The Field is White...

Mexico got hot.

We got into the warm season here and I know it's only like 80 degrees, but I don't know what happened, I became like the people here! I bundle up like crazy if it dips below 70 and I'm just dying if it's hotter than 70 degrees.

Good news, I'm apparently not talking as much in my sleep (: But I think the whole wake up 6:30 am thing has become a permanent thing. This whole week, I woke up just before the alarm went off. It's 10:30-6:30 for life for me, I guess!

This week we saw some really cool miracles. 

A week or two ago we knocked a door, and out came a lady who was just super rude to us and told us to leave and that she would call the police or something. Well a few days later we went to eat with a member and when we got to the house, this lady, who had been so rude to us, opened the door! My comp didn't even recognize her but I was like, "do we go in what do we do...????" But, she welcomed us in and explained that she was working for the member that were visiting and helping her out with the cleaning and taking care of her handicapped aunt. Well we ate really quickly, and I was really debating if we should just leave running, or if we should share a message with her like we normally do. Well the spirit told me that we needed to sing her a hymn. So with some trepidation, I asked her if we could sing, and she accepted. After the hymn she just opened up her heart and started crying and telling us everything that was going on in her life. She asked us to forgive her for the things she said to us the other day and told us that she was just having a hard time and that she felt so bad for taking it out on us. Well, we got to contact her and tell her about the plan that God has for her. Really, we are all children of God. And she is just so important to Him, that He put her back in our path (when we would have never returned for fear of how angry she would be) because he loves her so much. It was pretty special to see. 

Also... my comp and I prayed for a family to teach. And...we found a family of 22 people! If that's not an answer, I don't know what is. A ver que pasa con ellos. 

And finally, the other day we went to look for a former investigator and even though she didn't live there anymore, we found a lady who welcomed us in on the spot (not something that happens everyday, or every week, or every month....) and just ate up the restoration! And she introduced us to her family (: YAYYYYY. We'll see what happens
with her too. (:

In other news, we did service pealing onions last week and my hands STILL smell slightly like onion. tips?

Basically, it was a really great week.

Love you all! Hope you are doing well!

Hermana Wolferts

Preaching day AND night...

April 13, 2016

Sooooo....

First of all, my companion is amazing, like I mentioned last week. A lot of times companionships pass through a rough or at least awkward phase while you get to know someone... but my comp and I never had that! She is just so obedient and on point in lessons and we just like to work really similarly and we both like to have fun so it works well (: It's usually pretty apparent what companionships are doing well and what companionships aren't, even to investigators, and we have this one investigator who told us that we just look like we have a party together every day. Which isn't actually true because we deffinitely work dang hard but having a good companion does make the work fun. 

The only thing that has been a problem is that I seemed to have developed a pretty intense sleep talking problem. My comp told me that the other night I was talking (in english) for about 10 minutes and that she didn't understand anything except that I started to give my testimony and then I switched into spanish and started explaining that I was testifying of these things because the spirit was telling me to testify and that if the spirit isn't guiding your words you shouldn't speak haha. Then I started contacting someone and asked to teach them a lesson and proceeded to teach the entire restoration, complete with questions and a petition for our member who was present in the lesson to share their testimony. I went to far as to pick up our phone to look for a baptisimal date and I invited them to pray about our message and if they got an answer to be baptized a specific day. All in all my comp told me I talked for at least 40 minutes (and I have no memory of any of this happening). And similar things have happened the last few nights. My poor comp isn't sleeping as well these days... 

This week I learned a huge lesson about the Lord's timing. We have been teaching a few investigators who are really good people and have faith and understand the lessons, but who haven't really progressed. I was pretty much ready to drop them when suddenly, something changed. I don't even know what happened, but we have two people who have just started to progress like crazy. We didn't change how we were teaching or do anything radical with them, but the spirit just started to get to them and they started oppening up their hearts. Sometimes we think people are lost-causes or that they have already had their chance, but I have learned to see people how God sees them--to see their potential. And when we remember that God loves every one of His children, we remember that He never gives up on anyone. I'm just glad that the spirit told us to keep teaching them for long enough to see their crazy progression start!

