antes de la oracion...

Familia,

I have a lot to talk about so I ran into the internet shop first to get the good keyboard:) sometimes sacrifice has to wait until after internet time.....

THE RUNDOWN:

-When was the last time you found a slug in your bathroom?  For me it was saturday!

-The mission is just like a really long mom-prep class.  I cook for myself (kinda), i take kids to school, make sure they said their prayers, buy them clothes and make sure they look nice for church, make sure our investigators kids don't run around screaming and getting all dirty during church, I learn how to boss lazy men around....

-Everyone in Canton is dying I swear.  Every day we see people bleeding everywhere.  Watch out, there are crazy people on the loose.  Or just really clumsy drunk guys.

-It has been really hot and humid for a few days.  We were in a lesson and for the whole 30 minutes this lady's ceiling was falling apart all over us because of the humidity.  When we left it looked like we were covered in snow hahaha so gross

-I had to do a 450 Q parasite test today haha  I feel fine but the doctor said I had to do one because the last time I went nothing showed up.  So the struggle continues...

-A guy from our ward will be going to utah in 2 weeks and has offered to take things home for you.. any requests?

FAMILIA GONZALES

SORRY IF THIS IS ALL OVER THE PLACE

I love these people.  They have so many problems but i just love them.  Luvia is the mom, she's 29.  Wesley 13, Dulce 12, Blanca and Josue 8.  Wesley hasn't been going to school lately because he never feels motivated enough by his mom.  He has already been held back 2 grades and his mom is convinced that he has just given up.  So lately we have been getting up in the morning and taking him to school!  It is the only way he will go!  Half of the time he is late though, so we end up sprinting (LITERALLY SPRINTING IN OUR DRESSES) to get him there on time.  Haha we probably look ridiculous.  He loves it though.  They have been starting to pray more often because in primary they learned what to say that teaches them how to pray:

antes de la oracion, poner mucha atención (Before I pray, play close attention)
mis brazitos cruzaré (cross my arms)
mi cabesita inclinaré (bow my head)
mis ojitos ceraré (close my eyes)
a mi Padre Celestial oraré (pray to my Father in Heaven)
It's the cutest thing and they always say it right before they are going to pray.

I've told you about luvia's crazy boyfriend Colocho right?  Anyways, the other day Wesley and Josue came to the relief society activity with us because it was better than being in their house with Colocho.  But first we had to buy him pants in a paca because he didn't have any to wear.  When we were at the activity (we taught the relief society how to make those rolls that we made for valentines day) Wesley told us he doesn't want to wait for his mom to get her act together to get baptized.  On the way back from the activity the power was out in Canton and it was really dark and raining.  Hermana Allen and I let them use our jackets because they didn't have theirs and we all held hands to get them home safely.  When we got back to their cuarto their mom wasn't there (once again) and the girls were sitting in the dark because they didn't have candles.  Hermana Ällen and I bought candles for them and stayed with them for a little while until the power came back on.  We talked about Lehi's vision and had them draw it as we read it.  They are so smart!  They love reading in the BOM and are honestly a lot more pilas at understanding the scriptures than most of the youth in the church.  Their mom still hadn't gotten home and it was going on 9:00.  They told us they hadn't eaten since breakfast and they were on the verge of tears, they were so hungry.  They literally had no food in their cuarto, so Hermana Allen and I ran to our house, made sandwiches, bought juice boxes, chips, and ran back to give them their dinner.  Gosh we would do anything for these kids.  (p.s. we are adopting them when I get home if Hermana allen doesn't do it first)  We had to leave because it was time to be in the house, so we had them all kneel down to say their family prayer even though their mom still hadn't gotten home.  I told them that in my family we hold hands for family prayer, and they all held hands.  Once we got them kneeling, hermana allen and I snuck out.  As we walked out we heard Wesley start to say "antes de la oracion......." 

Yesterday they all went to church!!!!  A few weeks ago hermana allen and I bought them all dresses and white shirts and ties so that they would look nice for church.  They looked sooo good in church yesterday we were so happy.  Luvia had an interview with the bishop and he helped her so so much.  He helped her feel her Heavenly Father's love and helped her realize that she needs to ditch colocho.  (p.s. she put a restraining order against colocho but he won't leave....)  Then the bishop talked to Dulce and Wesley and helped them too and invited them to a family night tonight!  Last night we went to visit them again and Dulce prayed thanking God for the Sacrament.  I know that we are supposed to prepare for the sacrament all week long, but she taught me in her simple prayer that we should always show our thanks for the sacrament!!

Luvia started talking really poorly about Wesley again and saying everything he does wrong.  It was so sad and he tried to leave because he was embarrassed, sad, and felt like it wasn't fair.  Hermana Allen dragged him back inside and we talked once again about how things should be in the home.  How they need to love each other and build each other up.  We played a game where someone would tap a pencil and until they stopped tapping it we would pass an object around.  When they stopped, the person who had the object had to say something they liked about the person next to them.  It helped them SO much and it might have been the first time they had heard a compliment from one of their family members.  They are progressing so much, but they have a lot to improve still!  I love them and am so happy to be able to help them.

FAMILIA IBARRA

Well this week might be make or break for them.  They are going to decide if they are going to be baptized.  We will be fasting with them tomorrow to help them make that decision.  Please pray for them.

wow sorry I still have so much I want to tell you about but I have no time!  hopefully one of these days i'll find time to write in my journal... that's probably why I have so much to say, I don't want to forget it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRAMMY!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA-W!  I love you both so much!

BARRETT AND ERIN THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGE!!  I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

so do the office elders because I shared the chocolate haha

Dad, don't worry too much about the flood in the house.  People here would be happy to have something other than a dirt floor.  The house can be fixed.  Be happy that more important things aren't falling apart in the house, like our family.  It could be worse.  Love you.

NEC

Hermana Yates