Our examples can be LOUD

Hey everyone!

This past week was interesting because we had success in a way that we hadn't necessarily planned before hand. Yet that's how the Lord works a lot of times, isn't it? We had Stake Conference this weekend, so most of the week we spent going by all the recent converts and the less active members to tell them about Stake Conference. By doing so we were able to have many experiences where we were able to help some people in the exact moment that they needed it. So cool.

Ohh, and one of the new investigators we found this week is named J, and he's so awesome. !J! !J! !J! He was another reference from one of the members, and he is a dynamite investigator. He's 17 years old and knows a bunch of the youth from young mens. He's been to several of the activities over the past few weeks and over time he took out a bunch of his piercings without being told to--just because of the example that he saw in the youth. We were so excited! It really helped me realize how LOUD our examples speak sometimes, and most of the time we don't even know! Since he has already been to church a couple of times already, he has a baptismal date for next Saturday!! Depending on how fast we are able to teach the lessons and get his interview done, we'll be able to see if we can still do it next Saturday or if it'll need to be delayed a week. Regardless, M is going to get baptized on FRIDAY! YEAH! We are so excited for her. She is so excited too. She counts down every time we see her. :) 4 DAYS!!

Í'm so lucky to serve in this ward. Seriously. I don't know why I got to be so lucky! We're already to week five in the transfer, and I'm hoping that I'll be lucky enough to stay at least another transfer. We'll have to see. Things are still great with my companion Hermana Jensen. She is so awesome! I learn so much from her and she makes me laugh all the time. She spoiled me big time yesterday for my birthday by making me french toast for breakfast and hiding little notes all over the place. She's really sweet.

Yes, yesterday I turned 22. I now "have 22 years!" Crazy! It was a wonderful birthday. We had Stake Conference, Presidente Detlefsen and his wife were there (they both sang Feliz Cumple to me after) and then Elder Juan Carlos Avila of the Seventy was there to speak! He came and shook my hand afterward. Woot! It was a really good conference. And I understood what they were saying! (Which was a big improvement from the last Stake Conference when I was struggling to still make out words! haha)

There are about 6 or 7 people in our stake who are waiting for their mission calls, and they all shared their testimonies. It was so powerful! It brought back so many memories of all my excitement and anxiousness. The Lord's army of missionaries is growing bigger and bigger every day! I thank the Lord every day for the chance that I get to serve Him and help my brothers and sisters remember why we are here, and what we need to do to be on the right hand of God after this life. :) The Church is true!!

-Hermana Vawdrey

Las Misioneras en Mar del Plata

Ohh. Funny story. Yesterday we went to a member's house for lunch to celebrate my birthday. The mom made a cake on Saturday and then had to leave to go somewhere. Her son got home shortly after she left, saw the cake, and ate like almost half of it! Hahahaha!! We got such a good laugh.

CG and I

He likes cake!! 

P y yo 

Hermana Jensen!

Hermano V (our mission leader) and his wife also had us over to have what he calls a "member cake." 

It was a great birthday. I felt very spoiled!

Random responses to a letter from home:

• Amber and Matt Lebaron are doing the Bike Across America thing?! Please tell them that I think they are some of the COOLEST people in the world. :) How awesome.

• Tell Chris and Alyssa congrats for me! What a BEAUTIFUL baby boy! 

• Ben Beddes is going on a mission? YEESSSS!  

• Yeah. The Church IS true. :)