We also met one of the most prepared investigators I have ever met. He went to chuch the day after we met him and understood almost everything that people taught. He picked up on the priesthood, that we have a modern day prophet, that the church was restored, and we hadn't even taught the restoration yet! When we went back to teach him on Monday he basically taught us what we were going to teach. We just did a run down to clear up some doubts, and then we were good to go. And before we even asked him to pray to know if it was true, he told us that he was going to pray because he wanted to know if it was true. If that's not a golden investigator, I don't know what it. PRAY that he keeps progressing. The funny thing is that he was just a street contact and I thought that he had just accepted an appointment but wasn't really all that interested, but he proved me so wrong. I love that the Lord is in charge of this work. 

Ohhh and we went to the temple today! Thus, I'm writing today and didn't write monday. But it was AMAZING. As always. I know that temples are houses of God.

It's been good. It's been a little crazy. But I'm so happy to be here doing this (:

Have a great week!

Hermana Aubriana Wolferts

When Christ Came to the Americas...

April 4, 2016

Ahhh I hardly left time to write the fam ):

Here are the highlights!!

1. About a month ago, an Elder gave us a referral of a 9 year old who is the daughter of menos activos, the only problem is that the elder didn't know the childs' name, nor the names of her parents, nor where she lived, except for the street. This made her a bit difficult to find. We sorted through the ward list and found only one member that lived on the street, so we went and knocked their door, but found that they hadn't lived there in years. We were sad and confused because the elder personally knows her mom and we knew that they were living around here... well, if Heavenly Father wants you to find someone, he will make it happen! About a month after this a guy was running after us calling "hermanas!!" And it ended up being the dad of this family. We're now teaching them (:

2. I have a new compa! Hna Gonzalez. She's AMAZING. More about her next week.

3. I was teaching a recent convert on the street the other day about when Christ came to the Americas when 2 ladies approached us and asked us to share a spiritual thought. I don't know why, but I assumed they were members because we had just gotten out of general conference and they were in skirts and just approached us so confidently. So I started explaining to these non-members about when Christ came here to the Americas... and they just acted so normal that I didn't even know that they weren't members until they left and my comp told me that she didn't think they were Mormon... I didn't even contact them or get their address or explain to them about The Book of Mormon, gosh dang it!

Well, we have to run now but I love you guys so much! I hope you all have a fantastic week! 

Bye!!!

Hermana Aubriana Wolferts

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

March 28, 2016

Hello Family!

I need to tell you all about the miracle of fasting. I want to testify you that fasting works. Here's why:

These past 2 cycles (about a 3 month span of time), my comp and I have been visiting a 14-year-old recent convert, along with his mother and 8 year old sister who weren't members. The mother had been investigating the church for about 2 years, but had never had the desire to be baptized, until the missionaries invited the 14 year old to seminary. He went to seminary and he fell in love with it and started studying the scriptures more and decided to get baptized. But the mom and sister still didn't have the desire to be baptized at that time. They were always progressing, just very slowly... so we decided to be patient with them. A couple weeks ago, we felt prompted to invite them to fast on the first Sunday of the month. These investigators were basically active members that went to church every week, but they had never fasted. They accepted our invitation to fast, and even though we told the 8 year old that she didn't have to fast for the full 24 hours, she did it. The next day, the 8 year old told us she wanted to be baptized. When someone calls you telling you that they want to get baptized, you get to their house the first moment possible! We ran over and made a date for her baptism and started to plan everything. In that moment we challenged her mom to get baptized on the same day as her daughter. She didn't flat out accept the invitation, but she did say she would pray to know if she should. We told our ward mission leader and he told us that he was going to fast for her.  

Well, the day after the ward mission leader finished his fast, we had an appointment with her and we decided to take a leap of faith and talk about the baptismal interview questions and prep her for a baptismal interview. After we reviewed the questions, we asked her if she would choose to be baptized with her daughter. We quite literally sat there waiting for 3 or 4 minutes just waiting for her answer. When she said "si." The Spirit filled the room and the excitement we all felt was so special.

