It's another miracle week!!!

Dear family and friends!

 I am on cloud nine right now! Seriously just beaming ear to ear!

We had so many less actives come to church this Sunday (three to be exact) and the Relief Society of our ward is amazing! They totally surrounded them and made them feel so welcome! So extremely blessed to have a ward that has such a big heart! They are all so great!

One of the ladies hasnt been to church in over 11 years so this was her first time coming back and because of the love she felt at church she said that she would be returning! YESSSSSS!!! You member have such a great influence on people, you have no idea! So thank you!

By the way...the past few weeks, Hermana Leon and I have totally turned this whole area around. We haven't had less then six new investigators per week! That is a miracle for us because the first time that Hermana Leon got here, we had only one investigator that we were going to drop so we basically had no one to teach! The lord has been extremely merciful unto us. I'm blown away by the out pour of love from our Heavenly Father. She and I both agree that is only through His mercy and grace that we have this many people to teach. We now have one progressing investigator and soon to be someone on date! We are so excited!

Update on Ivon: Still no change. His wife will not change her mind but we are now just looking for ways to serve her and praying every night for that family. Thank you for your prayers for them. We are going to continue teaching him at least once a week so that he can continue to grow his testimony.

And now I know you all want to know about my birthday...it was pretty good! haha! Quite honestly...I didn't tell anyone it was my birthday other then my companion so we didn't have a birthday dinner...at least not on my birthday. Hermana Leon and I just went out to eat at Chilis for lunch and she told the waitress while I was in the bathroom that it was my birthday...even though I told her not too! haha! It's all good! I got a cup of ice cream out of it! (thumbs up!) And then we went out bike riding to find people. We didn't find anyone that day but it is all good. Our zone leaders are hilarious though!! Some how word got around to the zone leaders that it was my birthday (cough cough Hermana Leon cough cough) and so they hunted us down while we were proselyting and sang to me out their car window and gave me a small jar of peanut butter (I don't remember this but I may have told them I had a Peanut Butter addiction...which is totally true! haha!) That was probably one of the sweetest surprises but I think what was even more sweet was our investigators! Juana and Isidro have three little girls that some how found out that it was my birthday (I think that was Hermana Leon as well.... she is funny) so when we pulled up to their house for our appointment, all three of them charged the car screaming at the top of their lungs "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!". It was so funny! They were all jumping all over me and gave me a tiara and demanded that I wore it the whole lesson. That busted everyone up! They also gave me a stuffed animal bear that is holding a heart.

I love those girls so much!!!

And I love Hermana Leon! She is so thoughtful and kind and just the best example for me! Honestly, I could be happier to be her companion. Everyday is a blessing to be with her....I am seriously terrified for transfers because I do not want to leave East Sac or her....I am going to do some begging with the lord and President..haha!

Oh I forgot!! Lorenzo my recent convert called me and wished me a happy birthday! I absolutely love him! He was the cherry on top of everything!

I also had an amazing Birthday dinner this past Friday with the Thompson! Seriously love them so much! The crack me up all the time!

Okay enough about me...I'm starting to sound like the Cookie Monster.

One more thing and then I done! I promise! One of the Elders just had his first birthday on the mission, so Hermana Leon and I baked a cake for him for P-day. It was so funny trying to sneak it into the church! She and I are totally not sneaky at all...we were falling over ourselves laughing at how obvious we were being! haha!

By the way!! We got permission to put Juana and Isidro's daughter on date! We are soooo excited! So far we have had one lesson with her and she totally wants to be baptized. We also brought a member with us and she bore a beautiful testimony about baptism and the gift of the holy ghost. It was very very powerful and now Jackie is so excited to be baptized. We will be putting her on date tonight! Pray for us!!!

I think the number one thing I learn this week is how beautiful the gospel really is to me. Our district leader had us as each other the baptismal questions before Sunday...that was a very interesting experience for me. Everyday, I get to bear my testimony to random strangers but this one was different. This was soul searching.

The questions are the following: 1. Do you believe that God is our Eternal Father? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world? 2. Do you believe the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ have been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith? Do you believe that [current Church President] is a prophet of God?What does this mean to you? 3. What does it mean to you to repent? Do you feel that you have repented of your past transgressions? 4. Have you ever committed a serious crime? If so, are you now on probation or parole? Have you ever participated in an abortion? a homosexual relationship? 5. You have been taught that membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints includes living gospel standards. What do you understand of the following standards? Are you willing to obey them? a. The law of chastity, which prohibits any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a legal marriage between a man and a woman. b. The law of tithing. c. The Word of Wisdom. d. The Sabbath day, including partaking of the sacrament weekly and rendering service to fellow members. 6. When you are baptized, you covenant with God that you are willing to take upon yourself the name of Christ and keep His commandments throughout your life. Are you ready to make this covenant and strive to be faithful to it? We didn't ask question number four because that would be an awkward one to answer but all the others we did answer...and with everyone that I answered, the spirit confirm to me that it was true....I do really believe in all these things. I do know for myself that Jesus Christ is my savior. That I have a Heavely Father who loves me personally. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he did really Restore Christ's church...I know that the first vision really did happen. I know that repentance IS the plan of happiness...not the backup plan and I know that anything can be wiped clean through his atoning blood. It is something so real to me. I know that this gospel blesses families...it is the only way to happiness and the only way back home. This earth is not our home. We had another home before and if we life a worthy life we will return to it and a Heavenly Father who can love us more then we imagine. I seriously can not wait to arrive there so that I can personally thank him for loving me enough to let me go and live this life....despite the challenges and hardships. Despite my loneliest nights. i have grown and learned so much this far and I know it is all part of his great plan.

If you are struggling with your testimony or if you just done know, I would invite you to discover the wonders of the gospel. You will never regret that you did.

love you all, Hermana Paredes