Carols in the Car.

Thanks for the email and the great phone conversation! Don't worry I haven't been homesick, more just excited to work and then in a short little while see you guys! Wow, I am loving Curacao right now. In my President's letter I talked about Maria's baptism and that was awesome. We are kind of starting at ground zero with investigators right now but I have a goal of having two more baptisms my last transfer (transfers are next Mon. and then the week after I think we have zone conference when Pres. Mart. comes down. But I think that P-day will be on Tues next week). Anyway, I really feel like it can happen. Do you want to pray with me that it will?

Some of the elders were talking about how President Martineau is trying to work for the missionaries to be able to be down in the islands for six months on each island instead of three and I was SO jealous. If I could stay her for six more months that would be awesome. But just like Alma, "I do sin in my wish" I know that this is the Lord's time for me. Being a missionary is just so amazing! Wow, ok.

This week was really good. We ate so much. The best was that right before our Christmas eve dinner we went to Maria's interview and the member whose house we were having it at prepared us a full on Dominican meal. So we ate that and then an hour and a half later had our Christmas eve dinner. Yikes. But, Christmas eve was really awesome. I think that my favorite part was singing Christmas songs in the car with my companion. Christmas music is the only way that we could really connect with Christmas this year. That and the scriptures. I had a really awesome study on Christmas morning. It seems like every Christmas I understand more and more the significance of the Savior's birth.

I'm so bummed I wanted to send a picture of me in my new pj's. A member - actually the one from Guiana (sp?)(P.S. she is going to guiana in a little bit. do you know where Andy is serving? also, Guaiana has really good food. She made us this thing called Roti that she made us - yum) But we went to go visit her the day after Christmas in her shop and she gave us some pjs. I chose the blue silky, ruffly ones. They are actually really comfy. I totally did not want to get ready the next morning I just wanted to stay in my silky jamies. Could be a Grandpa Holt trait.

But, things are going really great. I am enjoying my studying of the Book of Mormon right now. I have just 100 pages to go before Friday. Doesn't that remind me of High School Honors english summer reading assignments? But, it is really sad to read about the Nephites and how easily they went back to their wickedness. Wow.

We were toquing in probably the richest neighborhood I've been in my whole mission yesterday. We call that Dutch land. Anyway, hardly any success but it was a great time for me to meditate about the things that I want out of life. Here in the branch I have met some of the happiest people that live in some of the humblest circumstances. The branch President and his family live in a house that is just a little more than a shack but they are so strong in the Gospel. It has really been an amazing experience for me to see that the people that have nothing, a lot of the times have everything, and the people that have everything a lot of the times have nothing. If everyone could only see the joy that the Gospel brings. Anyway, it was a great chance for me to meditate yesterday and just think about what I want for my future. I just want to have an eternal family that is strong in the Gospel. I hope that I can always keep in rememberance this little insight that I had yesterday in Dutch land.

Well, I love you a ton! I hope that you have a great new Years! They are already starting to celebrate it here with tons of fireworks.

I love you all so much! have a fun last week with Devin.

Sister Neff

......................................

Dear President Martineau,

What an amazing week we've had. Christmas is great here in Curacao. The members sure have a lot of love for the missionaries here. I don't ever remember eating so much food in my entire life. But, the best part about this week was Maria's baptism!

Her conversion has been wonderful for us to watch and be apart of. I know that Maria is now cleansed and has been reborn, thanks to Jesus Christ. I'm really grateful for having been able witness her conversion and to see the happiness that she now feels.

Her baptism was a really special night for a lot of reasons. We saw a lot of tender mercies: Maria seemed really happy and was warmly welcomed to the branch by all of the members. She brought her friend, our investigator to the baptism. Oscar - the recent convert from two weeks ago - baptized her and although he was really nervous he did a great job and came up to us later thanking us for having asked him to perform the baptism. He said that he loved it and that he was able to help Maria because he had been there just two weeks before. He felt incredible and wants to baptize more people. Also, we contacted a referel while we were there. The branch president brought his aunt and Sis. Paredes, his wife was anxious for us to meet her. That was neat becuase for the last few weeks we have been helping Sister Paredes clean the church because she is recovering from surgery. We have loved to be helping her and haven't been hoping to get anything out of it but it was neat to see that because we have been serving her she and her husband trust us to teach their family.

Needless to say it was a great night and after I had the desire to stay here FOREVER! I love being a missionary so much and if I had the opportunity I would stay here for as long as I could!

Sister Neff

Ducth? Hey. Why Not.

Well, what a fun Christmas week it sound like you’ve had! It still doesn’t really feel like Christmas over here but it's okay – we’ve had a really good week. We went to Aruba and it was awesome. We flew in and out in the same day but our zone conference was A-maz-ing.

President Martineau has been focusing a lot on the Book of Mormon and we read and discussed Nephi’s dream. It was really neat. The part when Nephi feels the love of God was when he saw Mary, the purest of women chosen to bear the son of God, and then when he sees it all take place. I wish I had my scriptures so I could quote the exact words but He talks about the love of God. President Martineau commented that this what the Gospel is all about – being able to feel the love of God. It was really powerful. Its hard to express through email but it was really neat.

Then, for Christmas conference the Martineau’s took us to a hotel in Aruba and this Chinese Benny Hanna’s place to eat. It was so fun! The guy made the food right in front of us and let me crack an egg. I was courtesy laughing most of the time at all of the jokes but it was delicious and really good. That same day I received your letters. It was just an amazing day.

Maria, our baptismal date, is progressing really well. She is just so cute. She invited her Jamaican roommate in for a lesson that we had with her. She is just on fire! We seriously don’t do anything, its all her – those are the best kinds of baptisms because its just a testament to the fact that the Lord prepares people to accept His Gospel. Also, will you ask what part of Columbia Catherine is from? I meet a ton of people from Columbia!

The Martineau’s came over to Curacao this past weekend and it was great. The elders had a baptism and we heard the lions again but it was a beautiful baptism. They taught their investigator in about 3 weeks and they also felt like they didn’t do anything. One of the elders said, “basically all we did was set citas (appointments).” But he is really strong. He got the priesthood the same day he got confirmed and was also called to be the assistant ward mission leader! I don’t think he really understood what that means but it was really cool to see him get a calling so he can start out really involved in the branch and stay active!

I just love the people here. They are a mix of Jamaican, Columbian, Dominican, Curacaolanian, Venezuelan (I ate some really awesome things called Arepas last week from Venezuela – so good) and a few others. They are the most beautiful people that I’ve ever seen. Inside and out. They have such strong testimonies of the Gospel and are so firm! I want to continue to be a member missionary when I get back, just like what Dad was talking about in his email. Its actually something that I’ve been thinking about. I don’t know if I should be thinking about it, but I want to find ways to share the Gospel at home. But, its definitely something that I fear, slipping back into mediocrity especially because the opportunities to share the Gospel don’t come as often as they do when you are surrounded by people who aren’t members. But I’m sure if I look for opportunities, they will come.

Well, I should probably go but just the last thing… for Christmas what we do here is email you our phone number and you call us with a phone card. We’re not sure the exact time but I’ll email you next week.

Thank you for everything that you guys are and do – everyone of you. Tell the family that I say hi and that I love them too. I am so thankful for my Savior and His birth and sacrifice. I know that He lives. I know that this is His Gospel.

I love you,
Ruman or Zester Neff (I’m going to start to learn Dutch this week. I ordered a Dutch nametag from the office. I figured hey - why not?)

P.S. I think that Curacao is prettier than Aruba!

Hey Family,

Thanks for the emails! Wow, that is crazy about Trent – good thing he is ok.

