snowed in

Tacos de carnitas last Sunday with our cute gators before mission president's fireside

Hola hola hola!

The storm that happened last Monday was the topic at every appointment, meal, door approach, you name it. Hna Sully was pretty worried about everyone and started off most of the texts something like, "Hola! Como esta? We hope everything is okay with all the snow..." But yes, there was a blizzard. Yes, we are all alive. To be honest it was probably one of the funniest days of my life. There were 12 of us missionaries snowed in at the church and wow everything basically kept going wrong and it just made everything funnier.

Some random things that happened this week:
-When it was 44 degrees on Thursday that meant sunglasses on and windows down (not kidding, see pics below)
-Realized we have so much msf this month, we somehow dropped $25 mothering the elders when they were sick
-Bribed some missionaries to let us weekly plan in the high council room (aka the only room with a white board and comfy chairs)
-My Florida hija thought the ice was so fun until she biffed it... now she avoids it at all costs
-Realized I have a twin on exchanges. Sister Stutz and I are the same.

I have fallen in love with the people week after week. The members here are amazing. They have so little but give so much. I want to focus on one of the Hnas here that is completely devoted to serving others, I don't think she ever thinks of herself. Her name is Hna Lopez.

On Tuesday we helped with her visiting teaching. She was assigned to an inactiva who isn't the most welcoming and doesn't love visits. Hna Lopez is one of the kindest, sweetest people I have met in my life so we tried to warn her before that this Hna might not recieve us well. But that didn't phase her. She was too excited to meet her teachee. As soon as we sat down on the couch she couldn't help but express the love she has for this other hna she had barely met. She kept telling her she was happy to finally meet her after searching for her for three months. The pure love Hna Lopez has for her was so apparent.

Then the storm was brought up (like all other convos this week). Hna Lopez talked about a conversation she had with her husband in the midst of the blizzard that went something like this:
"It's really ugly out there."
"We are definitely not leaving this house. But if anyone needs our help, we will go."
"Yes. No question, we will go."

WHAT.
That really had me thinking about my willingness to serve.

Am I willing to leave the comfort of my warm, dry home to help someone in need?
Or in other words,
Am I willing to give up my comforts and desires to truly serve someone else in whatever way they need?
Are you?

Sometimes the word service is overwhelming. But it doesn't need to be! Service doesn't mean some huge project, it means keeping your eyes open for small things to lift someone else.

Marion G. Romney said, "Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made.”

I know this to be true. I know that Heavenly Father uses us to answer other's prayers IF we are willing. So be willing!

Quote of the week: Hna Sully holds out two starbursts and says, "Which starburst do you want? I want the pink one" jajaja too good.