Reunion of the "Dream Team"

October 26, 2015

So:) Guess who is sitting next to me right now? Hna Marsh. Yup.  We thought we'd never serve together again when she went to the islands and then we knew it was too good to be true when we got to serve together again there, but hey guys! We're together again!!! Hahah yay for the millionth surprise reunion of the "dream team" (President Jackson's words not mine).

Honestly I've been thinking of how I was going to describe this week the whole week. This week was...interesting? Enlightening? Let's just say that by Saturday, I had learned a lot of things about myself and about helping others that I should have known and been doing a long time ago. This week we...

Had interviews with President. Jeez I love this man. And Hna Pack. They're just the greatest. I looooved President and Hna Jackson and the Packs just strengthen my knowledge that Presidents are called for the missionaries. I'm so grateful for every chance I get to receive President Pack's instruction. The first thing he talked about in the interview was elevating others. My district is very young, I guess everyone is pretty young in the mission when you get to where I'm at. But the ward has loved having hermanas, but in the process they kinda have pushed the elders to the side a few times. So we talked about the importance of elevating them and also my companion. She is wonderful and such a great missionary.  So it was a great interview and my comp and I had a great talk afterwards in the ways we can help and strengthen one another.

An incredible lesson. With "S.", a member, and her nonmember husband. We were under the impression that he's received the lessons before, so we went in with our guns blazing to make him feel the spirit and boy I know he did. "S." was crying at the end, I was crying, and Hna Cheret was crying. I know his heart Spanish heart was softened. It kills me to talk with "S.", her parents and siblings are all sealed to their families for the eternities and she knows exactly what she's missing out on and it kills her. I want to help this wonderful woman so badly. We'll see what happens. Please pray that "R.'s" heart will be soften. "S." and her children need this.

A lunch appointment with the bishop. First missionaries to enter his house in 9 years is what the ward mission leader told us. So two claps for us!

Last story. We were out contacting last night and we start to the old Spanish man. He had been involved with that really bad train crash that happened two year ago ( the one Elder Ward was in) and his wife had died in the accident. We got talking about it and we were pretty good buddies and then we we offered that hope that he could be with his wife again. He just shook his head and said no. Some people don't get it, I think. This man was different he understood exactly what we were offering him. And he refused so I started pleading with him. "Please 'A.', this is why I'm here!" He was fine chatting with us, but when offered the hope that he could be with his wife again, his
weary heart couldn't even take that opportunity. I love these people, but sometimes I just want to shake them! I know that we will be with our loved ones again. I know that there is life after death and that the sealing power is real. I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Love, Hna Finch

Welcome To A Wonderful Week In Toledo!

October 19, 2015

Okaaaay so welcome to a wonderful week in Toledo! The seasons are changing! And it's gorgeous! And rainy.....I remember all the Spaniards telling me when I first got out the they were sick and
they'd always blame it on the weather. I thought they were crazy. While I don't know the reason, I've got a cold, so either I've been Spaniardized or the were right... Ha.


We've figured out the way to get into a Spaniards heart. English classes....gospel, nope. But you say free English and they all come running. Then we sneakily plant seeds of the gospel in their hearts
until they start asking us questions. For example "J. C.". He loves family history. He never knew how much he was gonna get in to family history when he first started coming to English class. Or
"M.". Yeah "M." you can say "you're a pill" with your Spanish accent all you want but we are gonna get to yo!  Better yet, the Spirit's gonna get you.

Also we had a modern day miracle! "A."! We were out in the street last weekish and I was talking on the phone as we were running to a lesson. We passed this guy and I was like wait, we need to talk to him, he'd accept the gospel. So I asked the people we were talking to if I could call them back and sat down right next to him. He was waiting for his bus and didn't really want to give us his number, but we got it out of him and he had to run. He couldn't meet with us during the week cause he literally works ever hour we work and lives in a little town far away, but he free day was Sunday, so he came to church and yesterday we were able to meet with him and he is super prepared. He's got a baptismal date for the 30th of November and is very interested in repentance. Sin really does cause such a burden in our lives, but that can all be remitted through the Atonement. I love testifying. I literally get chills every time I am able to say "I know my Redeemer lives."

We're working with quite a few members and their part member families. But nobody's making the progress we're waiting to see yet. But we did have the Bishop and also one of the elders tell us that a new spirit has come into the ward since we've been here. It's time for Toledo.

Also the Waite's came down to Toledo today! Yay! We were able to go out to lunch with the and the elders and one of our friends, 18 year old Nina from Maryland. She's here working as an au pair, her parents are from Germany so she also speaks German and she's just incredible. I think it was so good for her to meet the elders as well as the matrimonio couples today. To feel of their spirit and realize the work we're doing. I loooved visiting with Hna Waite as well, our souls just get along. And Elder Waite was so sweet to all of us. They had extended their mission until April, but due to family needs they're going home in December again, so hopefully you guys (family) will get to meet them if they come down! Fingers crossed!  Ok, I love you all so much! I am loving Toledo, the members here are
great. Seriously I think we've gotten more lunch invitations here than any other area. And the ward really is growing. They just need a little pick me up. I love the mission and am so grateful to be here.
Love, Hna Finch

Trying to get my eyes awake in studies.

And Javier's birthday (we went to the temple with his wife Miriam, and he's not a member but
we're working on it!)

