he wants us to feel his light. 

Another family that we are teaching that I mentioned before.  We actually teach them in English. They are 3 kids and we teach them in English.  I love them so much, I have grown so close to them since I have been here in American Fork.  They are such a joy to teach and they are so funny.  Every lesson we have with them is an adventure.  This past week we taught them tithing and fasting.  And we read the Book of Mormon with them.  We are having a Family Home Evening tonight with them.  We also have been helping them a few times a week with their homework.  They usually want help with their math homework, my companion is a Math Education major so she usually takes over with that haha.  I help them with other stuff like spelling or writing papers, history, science.  That's more my speed haha. 

I love it here in American Fork, it is sometimes stressful keeping track of 14 stakes but the work that we put forth makes it all worth it.  The members here are really great! I already feel like I know every member in the branch since it is smaller than a ward.  I have no idea how long I will be here, one thing I know is that I am going to take each day at a time and each every second of it.  I hit my 10 month mark this past Saturday, I only have 8 months left, crazy!! This time is so precious.  Serving a mission has been the best decision for me. 

Family- I can't wait to talk to you all for Mother's Day! It will be great to see all of you! The next time you will see me after that, I will be home, crazy right!?

Charles-Thanks for sending all the pictures when Mom was in China. I am so glad you all had a great time!

Thanks for all the love and support, I love you all!

Love,
Hermana Garces