One of the Best Weeks of My Life!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was one of the best weeks of my life! I had so much fun and felt the spirit so strongly! First and foremost, Eduardo got baptized!! Wahoo! It was the perfect baptism (although, ha ha, I suppose any baptism would seem really good next to Pedro's). One dunk that's all it took! And because it was right before the Thanksgiving party EVERYONE came and brought their friends too! 

Eduardo, the first of the Landeros brothers was baptized!

We also had one of our new investigators and his member friend come to check it out. Although he doesn't speak Spanish, he said that he could feel the spirit and that he had a great time.

Eduardo and the Bizzaro family. Haha, I don't know why none of them are smiling.

The Thanksgiving party was a huge success. All the members came and brought their non-member friends that we have been working with. It was great to see them altogether in one room! The food was of course divine. Unlike last year,  this year we had a more traditional Thanksgiving feast with Turkey from 4 different countries, stuffing, mashed potatoes and of course rice. We also had a nice assortment of tres leches.    

Thanksgiving Party - Some of my best friends in the branch

We set 4 dates this past week, two with part member families, and two with potentials we received when we took over the Sarasota ward too. We also have been working with an investigator who announced that he is ready to be baptized but was out of town for the weekend, so we haven't been able to set anything with him yet. In other words, we're keeping pretty busy! 

Adis and Pedro! I absolutely love these two!

For finding this week, we went to a couple soccer games and to swimming practice with one of our members. As a result, we have met several new people. I've decided that going to activities with members is the BEST way to find and don't know why I didn't do it as much in the past. 

When we went to the swimming pool, we didn't even teach our member's friend, but just by being there made a difference. After we left, she began asking her friend questions. By the end of the practice, our member had taught pretty much ALL the lessons and her friend was intrigued. Our member called us later that night with a new fire in her heart. She was so grateful. It was so powerful for me to listen to her testimony. We really are ALL called to serve no matter where we are at in our lives. 

Sister Paulsen (my trainee), Eduardo Landeros, and me

One of the most spiritual experiences for me this week was going to see a 90-year-old potential named Iladio. He's Cuban and pretty much bed-ridden, but he has such desire to be baptized! It touched my heart to talk with him and hear his testimony of how his daughter being a member has helped him have peace in his life. He had received a blessing earlier from the elders and asked us if he could have another. He said that immediately after his blessing he felt healed! Although I can't put it to words. My love for others grew immensely as I listened to him tell stories of his life. I realized that God had put me here to find everyone, old, young, injured and forgotten.

On that note, we also met this really smart 10-year-old girl who is interested in the gospel! We have a less-active that we go to visit from time to time and every time we go by there are 3 little girls that come out and give us hugs. They are the sweetest little children! We've started teaching them along with our less-active. They love it and they learn so fast! It's been a blast teaching them.

Well that's all for now, once again have a great week! 

Con Amor, 

Hermana Mathis

Oh! and one more thing. We went to go meet a referral and they weren't home but they had this bush outside their house with a snake skin in it! Ew!!! Only in Florida. 

Snake Skin Bush