But there was still the struggle of following up with her until the day of her baptism. She had had baptismal services planned before and had not shown up, so you can imagine that we were a little nervous, especially when she called us to tell us that she was freaking out and was really anxious. We had felt the Spirit confirm that she was ready for her baptism, so we knew it was Satan working on her. My comp and I started a fast for her and after our fast we never heard a word from her about feeling nervous or anxious! Everything went perfectly and they were baptized on Saturday (with a ton of members there because everyone knows and loves them!!), and then they confirmed members of the church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost on Sunday. 

Bautismo (:

It was a miracle and I really do feel like our fasts as missionaries, as well as those from the ward members, and this sweet mother and daughter are what made it happen. Sometimes I have just thought that fasting is something that I do just to show faith or because I should because it is the first Sunday of the month. But really, I want to testify that God listens to our prays and our fasts. When we can't do anything more, we can fast and pray and put it in His hands. He will make the impossible, possible. 

Also, it wouldn't be right to ignore that yesterday was Easter! One strange thing about the culture here is that Easter is a big deal, but also, is almost completely forgotten. Let me explain. This past week is called Semana Santa "holy week" and all students have vacations and many people don't have to work... but as we talked to people, we realized that many of them didn't even realize that the reason that this week is holy week is because it was the last week of the Savior's life. I'm sure many people back home forget that too... but as missionaries we focus on Christ so much that it hurts our hearts to realize that many people forget Him. And here the day most celebrated is actually Friday, the day He was crucified. Everyone gets together as a family and eats food and dances and listens to music (don't know how we were able to sleep, our neighbors were going crazy). 

Well I want to share my testimony that I know that He came to the Earth, established His church and was a perfect example for us. He loves us so much that He sacrificed His perfect life so that we could have a chance to return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father. And then He took His life up again and broke the bands of death. I know He lives. And I know that because He lives, we will all live again and that we will be able to be together as families forever. It is such a privilege to share this message with others and show them what Christ did for us. 

I love you all. Have a wonderful week (:

Hermana Wolferts

We found the bus back to Salt Lake City ;-)

Sometimes missionaries have fun too!

The Book of Mormon is True!

March 14, 2016

Well, it was an awesome week (:

I'm pretty sad that I forgot my camera because this past week CARLOS GOT BAPTIZED. Also my comp and I gave each other some pretty legit makeovers so hopefully I will be able to send some pics next week.

But basically, Carlos's baptism was amazing! This guy overcame everything. Working Sundays, coffee, he just always showed the willingness to follow the commandments. And the testimony he bore right after he was baptized was so powerful. His water was even warm for his baptism (tender mercy--it's the first baptism of mine that our investigator has had warm water... I think I'm bad luck). It was such an amazing process to see.

Also, we have an eternal investigator and her daughter (eternal investigators are people who have investigated the church for a long time but still haven't decided to get baptized) who told us that they want to get baptized soon! PRAY for them and that they don't change their mind!!!

Random fact about the mission: It makes you blunt. As missionaries we are always looking to improve and we are pretty open with each other about the things we can better. And you just have to tell it like it is with some investigators. Last Sunday we contacted a family, and when we went to visit them on Tuesday, we had a mini lesson. On Thursday we went to visit them for the first real lesson in their home, and the Spirit told me that I needed to tell them to get married (because they aren't legally married) and so I did it. I basically told people that I hardly knew that they had to get married (OK...maybe a little more tactfully). But they reacted really well. Fingers crossed that they will decide to get married!

We went to a really cool Book of Mormon lecture that the Stake put on the other day. It was all about the evidence of the Book of Mormon here in Meso America (Mexico and Central America) and there is a TON. It was sooo cool I wish you all could have been there. Science will never replace faith, but it was really awesome to see how the historical facts really do support a ton of what happens in the BOM.

As I've been reading the BOM since the activity, I've just been so struck by the fact that it's true. It's not just interesting or nice words, it's actually the word of God and it was written and preserved for us. Woah!

