We headed to the city to see the green river for st Patricks day :)

Well this week has been pretty exciting- not a lot to tell you all about, but it's been good :) pluuuus were h

eaded to the city to see the green river for st Patricks day :)

In Chicago on St. Patrick's Day with a Green River

We had a Zone Conference (missionary meeting) this Wednesday and tht was super awesome- I love meeting with the other missionaries and leaning how to improve and feeling the spirit. I'm so grateful for the Woodburys- they are the best :)

Jessy, a girl from the ward, came with us to some stop-by visits we had. Nothing really came out of it -- no one answered their doors!-- but it was fun to have her there :) 

We normally go to the church and use the wifi there for our online proselyting because it's the closest thing. Soooo this Saturday we walked into the church, and right into a boda for someone in the ward! The bishop was going to marry a less active member and his girlfriend. Ha we totally didn't know it was happening. We went to another part of the chapel- we weren't planning on actually attending. But then right as it was starting, bishop asked us to come so I could direct the music. Ha so we indirectly crashed a Hispanic boda :) it was fun, and I can say I went to a wedding on my mission now  

On the Bus -- Waiting to Contact

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There's a Recent Convert were working with named Dayanara- she was baptized in August and then went to Ecuador for like 3 or 4 months to do a thing for Kerly, and now she's back so were working with her- she is so awesome :) and she shRed her conversion story in gospel principles yesterday, I want to share it:

Dayanara is from Ecuador- she has a husband, a son named Alex and a special-needs daughter named Kerly. Dayanara had been raised catholic, but she never went to church or did the things that you do as a catholic- she just didn't see a point, she didn't feel like there was anything really important about it and stuff.

I don't know how they found her, but the missionaries had been stopping by Dayanara's house for a couple years. She was never really interested and didn't really care for them to stop by and share what they wanted to share. So eventually the missionaries stopped coming by and they didn't come back again for another two years.

During that two years, her mom in Ecuador got baptized, and after a while came  to stay with her and visit.

Literally the day after mom came up to stay with Dayanara, the missionaries stopped by (the first time in two years). The mom welcomed them in and they visited and Dayanara was there. 

She went to church a couple times with her mom, and she told me she fell asleep every time- it was soooo boring! Haha :)

During this time, Dayanara was being encouraged to be baptized- by the missionaries and by her mom. She didn't really care for it. She thought it was kind of dumb and pointless. Eventually, she decided she would pray about it, and this is mostly how her prayer went- "I will get baptized, but only if this certain surgery we've been waiting for for Kerly goes through. I want the best for her and I think that's what she needs, so I'll take that as my sign." (I want to point out that at this time, Kerly was maybe 5, and was literally a 'vegetable', as Dayanara puts it)

That night, she had a dream or an impression or something that she needed to get baptized. So she just thought to herself, ok I guess I need to get baptized!

Later that day, she got a call from the doctor that Kerly would not get the surgery because it would ultimately do her more harm than good. 

But, Dayanara felt she needed to get baptized, so she moved forward with that knowledge. As time went on, she noticed that as the missionaries had been stopping by, Kerly was improving. She she realized that it had been happening that way for a long time- every time the missionaries came by, Kerly improved. "Oh it's just coincidence," she thought.

As time went on, Dayanara was baptized. Her little testimony was growing, no matter how hesitant she was. But the miracles came AFTER she showed her faith by being baptized- Kerly improved even more, and continues to improve dramatically day after day. 

After Dayanara was baptized, They became Aware of a surgery they could do in Ecuador that could help Kerly. So they went down and had it done. It has helped her a lot, and she is even learning how to walk now.

Dayanara testifies to us so strongly that she knows this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ- she's seen the miracles from her decision, and she points out to us often that the miracles didn't come until AFTER she exercised her faith. 

I felt the spirit so strongly when she was sharing her story and I'm so grateful for her example to me :) Dayanara and Kerly are awesome.

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The Reyes twins are finally getting baptized this weekend!! Super exciting :) the family has progressed so much in the past couple weeks and we are so excited for them :)  

Well, this gospel is really truly the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It doesn't matter what anyone else says.

Why?

Cause I've asked god :) I don't need to ask anyone else! Our invitation is NOT to take our word for it-- our invitation IS to ask God... Because who would know truth better than him?

Love you all, have a great week because I sure will :) 

Hermana Hayley Walton