Saz!

Ok this week.... I don't even remember which days were which. But let's see....

Hermana Saari and I had a really tough lesson with our investigator Salvador. Nothing went as planned and then I couldn't think of any words to say in English let alone Spanish.  I got super discouraged because I am a perfectionist and hate not being able to do things perfectly... but I turned to God and got past it. I still struggle with teaching especially when I can't connect with the people I am teaching. But after that lesson in which I felt like we failed, we were challenged by our teacher to invite Salvador to be baptized! I thought it was a big order but I knew that with the help of God I could do it. Hna Saari and I planned the lesson specifically to what the spirit told us to teach. Side note: that's one of my favorite things about my companionship with Hermana Saari. I love that we can be studying for a lesson and we always get the same spiritual prompting almost simultaneously. She's an awesome companion. She has already helped me be so much better of a missionary. Anyway: the next lesson we taught to Salvador was about eternal families and about everything from there leading up to Baptism. I don't remember a lot of what was said in that lesson but it was exactly what he needed to hear. One specific point he had was that he was already baptized in his church when he was a baby. We explained it in a way that made perfect sense to him and when we invited him to be baptized he accepted!! That made me feel a lot better about my teaching abilities:) 

Then Friday we met our other teacher and his favorite Spanish saying he learned in Mexico is "Saz!" Meaning "dang!" So now that is our district's word when anything happens:) 

I love my district with all my heart. They are all like my siblings. We are doing great besides all the Elders and some of the Hermanas getting sick. I'm healthy though! I love working out with the Hermanas! Hermana Hutchinson (from Texas going to Salt Lake) is my workout buddy! I can feel myself getting stronger and healthier:) I hope I can keep that up out in the field!

Spanish is coming... we set some major long term goals that I am going to do my very best to achieve. 

Hermana McKenna Merrill is in my zone! I'm so excited to have one of my childhood besties here with me. She reminded me today while we were in the temple that we used to have conversations about being in the celestial kingdom together and now we could be in the celestial room together having made covenants and being called to serve the lord. Super cool:)

Other than that... I have just been stuck in a classroom for hours on end each day so not super exciting... haha!

I want you all to know my testimony has grown so much and I'm becoming better and better with every day.  

Yo sé que Jesucristo es El Salvador del mundo. Yo sé que la única manera que podemos volver a Él es mediante la fe en Jesucristo y su expiación. No estoy solo en mi misión. Tengo el poder de Dios cuando enseño. Me encanta ser misionera y yo sé que estoy al CCM en Provo para un razón. Puedo ver ese razón más y más cada día. No quiero salir! Pero yo sé que hay gente en Bolivia esperan para un mensaje solo puedo darles. 

Les quiero todos! 

Don't count the days, make the days count. 

Con amor, Hermana Madsen



And she's going to kill me when she gets home, but she added this little note to Jeff & me:

Also not something everyone needs to know but I just got called to be the zone STL:) super excited to be in a cool leadership position that makes me want to be a better person:)