Heavenly Father knows best

I KNOW that Heavenly Father ALWAYS knows best!!! There have been so many times during my mission when I think we should do something a certain way but we end up feeling impressed to change something and it works out 10 times better then ever imagined!!! Wow...that was a long sentence...but the point is that God always knows better. This past Tuesday we had one of those experiences. Hermana Randall and I had planned out a great family home evening with some awesome recent converts and our wonderful investigator Romero family. We were really excited and looking forward to it. About 20 minutes before we were going to meet up with the Romero family, Leonela Romero sent us a message saying that she had to go to work and that her mom was sick. *Wheeeeeeeeooouuuuuuuu THUD. Explosion sound.* That was how we felt. It was going to be sooo perfect!!! Why did it fall through??

We were both a little sad and frustrated about it but tried to focus on the fact that God always has a perfect plan. And yes...He does. We prayed about what to do instead and felt impressed to visit the Rivas family. They are a part member family that Hermana Fry and I had found contacting about two months ago. They are wonderful but we have been at a stuck place with how to help them progress. We have been inviting them to church now for two months and the excuse has always been until now that they don't get much sleep with their two little girls and it is hard to get up and go in the morning. Well, this evening we had a good lesson about the restoration of the gospel. It was good but we still didn't feel like much progress had been made. BUT THEN Hermano Rivas (the member) started talking about how he first knew the true church had been restored. That started his confession about how he is embarrassed to come back to church after being away for so long. It kept going and it came out that him and his wife are also having a lot of problems with each other and just a whoooole bunch of stuff that we didn't know before. We literally felt like the blinders were taken off of our eyes and the full iceberg had been uncovered. We now know so much better how to help them!!!! We both left their house speechless and humbled. If the family home evening hadn't been canceled and we hadn´t gone to the Rivas house, we wouldn`t have had such a great lesson happen. Hermana Randall and I talked about how we felt a bit like Peter when Jesus Christ told him, ´´O thou of little faith, where fore didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14:31)´´ Why did we ever doubt the reason behind our change of plans? God always knows best and if we trust in Him He will open up even better doors. It was a lesson learned. :)

The whole week was good! Melina and Jose are preparing for the marriage on THURSDAY and her baptism on SATURDAY. It is going to be a good week!!!!! :D Also, the Romero family are doing wonderfully! Leonela and Ricardo took us to the home of Ricardo`s family so that we can teach them as well. Leonela shared her testimony and Ricardo quickly volunteered to do the closing prayer. :) Daniel shared with us on Saturday that the night before the read from the Book of Mormon together and that he just feels good. IT IS WONDERFUL. These people are just so precious and I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has prepared them so much! :)

Well, love you all! Have an awesome week! The church is true, the book is blue, and God loves you! :) :)

Con amor,

Hermana Woodfield

I love you, Santa Fe!!

Well folks, Santa Fe and I are still going strong!!! I am going to have the same amount of time here as I did in my beloved Capitàn Bermùdez. :) I have pondered a lot about why I have had so much time in my areas and I have felt that I have learned more this way. A few transfers ago I was praying and asking for help to have more patience and be more diligent....what better way to learn then to be in the same area for 7 months??? Heavenly Father knows better then I. :) But really, I am very happy to have another transfer here with these people that I have come to love so much. I know that Hermana Randall and I are going to be able to see a lot of miracles in this next month and half. We have already seen tons!

We are getting VERY close to the marriage and baptism of Melina Britos!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hermana Randall and I are so excited!!! :) She is so wonderful and very firm in this sacred decision.

The Romero family is doing great as well. This past Wednesday was the seventh birthday of little Kimberly. We went by to give her an alfajor (basically the biggest and most delicious cookie ever) and had a great visit with them. On our way out a car pulled up and out went the ward primary president with her counselor and their kids. They had a cake in one hand and a little present in the other. It was a wonderful sight that brought the biggest smile to Kimberly`s face. Hermana Randall and I just felt overjoyed to see the love and support of the members for this new family who is trying to come unto Christ.

Things are going great here in Santa Fe! Being a missionary is the best! :) I know that God lives and that He loves us! Everything is possible if we have faith!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Lindsey Woodfield

Holding a very small baby kitten and there is a peacock in the back :)

La familia Romero in church!!

With some of the daughters of President Zanni!

Miracles continue . . . . .

