El Dia de Amor-Casi

To the people I love the most,

 

Good Morning from Bellevue. Oh my gosh I love this place, and I can't believe its already P-day man this month is going to FLY!!! Well do any of you have plans for Valentines Day tomorrow? We sure don't other than the fact that I am totally going to wear the cutest red and pink outfit, and maybe someone will invite us over for dinner. Then again everyone else probably has lives with and awesome plans already. You better believe by next year I am going to have a date!!! I am not quite sure who so Stay Tuned.

This week has been so great, and I am so excited to be here for another 6 more weeks. Then I know the transfer will come to an end, and I will want to stay here longer. I am grateful for the time I do get to serve here so I am going to soak it all in. It was cute because in the middle of PEC yesterday Hermano Bassett said  "I don't know if its bad to pray to have our missionaries stay, but prayers were answered. We are so glad that you all are still here." Isn't that just the sweetest thing. People keep telling us there has been a fire in the Branch since we have arrived. Really its just the lord working through each of us, but its so fun to be a part of.

Yesterday in Church was such a great day. First of all Miriam and her family were there. The whole branch has just taken them under their wing. Last week they were invited over for dinner with a group of families. They are getting people set us to go and visit them during the week so they know that they are welcomed. They are amazing. Its cute because I was talking to Yazmin the other day on the phone trying to schedule a time when we could go and visit with her family. She says "well now that we are baptized are you still going to come?" well of course. "you always come on Saturdays so keep coming Saturdays." They are great. No matter how I am feeling the second I walk it to their home its just instant love. On the other note Jacira came to church so Dad you can add a little tally on the flow-chart I sent because this makes time number 5!!! Which is great!! With each investigator you have challenges that you have to overcome together normally its getting them to recognize the importance of coming to church. With her luckily see has already gained a testimony of coming to church, but the only thing is she is super hard to teach during the week. We always try and have lessons after church really quick, but we are going to have to get creative in coming up with ways to get a hold of her. We are going to work on having her baptism before the end of the transfer which can totally happen she is just not aware of it yet. She is great she is the one who doesn't take her medication so she can drive to the church building, she participates in classes, and she is started to make friends. Its nice because she is really good friends with a cute lady in our ward Hermana Stander who actually just got called as Relief Society President. Which I am so excited for because she is going to Rock it. Let's just say it was a very needed change. On the other side of things yesterday we had a few less active families/people show up which is great, and makes me feel so happy. Seriously sacrament meeting as a missionary is STRESSFUL!!! Let me just explain how it typically goes. We spend a small part of the morning calling people, and sending texts to remind them about church. Which they have heard about multiple times during the week. Then not everyone is on time so we are sitting towards the back of the chapel by the doors so we can see everyone that walks in. Then church starts and you look behind your shoulder at the doors every 5 Min's because someone who said they were coming hasn't walked in. So then your saying a personal prayer that they will just come, and your stomach is just in knots because you stress out about it. Then all of a sudden you see them walk in and you get instant JOY!!! Obviously some people don't show up, but then you have the ones that do and it makes it all worth it.

Also during this week we meet a very cute lady named Maricela. We taught her lesson one (the restoration) and the spirit was so strong. She even cried as she was saying the closing prayer because she is so grateful for everything that she has been blessed with. Then yesterday we had another small lesson with her, and we watched a mormon message. She then opened up, and told us that she is sick. Has some type of kidney problems, and thyroid problems. She is waiting for a kidney transplant. She went on to explain that she is not sure why, but she just feels that she can trust us. She talks to her husband, but normally just keeps it between the doctors. Her kid are still kind of young, and she knows that they don't understand all that is going on with her health. Its amazing how much people will open up because they can feel the spirit, and the love that we bring. For a lot of people its something new that they haven't experienced. She is just the sweetest lady ever, and we have a church tour set up with her at the end of the week so keep your fingers crossed that it goes through. 

Saturday night we had our dinner for the Rosca de Reyes. If you remember me telling you about that at the beginning of January how if you find a doll in the bread you have to make a dish for a later dinner date. Well technically the dinner is supposed to be like the 2nd of February, but we moved it to the 4th which they ended up cancelling and moving it to the 11th. Which actually worked out perfect because right after they changed the date Miriam decided she wanted to be baptized!! Anyway well each of us found dolls so I made enchiladas, and of course tons of other people brought food as well. Its was way fun, and I am totally adapting the tradition when I get home. We were served legit Authentic Mexican Tacos!!! None of this ground beef business it was Cow Tongue, and a little different but actually quite good. Of course you pile it up with cilantro, onions, squeeze lime on it, and then all wrapped up in a tortilla. I can add it to the list of fantastic Mexican dishes to make each of you when I return. Be excited!!!

