Happy Father's Day! (sorry it's late!)

Hey Everyone,

Sorry I forgot to wish all the fathers Happy Father's Day last p-day! But I hope it was a great day! I think Father's Day and Mother's Day are weird days on the mission, but it was a good Father's Day here. We had stake conference, which was awesome! It was my first stake conference on the mission! We got to hear President and Sister Gee speak, which of course was awesome! Probably the last time I'll hear them speak. Then we had a 70, Elder Lynn G. Robbins. He's awesome! He speaks spanish, and we had a special session in spanish just for the branch before the general session started. I'm pretty sure I heard him speak while I was at the MTC. Anyway, he spoke on love and obedience. It was great! He talked about how we can't fall in and out of love. Pure love doesn't seek her own, in other words is not selfish. I heard a quote from one of the missionaries here saying that charity is the never-ending search for someone else's happiness. I love that! It's so true! In marriage, he said that each spouse needs to be constantly putting the other before himself. That is how marriages are successful. I wish you could have been there to hear everything he said. It was wonderful!

The rest of Sunday we spent tracting! :/ I'm not going to lie, I don't like to tract. But we did it for like 3 hours. We tracted this apt complex that was virtually all hispanics, which was awesome! We found some potentials! We were sweating SO badly! That is where the two pools were, and yes we were coveting them. The funny/ironic thing is that Hermana Xiques and I never really went swimming back home, even though we live right by the beach. She doesn't know how to swim, and I can barely swim enough to save my life. But now that we can't go swimming and it's like 95-100 degrees, we wish we could. Haha! Somehow Heavenly Father continues to give me the strength to endure the heat! And this is still nothing, at least from what I've heard. It has been way hot here, but only like 2 more months of summer!

I just wanted to clarify a couple things from previous e-mails. One, I'm not disappointed to be staying here in the north. It probably sounded that way. But it's just funny when transfers come because for us spanish sisters there are only two choices, here or in the south. I think I'll stay here in the north a couple more transfers, and I think before I'm done I'll probably return to the south. But I loved it in the south. Yeah, I miss it there, but I love it here too! So honestly, I'm happy to be here, and when/if I go back to the south I'll be happy to be there again.

Two, I said something like Miguel's baptism was easy. I shouldn't have said it like that. Because it wasn't me that prepared him. It was Heavenly Father. I was simply the instrument in His hands. But I guess I feel like it just happened fast, and it surprised me. Because I feel like there are so many people we've taught way longer and they still aren't baptized. But Miguel was prepared and ready and willing to enter into and make this covenant. He was and still is humble and teachable. That is why he was able to be baptized, and for that I'm grateful.

Maria Pena isn't getting baptized. She was an investigator in the south. She was supposed to get baptized this coming Friday, but she left again for Mexico. Her mom is sick, so we're not sure when she'll be back. But I have a feeling she will be baptized!

Oh, I forgot to tell y'all...last time we played soccer, which was exactly 2 weeks ago, I sprained my big toe. I decided to be aggressive and take on a member, which he is really good! I wanted to take the ball, but I failed. In the process, he kicked and or stepped on my toe. It hurt, but I played on it. I went home and iced it, then that night it turned purple. The next day it was more purple. Everyone was telling me it was broken. It hurt pretty badly the day after. I finally called Sister Gee and went to urgent care just to make sure it wasn't broken. Sure enough, it was only a sprain. It still hurts a little, but it's not discolored. We're playing soccer today, and the APs and the south spanish elders are coming up. I'm way excited! I love playing soccer! I think every time I play I love it a little bit more!

I feel like the work here is starting to pick up. I feel like we have found some new people to teach, and I'm excited. I have realized what joy I have as I teach the people the gospel of Jesus Christ. If I could just teach 24/7 I'd be so happy! But we still have to tract and try to find. But I feel like Heavenly Father is blessing us and putting people in our path!

I love you all! I hope you're having a wonderful summer! The Gee's will leave in about a week! Sad, but I look forward to meeting the Taylor's!

Love,

Hermana Christina Hogewoning