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Hola mi familia!

Can you believe there is only one week left?!  It is hard to imagine that a year and a half has already passed by... Heavenly Father has been blessing us so much these last couple weeks and I feel so grateful to still be fully engaged in His work.

Yesterday we had an awesome follow-up lesson on the Restoration with our investigator Alejandrina.  She had some doubts about following the prophet, but those doubts dissipated when we introduced the Book of Mormon.  Alejandrina told us that for years and years she has been asking people if Jesus Christ came to the Americas and nobody has been able to give her a satisfying answer.  Everyone just told her that America didn't "exist" yet when Christ was on the Earth.  However, she felt that Christ must have visited God's other children on the earth, besides those in Jerusalem.  She was so excited to read the Book of Mormon and to finally find an answer to her question.  The Book of Mormon is true and is evidence that Jesus Christ loves everybody and will manifest Himself to all those who ask.

"I’M GOING TO MISS NEW YORK!"

We finished the day visiting our investigator Milagros, who is Guarina's neighbor.  We decided to have a crack-down Word of Wisdom lesson, since Milagros struggles with coffee, tea, smoking, and drinking.  To be honest, Sister Hall and I were really nervous as to how the lesson would go.  Because if it didn't go well, she might not let us come back.  But God blessed us to find an AWESOME member to teach with us, Taty.  Taty helped explain the blessings of the Word of Wisdom and we discussed a lot about how to leave behind vices.  Milagros has wanted to quit smoking.  In fact, on Tuesday, the day we taught her, she had only smoked one cigarette without knowing that we were going to speak about the WOW that night.  She took it as a sign that it was time to stop.  We are praying for her and really putting our faith in the Lord to help her overcome her addiction! Everything is possible in the Savior.

Last Friday was Guarina's birthday, and we celebrated on Saturday at her house.  She is adorable and loved feeding us her special birthday dinner... she loves to feed us... We ate Bandera with lamb and it was delicious.  Funny story- one of our investigators, Filgia, a friend of Guarina, came to the party.  Filgia is interesting!  She told us that here in the United States, any time they say at the store that the meat is lamb, it is actually deer.  She thinks that there is no such thing as lamb in America... Deer, lamb, whatever. Same thing ; ) We ate it and it was delicious!  We gave Guarina a picture from her baptism for her birthday.  She was so excited that she brought it to church the next day to show it off to everyone.  She is progressing so much and we love her more and more every day.  We are taking her to the temple on Saturday to be baptized for her mom!!  We are so EXCITED.

Want to hear a funny story??  So on Saturday, after leaving Guarina's, we went to the church to use the bathroom.  The elders had two donuts and gave them to me and Sister Hall.  I didn't want mine and so I told Sister Hall she could eat my donut.  She was halfway done with my donut when I remembered that she is supposed to be eating healthier and I can't let her have sugar.  So I decided to tell her that I wanted my donut back in an attempt to get it away from her.  She didn't want to give it back, but I convinced her to hand  over the other half of my donut.  As soon as she put it in my hand, I booked it towards the bathroom to throw it in the trashcan. I made it clear to the bathroom doorway when she grabbed my backpack, tackled me to the ground, and stole the donut out of my hand!  She shoved the whole rest of it in her mouth before even getting off of me.  I was laughing so hard that I couldn't move off the ground for a good five minutes.  Hahaha.  Lesson learned: never mess with a donut-crazed-former-rugby-playing-Sister-Shelby-Hall.  Mmmmm.... donuts.

We have had a really crazy, but exciting, week.  I am grateful to still have one last week to serve the Lord and preach His gospel to those who He has prepared to receive it.  I know that this Church is true, and that though the principles and doctrines taught within, we can receive the fullness of joy and peace that Heavenly Father has provided for us. 

Love you all!

Hermana Dodson