 

On the other side note Isaiah is English is hard enough + Isaiah is Spanish = Not my ideal personal study, and so NOT FUN!!!

 

Also I have heard this great song. Linnea or B your home for the week is to figure out who sings it. I heard it at zumba class one week, which now we can't attend- oh well. I also heard it at someones house. Its way good. I am sure you guys have probably heard it like 50 billion times, but I haven't listened to anything but hymns for the past 7 1/2 months.

Here is the song line that I remember so see what you can do.

" I want love or live ( cant remember) hopeless place." Check it out, and get back with me. Its going to be like a pop song.

That song is totally going on my i-pod when I return. Along with all the other amazing church hymns I hear on a regular basis. ( this may or not be a little sarcastic ) Really I do love hymns. I am not going to lie I will be loving the variety when I return. Also you should listen to a "little bit stronger" for me. 1. Because I totally heard it at a lesson the other day.( kind of distracting) 

2. I totally forgot about that song-wierd how that works. I really love it so you should enjoy it for me. I can't believe you punks are going to lady Antebellum!!! HAVE FUN!!! Remember how I said that last time you two went to I concert I would totally come. Crazy how life works. This is like concert #3 that I have missed with you two. 1. Rascal Flatts 2. Keith Urban 3. Now Lady Antebellum. 4. I AM TOTALLY GOING!!!! BE EXCITED!!! ALL 3 OF US so start thinking of who we should see.

 

Mom have fun in St. George!!! Also you know how I mentioned it was feeling like spring. I LIED!! Well actually I didn't, but it didn't last long we are back to the Rainy State that I Love the MOST!!! seriously though I love the rain!!!

 

Well family I love you all so much!!! Have an awesome week!!! Know that I am praying for you always. Enjoy everything.

Love Always your favorite missionary.

Steven if you go on a mission I will gladly give away that title to you!! Just a thought.

Love Always,

Hermana Grimes

I love my life!

My Amazing Family,

 

First off all Dad we hit number 8 just a few days ago!!!! We are getting there.

This has been one of the best weeks of my WHOLE mission!!! Seriously I am so blessed to be able to be a missionary right now, and its going fast. I am trying to soak it all in.

Well I know you are all anxious to hear about transfers so are you ready..... I AM STAYING!!!! Guess what none of us are leaving so the three of us get to kick it for another 6 weeks in Bellevue!!! I am so excited!!! I mean one day soon it will be nice to go back to just teaching with one other person but I can't complain. Who would have ever thought that I would have served so much with my bestie Hermana Stout!!! It was actually quite funny because right after we got the call we were getting ready to get into bed and at the same time we both just look at each other and say "Well can you put up with me for another 6 weeks!!" So funny and we got quite the laugh out of it. Are you kidding we have been talking how we could serve our whole missions together and be just fine. Of course I love Hermana Peak, and we are super excited to see what the next 6 weeks has in store. Not to mention in Washington it has felt like spring and its February!!! I mean thats normal for places like St. George, but not here!!! I love it!! It makes it so much better to be outside tracting, and contacting people. Which for some odd reason I love.

 