Also, I hit my halfway mark in the mission this week. So weird. It goes so fast. 9 months is still a long time, but these past 9 months have been the fastest of my life. It kinda freaks me out that it's going so fast, but I'm also happy that one day, I will get to hug you all again (:

Hope you have an amazing week!

Hermana Aubriana Wolferts

This day was so cold I'm wearing like 3 sweaters, a long sleeve shirt and a rainjacket. 
And it was probably only like 50 degrees... Mexico ruined me. 

Family Sealed Together Forever

March 7, 2016

Hello!!!

This week was awesome. Saturday was great because...

I WENT TO A SEALING. 

A family of menos activos that Hermana Martinez and I activated in my last ward got sealed in the temple! I am sooo happy for them. It was the first sealing I had ever attended and it was so beautiful. Also, the missionary who baptized them came down from Utah to see the sealing! It was cool to see how happy he was. As missionaries, we come to love these people so much. It also terrified me to talk to the missionary because he got home from his mission about 6 years ago and is already married and has 2 kids with the third on the way... And he has finished school and is starting up a business. Life is going to move sooo fast. 

But really, I have such a strong testimony of temples. The Spirit was so strong and I know that they will be together forever.

Also in the public transportation on the way back from the sealing, someone read my palm.... they told me that I was in my 4th life #falsedoctrine

One of the coolest things about being a missionary is that the members recognize you! When we were going to the temple, we had members approach us and help us out when we weren't 100% sure about where to go (it's very complicated. You have to take like 3 combi bus things and you have to know where to get off and on). Also today we went downtown and had some other people come up and tell us that they were members of the church. It's my favorite!

As always, we see the hand of the Lord in this work. Yesterday we had a cool lesson with a 19 year old who had met the missionaries once when he lived with his family, but has since moved out and decided to ask for the missionaries to visit him via web. How cool that after a few years the Spirit reminded him of how he felt when the missionaries came to his house once when he was younger.

Also... there are these apartment buildings in our area that are always a little scary because there are a million gates and locks. Super safe... but sometimes too safe and we have had problems getting in at times. We have always been afraid of getting locked in. Well, we got locked in this last week. It was so weird because we left the door cracked open (because if it closes, it locks automatically) and we ran up to leave a note on someone's door and hurried

back down, and it was closed. We don't know how it happened... but it felt like it was meant to be because after we knocked a few doors, trying to get someone with a key to open it for us, we ran into a teenager who my comp recognized. She asked him if he was a member and he told her no, but that he always skateboards at the church, has member friends, goes to the dances, and has even been to church before! Practically an unbaptized member. So we hope to start teaching him and his family.

Really there is nothing more rewarding than missionary work. I love it here (:

Hope you are all doing well! Love you!

Hermana Aubriana Wolferts

Ran into my MTC teacher! It was so weird to see him and talk in Spanish, instead of talking in mostly English like in the CCM!

The Desire to Preach the Gospel is Flooding My Soul!

February 29, 2016

Hola!

This week was great! First... I want to start of with the miracle of the week!

We have been teaching a 15 year old girl. She has a lot of family financial problems and has to work to help cover all the bills. She had been working Sundays, and hasn't been able to come to church. 

We taught her about the Sabbath day and why it is important to keep it holy and how we can do so, including going to church. But she expressed to us that she had to work and that it was hard to find a job. But then my comp had a stroke of genius (aka, the Holy Ghost) and thought of a member of the Ward who was looking to hire someone for their café. Long story short, she was hired by the member and no longer works Sundays!

But the sad thing is that she didn't come to church yesterday!!! ): We still have to check up on why she couldn't make it, but it made me reflect on how often I throw away the blessings that Heavenly Father gives me.  How many times do we say "I'll do whatever you want if you will just help me with this problema" and then the problema is "miraculously" resolved, and we forget to keep up our end of the bargain. 

This week I had another hospital adventure! I've been there so much lately with other hermanas that apparently there was some gossip going around that I was super sick and was going to leave the misión. Haha, not so, but I have had my fair share of time in the hospital while still being perfectly heathy. 

