Dear Family,

This week has been so great well aside from the occasional bumps in the road:) We had an awesome lesson with Fernando on Monday! We could tell something was wrong, so we didn't teach what we had planned and we just waited until he opened up and told us what was wrong. He was told that if he wanted to be a leader at a bible group at school that he wouldn't be allowed to go to the LDS church or meet with us, so we read James 1:5-6 and we just kneeled down and asked him to pray. He wouldn't for a long time because we think he was just afraid of what we know his answer would be. On wednesday, he called on dropped us...he told me that we were just trying to get as many baptisms and numbers as we could...I didn't really say anything and after he hung up I just cried because he had told us he was dropping all religion. Well, later that night he apologized and told us he would love to keep learning from us! So many emotions in one day! I just feel so sad for him because on monday we could just see this decision pulling him apart inside, but things are on the uphill with him now I guess:)

We took Laura to the Visitor Center on Saturday and she absolutely loved it!    When you turn off of the freeway you get a complete view of the temple and we went at night so it was beautiful! She was smiling so big because in Relief Society they had a lesson on preparing to the temple which actually scared her a lot but, she went to mormon.org and a lot of her questions were answered! The church is doing such amazing things with the media! 

Oh yeah, so transfers happened this week. Sister Walker is off to Harbor City, and my new companion is Sister Shepherd! She is 19 and from Orem Provo. She is the oldest of 4.This is her 3rd transfer, so about half the amount of time than I had thought, but she might as well have been out 6 months. She was in a bilingual program growing up so her spanish is super good. She is a great teacher and just loves the people so much! She came with a little cold, so there was no avoiding not getting sick, but the members have been great and we got some soup and another member called last night to see if I was ok:)

I asked for a car so we wouldn't have to bike 5 miles to the church 4 times a week, so that's one less stress we have to worry about for right now, but we're going to try and ride our bikes pretty much the rest of the time!

On Sunday we went to Sister Shepherd's old ward for a baptism. The funny part was it was a family member of someone that I had gone back to a baptism with Sister Robinson, and I know the relief society president! This is the only ward that I haven't served in that I have gone to a baptism for and it was for the same family! I feel like I just have to serve in the ward sometime! haha;)

Other that those few updates life is good, the work is progressing, and there are miracles left and right! I seriously cannot believe how prepared Fernando and Laura are! Laura remembers the day we stopped her on the street and when we were at the Visitor's Center she saw a pass along card and took it because it was the one that we gave to her when we first met her on the street! So cute!

I love the Lord, and I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE being a missionary! There is nothing else I would rather be doing than be here and learning the things that I am learning!

I love you all so much and hope you have a great Valentine's Day! Thank you for the package! I laughed so hard at the little minion cards, and am so excited to hand out all the little bags!

Love,

Hermana Ford