It definitely sounds like Christmas in Provo! Snow, lights, decorating. I’ll be honest, I haven’t really gotten into the Christmas Spirit yet down here. It’s a little bit hard when its super hot outside. Actually, I wasn’t getting super excited for Christmas – not in an ebaneezer Scrooge way but last year was kind of hard not being around the traditional Christmas things that I was used to but this year I think I’m kind of used to it. But, wasn’t last nights Christmas devotional amazing! Oh my gosh. Talk about getting into the Spirit of Christmas. Wow. I decided last night as I was listening to the talks and about the true meaning of Christmas that I still can celebrate Christmas. It doesn’t have to be with all of the things that I’m used to and seriously because there is hardly enough time to do anything I decided that I’m still going to celebrate Christmas. In every cita that I go to, every person that I talk to about the Gospel, all of the things that I do everyday, I’m going to make it a present for the Savior. I can’t send home Christmas presents but everything I do I’m just going to make it better for the Savior and that’s how I’ll get the Christmas Spirit!

It was such a wonderful conference last night. Wow. I almost cried when President Monson talked about the gate 67 story. I loved Pres. Uchdorf’s talk about seeking Christ. It is so crazy how we can miss the mark by focusing on the little things like the pharacies (sp?) did – even in missionary work! There are a lot of goals that we have, a lot of numbers that we deal with, getting to citas on time, making sure this and that are done but what I really need to focus on is the Savior. I was reading about the law of Moses this morning about how the priest’s of Noah thought that the law of Moses could save them but it is the atonement that can save us. The law of Moses was good and if they followed it right it would help them follow the Savior but there would come a time when the law of Moses would end. I totally related that to our numbers and key indicators that we work for. They are means to an end but they are not the end – they aren’t the ultimate goal. The goal is that we bring people unto Christ through the waters of baptism. And, just like the law of Moses, my time of accounting to my leaders and mission president will end, what I’ll be left with is what is in my heart. What will I do when I don’t have to talk with everyone about the Gospel? Will I still do it? Yes! Anyway, I just realized this morning that I need to have the Savior a lot more in my thoughts.

Thanks for letting me share that little insight.

But this week has been a great week. I am short on time so I’m going to do what I do in my journal sometimes when I don’t have time – bullet points!

• We have a ton of new invest that I’m super excited about. One of them is a Jamaican woman and her daughter

• We’re going to Aruba tomorrow for zone conference!

• I had my first sarcastically rude rejection from a dutch person yesterday. I’m officially a missionary in Curacao.

• I forgot to tell you, because its expensive to talk on the phone here most of the communication between missionaries we do through texting!

• I found out Elder Knudsen in my district is Art and Jill Hansen’s neighbor

•Papiemento e ta bon!
( No idea how you say merry Christmas, but "how are you?" is “con ta bai ku bo?”

Well, those are the only things I can think of right now! I love you all so much!
- Sister Neff

P.S. I don’t know anything yet about Christmas calls but I’ll check!

--------------------------

Dear President,
This week was a great week. Wow, we have seen some really great things. We’ve had to drop a few investigators – or they’ve dropped us rather but they really weren’t progressing very much so we’re kind of starting with a new pool of investigators but I’m excited for them. They have some really good potential. We also set a fecha with our investigator Maria! Wow, she is so prepared! She is a referral from a member and we teach her right there in the member’s home. She is so excited about the Book of Mormon and loves it and has started reading from the beginning and loves to tell us about what is happening. We had a really great lesson with her this past week. She works at a resort and her schedule is really hard – she only has Sundays off every 6 weeks. Well, she went to church twice the two Sundays that she was off and loved it.

My companion and I knew that we needed to talk to her about the Sabbath day and to invite her to talk to her bosses to see if she could at least come to church. Well, we got to the lesson and were surprised to hear her story. That day she, on her own without us telling her anything, went that day and talked to her bosses to ask them to let her come to church. This is huge for Maria. She is a really timid lady and her bosses are usually really hard hearted towards her. But, just like Nephi, she went guided by the Spirit, made an appointment to meet with them, and told them that she had never felt like she did in all her years of going to her other church, that she had learned more here in the past two weeks than 20 years of being in other churches.

The reaction from her bosses was amazing. They told her that she should go to this church that had helped her so much. They told her that she could come into work later after going to church then in Maria’s sweet and emotional words she said, “y cuando yo iba a salir, me abrazaron, estando sucia y en mi uniforme, me abrazaron.” It was a great experience for her and for us as well. She did the exact thing that we were going to invite her to do without us even having to ask her to! She also told us “ you told me that I would receive and answer and you know what, I think that I’m receiving it!”

It was an amazing lesson. The sad part was that Maria wasn’t able to come to church yesterday because there was too much work for them to let her come, so there is still some things that she is going to have to work out and I don’t know how exactly it will work out but what I do know is that she is SO prepared! Her faith is amazing. And with our’s and the member’s faith and prayers I know that Maria will be baptized.

Thank you so much President for sending me here to finish my mission. I absolutely love it. I feel a lot more comfortable talking Papiamentu, the listening part is still a little bit hard, but thank goodness I have someone by my side who knows what they are saying! But, I love the members here so much and the church down here is so inspiring. I feel so blessed to be here!
Well, thank you so much for everything that you and Sister Martineau do for us. I appreciate it so much. See you tomorrow for zone conference!

-Sister Neff

Mi seman hopi bon.

Hey Family,

Thanks for the emails! I’m glad that you had a great week. That is really sad about the guy who was trapped in the cave. Wow, I can’t even imagine. Thanks dad for including what you wrote on your blog. I’m glad that your Thanksgiving week was good - and I was laughing out loud that every room in the house will have its own Christmas tree!

Just a little “housekeeping” as you like to call it – about the picking me up. Its really funny because I dream all of the time about me going home – I don’t know what that means. But everything sounds good – I think that staying there until Tuesday might be a little bit long. Do you think that we could maybe do Monday? But, if Tuesday works out better or if its cheaper than that’s fine too.

But I just had a little thought – I bet that I’m going to just be talking your guys’ ears off the whole time. I hope that’s ok. I’ve realized being with my companions that I’m kind of a chatter box. Its funny.

Anyway, I’ve been dying to tell you guys all about Curacao! I was going to make a little list of all of the things that I wanted to tell you! But, I didn’t so hopefully I’ll remember. This is funny, I’m sure this is going to be really similar to all of my greeny emails. Which totally fits because this week I’ve felt totally like a greeny. Sometimes I like that, sometimes I don’t. But, thank you so much for your prayers because I have been able to catch on really fast to the language. Actually I was thinking about it and I was really grateful for the progress that I’ve made just in the past week. My companion gives me a lot of encouragement. After every prayer she always says, “hopi bon!” (really good!). Anyway, I was just feeling grateful and I thought, “you know, I bet my family has been praying for me that I would learn the language fast” and wow – totally true!

Thanks so much for your prayers – I know that they have helped so so so much!

Well, Curacao is the coolest little island. There are people from literally all over the map here. But, it has a lot of Dutch influence. There is this touristy part of our area that is called Punda and its full of Dutch architecture and shops and you can also see the cruise ships docked there too. Wow. Most of the buildings are really Dutch and so it's just gorgeous. And, there is a lot of Dutch food that is imported here too! I bought a little scone mix to make Dutch scones last week and this week I’m going to buy powdered sugar to put on them too. The bread is to die for as is the chocolate and these little waffle things that have caramel in the middle. Its seriously so cool. Its like living in Europe and the Caribbean at the same time.

