WEEK 66: Guys, It's December!

HELLO TO ALL!!!!! Well, it's that time again. Hahaha the weeks go by extremely fast and I don't know how it's already Monday again. AND, it's now December first......WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE? I never want to leave this place.

Well, it's been such an incredible week and I feel yet again SO extremely blessed to be a missionary and see the gospel working it's magic in the lives of others. 

Time is short, yet again, but let me just share some of the miracles that happened this week.

MELFA. Oh man I love this girl so much. She is our investigator that was baptized on Saturday!!! I can't even put into words all the miracles that happened this week with her. Rememeber when I told you all how her father was super against her to be baptized and then suddenly let her? Well listen to this. Last Saturday was the day of Melfa's baptism. We were a little sad because we knew that she didn't really have support from her dad, and her mom passed away a few years ago, and the only support she really had was her aunt and older sister who are both less active members. (side note Melfa has reactivated both her aunt and sister since she's been coming to church but that's a miracle to explain another day.) Well, Saturday morning we were in one of our farther areas when I got a prompting that we needed to go personally invite Melfa's father. Haha okay we were far away and at first I thought it was a little crazy because her father is either always at work or he is drunk and doesn't really want to talk to us. This day in particular he was scheduled to go to work so we figured he wouldn't be at home. But, this prompting was SO strong to me, so I told Sister Villeza and we went over to their house. GUESS WHO WAS THERE AND NOT DRUNK?  HER DAD!!!!! AH. It was a miracle. He had taken the day off work for some reason. Coincidence? There are none. We invited him to the baptism but didn't think much of it because he has never really been interested in anything we say. Fast forward to before the baptism when we are taking pictures at the front of the church and we see a man walking up.....We looked at Melfa and the three of us shed a few tears as we ran over to get her dad. OH MAN. Can you say miracle? His heart was softened to the max. The gospel is real. The Lord is in the details of our lives. Her father stayed for the whole baptism! And he shed some tears as Melfa bore her testimony after she was baptized. It was such a special day. Many tears were shed because we have seen the power of the gospel in the life of Melfa, and she has been truly converted. She shares the gospel with all those she knows. Well after her baptism, she was able to talk with her dad a little about the things she felt and the things she's learned at the church. She asked him something like "why have you changed?" If you knew Melfa before, you would really see the change in this amazing daughter of God. She used to just get drunk and party all the time but she is completely different now. The gospel has become a part of her. She knows her purpose on earth. Her precious answer to her father was something in English like "Pa, I now understand that we have a Heavenly Father, and He has a plan for us to live good lives." She gets it. AHHH I learn so much from these great people. Well, fastforward to the night after she was baptized, we had an appointment with Melfa's neighbor (all of her neighbors are our investigators now because she reads with them and shares with them all she learns) well her neighbor wasn't there. Jokingly, I said to her dad who was right there, "we are just going to teach you now Pa!" Hahahaha he laughed and then it got quiet and then he said "OKAY!" and went up for a high five. Hahahahaha WAHOO!!!!! Guys if you knew him before this...his heart has been completely softened. We were able to teach him just because of a little joke I made!!!! Hahahaha it was awesome. We just shared with him a little and mostly had Melfa share the things she has learned. She was SO nervous but so cute. She was like "Pa, did you know we have a living prophet? and there is another testament of Jesus Christ!" And then she full out invited him to read the Book of Mormon! Hahaha and then invited him to church! And then she closed the lesson and invited her father to pray!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHA Oh man I wish I had a video of it. It was the cutest thing. Melfa has been our "investigator present" in most of our lessons and worked with us even before she was baptized so she is like a pro at all things missionary now. Hahaha ahhhh this work just brings me pure happiness!!!!!!!

Well story short, I know that when we follow promptings we will see miracles in our lives. I know that the Lord is in the details of our lives. He loves us. He wants us to feel of His love every second of the day. His plan is great, and He knows all. 

I'm sorry this email is all over the place....hahaha I had so much planned that I wanted to share with you all but my time is up. I hope you got something from my rambling. Just know that I love you all and you are all so special to me. See you all in 3 short months! 

Nagmamahal,

Sister Reategui

pictures: baptism!

more pictures....

exchanges with sister sanoy! we worked in our area! we tracted in the jungle again! guys there are actually houses out there! we found a lady who has two brothers that are members and we got to teach her! in the middle of the lesson she pulled out her Book of Mormon that she's been reading for years but we are the very first misisonaries she's ever met! coincidence that we tracted into her house? no. miracle!

 #districtpic

wendy aka my new bff

LOVE THIS FAMILY. I've learned so much from them

last week we had district activity. we did the amazing race and boy it was crazy!!!! if you can see the picture, sister villeza and i won!!!! we even had to drink a raw egg. yucks talaga but it was so fun!!!! the other pictures are from yesterday at church. love the members here!