Larissa- Getting things going

Dear loved ones,

This week was a great week. We are really starting to get things moving. We visited all of our members FINALLY!! and have found a couple of potential investigators MIRICLE. We are so excited to get out and get the ball rolling with our members and with the investigators. We had a wonderful lesson this Sunday by our bishop about missionary work.... too bad non of our members that live in our area went to church this Sunday. looks like we will have to go teach it to them ourselves:P

Thanksgiving was super fun. We didn't know if we would have any appointments for Thanksgiving but thanks to the wonderful blessings of our Heavenly Father, we ended up having two. One was with a women named Gritza Ramirez. We went by because her mother is a member but she is not. That day her friends only son was killed in a car accident. We were able to help her feel some comfort and get to know her better. As the conversation went on she knew a little about missionaries but thought we would go home to be with our families for thanksgiving. When we told her know she told us. "You will come here for thanksgiving and eat with me and my family." haha not really know anything about he family we said yes. haha when we came back on thanksgiving there was her whole family. haha turns out they are in a very weird situation, as we came to talk to everyone we found that her "husband" (or the man she is living with and the father of her children) actually has another family as well... and this was the first time that they have all come together EVER!  talk about awkward. But we didn't let that stop us. We talked to every member of the family, they soon started talking about a lot of other relatives that were members as well. half of her family knew a lot about the Mormon religion. We got into a really good lesson about he word of wisdom with her 33 year old son and his friend. They were mind blown that we didn't drink, smoke, or do drugs. Everyone once in a while during the lesson he would just blirt our "Really!! you really don't do that stuff?" haha it was really cool. We were also able to answer some of their gospel questions. I love when people have questions about the church and what we believe so I was in heaven and having so much fun answering their questions.

After that meal we went and ate with a recent convert. Pico! he put together all the Thanksgiving goods and was cooking for hours. the other sisters, Sister Taylor and Sister Wood came as well and it was so fun. Pico got baptized about a month ago and has been going strong every since and loves the church and loves the missionaries.

I have been studying a lot this week on consecration and the spirit of prophecy and revelation. I finished the book of Mormon again and I am starting over studying those two topics. I have already learned so much just in the first few chapters of 1 Nephi. I love the scriptures and I have really been diving into them latterly. and reading Jesus the Christ in my "free time". haha I wonder when my comp will get annoyed with me saying "Oh my goodness did you know that...." while reading. I have been learning so much this past couple weeks and I am so grateful to have been taught so strongly by the spirit.

Oh this week I also remembers that I am allergic to cats. Fun experience. I also learned that Benadryl makes me very loopy and knocks me out. Haha let me tell you how great that day of proselyting was haha. Hna.Anderson had a good laugh. Haha all I remember was laughing at anything and everything. apparently nothing was funny.

Also Hna.Anderson had her first Road kill experiences. She ran over a bunny. Haha I couldn't help but laugh (hysterically) at her devastated reaction and then at her continuing to tell me that I am a heartless person because I was laughing at the fact that she ran over a bunny.... I just laughed harder. I love that girl!

This area reminds me so much of my first area in Brazoria. I love it. Haha I miss riding my bike more but once we get into the swing of things the bikes will come back out:) no worries.

This week was great and hopefully another great week is to come:)

Love you all and hope you all have a wonderful holiday season:) remember the true meaning of this Christmas season and if you have not read in your Liahonas (ensigns) about the He is the gift project. get on reading:)

We also might be moving out of our apartment into another one this week. Haha things keep changing! so fun;) life of a missionary.

~ Hermana Heckel:)

1. haha my eye only got worse:P

2. A random man talked to us for an hour in the fastest Spanish I have ever heard and then gave us mandarins from his tree in his front yard and an unidentified fruit:) I love these people.

3. haha my taste in food definitely has changed. I love tomatoes and I eat everything with Jalapeño! MIND BLOWN!

4. the trees here blow my mind! I love them!