a big challenge this week was working with a new companion, hermana carranza, from guatemala.
she has the same about of time in her mission as hermana gomez, and so they will actually leave together. hermana gomez is in didiamba, as one of the hermana leaders and she sounds like she is having fun too!
all of our investigators ability to choose has also been really rough this week. we haven't had the success we have wanted for this month with baptisms, especially with the people that we have been working really hard with. but pray that all goes well this week!
a great success would be tasting a nacatamale for the first time this week. 
imagine having a tortilla, chicken, tomatoes, and rice all together. with lots of spices, and you have a nacatamale. they aren't half bad...
my favorite person this week is hermanito alejandro, who was baptized on saturday, and after a little bit of pulling teeth, was confirmed sunday morning. this little fireball has been asking to be baptized since i arrived in the area, but hasn't had permission from his parents until recently. he is one of the few investigators who i have placed a baptismal date with and then they actually complete with that baptismal date. he's such a great little chavalo.
a tender mercy is the time i spent with hermana gomez, helping her prepare to leave tuesday night. i miss her soo much, but know that it is time for a new companion, new adventures, and new experiences.
our plaque picture!
i am looking forward to getting to know hermana carranza better this week. we have some things in common, and i can't wait to find out more!
a new goal is to go running every morning at six am. for those that know me, know that i hate running, but because my companion likes to exercise, and because i should, we will leave the house early and go running.
one of the scriptures that i studied this week was in matthew chapter 7, with its corresponding chapter in Jesus the Christ. can i just say, how awesome is James E. Talmadge!? reading along, here's what i learned!
v.1-5 you can't force another person to see your prespective, especially when you have a skewed or beamed view of the world.
v.6 we are given pearls to share with those who are worthy. as missionaries and disciples our "duty would be to discern the spirits of those whom they essayed to teach and to impart unto them in wisdom." james e. talmadge we can't share everything with everyone up front, because their hearts aren't ready to hear the word. they will just trample it under foot.
v.7-12 we used these verses to answer a parent's concerns for the baptism of his 10-year old daughter. our zone leaders compared the fish to her plea to be baptized, the serpent to his father's denial of permission. the bread to her desire to follow Christ and be cleansed from sin, the stone to his utter refusal to give us permission. the scriptures are clear; ask/act, and through your faith and obedience, you will receive. seek the Lord, His truth, and He will put it in your path. knock and He shall enter.
some fun moments of the week:
after getting kicked out of the cambios meeting, we went back to hermana machalan's house, and made FRENCH TOAST! we watched part of the other side of heaven in spanish, and then listened to the cambios meeting from a source on the inside. after we got the word we came back, and i was able to grab a photo with this little ray of sunshine!
during one of our interviews, we passed the time by choosing beans, or being very racist and cruel. each beans has to be inspected for perfection, and if they aren't the right color, smooth, or don't have all their parts, they are cast out. how cruel! but elder velasquez seemed to enjoy it...
until next week friends!
hermana graves
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