Well the wonderful awesome miracle weeks continue!!!! :) This past week was awesome!!!! We have been able to find a lot of new investigators and increase our amount of lessons. It is one of the BEST feelings in the world to teach a PROGRESSING investigator. We have some GREAT ones right now. The members of the Britos family continue to be some of the best people I have ever met. They are just really humble and happy people. They are a very YOUNG family just trying to get right with God and put their lives on the right path. They always are just waiting for our visits with smiles and juice.

Some of the other incredible people are from the family that I mentioned last week. La familia Romero- Daniel, Fabiana, Leonela, Kimberly, and Leonela´s boyfriend Ricardo. The accepted a baptism date and are doing wonderfully! They all went to our ward´s talent show on Friday and to church on Sunday. Their comments fill me with such joy. Fabiana told us that she was really emotional (in a good way) during church. Daniel said that that the people in our church are different and it is surprising. He said that he is leaving the darkness and it feels great. He said that he thinks about the teachings and the church all day. He tried to describe his feelings but was at a loss for words. After struggling for a few seconds he just said in English, ´´happy´´. :) :) :) Fabiana said that Kimberly (6 years old) doesn't get along with the kids at school but does with the kids at church. It all is just so wonderful. :) They have been very prepared.

We have been able to see the Lord´s guiding hand in many ways. An example- the other day we were on our way to an appointment with an investigator named Milta. On the way there there was a woman sitting outside of her house. We started talking to her and soon she bursted out in tears and explained that her husband of 40 years passed away a month ago. We went in her house and had a great lesson. She told us that she just feels empty inside and nothing is taking away her sadness. She said that she just needs spiritual help. We have a return appointment for this week! Afterwards we went on our way super late for our visit with Milta. We knocked on the door only to have her tell us that she had accidentally slept in and had just woken up. Heavenly Father even took care of our tardiness and everything worked out with the timing with Milta. :) Sometimes Hermana Randall and I just smile and say, ´´Wow...He really does just know best.´´

I testify that that is true. I know that Heavenly Father knows best and that if we trust in Him we will never be led astray. He can make sooooo much more out of us- our talents, our time, our LIVES- then we EVER could by ourselves. I love Him!

Have a great week!!!!

Hermana Lindsey Woodfield

Week of Miracles Round 2 :)

These past two weeks have been incredible! :) We have been immensely blessed and I am so grateful! We have found a lot of new investigators who are prepared to accept the gospel. On Thursday we were walking away from our lunch appointment and two men (Daniel and Ricardo) called out to us. One of them wanted to know where we are from. We ended up talking to them for a bit and the wife (Fabiana) of one of them came out to talk to us too. It turns out they have talked with some Elders before and would like to visit with us. :) We went back on Saturday afternoon and were able to have a great lesson with all three of them and the oldest daughter (Leonela) of the couple as well. They shared with us that they have all lost their jobs recently and are going through a hard time. They want to learn more about the gospel as well as some English. :) To our great delight Daniel, Ricardo and Leonela showed up at church the next day!!! :) We are very excited to keep visiting them. I just love how Heavenly Father ALWAYS puts us where He needs us.

The amazing family that I talked about last week are still doing awesome!!! They officially made the plans with the government to be married the 27th of November! :) Melina has started doing a countdown for it. They are reading their scriptures and praying and doing wonderfully. They definitely make us happy! :)

One of the funny things this week was that a cute 6 year old boy asked us for our number. Hermana Randall and I were cracking up! He is this cute little man who was playing soccer in the street with some friends. They stopped to talk with us and we ended up giving them some church cards and pamphlets and stuff. The next time we came by he ran up to us and asked for our number. I asked him ´´what for??´´ He just looked at me and said ´´so that I can talk to you!´´ It was pretty funny...but anyways, a blessing from all of that is that we ended up having a lesson with the grandma of one of the boy´s friends. God works in mysterious ways. :)

A few weeks ago I mentioned that we had been served fish heads and cow intestines....this week´s experience beats it all. Mondongo- COW STOMACH. Yep...the lining of a cow´s stomach. I have no way to recommend this dish. BUT I am just grateful we get offered food. :)

Well loved ones, I love being a missionary!!! This is such a wonderful and amazing experience and words cannot express my gratitude to have such a privilege. I have changed for the better. My eyes have been opened and my heart touched in ways I didn't know could happen. I still have a long way to go but I know that my Lord is helping me and showing me how to be a better missionary and person. I love Him! I love His gospel! :)

Tengan una semana maravillosa! Les quiero!

Hermana Lindsey Woodfield