The people here though are the best part! Wow, the branch here is just fantastic. Almost all of the members are endowed and are all really strong. A lot of them are from the Dominican Republic and others are from Columbia (two of our investigators are from Columbia). There is also a lady named Joyce from Suriname that comes out with us a lot. And, there are a bunch of really neat Jamaicans too! A lot of the members here live in pretty humble circumstances but are so happy and willing to give every thing they have for the Gospel. There is a recent convert family who are immigrants from Jamaica and they struggle so much but are so converted to the Gospel and have found so much peace in the Gospel.

I have been excited all week to tell you that I talk with Jamaicans just knowing that Mom and Dad love them so much! (We had a wonderful experience going to church in Jamaica.) The people here are really ready for the Gospel - it is really neat. We have 8 missionaries in our branch – our district – who are all really dedicated and have a lot of good investigators. It is going to be a great transfer. Church is a mix of Spanish and Papiamentu and there are some people that need translators because they just speak English. I feel like Devin.

I have fallen in love with black people. I just love being around them. I love being surrounded by people of all different cultures!

We had two great baptisms this last week to and I felt the Spirit really strong. They both were really happy. The font is outside so the service was outside. There is a zoo close by and the time that they have baptisms – around six – is the time when they feed the lions so you could hear a couple of times lions roaring in the background!

Last night I had a neat little Curacao island of enchantment moment. We were with Joyce and sitting outside a recent convert’s house sharing a scripture with him. It was just such a beautiful moment to be there. He is an older guy from Columbia. We were talking about the Gospel sitting there, it was breezy and I was watching the purple clouds move along the dark sky and could here faint sounds of Latin music in the background, all on this little island of the coast of Venezuela in the Caribbean! What could be better than that? Wow, I feel so blessed to be here and to know the people here. I know that there are prepared people on this island waiting for the Gospel.

I love the Gospel with all of my heart. I know that God is the same yesterday, today and forever and that His Gospel will never change. I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon. I was thinking yesterday about the Book of Mormon’s role in my life. I literally don’t know what I would do without it. Wow, what a great treasure we have!

Well, I love you all so much! Thanks so much for your continual support and love! Thanks Mom and Dad for raising me up in the Gospel. I love you all - also I’m praying for Alicia too.

Mi ta stimaboso hopi! ( I love you a lot!)
Ruman Neff

The Last Week in Utuado.

These photos are a week old, but they are the last ones sent to us from Utuado. One picture is of Maclaine and who we believe to be Hilda. The other is of a wonderful family she began teaching just prior to leaving. There is a wonderful story that goes along with that picture, but not for the internet.

Christmas Update.

We found out a few days ago that Maclaine will NOT be able to receive any Christmas packages. The mission office is unable to deliver them and traditional mail takes between 6-8 weeks. And even if it did get there on time, the postal workers will have removed everything of value for their own consumption. Letters to her mission office, should make it on time.

In an earlier letter, Maclaine told us that she didn't want us to send anything. I guess we now have to take that request seriously.

Mi nomber ta ruman neff (My name is Sister Neff)

Images we've found online of Curacao (prononced cur-a-sow) island.

HI guys!

Estoy sentada aqui. Or in papiemento “Mi ta sinta akinan”. Oh wow, there are people speaking gibberish here also known as Papiamento. (Maclaine was transferred to the island of Curacao on Monday.)

I cannot tell you about how shocked I was to be told by President Martineau that I would be finishing my mission here. It was really really sad to say goodbye to all of the investigators and members in Utuado but I think it helped them and me not be as sad when I told them, no se preocupen. Mis padres me van a recoger de la mission cuando termine asi que nos volveremos a ver pronto. (Don’t worry. My parents are coming to pick me up when I finish my mission so we will see each other really soon!) Yep – I decided! I would love for you to come and pick me up! Monday night I was stewing about it and so I decided to make a pros and cons list. Well all of the pros totally outweighed all of the cons and I just had a really peaceful feeling about it all. Then I went and prayed about my decision and felt really good about you guys picking me up! Yay!

Then it was perfect because the next day I had interviews with President Martineau. Sister Sitton (Maclaine's companion) and I were interviewed for a minute together before our separate interviews. Sister Sitton said, “President I have never met someone so different than myself but we are having such a good time together.” He kind of stopped her right there and with a huge smile said, “ Well, that’s great. Because Sister Neff is going to finish her mission in the Islands and you (sister Sitton) are going to train.”

Then he said to me “You will be with your companion for a month and then you will train. (Which I don’t think that anyone else really knows that here on the islands but we’ll see what happens.) So you'd better learn the language fast!” Oh. My. Gosh. Never in my life would I have thought that this would happen! Wow. I was in shock!

It has all worked out really well because even though last week was my last week to serve in Puerto Rico, I was so excited to be able to come back and introduce you to the people and culture that I love! I feel like I am starting a whole new mission – it is crazy. But there are a ton of different cultures here – a ton of Dominicans which feed us a lot. My companion said that she has gained a lot of weight here. Nice. That’s a nice little sumpin to look forward to.

But there are also Jamaicans, and a lot of Dutch people. On the plain it was so neat because I was just surrounded by a whole bunch of different cultures! And hello – I got to go on a plane! For all of the zone conferences here we catch a 30 minute flight to Aruba. How awesome is that? I feel a little bit nervous about speaking this new language but apparently it is really easy to catch on to. With a lot of prayer, the Lord will help me. And, a lot of people speak Spanish. My comp is really nice too. She says that the members are AMAZING here. Last week they had 17 lessons with members present – in Utuado we were trying for a good 3 or 4. She says that they give of their love so freely. I miss PR a bit, but I have a ton of animo to work here this next translado! I love you so much! I totally got the package and loved everything! I’m in love with my princess twistables. (Pens we sent from Disneyland.) Thanks so much for your love and support. I was so excited to hear about the fortune cookie and Elder Ballard! I luf youwr a lot!

I know that this is Christ's Gospel and that Jesus is the Christ and knows us perfectly. I know that the E Buki di Mormon (Book of Mormon)is the word of God. Wow. we are so blessed.

Sister Neff

"I feel so blessed."

At the caves and beaches in Arecibo!

This weekend there was a Caribbean conference that was held in the DR (Dominican Republic) and a bunch of general authorities were there and also Elder Ballard. We got to watch it via satellite in Arecibo. Oh wow, it was so so amazing. It was broadcast to the whole area so I hope that Andy was able to watch it in the West Indies. I continue to think that it is so awesome that he is serving in the same part of the world that I am. The conference was in Spanish mostly, so I don’t know if he would have seen it.

Wow – Elder Ballard was awesome – he talked a lot about how every child of God has the right to receive personal revelation and guidance from Him. He talked about a lot of neat experiences that he has had reorganizing stakes and calling stake presidents and how both he and these men and even in some cases their families received the revelation that they would be called as stake presidents. It reminded me of the times when I have received similar witnesses of the Spirit kind of letting me know that I would receive a calling – specifically about my missionary calling and also when I was called to the seminary counsel. What a wonderful gift it is to have the Spirit and to be able to ask our Heavenly Father for what we need.

I have learned so much about prayer since I have been here in Puerto Rico. I have absolutely no doubt that our Heavenly Father listens to our prayers and that He answers us. I know that Heavenly Father is aware of me and my presence here on the earth. A lot of times as a missionary, especially when you can’t see any immediate success from the work that you are doing it is easy to get down on yourself.

I read Elder Uchdorf’s conference address this morning and it was awesome. I want to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ and to be motivated in everything I do by the love of God. I still have miles more to go but I am excited that I recognize that room to improve. I won’t even be close when I finish my mission. I know that this mission will just be a spring board to help me become the person that the Lord knows that I can be. How blessed I am to be serving a mission and to invite others to come unto Christ!

