January 21, 2013 I'm Pregnant! (on the mission)

(Being pregnant as a missionary means they have hit their halfway mark and have 9 months left!)

 Hermana Heiner, Hermana Manning and Hermana Pearson

All came to Nicaragua together!

Well Ive now passed the 9 months mark on the mission and its really strange to think that a year ago I was opening up my mission call at Brad and Michelles house. Its amazing how much I have grown and how much has happened since then. Now Ben is home from his mission, Becca is at BYU, Jane is a babe singing solos in show choir, Brad has a new job, and Michelle brought little Max into the world. Time is flying by and I love life.

Well a lot of changes took place this week. Hermana Rodriguez and I were super calm this week not expecting any changes. But it wouldnt be the mission if crazy things didnt happen right? She got a call on Monday night that said she had changes. She was really disappointed and I was a little sad too but at the same time ready to take on more responsibility. My new companion is a member from Managua named Marjorie Duarte. She has now been a mini missionary for 2 changes in a row and 3 changes last year. Its a little bit different considering she is not a full time missionary but she is willing to work hard and so I think we will be really blessed to find some people that are ready to hear the gospel.

We worked really hard this week searching for new people and working with the families that we already have but lots of people just arent keeping committments. Its so frustrating when you want so badly to help people see the blessings of the gospel, but they arent willing to make sacrifices to see them. We will see how things go with Cesar and his family but they are really struggling right now. Karla is going to be an amazing member of the church. She takes notes during relief society and is reading the lesson manuals to be prepared for church. Were going to work hard to receive revelation in how we can help her husband, Hartin have the desire to be baptized. He feels pressured to be baptized and so were going to try to help him see the blessings that his wife is receiving being a baptized member of the church.

President Arredondo talked to us a lot at our changes meeting about controling our thoughts. He talked about how it is so critical that we analyze our thoughts and throw out the negative ones immediately. It a thought enters our head, we should ask, "Who is this coming from?" If its a thought like, "That could never happen," its from Satan and we need to throw it out. We need to throw out negative thoughts and act in faith and miracles are then possible. I constantly feel like I lack so much faith but every day Im trying to move forward and trust in the Lord. I know that this church is true and we have a prophet at 12 apostles to guide us.  I love and miss all of you so much!

Anne