Just our gangsta coats (just kidding, not ours). 

Oh and a member in our ward works at the American Embassy and got us American food. 

Lunch with the Waite's and missionaries and Nina. 

 We went to the Alcazar today, our view. Tell me I have the most beautiful area in Spain. I know!

What a Great Week!

October 12, 2015

What a great week! First off....HAAPPPPY BIRTHDAAAY MOM! You looked beautiful in the pictures you sent and I am so grateful to have you as my mom. There is no one better I could have asked for. 

Second, I love the temple. What an incredible experience to be able to accompany someone through the temple. I felt like I was seeing it all again with new eyes. I am so, so grateful for the blessings of the temple and the knowledge that we can gain there. I will admit, I am so excited to be able to attend the temple more than just once every so often. I love the temple. Annnnd I got to see Elder and Hermana Waite (my grandparents here)! It was so good to see them again after being in the islands for so long! 

We met the ward! They are great! And we're besties with the bishop - which I am really grateful for since we had such a great relationship with our bishop in Los Cristianos. I think I've had at least 2 hours in total talking to the bishop this week on the phone, so it was super great to meet him in person this week! And oh! Can I just say how much I already love this ward? They are so....Spanish! Lemme explain. Blunt. And I love it. I think it surprised my companion a little, she came from a ward with mostly Latinos (Latinos - at least the ones here - are very nice and sweet and not blunt). I loved all the eyebrow raising and the all the input and commentaries in relief society. Oh I love these people! 

As for new friends we've been meeting here, can I just say wow? Ok, I know that the Lord is blessing us so much with opening this area for sisters. We had two of our new friends come to church yesterday, which was completely the Lord, because we've never taught either of them! The they were both really good street contacts we had and both accepted our invitation to come to church, but they actually come too! I think it was given to us so that the ward could gain confidence in us right off the bat. We've also got a bunch of potentials that will be awesome, a bunch from part member families. It was actually pretty funny to be in ward council yesterday and it was the "cool" thing to say that a member of your family was going to be taught by the sisters or that you had a reference for the sisters. Haha. Literally I loved it. Such a blessing. We have so much help. I did feel a little guilty for the elders, they are such troopers and honestly have helped us sooo much. I am so grateful we've got such great elders here! 

I'm so sorry, I'm so spacey this week! It really was a great week and Toledo is awesome. I know this is definitely what I needed at this point in my mission. It is forcing me out of my comfort zone and into being s better person. Speaking of which. I started ponderize-ing this week (before our mission president asked us to) and wow! It really is helping me. D&C 10:4 talks about being diligent, but in our diligence not beating ourselves up. I am loving it. During the hard moments I always think on it and see the ways I can apply it. I'd invite you all to try it as well. I love you all so much! Thank you for the support! I love you! 

Love, Hermana Finch

Zone Conference:

Hna Marsh:

Hna Cheret:

At the temple with a member taking out her endowments:

I'm still living off cereal and crackers and cheese, thank you six months to sexy. I did not follow through...

A Quick Email

October 5, 2015

Hola mi familia Les quiero!!! I actually don't have much time today since we're not having pday today, we're just sending off a quick email to let you know we're alive while we watch the last session of conference. So why aren't we having pday today? Cause we're going to the temple!!!  On Friday! We've got a wonderful member here who is going to receive her endowment and asked us to accompany her. Her name is Miriam. We met her our first night here at a FHE and we're actually
going to start teaching her husband who isn't a member. The step to take out her endowment is really going to help him progress in the gospel. I loved Elder Nelsons's talk yesterday, I really thought it
was perfect for her and also another woman we have in our ward whose husband isn't a member yet. The power of women really is incredible. And speaking of women. Thank you Mom. Elder Holland's talk is for you. I love you!

Yesterday we had the opportunity to go to Pavones to see conference. I loved it. The most special part was seeing Izabela, my miracle. She sat with me in the English session of conference and as she watched the prophet and apostles walk at the end of the session she said "Oh, I just love them so much." As she sat by me she also told me of how she's working on person progress, attended church while on vacations, is planning to go to BYU, and attended EFY. Oh, I love her. She truly is my miracle that keeps on giving. And while filling her in on my life she said: "Oh I already know. Your mom's told me." Thank you Mom. Conversion truly is a family effort. Thank you for taking care of her while I was in the islands.

What else...um Toledo?! This city is gorgeous. I'm so grateful to be here and to be with my companion. I thought contacting all day everyday was really going to test me....and it is. I still don't like rejection...at all. But I have felt Heavenly Father strengthening me and giving me hope and happiness while we contact. I do so enjoy visiting with people. Especially my companion. Hna Cheret is from Idaho Falls, is 19 years old, and loves musicals too! Hehe. We're pretty broke right now so we've been living on cereal...yum I'm so fine with that. Reminds me of all the times dad had to feed us and we either got pizza or heated up spaghetti-o's, or more frequently...CEREAL! Yum! Haha!

I'm so grateful to be here. I love you all! I hope you enjoyed conference! I looooved the talk of Larry R. Lawrence. I don't know what it's called, but he talked about what we still lack. I know I still lack so much, that's never been more obvious to me than now, but I love how he said that it's one thing at a time and invited us to ask the Lord "What lack I yet?" I've got mine. Do you have your's? I love you all! Have a wonderful week! Thank you for your prayers!

Love, Hna Finch