Transfer finally....maybe??

Bueno,

Every week is a great week on the mission! We had our car this week, which was super lucky considering it was raining all week! The highlight of the week was church yesterday! We had 6 investigators come! Emerita and her husband FINALLY came to sacrament meeting. We have been teaching Emerita since Hermana Madsen was here with me. We went over before church in the morning and they followed us to church. We really have to "baby" some investigators, but its worth it to get them on the right path. I am sure that they enjoyed church...we will be seeing her this week and want to set a baptismal date. She is way ready to be baptized! She hasnt felt good at the Catholic or Jehovah Witness churches and loves reading the Book of Mormon. She will come around! Diana and Lorna came to church as well. They are the cutest little girls. The Elders had a baptism this week and they went to it and really want to get baptized. They have recognized the Spirit while reading the Book of Mormon and going to church, they explain it as happy and excited to learn! We have taught their mom once and hope to teach the parents again; they are super supportive. We are going to talk to them about baptism and see what they have to say. They became friends with Maria and Ariana (two recent converts also in primary). We are going to start teaching Orlando, a relative of Amanda. He is 10 and has come to church lots with Amanda and her familiy. We had a special meeting at church with the Bishop and all of Relief Society and Priesthood. Starting April 11, the classes in spanish will be available. I am so excited about this change because the spanish members will be able to learn in their native language and get much more out of church. they are very thankful for the change, Amanda was crying during the meeting. Bishop has worked really hard to make these changes happen. When I got here in August, I really wanted there to be more love expressed to the spanish members. I am thankful for the time I have spent here in Sioux city and the team I have been part of. Transfers are next week, so I might be leaving this area...we will see. Either way I have loved the time spent here and would love more time here..but its up to the Lord and the needs of His children.

The Baraza familiy is doing great! Brother Baraza looks good up on the stand in his new calling as 2nd counselor. He said he had to buy a suit! He will be a great leader in the ward and is one of the most humble members I know. The Briseno familiy is doing better. Ana has some really bad heart conditions but is improving. The Temple prep class should be starting soon in Spanish so that they can start preparing. This week Amanda and Celia are going to be taught how to use the new familysearch to do their family history. Celia has her temple recommend to do baptisms for the dead but doesnt know enough information about her family yet to do the work for them. I am so excited that our recent converts are thriving! They want to study and progress. It's amazing. Omar is trying so hard to gain a testimony of our living Prophet...he reads, prays, goes to church. We are telling him to be patient and continue to have faith. He hasnt completely learned how to recognize the feelings of the Spirt so we are wokring with him on that. He knew his decision to be baptized was right and felt great up until his baptism...then afterwards he feels overwhelmed with doubt. I told him questions are natural and he needs to continue to do what he is doing and he will grow. I know he will be a strong member and Heavenly Father will bless him. The Ochoa kids have been doing well...but now their father (Melissas ex husband) got released from jail so they are in hide out right now. I am scared for them and hope that they will be safe and he wont danger them. Please pray for the Ochoa family!

Investigator updates: We are taking a break from Delmar because he is not willing to pray about the Prophet Joseph Smith. That prayer is so important because it validates the truthfulness of our message of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ. Olivia dropped us, rather awkwardly...we knew she was home and she was pretending like she wasnt. That was sad because I really loved her and was seeing a difference in her....I hope she comes into contact with missionaries again and gains that testimony of God's love that she is missing. We found some really great new investigators this week. Heavenly Father is really blessing us here. The night Olivia dropped us, we knocked doors and found Gabby who asked, "Can I read the Book of Mormon?" We love when our investigators have the desire to act and learn! We will be going back to teach her this week.

This upcoming week is our last full week of the transfer! Crazy. I am looking forward to wednesday because Sister Evans from Vermillian area in South Dakota will come here and spend the day with me in Sioux City and Hermana McGuire will go spend the day with Sister Hoffein in Vermillian. Exhanges! President approved it and it is a great opportunity! I love Sister Evans, we decided we are soul mates. ha.

Well I love you all!

Hermana Murphy