Last night we had an amazing lesson with our investigator Hilda. She called us in the middle of last week asking us to come by. We hadn’t gone by, in hopes that the situation that I explained last week would have cooled down. So we went over and as she told us a little more in depth about what had happened and as I was listening I thought about the story of Esther and that we needed to teach her about fasting.

So, we taught her about fasting and invited her to fast this weekend with us so that the situation with her and her husband could improve. Anyway, we went over last night and she said that she had fasted and loved it! But, there was way more that happened than just that. We went with a member, Carmen Rodriguez, a previously semi-active member, and she was amazing! At the beginning of the lesson she was asked to say the opening prayer and she invited us all to kneel down to say the opening prayer. As we talked about it afterward in the car we thanked her for doing that because it invited the Spirit so well for the rest of the lesson. When we said this she said, “El Espiritu me guia."

How blessed we were to have a third companion with us who is also guided by the Spirit!! Throughout the lesson she gave great testimonies and support to what we were talking about – prayer. During the course of the lesson I felt like we should share Moroni 10:3-5 again with Hilda. I felt the Spirit so strongly as I prefaced the scripture. Never before had the Spirit made such a powerful connection in my mind of the background of this scripture. Here Moroni was, with a thousand years of history written on these gold plates that his father had spent so much time compiling, getting ready to bury them in the earth for more than a thousand years and he urges us to read them, ponder them, and pray to God to know if they are true. Wow, the Spirit was so strong and I felt edified by the Spirit as I taught.

Then, as we talked with Hilda she told us that she knew that they were true. We then invited her to be baptized. Although she did not accept the exact date that we extended, she did express her desire to be baptized and told us about how no other church or message has touched her like this one. We invited her to pray to know if she should be baptized on that specific date.

I feel so blessed for the Spirit that we felt in that lesson. Then, as we were saying goodbye to Carmen she said something like - “We’ll be able to get her baptized on Dec 12th!” At the end of the night I couldn’t decide what joy was greater – joy because Hilda knows these things are true and has the desire to join the church or the joy because Carmen is taking part in this great work!

I’m excited for what the Lord is doing here. I loved what Elder Ballard said in His testimony of the Savior and that this is His church and that He is close to it. I know that He lives and that He is the one who is doing all of the miracles here in our area.

Goofeao’ (goof-y-ow)

Hello my dearest family!

Thank you so much for the emails! Don’t ever worry about sending long emails. Just like you guys eat up my emails, I eat up your emails. Seriously. I love hearing about everything.

This week has been an amazing week. We are teaching a lot of people that are truly interested in the gospel and are really strong investigators. One of them is Jury – she’s about 30 and really independent and smart, but really interested in the Gospel. She has a little bit of a hard time accepting that women can’t have the priesthood but to our wonderful surprise she has been reading the Book of Mormon and loves it. She even was talking to someone at work about it. It was neat - she told us that the first day that we contacted her she had seen us about a half an hour before in McDonalds and she thought it was cool that there were women missionaries. Then a half an hour later we showed up on her street and contacted her. I can TOTALLY see her getting baptized!

We are teaching other people with a lot of potential. One of them is a family too! I could tell neat experiences about each one of them. All of them are in the same phase of only having had two or so lessons and so we are hoping that this week they will come to church. But, I feel really full of energy and excitement for the work and so hopeful for the future here in this branch. We were really sad on Sunday because we woke up to a phone call a few minutes before 6:30 AM from our investigator Hilda. She is progressing the most. She has made friends with a sister in the ward and also the Ramirez’. She committed this week (with excitement) to come to church. Well, she called us on Sunday morning to tell us that her husband came home in the middle of the night and told her that if she went to church with us then she shouldn’t plan on coming back and that he doesn’t want us to visit her anymore. Hilda was in really bad shape when she called us. She said that she had even gone out to buy a skirt to go to church. It was a quick conversation and right after Sister Sitton and I got on our knees to pray that Heavenly Father would soften the heart of her husband. I know that the power of God is stronger than that of the adversary and that somehow, through the power of God, everything will work out for Hilda’s good.

Although this situation is very sad, and we will keep praying I have a lot of hope for the rest of our investigators. Almost everyone that we are teaching I can see getting baptized! We have really focused on teaching about baptism in our lessons from the very beginning and have felt a change in the power that our lessons have. I’m continuing to strive to focus on my purpose and it has been going well.

Anyway, I’ve got to go because our zone leaders just called and the zone is waiting for us to go to an activity. And we still have a half an hour drive ahead of us. Oops! Anywya, I love you all so much!

Sister Neff

P.S. puertorican word of the week, goofeao’ (goof-y-ow). Surely stems from the English word goofy. Changed to goofeado then with a Puerto Rican accent is goofeao. Means cool, awesome. After we watched the restoration video with an investigator family we asked him how he liked it and he said it was “goofeao!”

Halloween in the isle of Enchantment.

Hey Guys!!!!

Wow- what great emails this week! I'm so grateful for this time that I have to write you and catch up and ponder a little bit about how the week went. Its a great opportunity to realize all of the blessings that Heavenly Father has blessed me with this week. Sometimes its so easy to get caught up in the day to day but looking back at this week we have seen some neat things and I have been able to feel the Holy Ghost a lot in our work so I'm grateful that we write every week, it helps me to recognize the blessings.

Well, this week was the last week of the month which means we were super low on miles - so we walked just about everywhere this last week. My back is killing me but it was actually really fun and it was really neat because we felt like we got to get to know our area a lot more.

There is just something neat about walking around instead of driving. We felt more focused and more connected to the people and had to rely on the others - like to get water or use their bathrooms. It was definitely kind of "without purse or script", just the scriptures in your hand kind of an experience. Really neat. And, just to give you a little mental image - I had my umbrella with me the entire time. Here is your little sis Neff walking around P.R. with a backpack and an umbrella! It was really funny - yesterday we got out of the car to go "toquing" (a Spanglish version of saying "knocking") and headed up a really steep hill. Our legs were like butter! After the whole week of walking around they were seriously jello. My companion and I just looked at each other and just laughed. It was so funny for some reason. But, luckily we made it up the hill ! We are going to try to be walking around a lot more!

Also this week was Halloween. So, we had a little Halloween sleepover! (Missionaries have to return early to their apartments on Halloween.) We pulled the mattresses out into our little family/study room and put on the lights, wore our socks and glow sticks, and just read, I attempted to make Puerto Rican pollo guizado (failed miserabley. But there will be other attempts. The next time though I think I'm going to buy frozen chicken. I discovered that I hate the smell of raw chicken - it makes me want to vom.). It was a super fun night. I snuggled up and read Jesus the Christ - that the 19th ward sent me. Wow. I was reading about Christs temptations - it was so awesome. Serioiusly the more I learn about my Savior and the sacrifice that He made, after having lived a perfect life makes me want to share the Gospel even more. I love Him so much and I know with all my hear that He lives.

Then, we actually slept out there - it was a fun Halloween night. And then a good day at church the next day too. Sacrament Meeting was exactly what I needed - even in our little branch of 25 people we could feel the Spirit a lot. What a wonderful pick me up.

We've found some great new investigators that we are really excited about. The investigators that we have been teaching have kind of dropped off a little bit. It was actually really sad because we haven't been able to find Jose and then I talked to him on the phone the night before church and he gave us the polite "tengo tu numero" brush off that people normally give us after a first lesson. THen the branch pres told us that he had seen him drinking again. Really sad. But, I know that he'll remember how he felt when he was at church and learning about the Gospel. But, I'm excited for these new investigators. We've been able to feel the Spirit a lot this week as we've taught.

