Wait...What?!?!?!

What a good weeks its been!

I don´t know if you noticed, but last week, I felt a little ¨down¨. Everyone who has been on a mission (but I guess its also just part of LIFE)  knows that it has its goods, and its bads. Its ups and downs.  

Truthfully we had had a couple of hard weeks in Aserri. We were trying to stay positive, but satan was really just attacking us like crazy. But the Lord was always aware of us.

I am not sure if I have explained this before, but in Aserri, we shared an area, and lived next door to the Hermana Especialistas (Sister Training Leaders/ like Sister Zone leaders). It was a really good experience for me, because they really taught me a lot through example. Not only do they work hard, but they care for every single one of their investigatores, and the sisters they are over. Because our time in Aserri was very hard, there was more than a couple of times that we would just go next door and cry and cry while they comforted us with hugs and just listening to us. I have been so grateful to live next door to Hermana Bay and Hermana Roundy.

This week it was our turn to go on divisions with them. Truthfully, I haven´t been on very many exchanges in my mission, but every time they come around I learn a lot, so I was looking forward in finding ways to be a better missionary and help my area progress. I also was secretly praying that I would be the one to leave our area to that I could see missionary work in someone elses area (Because for some reason, every time we have divisions, I stay in my own area ). But no, It was decided that Hermana Bay would be coming with me to our area, and Hna Beltran would go to their area with Hna Roundy.

The day of divisions, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I felt a little grumpy,  but not overly. More than anything just tired. Tired and worn out.  We had taken a couple of spirtual hits.

Starting our divisons with our Personal Studies, I decided I needed to study the Christ-like attribute of  ¨Humility¨. I felt the spirit so strong and I realized that maybe I was having a pride issue. Not a ¨Wow! I am so great! Better then the rest!¨ kind of pride, but I wasn´t recognizing the Lords hand in my work, and I was being very grateful. I became repentant REAL fast. During our companionship studies, I shared with Hna Bay the things that I had learned and felt, and again felt the spirit and began to cry and cry. We talked about everything that had been happening and I began healing, tear by tear.

We worked, we sawe miracles, we found some GREAT new people to teach, but for me, the best part is I didn´t just learn the things I could improve, but Hna Bay really helped me heal. I realized that the Lord REALLY understood what I needed,and for that two days, and specifically that week, I really needed Hna Bay. I was even sad when divisions ended. 

After ending a good week, I was ready to jump into the next and work like a mad man. 

.... Until Sunday came along. After church, and eating dinner at a members home, we are just going about our buisness, inviting people to come unto christ, when we recieved a phone call from the zone leaders. We happened to be waiting in the street for a couple of members to come with us to our next appointment, and I thought for SURE that my companion would be having changes, and that I would finish my mission in Aserri. So I put the phone call of speaker phone. Elder Cude (My zone leader)  started out as they always do, with small talk while your heart is racing because you know whats coming. Then he finally jumps right in:

¨Hermana, do you know why I am calling?

¨Well I have my guesses....¨ 

¨Do you know what today is, Hermana?¨

¨Yes.... changes. Do we have changes Elder?¨

¨Yes, you do. And guess who is going.¨

¨Who?¨

¨You.¨

¨Wait.... What ? !?!?! Where  am I going?¨

¨ You are going to the best area in the mission, my old area. You are going to Purral in  Toyopan. ¨

 ¨Okay.... great, thanks elder!¨

 ¨Hermana, that´s not it. You are going to be an Hermana Especialista¨ (English Translation= Sister training leader= Sister Zone leader)

¨WHAT?!?!?!?!¨

¨Congrats Hermana! You are the best! But that´s not it! Your going to be a grandma! Hermana Beltran will be training!¨

.... Obviously at this point there was a lot of craziness on our end of the line.

So now, here I am. The farthest North of San Jose I have ever been. Which is only about 20 minutes north.(Its just because all of my areas have been South ), in a new place with my new companion, about to learn a LOT OF new things.

My companion is Hna Coburn, from Georgia. She has one change (6 weeks) less than me. Neither of us know the area, and neither of us have ever been Hna Especialistas, so we are going to learn a LOT really fast. 

We are excited.
We are a little overwhelmed,
but most important,

We are excited to get to work.

...My cord is in the middle of my bags, so no pictures this week folks.  But that just means DOUBLE next week! ;)

Keep us in your prayers!
We have a lot of miracles coming!

Lots of Love,
Hermana Patterson