Please send some mud shoes!

August 26, 2013

Hey family,

So mom, it was nice and all that you got me some snow shoes for Christmas, but would you mind sending me some mud shoes? Its raining like crazy here and the crocs just arent cutting it. Really you would all have been laughing pretty hard at me Friday and Saturday. One of our areas is really hilly and paved roads dont exist so I was walking around ( or attempting to do so) with 2 inches of mud caked to the sides of my shoes for quite a while.

Vilma  was baptized on Saturday! It has been incredible seeing her conversion. I have never seen someone so prepared for the gospel and ready to change. We went to her house on Monday to confirm the time for the baptism and see if she had any doubts or questions. All she said was, " Im more than ready." Her mom has diabetes and this week has been in horrible health and she has had a cold as well. She shared with us that she knows that these are just trials and that Christ will help her get through them.

The day of the baptism was a bit interesting as the electricity went out and so did the water. Thankfully the pressure of the water to fill up the font is good and it only took a half hour after the water came an hour before the baptism. Lots of the family of Vilma and also of Maico and Blanca(the family of Hermana Chita) were there. We the sisters sang a special musical number "Lead Kindly Light" and the spirit was really strong. It was so wonderful to see all of these wonderful people ( and future leaders) enter the waters of baptism. The crazy thing is that right when Vilma (the first one to be baptized) was entering the water, the lights went out so everyone had there cellphones out for the baptisms, and then the lights came right back on!

Im continuing to learn so much from President Collado. The bar in the mission has definitely been raised and obedience is improving, along with the way were being taught to teach and find people. We were challenged by the area authorities to pray with our companion to know what area we should work in this week. I have always heard stories when missionaries look at a map and feel they should work somewhere but have never had that experience...until this week. I felt that we should work in an area but didnt say anything to Hermana Corzantes. I told her we should pray about about area. After the prayer, she said the area I was thinking of. It was so neat. Were working hard to find new families in this area- Alfredo Lazo. Elder Ochoa from the seventy is coming this week.

President Collado said something I really like this week---" Intelligence is man´s capacity to solve problems." Its so true. Were all going to have trials that are really hard for us to go through. But what attitude are we going to take? I read some really good talks this week about how we can feel accepted by the Lord in our weakness and how to go through trials---from the last general conference---"Being accepted by the Lord" and "Beautiful Mornings." Really the key during trials is to NOT FEAR and trust in the Lord. Im so grateful for the eternal perspective we have with the gospel. Im also really grateful to be a missionary in Nicaragua. These people, even if they dont have a religion, believe that if it werent for Jesus Christ, they wouldnt be here. I love how so many believe....our role is missionaries is just to help them see how they can convert this belief into FAITH and act in the savior. Im so grateful for the Savior and his love for us! I love all of you and miss you.

Love,

Hermana Pearson