Well, I love you guys so much! I'm so glad and grateful that you are my family AND that you are all so strong in the Gospel. What a blessing to know that we are all striving to keep the commandments and that we are experiencing so much happiness even in different parts of the world! I am so grateful for your emails and for your love and support! I love you all so much - more than you know. I hope that this week will be awesome and that everything goes well with the Alicia call. I was thinking about her being home and me living at home tambien to help with the Spanish/ English transition - I know that it will all work out.

Reading about Patience in PMG (Preach My Gospel) I absolutely loved this quote by Pres Monson." Life is full of difficulties. Some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required." You guys are such a wonderful example of patience and faith with this whole situation. It is an attribute that I'm trying to develop and you guys are a great example to me of that.

Anyway, I love you all so much!!!

Sister Neff

Pase lo que pase

Hey Guys!

Loved your emails! Sorry that this one is a day late – we had a zone conference with Elder Viñas, the area president yesterday, so P-day is today. It was a really good conference. He talked about a lot of things that were really good.

So, I decided to respond this week to some questions first. By the way, it makes me so excited that you’ve been looking up Borequa recipes and music and talking to Lluvia about P.R. garlic. I guess I just get anxious to brag about my little island. Haha.

Ok – the shorts thing – I guess they wear shorts (We asked if men wear short pants in Puerto Rico. In Latin American countries they never wear them.) I’ve never really noticed before but what I do notice is their feet. Mostly the girls feet though because their toenails are super long – it's in style to have acrylic toenails here. It was a big shock when I first got here. Sorry way random.

As for Rice and habichuelas – my favorite! Ok, sofrito is basically just garlic, peppers, some other spices and oil all blended together. I don’t know the recipe because the members usually give us some to use. But for the habichuelas I like to use a can red beans, a spoonful of sofrito if you have some, a little oil, adobo and about a ½ or 1/4 cup of tomato sauce, and if you want you can put potato chunks it it or pumpkin chunks. I love it with pumpkin!!! You put the sofrito in first and let it fry until you can smell it then just put the beans and potatoes in, adobo (that I sent you) and let it boil, after a few minutes you put the tomato sauce in. Anyway, that’s how I do it! Then I eat it with white rice and platanos fritos. I forgot to tell you last week that the days of me turning down a good platano frito are so over!

I don’t really know any of the artists that are popular here (we asked about musicians) but there is this group called adventura that we hear all the time. But, I haven’t seen any Halloween spirit around here probably for Christmas blow up things will be coming around soon! (In Puerto Rico they start really early with Christmas decorations - usually stuff like giant blowup stuff like Winnie the Pooh with a Santa hat.)

It was great to hear how everyone is doing - sorry about the ear infection dad and sicky poo Rubes. I hope you guys are feeling better. Speaking of the Alicia Situation, we had a really neat primary program on Sunday and I couldn’t help but think of little Alicia. It was a really neat experience. The Spirit was so strong as they sang the song about Christ being baptized. I hope that the phone call went well today and I’m praying that we will have the opportunity to have her in our family.

This little girl is talking to me right now and she is such a doll in her little school uni. “como tu te llamas?”she asks me. It was funny that you mentioned the chickens and Jake and Peanut because I totally told my companion that story the other day!

Well, this week has been a little rough. We’ve had a lot of challenges with our investigators but I think that maybe the Lord is just trying to help me to learn to be patient – to keep working hard and to have faith to find someone ready to listen to the Gospel. One day this week was pretty hard because this lady we’ve been teaching told us that she isn’t interested in listening anymore. She told us in English so I think that’s why it was a harder rejection and she was really nice about it too which made it even harder but as hard as it was as I was back at the apartment that night I felt an enormous love for this work and gratitude to be a missionary. I know that it was Heavenly Father that blessed me with that feeling even after a rough day. When we work hard and give everything to Him I know that He help us feel joy – pase lo que pase.

Well, I love you guys so much! I’m so grateful that you are my family and that we are sealed together forever. When I testify to people of the eternal nature of the family I always tell them of the blessings their families can have through the restored Gospel and tell them that I know this because I have seen it in my family. Thank you for everything that you do for me! I love you so much!

Sister Neff

Grande Eres Tu

Hi guys! Thanks for your email! And thanks for the aweseome package! I got it at transfers on Wednesday - everything is so cute! Especially the clothes!!! I was bragging that my dad was the one that picked them out! So cute! I love the shirt too - I tots wore it yesterday.

And, being on my mission has not cured me of my candycorn addiction! The bag is almost gone and I think that my companion has only had like 2! But, our apartment is cute and super Halloweeny! Thanks for always thinking of me and being so awesome!

Wow - it sounds like it was an awesome week! I was thinking a little bit about Jamie on Friday - Would you send me a picture of her? [Jami is one of Maclaine's best friends who just returned from her mission to Brazil.] But, we were starting our tiempo consagrado (the two hours a day that we knock- or yell I guess - doors) and I was like, wow - Jamie must be home. But then actually felt bad for her - don't get me wrong - it will be so awesome to see everyone because I miss you all so much. But, at that moment I just thought about what I was doing and how sad I would be to not be able to go back to stopping the car in a neighborhood, getting a Book of Mormon out of the trunk along with a few pass along cards and head out on the street to talk and testify to everyone about the Gospel. But, I guess there are times and seasons to everything - and when that time comes I know that I will enjoy it, but I'm grateful that I'm loving the one that I'm in right now. I just hope that when I get back I can continue being missionary - sometimes its hard to see the changes in myself but I hope they've happened.

Well, other things that happened this week... Wow, we had the most amazing lesson with Malayne. We got to her house for a return appointment but she hadn't read the reading assignment that we gave her in the Book of Mormon. So we read it with her. It was the introduction to the Book of Mormon. Oh "chacho" (Puerto Rican slang, its short for muchacho - some people say it even shorter "acho". Its like saying Wow! or oh man! - in a good way) the Spirit was so so so strong as we read the intro to the Book of Mormon with her. Oh my gosh. There was no denying that the Book of Mormon is true and is the word of God. I know that it is. She said the closing prayer and asked for wisdom and understanding. She is totally willing to know the truthfulness of our message.

Also, a little island of enchantment moment that is spiritual at the same time! We took these two members with us to a cita - Moncho and Edith. Moncho is about 80 and was reactivated a few months ago. He is totally gung ho and willing to help us always - he taught us how to make sofrito which I put in my habichuelas(beans) this week. talk about divine. Being in a smaller branch has given us the opportunity to cook for ourselves more ... I'm getting better!- Anyway, this couple is awesome. So we were driving back in our car down the windy, curvy roads and I asked them what their favorite hymns were. They told me then, Moncho starts singing his favorite, "Grande eres tu," or "How great thou art". He sang the whole thing. It was the sweetest thing. He sang it in kind of a Latino rhythm that's hard to explain. But it was really cool. I was totally just enjoying the moment.

Well, I love you guys so so much.

Sister Neff

Casi casi me convencen!

Hey Guys!
Thanks for the emails. They were really great. Wow – I was thinking a little bit about Jamie last night as I looked at the calendar. That is just crazy that she is going to be home. It will be so neat to see her. Her mission is like this huge mystery to me – and maybe to others too – no sé – but I think that she likes to be mysterious like that :) But tell her hi from me. I haven’t written her in a while but I’m going to try to get a letter sent off today to her house! Crazy!

