Stories from a Sunburned Sister: What a Great Week!!

Oi Gente!!!

Well, this week was a great one!! We had an addiction activity to help Zuleide on Wednesday, Zone Conference on Thursday, and then found an incredible family on Friday!

The addiction activity- We invited all of the members in the ward that had addictions before they were baptized, and we did kind of an "alcoholics anonymous" type of activity with all of them and Zuleide. Sister Avila and I sang a hymn arrangement, we watched a Mormon Message on addictions, and then we opened it up for people to talk and share their experiences- leading them with questions to get started. It went SO well!! The spirit was really strong, and everyone shared really heartfelt and powerful testimonies. And, I think it really helped Zuleide, because ever since Saturday morning, Zuleide is cigarette free!!! It's a literal miracle, and I have so much hope for her! Also, I made "authentic American cookies" for the activity, and everyone LOVED them. Lot's of them had never even eaten a cookie before! WAT? Haha, but it went so well!

Zone Conference was wonderful like always!! I always feel so much more prepared to teach the gospel after Zone Conferences! I'll try to hurry and finish writing this letter, so I can send pictures!

Our incredible family this week!- We found them, because of my sister Emily. ;) Haha! We were doing our studies in front of a house one day, and a girl named Emily walked out the front door, so we started talking to her, and we made the connection of her name being the name of my sister. The next day we went back and talked to the whole family. The mom was baptized when she was 10 years old, but doesn't remember anything about the church, because she was raised by her Protestant grandma two years after being baptized, and never went to church again. We were able to visit them several times this week, and they are just so prepared to hear about the gospel! I'm so excited to keep working with them, and I'll make sure to keep you all updated on their progress!

This week I was reading in Alma, and a scripture we used to help Zuleide really stuck out. Alma 46:21 "And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God..." They came running! They were so excited and so bold to defend what they believed in, and to fight for what they wanted. We made a "Title of Liberty" with Zuleide, of all the things she's fighting for, and why she will quit smoking, and it's now hanging up in her house. It stays there as a reminder for her, and as a reminder for us of why we do what we do. Why do you do what you do?

I love you all, and I hope you have a wonderful week!!!

Love,

Síster Shelton