A mi me encanta ser misionera!--One of the best weeks ever!

Buenos Dias!! Tuve muchas buenas experiencias esta semana. :) Ojala que esten bien! This was one of the best weeks ever! So many amazing things happened. The week actually started out a little bit rough because we had to drop several investigators. It is always sad, especially when we've been teaching them for awhile, but we can't take away their agency and if they aren't willing to do their part, there isn't anything we can do. I have hope that the Lord will continue preparing them and that one day they will be more open and ready to change! Although we said goodbye to a lot of people, many doors were opened as well. One great experience this week was with our investigator R. I believe I told you a little bit about him before, but he was one who immediately said yes to baptism. We asked him what he his looking for in his life and he opened up to us about an addiction he has to gambling. He really wants to be able to overcome it and have more fulfilling things in his life. Last Sunday a member of the Young Single Adults ward came up to us and said he would love to come teaching with us sometime. We told him we would give him a call. A few days later the thought came to mind to invite him to come teaching with us to R. He came along with another friend from the YSA ward. We told him beforehand that we would be teaching about the Atonement/Repentance and mentioned that he has this addiction. Normally I don't really tell our joint teachers much about our investigators, just what they need to know. But I really felt like I needed to tell him about the fact he has this addiction. It wasn't until we were teaching Rey that I realized why I had had that feeling. The YSA shared about his own personal problems with gambling and what he did to overcome it. Hermana Wiggins and I had no idea! It went so well though and they were able to make a great connection. The YSA bore a powerful testimony of the Atonement and by the end they had exchanged numbers and were making plans to go to institute and a whole bunch of other things! So cool! Yesterday was so great too. Finally, we were able to get O to church! Others came as well including C! O mentioned that he had actually felt excited to come and he really liked it. We went with a member to pick him up! It's hard to believe that about a month ago Hermana Wiggins and I were so upset because of the whole Book of Mormon ordeal. Now he is going strong again! Yesterday was also O's birthday and we got him a little calendar and different colored star stickers so that he could track his reading, praying, church attendance, and then choose one color for his baptismal day. We also got him a Crunch bar. At first we were thinking that it might seem really childish... He is a 6 foot tall, 33 year old man and we gave him a chart with stickers. On the way back to his house he opened it and my worries quickly vanished when he pulled out the stickers and made a joke about putting them on his forehead. He also almost jumped out of his seat when he saw the Crunch bar. Apparently it is his favorite. It was hilarious. Most importantly though, he is progressing again and will hopefully be able to keep it up! We have been visiting a less active lady for about a month, and this past Friday we met her daughter-in-law V. I have never seen someone so excited when we have asked them to be baptized. :) She said that she really wants this... She was taught by missionaries before, but didn't feel ready.. Hopefully she is this time! She seems like it so I have high hopes! :) Ok sorry this is super long, this was just an awesome week and there were a ton more experiences like this. :) It has been a little sad around here though as Hermana Wiggins prepares to go home. The Jensen's took us out to ribs on Friday night though which wasn't sad at all! Through the sadness though, Hermana Wiggins has caused me to think and reflect on just how great it really is to be a missionary. I have liked it from the beginning, but now I love it. I can't explain how it happened, but somehow my love for this work, these people, and my Savior has grown so much.. more than I knew could be possible. And it just seems to grow everyday. :) I love being a missionary. Since Hermana Wiggins is leaving I'm obviously getting a new companion! I am staying in Lakeville and I got a call from President this morning telling me that I will be training a new missionary. What?!? I thought I was still a new missionary! I'm excited though and although reason tells me I should be really nervous I'm not because I know I will have divine help! :) Love you all and have a great week! Hermana Pierce