Well, this week has been great. Its so crazy sometimes I feel like the weeks follow this pattern. Kind of slow during the beginning – a trial of my faith and then the weekends we see this big bang and the fruits of our labors (this saying reminds me of Shanghi Noon haha). But wow since Sunday I have just been filled with a new excitement for missionary work. I think it had a lot to do with my fast. I fasted to have more faith and Heavenly Father blessed me abundantly. It was a great jump start that I needed. I had a lot of faith that Nissette would show up to church and then when I didn’t see her in the first two meetings I was tempted to be sad and just give up but then I said to myself, “no, its ok. I’ll just have faith that she will come next week.” It wasn’t five minutes later that Nissette walked in just in time for sacrament meeting to start. That was really really neat!

We had this really awesome lesson on Sunday too. It was to this brother and sister (18 and 30) who live together. We contacted them a couple of weeks ago and they set the cita for Sunday. I actually was surprised that they were there. But, at the beginning of the lesson I was pretty scared just because the sister, Jury, (30) is really educated and told us that she had listened to the missionaries once before but she didn’t agree with them and that she didn’t really believe in organized religion. That’s exactly what you want to hear right before you go into the first lesson! Not! Anyway, I just prayed that everything would go well and that we would say the right things. Well, the lesson went really well. She had a lot of doubts and a lot of questions but it was great to be able to answer them the best that we could. Then my companion shared the best part, the jewel if you will, of the lesson – Joseph Smith and the resoration. I was praying for her the whole time. Jury’s and Arnold’s faces were just glued to her. Then I shared my testimony and asked them what they thought. I hope I always remember her answer, “casi casi me convencen” (almost almost you have me convinced) with a smile on her face.

I know that it wasn’t us. I know that it was the Spirit and the casi casi part is just the part that she has to do on her own as she reads and prays to know if it’s true. Wow. I felt so grateful that Heavenly Father answered our prayers and that the Spirit softened her heart! After that lesson I had the hugest desire to keep preaching the Gospel. Heavenly Father answers our prayers – it is amazing.


Sister Neff

P.S. Picture this temptation – walking into a house to teach the first lesson (actually it was cool how we found this lady. We had met her a few weeks ago and the only reason that I remembered her name is because its Malayne. She said we could come by but we didn’t really understand where she lived. Anyway, yesterday we had never gone down this little street before or even saw it and we passed it and felt like we should go down it. A few minutes later we were at her house! Cool.) But , imagine this walking into a living room to teach a lesson seeing that the tv is on and out of the corner of your eye seeing that the movie playing is Twilight! Nice. Normally we ask if we can turn the tv off, but there wasn’t any sound so I didn’t ask her. That was the wrong choice. Learned my lesson , always going to ask to turn the tv off. But, it was pretty funny …

Short and Sweet.

This week, we received a very short email from Maclaine telling us that she is doing great. Later on, we received this round-about photo from a sister-in-law. It seems that the young man on the far left used to date her daughter (Maclaine's cousin. )

Thanks goodness it's a small world and everyone has a camera!

"Did I just say Peeps?"

Hey Guys!

Thanks for the package! We had interviews this past week and so I got it! I loved everything that was in it. Especially the El Salvador stuff! I didn’t really realize how Bret Walker’s exercise thing worked but then I figured it out and its super fun to use haha! But seriously thanks so much for the package and for the letter mom! I loved it.

My letter might not be super long today just because I’m fasting for an investigator named Luz that is in Lares. She is awesome. She isn’t married but wants to get married so that she can get baptized but her husband doesn’t want to. So on my intercambio in Lares I got to teach her!

Anyway, the sisters had planned to teach her the 10 commandments and kind of emphasize that she needs to get married. But, that morning as I was thinking about her the story of Esther popped into my mind (or better said, the Spirit reminded me of her story.) So I read Esther that morning and then shared it with Luz and invited her to fast like Esther did and I commited to fast with her. Anyway, it was really neat how the Spirit worked through me and that Luz is actually doing the fast and that the story of Esther helped her! Anyway, so “for that”(‘por eso’ in Spanish means that’s why, so a lot of times we say that and then catch ourselves “I don’t think that people actually say ‘for that’ in English!) I’m a little bit fuzzy today so sorry if my email doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Lares was really fun. We were actually only there for one day because the next day was “Grito de Lares.” I guess in the 70’s there was a big revolution that formed against the U.S. and it all started in Lares so its kind of an anti American day, so they shipped us out for a couple of days. But, it was good to see everybody. It was weird though because it was like I was their but not their at the same time. I was there but I didn’t have the stewardship over that area anymore so I didn’t feel as connected to it as before – but I loved seeing all of the peeps. Did I just say peeps?

We had a great week though in my area. We found 11 new investigators! That is the most that I’ve ever found in my whole mission. It was really neat. Now our focus this week is going to be getting the members involved. This will be a little trial of my faith but I just have to have the faith that the Lord not only is preparing the hearts of the investigators but also the members to come out with us. So that is what we are working on this week.

I feel like there is something else but I can’t remember. But, last night I was looking through the little book that we made before I left and I was all alone but just cracking up at the quotes that Devin and Ruby made for me. I was laughing so hard inside when I read, “I can’t do my work!” Just thinking of Devin saying that on our trip to Cali was so fuh-nee.

Anyway, well I love you guys so much and am so grateful that you are my family. Thank you for your constant love and support seriously! I know that this is the Lord’s work, and that no matter how tired or discouraged we are we have to keep working for the Lord’s cause and He will bless us. I love you guys so much. I know that the Lord is preparing the hearts of the children of men everywhere to accept the Gospel. I have been able to be a witness to that.

I hope that when I get home from my mission I will be able to continue to be a missionary and to spread the Gospel. My mission has, and is changing me and I hope that the Gospel will continue to change me throughout my life! For right now though, with the Lord on our side, miracles can happen right here in Puerto Rico!

Thanks so much for your email! Wow- that’s awesome that Tenery and Sis. Goodie came over last night! Also, speaking of the Primary program, we helped with our little primary yesterday practice for their program. It was really fun. There were about 7 kids there which is a lot for the primary. Usually there are only four. But it was fun to sing primary songs with them in Spanish – it kind of reminded me of El Salvador.

I got the Jesus the Christ in the mail! Thanks so much Edgemont 19th bishopric! It is so pretty, and I’m excited to read it. I am really excited to have such a nice copy with my name on it!

So I got some really great news. Yesterday, Hector, Elliot, and David (our convert Andrea’s husband) were ordained to be elders in the Melchizedeck priesthood! Que gozo! I think that they are really in need of priesthood holders in the branch and so the district president interviewed them and then yesterday they got the priesthood! I was so so happy. I know that the work of the Lord will continue to roll on and that the elect will continue to join the church and that the church will continue to grow.

Something kind of cool that happened the other day – we had to go get an inspection done on our car and we talked to the guy that was doing it for a while about this and that. He said about 20 years ago some missionaries came over and they watched a movie that he has remembered ever since. He wasn’t really interested in us coming over to teach him but we did give him a copy of The Testaments. He said that he was in a religion class at the Universidad and that he would show it there. Cool! Well, today while filling up with gas we saw him and asked him how it was. He said that he loved it and that his whole class loved it. There are a ton of people that are borrowing it right now! He still wasn’t quite ready for us to come over but we gave him another video “Juntos para siempre” (Together forever.) He said that he would watch this one in the class today and we told him that he could give our number out to the people in the class. Who knows what will come of it but its great to be planting the seeds of the Gospel in the people’s hearts.

