Dear Family & Friends!

  It has been a great week in Mesa Grande! We've seen a lot of success... but there are also some things that we are wanting to work on and improve this next week. We have two families (The Baez and The Tanori) that both have baptismal dates for this Saturday, but we know that neither will be ready. So this week we are really going to work on setting a new date with them, and really helping them realize the importance of it. They just don't have that fire yet, so we've been studying a lot for them and trying to figure out what we can do to help them. The parents of the Baez Family (Kim and Ines) are actually fasting today for their children, so that their children will have a greater desire to learn more. And also so that Kim can stop smoking. They've been talking about doing a fast for the past two or so weeks and just haven't. But I'm so excited for them that they are doing it today.  I think it shows a lot about their desires that they are doing it, and I also know that there is a lot of power that comes from fasting. I've been studying fasting a lot lately to try and help them in their desire to fast and I've really gained a testimony of it for myself. In Alma 5:46, Alma says "Behold I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself." It's just helped me realized that a lot of times answers don't come easy. We really have to work for them and show God our willingness to be obedient. 

     We've also been working with another family, the Vega Family, that has progressed immensely this week. I'm stoked for them :] They've been investigating the church for a while, and have come to activities or church occasionally. But I feel like they really didn't have a desire to know what is true. But this past week Hermana Falcon and I made a reading chart for them, with their names, and spots for the 22 chapters in 1 Nephi. So that when they read a chapter they can put a sticker on the chart. And I don't know, it sparked something in them. We told them that we're going to have a party whenever all three of them finish it together, and Hermana Falcon and I will bring the food! And just in the past week they have already read 12 chapters. They really have just started doing stuff and being involved in the Branch, they're coming to all the activities, they came to church on Sunday and stayed all three hours. I'm really excited for them because I know that if they keep doing all of this they are going to receive an answer to their prayers, and they're going to want to be baptized. We haven't set a date with them because we've asked them numerous times and they always say no, that they don't think they are ready. But once they have finished reading 1 Nephi we are going to set a date with them. It's been awesome to see them progress this week.

    We have another investigator, Ruperto, that came to the visitors' center last night. And we had an awesome lesson. We watched Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration and afterwards he told us that he knows it is true. We set a baptismal date for July 7th. A lot of the time he is just like oh yeah, I know, I know, I know. And sometimes we feel like he doesn't want to listen. I don't know how to say this in better words, we just feel a lot of pride in him. But it's been a neat experience to see him change. He still has a ways to go, but we know that if he keeps reading and praying, he'll be ready to be baptized July 7th. 

    I've seen my studies improve a lot in the past transfer. I can just see a difference. I'm trying harder to really focus on my investigators. I used to have this mentality that my personal study can also be just for myself, for my personal knowledge. And I'm not saying that that is necessarily bad. But I've realized that my testimony can grow WHILE I am studying for my investigators. And I'm trying to just always be thinking about them anytime I am reading or studying, and seeing how what I am studying can help them and be applied to them.

    Friday night we had a ward activity for Father's Day. It was all good fun. It was a carne asada... meaning delicious meat. So I wasn't complaining.. even though we had it outside and it was pretty hot! haha the Vega family came and we didn't really do a ton, but we had fun. It was good for them to meet more people in the ward. And to eat some good food! Oh and Saturday I saw my first dust storm. They've been happening a lot the past couple of days. I have some pictures from both.. but am not sure if I can get my camera to load onto this computer.. we'll sees!

    Okay embarrassing story time... Wednesday morning we went out for exercise. Hermana Falcon doesn't really like to run... and I do. So usually she just is in the middle of the street stretching and exercising while I run up and down the street. So I'm running... and I don't even know how this happened. But I tripped. And it's not super uncommon for me to trip, but I  am always  able to catch myself. But no. Not this time. I just remember thinking "AHH I'm falling and can't stop." haha. So I just stuck my hands out. Hermana Falcon heard me and turned and looked and she told me later that her first thought was "why is she doing push ups in the middle of the street?" And then realized I had fallen when I was brushing myself off. I don't know how this happened either.. but my palms had like gravel under the skin. Like splinters... except gravel. And when we got home I tried using tweezers... but it hurt too bad! So later in the day when we were at the visitors' center, Sister Beckstrand (our VC director's wife--she's seriously the best. she does so much for us.) performed surgery on my hands and fixed me up. And it's all healing pretty well. haha. My life is awesome!

    Today we are having a zone activity at a member's house where we are going to make quesadillas and watch the Best Two Years. It's funny to have Hermana Falcon as my companion because I had to clarify that we will be having American quesadillas. They are very different. But I still like them!

    I hope everyone had an awesome Father's Day! Especially you DAD! He got to spend his in Europe! Lucky guy, right??? haha.
 
Miss you all and hope everything is going well!
   
Love, Holly