Bipolar weather

This week it got super hot and the sun came out and we we´re so happy, but yesterday the cold hit us and has returned so we´re back to sleeping with 3 pairs of pants and 4 shirts hahaha The best part of this week was the lesson we had with our investigator Patricia. She´s catholic but loves to read the book of mormon and has gained an incredible testimony of it´s truthfulness. She not only reads what we leave her, but more and feels that God is speaking directly to her. She told us that she hates the catholic church because they charge money to be batized (something I didn´t know) and that it´s not christ-like at all and that she finds more truth in our church and what we´ve taught her than what the catholic church has taught her her entire life! It seriously wasa  break through moment, she´s eager to be baptized although concerned and a bit sad that her family won´t be joining her, but we testified that she´s going to be a light and an example to her family and that it always starts with one. She didn´t come to church sunday though so I seriously wanted to stangle her hahaha in teh most tender and loving way possible. But I´m positive she´ll be baptized within the month as we continue to teach and prepare her! Today for p-day Hna. Victor, the 2nd counselor and our biggest support and ally in Santa Maria, took us hiking up a mountain that has some rocks with ancient petroglyphs from prehistoric people who used to live here which was super neat! The hike was rough, super tiring, but totally worth it once we got up there and were able to see the whole view of Santa Maria and the valley. We had a spiritual moment and shared some experiences and Hna. Victor told us a tall-tale about a chick (the bird) who would see the eagles flying and wanted to learn to fly. His sibblings laughed at him and said it was impossible, he was only a baby chick. But he was determined, so he hiked up the mountain to get to the eagles so they could teach him how to fly, and the climb was rough, he had thoughts of returning but he knew his sibblings would laugh at him so he kept going and eventually made it. Once at the top he told the eagles he wanted to fly, but they laughed at him also and said it was impossible, but with time and practice that chick learned to soar like the eagles, and when he did he went back home walking. I though to myself, why did he walk if he just learned to fly? But it´s a metaphor for us on the mission. We´re here to go through experiences and trials, and these things are going to teach us how to fly, but we can´t go back home walking, we can´t return the same way we left. And that´s what I´m most determined to do, to change, to never be the person I was before I left, to never forget the incredible experiences and miracles I´ve witnessed on the mission and will witness as I keep enduring to the end. To all my RM friends reading this, are you still flying? Or did you go back to walking? Never forget the incredible person the Lord molded you into on the mission, and never go back!

xoxo,

Hna. Ibarra

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