Ok, so other neat thing. We had a general authority come to our zone conference on Friday. The four of us sisters were the last to arrive and he greeted each of us personally. He looked at my name and said, “I met an Elder Neff last week in the West Indies, is he a relative of yours?” “He’s my cousin!” I said. Anyway, it was really neat to think that he saw Andy just last week. I felt super connected to him and to the family. But the general authority was really great. He talked a lot about faith. I wish that I could just copy all of my notes and send them to you. But he talked about what faith really is – 1) Knowing that Christ is our Savior 2) Conforming our will to Gods will 3) Working hard 4) Humility. That’s just a little brief summary. He told a really neat story about how when he was called to be a stake president he seriously doubted that he could do it so he told the seventy that. He was expecting the seventy to encourage him and tell him that he could but instead he said, “you’re probably right” but a few seconds later he said, “but the Lord can."

Saturday morning after the conference I decided to study a little bit more about what Elder Anderson said. Usually I like to write down a question at the beginning of my studies and then look for the answer so that morning it was something like “ How does knowing that Christ is my Savior help me to do His work here in?” During the study I read the reference in Matt. 28:17-20 and the connection clicked. I know that Christ is my Savior and He is the one that has given us the commandment to baptize (and to follow the ward mission plan) and because I know that He is my Savior I know that He will provide the way for us to accomplish our goals. Wow. My faith was renewed.

That night as we were making our goals for the next day we got to the “referrals contacted” box. Kind of out of the blue I thought, “Hey, why don’t we have the faith that a member will bring someone to church that we could teach?” So we did. And, even as we went to church, I knew that through Christ, it would be possible. Church went along well, and to tell the truth, as the classes got rolling I kind of forgot about that goal we had made - until I met Nissette. We started talking to her and she started telling us about the really hard time that she was going through, then I found out that she is a nonmember daughter of one of our members. She then asked us to come over and visit her that night! So, we went over that night with her mom and taught her the first lesson. She is excited to read the Book of Mormon, participate in the Ramirez’ Family Home Evening tonight and even mentioned getting baptized!

She has been prepared by the Lord. Her mom is also really really excited. At the end of the day I felt so grateful for that blessing that the Lord gave us – we contacted a referel, had a lesson with a member present and have a golden new investigator. But, more important, Nissette is on the path of conversion. I don’t know if I have ever felt this full of faith in my whole mission.

Wow. That was really neat for me – its my new motto kind of.

I love you so much and I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth. I know that Christ is my Savior and if we truly have faith and work hard, He can make anything possible.

Love,
Hermanita Nefita

Hello Family!

Wow, a lot of great stuff going on in Ptown! Thanks so much for the emails.
That is really cool about President Robinson and especially all of the connections that he has with everyone - especially his son serving in Puerto Rico. I hope that my mission has that life long effect on me and that I will remember the people here everyday for the rest of my life.

I have kind of been thinking about that lately - or just about how the mission has changed me. I know that it has but sometimes it is hard for me to recognize it in myself. Sometimes I'm scared that when I get back I'll loose all that I have gained here. I guess that is just part of enduring to the end though, making sure that you are continually progressing.

And, Mom, speaking of the temple, we read "Casistencia al Templo" (attending the temple) today for companionship study. It's a part of the missionary handbook that we read every morning in companionship study. Anyway, we were both just talking about how much we love the temple! Wow, before I always took for granted that it was just right there. We had a lesson in relief society about family history work and work for the dead in the temples. A lot of times at church I make a little list of things to do when I get back, because the lessons are usually about things that as missionaries we can't exactly do but now I am totally inspired to do family history work when I get back! Not only do I want to do the work in the temples for them but I want to learn more about my heritage!

Well, things are going great. Wow, it was an awesome weekend. The week started out really slow and continued to be slow just looking for people without a lot of success. Friday was probably the slowest day, just going from place to place without any success and an entire tiempo consagrado without any first lessons. It was pretty discouraging to come home exhausted and part of me wondering if we were ever going to find anyone. But, I told my companion that we are being obedient and working our hardest and that because of that the Lord will bless us.

I also remembered similar times that I had had in Boqueron and in Lares going through little dry spells but remembering that it was after the trial of my faith that Heavenly Father showed us the miracles. It gave me a lot of strength to have those other experiences to help me during this particular trial of my faith.

So, Saturday came around - another day to go out and work to find someone prepared. I had felt a few days before that I needed to fast on Saturday but I wasn't really sure why and wasn't planning on doing it. But on Saturday, after lunch I just knew that I had to and so I started my fast. My companion decided that she would fast as well and so we decided to fast together to be able to find someone that would be prepared to be baptized. Then, I also was fasting to be able to feel and follow the promptings of the Spirit more.

So we left and went to work. We didn't have any citas planned so we decided to work from some old investigator records and some potential investigator sheets that Elder Fierro gave us. The whole afternoon/ night we did some detective work and found a lot of people that were on the list. At one point we were driving to find an old investigator but I felt the distinct impression that we needed to be going the other way on the street. So without knowing why, we turned around, and found ourselves in a bakery doing some contacts. We were able to have a really great contact with a girl working there. It feels like she is the reason why the Spirit told us to turn around.

Also, my companion decided to walk instead of drive to find another person on the list and on the way we offered to help a lady take her groceries in. We started talking to her and got to know her a little bit. She is a widow who lives takes care of her niece whose parents have also died. We talked with them about the Gospel, set a cita with them and are really excited to come back. By the time we came home we had found 7 people who all have lots of potential to progress and in the future be baptized! When we got home I had actually forgotten that we were fasting for that exact reason! I know that the Lord prompted us to fast so that we could find these people and that night we both could recognize and follow the Spirit . I have no doubt that if we wouldn't have fasted, we would have had a completely different night.

I feel so grateful to Heavenly Father for all that He is doing for us here.

President has given us the challenge to baptize someone this transfer and so I decided to make that my goal for the rest of my time. I think it was a little revelation because it has given me something really meaningful to work for. I love decorating my agendas with little quotes, scriptures and pictures from the ensign and I already have planned what this new one is going to say on the back to remind me of my goal " 4 more waiting." Cool huh? I KNOW that four more people are out there waiting for me to bring them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Heavenly Father can lead me to them if I am obedient, follow the Spirit, and work my hardest. There was a really neat quote from President Hinckley its something like, "Just work hard and do your best. But make sure that it is your very best." I love it.

I love being a missionary so much. I love testifying of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I absolutely love being able to be a "detective" looking house to house for referrals and contacts. I love asking people questions in the lessons to find out what they feel to help me understand what they need and then listening to the Spirit to know what to do each. Just yesterday we taught a young single mother and because we had a good conversation with her before hand, asking questions and listening she was able to open up to us and express to us her concerns about praying. She felt ashamed to pray to God because of the things that she has done in her life. It was a beautiful experience to testify to her that she is a special daughter of God and that He still loves her. It was such a neat lesson. At the end we told her that she could call us for anything that she needed and she seemed anxious to do so. She also seemed really interested in coming to church to. Wow, it was a wonderful wonderful lesson!

I just love this work so much. I even love having to eat everything that the people give you to eat so they don't feel bad! The mission is definitely the hardest thing that I have ever done but it is the most beautiful rewarding thing that I have ever been apart of. I love the Lord and this work so much! I hope that I can continue being apart of it my whole life!

I love you all so much and am so so so so so happy that we are an eternal family

Sister Neff

Just down the road and extremely happy.

Thanks for your emails! I luf them a lot every single week! Anyway, I don’t have too much time to write today because we are going to some caves today for a zone activity and my computer was having probs so I got started late too.

But, drumroll…. I am in a pueblo down the road from my last area! And, for the third time in a row I’m doing a white wash and opening up an area for sisters! I can’t tell you how excited I was when they said it in the meeting. Wow, its crazy. So, I’m still in the same district and everything which is really awesome because I get to hear about how everyone is doing and also kind of help Hermana Mertlich when she needs some help or advice but she is doing great.

