Monday, December 12, 2016

Dec. 12- Perseverar Hasta el Fin!

Dear Family,
It was a good week! I still have a few more days to give it my all in the Harvest of the Lord:) 
We had the blessing of having the Baptism of Miguel Angel Demetrio Francisco this past Friday. He is very special, he started coming to church with some family who are members and just asked us to start visiting him:) He took his first step of faith on his journey this week!

It has been a little sad to start saying goodbye to so many, but we will stil be seeing many this next week as well:) This is a really cool family who we are teaching who will be baptized in a few weeks, we are going to keep close contact with them:) Their names are Humberto, Sonia, y Paco:) 
We had our Branch's Cena Navideña on Friday as well and it was a lot of fun to see so many investigators come and see people that members invited as well!!
This is Judith and her son Carlos. They are in the Ward Puente de Ixtla and are very nice:) They are both converts but I didnt know that and when I met Carlos, who is 18 years old, I asked him when he was leaving on his mission. He looked at me and said "I dont know..." and I started joking with him and telling him that time was ticking and that he needed to get a move on because the Lord needed him:) Later the missionaries in his ward told me that he had only been baptized a few weeks before but that now he is preparing for his mission in the following year:)! 
Hermana Mari, the hermana who was baptized a few weeks ago:) She is very special to us. 
This is Familia Merino. They were  all less active when we first got to the ward but now they are coming back to church:) Karla Merino the one next to me in purple has made a complete 180 in her life and is even accompanying us in visits and give us lots of referencias, I love her a lot:) 
This is another member who was previously less active but now has started coming back to church:) Her name is Cesiah and as well is very cool!
This is Ericka, she is 11 years old and is going to be baptized next week. We are sad that we wont be able to be at her baptism, but we are grateful for the time we've had with her to help her learn:)
This is Familia Bocanegra, they are a big family in a ward that are always willing to help us with visits and support. They love us and we love them! Christian is their little son who I am always saying is my best friend:) 


Walfred is one of our investigators, the man in this foto. We just recently started teaching him but he love playing piano! Yesterday was his first sunday at church and he played all of the hymns on the piano for the congregation!:) 
I love being a missionary. My head doesn't completely wrap around the fact that I will be finishing my full-time service this Saturday.. but I will try to give the Lord everything I can these final days! I love you all so much and I am excited to see you soon. 
Love, Hermana Swallow

Sunday, December 11, 2016

Dec. 5- Enduring Well! (part 1)

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Nov. 28- I Love where God has placed me!



We had a multi-zone conference on Wednesday and I was overjoyed to see my old companion, Hermana Muñoz:) We were only companions for one change, but I had so much fun with her. It is amazing the relationships that you grow with people here on the mission, I will remember them always. Me and Hermana Muñoz got along great, we even dressed to  match without trying for the conference;)
I am trying to eat all of the weird things I can before coming home to add to my list of "Weird mexican things I have eaten" and I knocked a few off the list this past week;) This is when I had tacos made of tripe (I think that is cow intestine? not sure) And with some other members last week me and Hermana Dent had to eat Pig kidney. It was really gross. But I am proud to say that I ate it;) 

We also had the huge blessing of seeing Hermana Maria get baptized this Friday, she is quite amazing. She actually was baptized about 50 years ago in 1958, but due to lack of technology and paper organization they lost her membership record! We were trying to help her get ready to enter the temple and thats how we found out that they didn't have her record! So even though God already knows of the covenant she made with him 50 years ago, she was re-baptized this Friday to make things all right and in order:) 

We love visiting Hermana Mary, she is a real sweetheart:) And sassy. She reminds me of my Grandma;) 

An artistic baptismal font pic;) The sign says "New Beginnings" We had to take this pic for a mission movie they are making. The little girl in the picture is Carol, she is an investigator who is getting ready to get baptized as well:) We wont be able to be at her baptism because it is planned for the end of December, but we are still excited and happy for her:) 

Then on Saturday, Hermana Oyarzabal came back!! We are happy to have her here again, and so are the investigators and recent converts:) Eduardo, one of the recent converts, was so relieved when he met her. He just said "Are you going to be the one who helps me when they leave?" It was heart-breaking that we know we have to go soon, but we will help them make the transition easily:) 

These are some cute candid pics of us with Eduardo's son Lalito:) 
I love being a missionary. I love the Lord. I love this Gospel. I love Mexico. I love my brothers and sisters here. I love opening my mouth and sharing the light God has given me. I love seeing that light transform the lives of those we teach. I love the happiness and joy I feel here. I love knowing my purpose. I love helping others find theirs. 
I love all of you as well, I hope you have a wonderful week! 
Hermana Sualita