Hola!

Clara's baptism




Saul and Maria's wedding/reception - Good work "wedding planners!"


Saul and Maria with their children, at their baptism; their son, Sesar, was baptised as well.


Antonia's baptism


Jose and Leticia Martinez, with their family, at their baptism

February 2, 2009

I'm doing great! Clara was baptized and confirmed this week in church, Saul received the Aaronic priesthood and everyone is just doing great!

To answer your question mom about an experience where the Lord guided us in the work was with Saul and Maria! We were out tracting one day and we were getting ready to head out to a Blitz but we decided to knock "the last door". We felt very impressed to knock the door and when they answered we ended up talking to Saul and he ended up inviting us in and so we began teaching him and his family. We set up a return appointment and went back a couple of days later. Well as you can see, that "last door" ended up being a great family who was ready to receive the blessings and changes the gospel brings for the better. The real miracle of this whole story has only slowly began to really reveal itself in these last few weeks since their baptism. We have begun teaching Saul's mom about the gospel and she has seen such a tremendous change in her son's life and who he is and wants to be baptized herself; we are just trying to set up a date for her and resolve her concerns of being baptized sooner rather than later. She is an amazing woman. She, and also Maria, have told us on a couple of different occasions about life before we came over. From both of them, I've learned that Maria had been praying for a LONG time to be a family and was on the verge of leaving everything behind her because she didn't want to live the way they were living (he was always gone, she never wanted to come home when he was there, they never did anything as a family, etc) and they were thinking about separating. Then within the week or so, we knocked on their door and their lives changed. He's changed so much and her prayers of being a family have been answered. It's such a humbling experience to know if we hadn't made that one little decision to knock that last door and follow the spirit, we might have never met Saul and Maria; and if they hadn't made the one little decision of inviting us in, they might never have gotten married and found so much happiness and a beginning of a new and better life! It's amazing! What a humbling blessing it's been to be a part of this miracle! They are such an amazing family and they understand how much the gospel really blesses the family. They are so excited for the day they get to enter the temple and be sealed as a family! It's so great!

Really fast, I found out that Bishop is hoping to give Rafael the Melchizedek priesthood at the end of this month after Stake Conference and I was on cloud 9! I am so excited for him! AFter that, he's going to be our Ward Mission Leader! I love Rafael.

Antonia left for Mexico to be with her son and husband again! It was sad to see her go, but she was really grateful for the opportunity to find the gospel; and Sister Dastrup and I have an open invitation to come down and stay with her whenever we want ;) I love Antonia and I'm gonna miss her!

February 9, 2009

So as many of you have probably noticed that my "monthly" newsletter hasn't really happened! I've been so busy, and writing that thing (especially after 9 months of writing one weekly) is the last thing I seem to want to do on my pdays. So please just tell everyone HI for me and let them know I'm thinking about them; and when I get a chance (and find a desire) to write, I will! I know, I'm a horrible missionary, but there is just SO much to do!

Things have been going well here in Stockton. Irene, Saul's mom, wants to be baptized! I love her; she is so funny and cute! She's a tough old lady! I'm a little worried about her because she had to go out of town for eye surgery and doesnt know when she is going to be back; and she is staying with her daughter who is from another religion and Satan always likes to use that one against us! We are hoping she'll come back soon and not stay away for too long!

Christian was baptized yesterday! He's a cool kid! Rafael and Arturo have taken him under his wing! He's going to do great as long as they keep up the good work of fellowshipping him!

Hermana Quintero, one of our awesome members who is practically a missionary herself, is so awesome! She comes out with us all the time, and half the time teaches the lessons for us; that's how good she is. She has one of the most powerful testimonies, and even one of our investigators said, "She has a gift from the Holy Spirit, the gift of convincing!" It was pretty funny. It didn't help that this investigator is a 70 year old woman! It's been a fun week.

SIDE NOTE for the Family: To top of Hermana Quintero - she was taught by a missionary in Long Beach, from Colorado Springs, and now she and Sister Turley (one of the English sisters) have decided that he and I need to write! Oh sheesh! Sister Quintero is very excited to get me in touch with her missionary! Apparently his name is Bryson Weston or something like that. It's alright though. I'm still trying to set her up with Rafael, so I guess it's only fair that she can try and get me writing her missionary! She's so funny!

Well that's all the time I have today! I hope you all have a great week and I'll write to you next week! The last week before transfers again! Can you believe that?

Love Always,
Hermana Bradfield