No Green Like Minnesota Green!

This week was so fire! Lots of ups and downs :) Unfortunately the downs involve the finding and teaching this week...basically all of our people are facing really hard things and kind of dropped off the face of the earth except for Edward. He's still doing great though! We had to push his date back again, but we were able to go over the interview questions yesterday and get a good idea of where he is at so that's nice. 

Ups for this week though: we had a MISSION TOUR! By Elder Gifford Neilson! Ahh it was so good. Thursday, we woke up bright and early at 4:45 AM to head down to Bloomington for our zone conference meeting with him. He shook all of our hands and asked us a few questions as we came in. Later he said that he had done a five second interview with each of us, and he could tell that there were about 85% of missionaries that knew why they were here, and the rest are still wondering. It was crazy! He told us a whole bunch of experiences he has had with the prophet and told us about assigning missionaries (If you want to know more about that just ask me)! It was so so good! At our last meeting he invoked a really incredible blessing on all of us. It was amazing. We also focused a lot on repentance and how the gopsel of Jesus Christ is there for everyone, because we all feel guilt and shame for our mistakes. They weigh on us. It is through Jesus Christ that those mistakes can be lifted, and we can be free and healed. It was so so good!

One thing Elder Neilson invited us to do was to put our "Purpose into practice" and just find find find for the next 24 hours! He told us to pray and have faith like we never have before! We were so hyped. Unfortunately, Sister Martinez and I weren't able to find anyone, and all of our potentials fell through, but it really left me wondering why I'm not as focused on finding or making my prayers super sincere and concentrating my faith all the time! I think that was the point haha, I definitely will be better at putting my purpose into practice now and I know that miracles will come from it!

On Saturday we went to Silver Bay and did some yard work which was fun! Right now I just have to say, MINNESOTA IS GORGEOUS. Seriously, being on the edge of Lake Superior and now with all the trees, it's seriously breathtaking. I've heard that "there's no green like Minnesota green" but I didn't believe it until the grass somehow turned green overnight, greener than I thought grass could ever be haha. 

This week is transfers which is so wild! Sister Martinez and I have been together for 3 which is not common (the term here is "going eternal"), so one of us is probably going to leave. Kinda stressful! It'll be exciting though! 

Spiritual thought for the week: Something Elder Neilson told us that President Nelson had said was about recognizing the real meaning of repentance. He said that in Hebrew repentance is "Shub" which means to turn. In Greek the word for repentance is "metamoeo" (or something like that, I can't read my own handwriting) which derives from metamorphasis, and ultimately means to change. Then the word continued to evolve. In Latin it is "poenitere" which means to punish. The idea of repentance has changed and evolved in meaning. But let us remember that repentance is to change. That repentance is one of the most hopeful words in the Christian vocabulary. That through repentance through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can have sight restored to our stinging eyes and healing to our pained souls. Love you all and hope you have a great week!