Who would´ve thought that cats like tamales?!

Ok, funny story to begin..

A few weeks ago, we went to visit an investigator, Diego.. we just so happened to be fasting that day, and had to turn down his offer for soda before the lesson (we almost always say yes even if it´s kind we don´t like, because it´s so dang hot!) but politely said no..Then, during the lesson, the guy selling tamales rides by on his bike, and Diego jumps up and buys us tamales....so we finished the lesson and he insisted that we eat them..but we wouldn´t! and we felt bad..so he put them in a baggie and sent them home with us...well..a little later that night, we were visiting another investigator, Rodolfo, and I had placed the bag on the floor next to my chair. Before I knew it, his cat had bitten through the bag and was eating the tamales! I was so bummed..because they have very quickly become one of my favorite foods here...but the good thing is that he only ate one of them, so the next day I was able to eat the other tamale (my companion doesn´t like them). and it was delicious. It was kinda funny, we´re all just sitting in the lesson and all of a sudden realize this cat is just going to town with my food, we laughed for quite some time as the dumb cat ran off! End of my silly story.

On Friday night this week, our zone leaders had a baptism not too far from our area, and we were able to take two investigators. The girl that got baptized was actually in our area one day, standing on the sidewalk smoking..and our ward mission leader, as awesome as he is, began to talk to her about the gospel and the word of wisdom. And here she was, two months later, being baptized...pretty awesome. Anyway, Bishop helped us get to of our investigators there and took us over to the chapel. It was a beautiful baptism and both Estela and Rodolfo felt the spirit very strong. They´re kind of our golden investigators right now, both preparing to be baptized this month. they say that 80% of the investigators who assist a baptism end up getting baptized afterward, and I know that´s true..because it gave them both the opportunity to see what it´s like and feel the Spirit that was present there. Love it!!

Also, last night we had a meeting with another General Authority, Elder Mendoza. He spoke with the full time missionaries, ward missionaries, and ward mission leaders about the members getting more involved in missionary work, a topic I´m sure you all have been hearing a lot lately. It´s so important, and it´s  something I did not understand before the mission. When the members give us referalls, it helps so much. When they invite friends to their houses and invite us to come, it´s the ideal setting to teach the Gospel. I encourage each of you to pray to know who you could invite to visit with the missionaries in your home, and if you do so, with real intent, believeing that Heavenly Father will put a name in your mind of someone who´s ready to hear the gospel,  He will!!  Members have such a huge role in missionary work, and I aspire to be a much better member missoinary after the mission, but for now, I have the opportunity for a short time to be a full-time missionary, the opportunity of a lifetime! It´s the best decision I´ve ever made and I wouldn´t trade this time for anything in the whole world. 

I´m seeing the gospel change lives, little by little, including my own.

I love each of you and hope that you have a wonderful, safe week. Until next Monday....adios!!

Hermana Maki

foto #1..just a boring picture of my area....haha

foto #2 picking oranges at Hna. Nidia´s house so that we could make orange juice last night!!