Season 2 Episode 14 "OHHH We´re HALFWAY there!!" (3-6-17)

Hermana Sanovich 9 months

Season 2 Episode 14 "OHHH... 

We´re HALFWAY there!!"

So this week as some of you may have noticed we completed 9 MONTHS in the mission. So that makes us mission OLD! No, it just means that we are now on the downhill slide of the mission. Its just a little weird but its all good. This week has been a crazy one so I'm going to give you some highlights and a few fun facts.

The one with 9 months - meaning our HUMP DAY! We were able to go to Brazil and we ate some really really delicious Brazilian Buffet where they walk around with all of the different meat on skewers. I have really no idea what kind of meat it was, but it was delicious and I somehow feel like that works better. We then bought a cake that is by far the closest thing to cheesecake (my favorite) that I think they have here in South America, it was delicious. The day ended by us burning a skit. (NO skirts were harmed in the making of this video). Okay so none of OUR skirts were harmed but ya the other one did die... All in the name of good fun. The next day we traveled to Salto for our interviews and we were able to celebrate with the other Hermanas as well our 9 months with some really good pizza. 

Burning of the SKIRT - No Video attached :(

Salto Conferencia - Thursday we were able to have our Zone Conference with President Olsen and it was a good one. He talked to us about all of the different rules that we have but then he taught us a little bit more about the Atonement and how we are all able to use it every single day in our lives. It was a great conference and I learned a lot from our President, he also gave us a bunch of advice to help us all stay motivated and enjoy the mission. When I talked to him in my interview we talked about how his biggest piece of advice for me in these next 9 months was to just be happy and enjoy it. So that is the plan - I am going to enjoy every single minute of the mission and of life in general because we are here to be happy! FUN FACT: we were waiting in the terminal and then out of nowhere we saw President Olsen and his Assistants walk in to go to Subway. He offered to buy us lunch and a drink but we had already eaten. Then he came back and bought us all fries from Burger King. 

The Hermana's

The ongoing joke for us is that the success that we were able to have for the next couple of days comes from the magical french fries. Its the little things that we find funny here.

Newbies - We were able to take the challenge of President Olsen to find new investigators and we were able to find four in just one day!! That is something that we have never done and that doesn't happen often. They are great! It really just goes to show that when you put your mind to things and have a goal and plans to reach it anything is possible.

Experience - One of the new investigators that we met this week is actually married to a less active member that we found by accident one day. We were looking for a different house and had not planned to be anywhere near this area, however I am convinced that God works in mysterious ways and there are no coincidences. We got to there house and they told us that earlier that day they had talked about them both wanting to go back to church. We were able to talk with them and then the husband Walter just looks at us really seriously and says "If someone were to come up to you on the street and held a gun to your face saying that if you denied the entire church you could walk away unharmed but if not they would shoot you... What would you do?" This question was a little starling at first however we were able to tell him that we are hoping that we all can have the faith and testimony big enough to stand up for what we know to be true even in these circumstances.

This leads me right into the challenge of this week--- I was reading the Liahona from Conference in October and I found a talk that I love!!! I would love it if you have the chance to read it "To Whom Shall We GO?" It talks about how there were some of Christs followers that walked away and decided to leave him after they had seen all of the miracles and had been there first hand. He makes a comparison that is incredible he says " Brothers and sisters, accepting and living the gospel of Christ can be challenging. It has always been thus, and it ever will be. Life can be like hikers ascending a steep and arduous trail. It is a natural and normal thing to occasionally pause on the path to catch our breath, to recalculate our bearings, and to reconsider our pace. Not everyone needs to pause on the path, but there is nothing wrong with doing so when your circumstances require. In fact, it can be a positive thing for those who take full advantage of the opportunity to refresh themselves with the living water of the Gospel of Christ. The danger comes when someone chooses to wander away from the path that leads to the tree of life. Sometimes we can learn, study, and know, and sometimes we have to believe, trust, and hope."
This is my challenge to all of you, remember your testimonies that you have and to grow them even more. I know that this church is true and that we are part of the restoration of the gospel in the latter days. Elder Ballard reminds us that the Restoration of the Gospel did not end with the prophet Joseph Smith, nor with the pioneers crossing the plains into Utah. BUT that we all can be part of restoring the gospel in our own lives, in our families and even in the lives of those around us. I could not be happier about the choice that I made about a year ago when I opened and read that letter that told me that I would be serving a mission in URUGUAY!! 

I will be forever grateful for this experience, I plan on enjoying every minute of it. LES AMO!!! (I love them)

Hermana Cassidy Sanovich