Saturday

So Saturday Annie and I left the house around 9:30 to meet Carmen and her two daughters Paula and Abi to visit Carmen's family outside of Leon. We got on a bus from there and left. We were on the bus for 30-45 min. I sat by Carmen and talked to her about a lot of things. I showed her what I was reading in Romans 12. She liked it and had never read it before. It was encouraging because she also told me that her family and her were trying to memorize some verses. When we arrived we walked on the dirt roads to their house. We arrived and met Carmen's mom for the first time. She was very quite but really sweet. She made us yummy quesadillas. A lot of her grandkids and kids were there in the house. They were playing games. After we had eaten, we sat down on the mini couches, which is pretty normal, and talked a lot. I learned two spanish tongue twisters. We also sang church songs. So they ate breakfast around 11 and then we ate Lupper (my new word Lunch + Supper) around 6 or 7. Isn't that crazy. I definitely felt faint and had to have a little snack and some water from a little tienda. By the way, I think this is typical for Mexicans. We ate lunch /supper in the mall. Then we went Skating in the mall which was a lot of fun. I will have to post some pictures later!
Anyways this was a fun day and a very blessed day in Mexico!

The next day one youth teenager told me that when my team and I left the field he imagined that they would miss us like we miss our family. I was amazed at how much they really do look up to us and love us!

The blessings of 1 Year

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home of brothers or sisters or mother of father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life..." Mark 10:29-30

May 8 of 2007, I arrived here in Leon. Last year I was welcomed here by missionaries, aimers, and church family. I do not feel like I have been here a year. However, as I reflect, I realize that I have grown in so many ways. I have also been blessed in so many ways.
Just a few blessings that God has given me in the past year;

A new family- I do love the people here. They really do care for me and are striving to know God. The more I have learned Spanish and have been able to communicate with them, the more I want to encourage them to be more Christ like, serve them, and just simple share with them as a sister in Christ. God is so good and has given me so much.

My relationship with God- I am growing; however, I have struggled and still do. At times I seem to be on fire and others I feel that I am not growing. Feelings are not always reliable though. Something that I have noticed, while going through difficult times, is how I always have joy. I don't mean that I am always happy, but I have my hope in Christ and the fact that He rose and someday I will be with Him. I am so thankful that I have the Holy Spirit, who gets me through the day, overflows me with joy, and works through me in ways that I can't imagine. I have learned many important lessons. One being that God is my true Love. He is someone I can rely on, trust in, and will always be the same
Friends and Mentors- The missionaries, my teammates, and I have become family and friends. We share together and encourage one another to keep going. Shawn and Omar have taught us a lot through their classes, but mostly through examples. Tana and Barb have also taught me many things. Even though they are older than me and have kids, I think of them as friends and really look up to them. I have learned a lot from their advice and example also. I am so blessed to have Tana and Barb. They not only lead the Ladies in church but Annie, Megan, and I.

Mexican Culture- Another blessing is learning a different culture. My eyes have been open to a different way of thinking and living. I realize that I have grown up in a wealthy country and am very blessed in more than one way. I have learned and am still learning Spanish. I pray that Spanish will open many doors for me to minister to people in the states and much more.
There are so many blessings that I have received since I have been here. I may not realize all of them till I leave. I thank God for putting me here. He has a bigger plan than I can imagine!!