Now as for last week on Tuesday we had a lesson with Miriam and her family. We watched the finding faith in Christ DVD. It was just the best feeling having all of us piled on the couch and the floor to watch such a spiritual movie with the greatest family. After we were all just talking having some short little lessons. Of course there is always so much going on because we are teaching her kids, as well as teaching her. Then all of a sudden Miriam asked us if she could change her baptismal date. Yeah I know right? Now this is the moment where my heart drops and I have a small freak out inside. Of course when someone asks to move their date you know its going to be later. Well guess what the Lord is Amazing. She Asked if there was anyway possible that she could be her date to earlier!!!! Are you kidding me OF COURSE!!!! I was shocked!!! Seriously the best feeling ever. She decided that she wanted to move the date 1 week sooner so February 4, 2012!!!! She was so cute about it because she was saying that she was thinking about moving the date, but didn't know if she could. All she told us was she didn't want to wait. Can you say Miracle!!! We freaked out in the car the whole way home. Not only that it was right before transfer calls came. When we first set the date for the 11th she told us she didn't want to do it any sooner, and trust me we tried. Oh and guess what the cutest thing each of my companions were both wearing boots, and her daughters were asking why I wasn't wearing boots. Then all of a sudden Miriam goes and gives me a brown pair of her boots that she doesn't wear!!! They are real cute so check them out in the pictures so not missionary appropriate, but I promised her daughters I would wear them to her baptism. I will probably be sending them home in the next few weeks just so I don't have to pack them around so you can keep them safe. When I mean safe I mean down in the basement with all my other things not in your closets. Love you, but these boots are super special to me!!!   Well Wednesday she had her baptismal interview. The rest of the week we made tons of call to the branch to get everything set up for the baptism such as clothing, the building, program, and all just odds and ends. We had a Spanish conference of Saturday Morning so the baptism was set for Saturday night at 5. So needless to say saturday was quite the busy day. We promised her girls that they would have warm water little did we know warm water does not exisit in the Bellevue Stake center so we were there a few hours earlier boiling water. Miriam and her family arrived, and we were taking the back to get there white clothes and miriam just starts crying!! It was the sweetest thing ever. It was such a beautiful program. Of course a few things in the program didn't quite go as planned because our ward mission leader has never conducted before...ya love you, but that would have been really nice to know before hand. Just because I am a people pleaser, and a lady in our ward had planned a small demonstration and didnt have the chance to do it. So I felt bad, but Really that doesnt matter. The most important part was that they were BAPTIZED!!! Well it was time for the baptism, and all the little kids go sit right in front of the font like normal. My comps and I take Miriam, Abby, and Yazmin back to the font. So that means we got a behind the scenes view!!! It was the best because we got to stand right on the stairs. BEST SEAT IN THE ROOM!!! They were all baptized by President Martinez the branch president. Of course the water was not warm. Abby, and Yazmin were like "you promised" then yazmin whispers "I am going to pee" now this girl is so funny she just has a sassy side so when she says things it makes it ten times better. Miriam was telling them that they would be just fine. Of course they were. After the baptism I was talking to Yazmin, and of course we told them we boiled water for them, but obviously it didnt stay warm. It was cute because she say "yeah it was cold, but I felt warm." Isnt that the cutest thing ever!!! Then of course I go on to explain it was because she just did the right thing. After we had so refreshments, and got to visit for a little while. They were just glowing!! Best Day EVER!!! Then the Cardenas family took us out for dinner after the baptism so that was super nice of them. Then on Sunday they were confirmed. It was so great to see the love, and support from the branch. Not only that it was testimony meeting so people get up and bear their testimony on the importance of baptism, and it was the greatest meeting ever. Then we have time in gospel principles for testimonies, and the teacher asked Miriam to share some thoughts. The spirit was so strong as she explained how she met the missionaries, and different experiences that she has had, and then her simple but powerful testimony of the gospel. She also explained the reason why she wanted to move the date earlier which at this point we didnt know she just told us she didnt want to wait. Anyway she had a dream that she was surrouned in dirty water, and couldnt get out then two of her friends both ladies in the branch that she knows came in and pulled her out. It was a great weekend!!!! She was just glowing, and told us that she felt so clean!!! I LOVE THEM!!! We now have THREE more members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I love my life, and it was the best feeling to be able to experience a piece of that joy. It makes every door you know, or rude person, or non-progressing investigator so worth it when you have moments like this. 

 

Well I am so blessed to be able to serve in this branch I love them all so much!!! On sunday night we had a dinner with the Bassett family. I love that the branch gets just as nervous for transfer calls as we do, and then just as excited we they found out that we were all staying. Last night we were invited over for dinner and family home evening with the Cardenas.  It was the cutest thing this morning we get a call from Hermano Cardenas because Martha wants to talk to me. Martha is their daugher who is 8 years old who I love!!! Her and I just have the greatest time. Well she gets on the phone "Sister Grimes will you be my new BFF?" How cute is that?!! Of course I say YES!!!

I have made so many strong lasting relationships that I am eternally grateful for, and so many people who have made such an impact on my life. Some days I have time where I am like what the heck am I doing out here, but when I look back on even just the people it makes it all worth it. Of course I am learning great life lessons along the way, and life on a mission is still a roller coaster, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

I love you all so much!!! I hope you have the best week ever!!! I am so grateful for all of your support, and love. Know that I am praying for you always. Look all your prayers in behalf of Miriam and her family were part of bringing about one of the best moments of my whole mission!!! Have a great week.  Les Amo!!!

Also WELCOME HOME ASHLEY GIBSON!!! I sure love you.

Linnea and B thanks for the awesome hair color I totally used it so check it out in the pictures at the baptism.

 

LOVE ALWAYS

Hermana Grimes

My amazing family!

Buenos Dias!!!

 

My Amazing Family. How are you? I sure hope everything is going well. Can you believe we are almost in February?! I am so excited!! It really is going fast so it makes me feel bad for thinking January was dragging but really it kind of was.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!! I was glad to know that my package arrived it time, and I am so excited for you to open it!!! Well since I wrote you a list of things that I love about you last year. I know that doesn't make me exempt for writing one again, but I still love all the things that I already wrote so I will just add one.