 Hermanas Lambert and Jones came to stay with us to attend misión leadership conference with us the next morning, but Hermana Lambert showed up with a really high fever. The next morning her fever was so high that President wanted her to go to the doctor. Hermana Jones had been assigned to prepare a training for the missionaries, so she couldn't go with her to the doctor, so I got put on doctor duty again. Unfortunately, Hermana Lambert didn't have her insurance card (and she's out in a pueblito far far away and we couldn't go and get it) and they were not going to let her in for her check up without it. We tried to give them the code, I showed them my card and told them it was from the same company, but they would not have it. This hospital is just a cell service vacuum, no calls will get in or out. I even stepped outside to try to find service, but nothing. NOTHING. I finally got someone to lend me their phone and called the office missionaries who came to our rescue. So finally we got into the doc and after like a 5 minute check up they diagnosed her with the flu virus that everyone has right now (seriously, everyone here is sick, and they all blame the 80 degree weather for being wayyyy to hot). They gave her antibiotics and kicked her out. But we were so excited to leave, since it was such a hastle. 

One of our investigators, C, is just the best! He quit working Sundays, he gave up coffee, and he has a testimony that is growing so beautifully! This past week we taught him the Plan of Salvation. As we taught him about the Spirit World and how we are going to do missionary work there too, he got all wide eyed. He told us that he had had a dream. Naturally, we wanted to know more. He told us that he had dreamed that he and I were together teaching the góspel in a place that sorta looked like Nepal (we had just watched "Meet The Mormons" with him, so that's how he described it), but a little bit different... like we weren't actually on earth like we are right now. He said that when we taught him about the Spirit World, he knew that it was after this life and that he was going to help us preach the góspel to those who never had the change to receive it. Woww.... it was so cool to hear that. Also, one thing that I've heard is that we can see how converted someone is based on their desire to share the góspel. It's so true. C has introduced us to his children and continually tells us that he wants to do missionary work. When he saw that there are older missionary couples, he said he would love to do that, except that he's not married right now. He said his dream made him happy because it gave him faith that he would get to be a missionary someday.

Basically, it's a good day to be a missionary! Be member missionaries at home! I love you all.

Hermana Aubriana Wolferts 

¿Enchiladas?

February 22, 2016

Dearest Family and Friends...

I hope you are all doing well! This week was interesting! Here are some of the highlights:

1. I rode a bike.... We did some service and my comp and I had to take a bike to get to where we needed to be so I hopped on and rode it. Felt like the classic missionary struggling to ride a bike in a skirt ha ha (: Although riding isn't that bad... getting on and off is what's hard. But it was super fun and my comp and I nearly want to petition for bikes here (:
2. I spent 2 days and 2 nights in the hospital. I went on divisions with a sister who has been having some neurological problems. It is sooo weird to just sit around and do nothing. Sometimes I think I'm going to want to relax when I get home from my misión, but experiences like this remind me that it's good to be busy!
3. A less active member was telling us about what he sells in the tiangys... I heard enchiladas and said "que rico!" but it turns out it was some sort of alcoholic beverage... so that was a bit awkward...

This week I want to bear my testimony of the sacrament. The sacrament has become so special to me during my misión. Sometimes at home it was just a ritual thing, but as I have taught people about the sacrament, I have come to understand it better. A lot of our investigators ask the question, "what happens if I sin after I am baptized?" We always explain to them that the sacrament is like a "mini baptism." If we repent and prepare before the sacrament, we can be clean just like we were after our baptisms. It has become so special to pray and repent and prepare for the sacrament and then feel the cleansing power during the ordinance. At home I sometimes just thought that the goal was just to focus on Christ during those 10 minutes and not get distracted, but really we need to prepare beforehand to really take advantage of that ordinance. I testify that it really works. That the sacrament makes us clean. There's a reason that the Lord wants us to participate in this sacred ordinance every week.

Love you all,

Hermana Wolferts

The Metro is crazy!

Tiangys