It is so crazy to see someone else kind of where you were a few months ago – not knowing how you can do certain things but being able to do them anyway because Heavenly Father is on your side. But where I'm at is a small little branch. About 20-30 people go every week – in the past they have had a lot of challenges but everyone is really excited to have six missionaries here now - Us, the elders and a senior couple (both parents are from Mexico and they make some killer Mexican food). There is a lot of potential here. My companion is from all over because her dad is in the air force. She is really awesome – we are pretty different but work together really well. She has SO MUCH energy but its really good for me and also the people here. It will be a great transfer!

We have just been contacting a lot the past week and meeting the members and everything. But the last few days especially because we have been contacting a lot and bearing our testimonies a lot I have been able to feel the Spirit really strongly. Yesterday we were only able to talk to one lady that accepted the message but wow – I felt the Spirit in almost every contact. I know with all of my Heart that Christ is my Savior, and that this is His church. I just know it! I feel so blessed to be out here being able to proclaim the Gospel of Peace to the people here in Puerto Rico. I love you all so much. I know that this church is true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is SO true.

Hopefully next week I’ll have a little bit more to write about but I love you all so so much and pray for you daily!

Sister Neff

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Dear President Martineau,

Wow, I was SO excited to be sent to work here! For a lot of different reasons but one of them was to be opening another area! I love it so much. It has been a good week. My companion is, like you said, one great big ball of energy but it is exactly what I need. She has so much animo for the work and a lot of faith – so its been really inspiring. I really feel like Heavenly Father has special plans for us here. Yesterday as we were driving to Lares for a district meeting we were able to drive through the outskirts of our area. I felt the impression that there are people in our area who truly are looking for the truth but do not know where to find it. I want to find them and help them have the blessings of the wonderful, true, and restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that with His help we can.

I am excited to be working with the members. Its going to be a fun challenge and journey to be able to gain their trust and develop a working relationship with them. I know that it isn’t going to come over night but I hope that the more we get to know who the members are we will start to serve them, inspire them and train them to be member missionaries. Sometimes I am a little bit shy about challenging the members but aspire to be a challenging and testifying missionary – even to the members. This will be a good opportunity for me to break out of my shell and get the members here more involved in missionary work.

I’ve also been thinking about what I want to accomplish with the transfers I have left. I decided that I want to become the missionary that my Father in Heaven wants me to be. That is my goal. I want to find the prepared people. As I was leaving Lares and saying goodbye to my covert Elliot he told me to go to my next town and find another Elliot. That is what I want.

I am working on becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ and become more like Him. I did the Christ like attribute activity in chapter 6 of PMG and it helped me a lot. I made a little realization this morning. I think sometimes I think that I will become a better person with time, without having to make goals to work towards. But I realized today that if I want to become more like my Savior I have to make goals and take the initiative to do it. It isn’t just going to come by itself. I am really really excited to work towards this goal of becoming more like my Savior and to become the missionary that he wants me to become.

Well President, thank you for this marvelous opportunity to serve!!!

Lares: Pueblo de mi corazon

Mi Querida familia,

Sorry that this email is late. It was hard for us to get into email today because it was really crowded so we decided to come up to the mission home in San Juan to hang out with President Martineau and to do email here. Haha. I'm serious - kind of. We really are at President's house but its because my companion is going to train!!! and her greenie is the only new missionary this transfer so they asked us to come up to do the new missionary orientation with her. But its kind of funny to be sitting at President's computer writing an email to him. I was joking and said to my companion [that I should write,] "Dear President, you are eating spaghetti in the next room. I hope that you are enjoying it." Anyway, I love being up here because I love the Martineaus.

But wow, I loved hearing about your experiences of the past week. I don't have to much time so I can't respond as much as I'd like but I'm so glad Dad that you felt close to me this week as you were in El Salvedor. I love you. And Mom, thanks for the "confidence boost" but seriously thank you so much for what you said I love you.

Well, I wrote about everything that has been happening in Lares in my President's letter but as I already said, Im leaving, or rather, have already left Lares. I was describing the feeling to my companion as I was saying goodbye to everyone yesterday. It's like there is this big hole in my chest that just keeps getting bigger and bigger as I say goodbye to more and more people. I know that I will see them again, but I found out yesterday that even so, I really hate goodbyes.

Seriously everyone has been so good to me. The whole branch has treated me like I've been their daughter and I love them so much. I really hope that I can return to serve my last transfer in Lares, but if not, I am already planning my return trip to Puerto Rico and Lares will be my first stop.

I think the hardest goodbye was to Elliot. I knew that he was going to cry because he cries a lot but I didn't imagine that I was going to cry - and you know - or at least I've told you how I hardly ever cry. Wow - it was really hard. But I feel so proud to have taught him. He is so strong and I know that he will be a great leader in the church.He said that he hopes that I find other "Elliots" in my new area. I do feel blessed that I had the opportunity to see him, Hector and Andrea progress in the church before I left. Anyway, enough about that - its kind of a depressing subject.

I am excited for my new area - kind of scared and excited at the same time. The one thing I like about going to knew areas is the automatic renewal of faith that you have for finding. I was talking to my companion about it and it is so much of a challenge to have faith when you can see things that are contrary from the thing that you are having faith in. But, its easy to have faith when you haven't seen what seems like the "real situation" yet. I think that the real trial of our faith when everything else tells you that its not going to happen but you keep that belief in what you can't see but what you know is true. Does that make sense? I don't know how to explain it, hopefully it made a little bit of sense.

Anyway, it will be difficult at first to be in a new area but also really good. Its kind of been a little bit of a roller coaster and I think that is probably how its going to be in about six months too. I'm just getting a little taste. But, seriously thanks so much for all of your love and constant support. I love you guys so so so much and am so grateful that you are my family. I know that this mission is what my Heavenly Father wanted me to do - that it was part of the plan that Heavenly Father had for me. Even though at the first when I realized that that was His plan for me I was kind of unsure if its what I really wanted to do. I am so glad that I did. I know that when we follow His will He will make more out of our lives than we can.

Anyway, I love you so much! I hope that you have a great week, that Gabe gets better and that the kids do good in their games and races. I'll be praying for everyone!

Sister Neff

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Dear President Martineau,

Wow, there are so many things to write about today. We had a really amazing week. We set two baptismal dates! One with Carlos and one with Luz! They both have their individual challenges and it will take some work but they both have the desire and the capacity to do it. For our district meeting we read "The Challenging and Testifying Missionary" and I realized that I need to be the kind of missionary that challenges more. When we read the talk and my companion and I thought about Luz and knew that we needed to challenge her. So we did and she accepted!

Although my heart is breaking to leave Lares right now, I am so grateful for what the Lord has done here in the past transfer and I am glad to be handing it over having left it better than I found it. A little before this transfer I felt like I kind of had plateaued both in my personal progression and in the progress of the area. We weren't having very much success and I wondered why. Part of me was content with having already had 3 baptisms in the area and thought it was close to impossible to have more. But I wanted to progress and it just wasn't happening. Then I read Helaman 3:35 and realized that maybe the Lord was giving me this opportunity to become more humble and to develop more faith.

Well, six weeks later and here we are with 4 people being ready to be baptized. I know that it wasn't a coincidence that when I decided to try to have more faith in the Lord, these great things happened. I am so immensly grateful for what He has done in Lares. I truly cannot imagine what my life would have been like without my mission. I hope that in my new area and during the rest of my mission I can become the missionary that Heavenly Father wants me to become. With His help I know I can.

Thanks for everything!

Sister Neff