#52- I love you because you are so supportive to "your missionary!!!" I love getting your emails every week, and I look forward to hearing from you because you think I am the best missionary ever!! Which some days I don't feel that way, but knowing that I have your support and love makes it that much better. Thank you so much for all the good memories, and everything all these years. I am so grateful to have a dad like you. I love you so much, and I hope you have the best day. I realized that I haven't been present for your birthday in years so I promise next year I will be there!!! Enjoy your day!!

 

Well fam, I feel like not to much has been happening. We had zone conference this past week which is always nice to go and feel motivated. Not to mention we got to play volleyball in the gym for a little while after lunch. Please just picture this in your mind tons of elders, and then a small handful of sister missionaries with tennis shoes, tights, and skirts. So Funny, and fun little change to the normal everyday stuff. Also we were challenged to read the book of Mormon cover to cover by May 7, 2012 which is great because I actually just finished it right before so now I can just start over. Which I love the book of Mormon, and have gained a new love for it by coming on a mission. Not to mention I learn so much every time, and I have so pretty great insights that you will have just have to wait to hear until I get home. If your look for an awesome read in the Book of Mormon check out Ether!! It is so good!! I am not going to lie I probably in years past gotten to ether and rushed through it because I was almost done. Man, that little book is packed with some great things. So hear it goes again. This time I am going all the way through in Spanish. Last time I would just read bits and pieces because by the time I started reading it in Spanish I was already part way through. So here it goes. I am still getting so much out of it!! I seem to be paying a lot closer attention because I need to understand so it goes a little slower, but I will be done by May 7, 2012!! Other than that we had a lesson with Miriam here and her family are doing great. We have already taught miriam so now we are working on teaching her children. Which is fun because we get to come up with creative ways to teach the lessons. We taught them the doctrine of Christ which consists of faith, repentance, baptism, holy ghost, and enduring to the end. Anyway we made foot prints, and labeled each foot with the principle we put them in a line and let them walk the path. It was actually quite fun, and I have got to start writing down all of there responses because they sure a funny. I am so excited for them, and I know its going to be such a big change for their family. I attached a picture of them so you can finally get a name with a face.

Also Guess what? Jacira came to church yesterday!!! Not to mention Stake Conference people aren't very good at that even if they are LDS, but yes she showed up. It was crazy because we haven't had contact with her in about 21/2 weeks. I love her so much!!! Which is great because it allowed me not to lose faith in her because just a few weeks earlier she told us how much she loved coming to church. So it was weird that she just dropped of the face of the earth. I have been mentioning her a lot these past few weeks because we have tried so many times to get a hold of her and nothing. Its so sad to see someone who you know is so ready just not make the small steps or you just lose contact. Sunday morning we finally call her. I am just sitting on the couch  praying, and saying she is going to answer while hermana peak is on the phone. Then all of a sudden I hear her voice!!! Oh man I freaked, and she had told us she was already getting ready to come to church, and she did get our message about it starting earlier!!! We get to the church building, and she is already there comes and embraces us with the biggest hug. She explained that she had been out of town, and she is job hunting and hasn't had tons of money to pay for her phone or gas, but she wanted to save enough gas so she could come to church!!! She is so AMAZING, and I really can't describe how much I love her.  

Also I attached a video of me and the famous David doing his dance moves. I love this kid. His family is such great members of the branch its a single mom with 2 kids, and we have had dinner with them multiple times. They are great, and treat us even better. Anyway last week me and him had way to much fun so enjoy he was teaching me some of his moves!!!

 

Can I mention how much I love tracting!! Serioulsy I am so not being sarcastic because every door you knock it is quite the new adventure. I have so many funny stories!!! One day soon I will tell you all of them because they will be so much better if you get the linds details, and actions so look forward to that!!!

 

Also this week is transfers so P-day will be switched until next TUESDAY!!! Yes, its the time we all love the most because I wont find out if I am leaving until Sunday night. Gotta love all the change. Do me a favor and just pray that I stay here in Bellevue. 1. Because I love it!!! 2. Miriam is getting baptized, and it will be so much easier to attend if I am here. 3. Jacira  4. The Branch

Obviously what ever is supposed to happen will, but i really want to stay here!!!

 

Well I hope you all have a great week!!! Know that I love you all so much, and I MISS YOU!!! I am not homesick or anything so dont worry just miss my family!!! Enjoy every moment, and know that someone in Washington loves you!!!

Love Always

 

Hermana Grimes