Pues Gracias!

Dear Mom, Dad, Devin, Gabe and Ruby,

HI guys! Wow, first of all thanks for that awesome and unexpected package! WE (emphasized we- Hermana H. was super happy to get an easter basket. she says thanks!) loved it. The outfit was SO cute and I was SO excited about the shoes too! I haven’t gotten the other one but I think that maybe this week I will. Thank you also so much for the letter mom and the pictures too! Thanks for thinking of me and putting so much thought into everything that you guys write or send.

Well, first I’ll respond to some of Mom’s questions – So Hermana H. is learning Spanish. I’m trying to help her and she is progressing really fast but still has a little bit of trouble understanding the Puerto Rican jumble of words and sounds that are supposed to be words. But it has been really interesting I just kind of realized yesterday that since I’ve been the one who has to understand and I don’t have another companion to fall back on I feel like my Spanish has improved a lot – its been neat.

The goodbyes in my last area were bitter sweet. I knew that it wasn’t a goodbye forever kind of a deal – I know that I’ll be coming back to see them sometime but it was still kind of hard and hard for about the first week here. But, with so much to do here its hard to be homesick. I just keep praying for all of my converts that they can be strong in the church. I talk to Hna. G this week so I’m kind of nervous to see how everyone is doing.

Wow about Heidi! I was actually thinking about her a lot after I read your letter the other day. It can be so scary like not knowing really what to expect when you are waiting to go on your mission – but will you forward onto her somehow that I am super super excited for her? I know that she will do a great job. I never knew really how beautiful my mission experience would be. I remember President Martineau said to me in one of our first interviews that I would leave my mission a different person. I just kind of thought, “well, we’ll see about that. I don’t really want to change” But seriously, Heavenly Father helps you to learn SO much about the gospel and to become so much of a better person on your mission. I know that this is what I needed to do. I’m excited for her to go have that experience.

Wow, wasn’t conference awesome?!!!!!!! I totally agree mom – I think every talk was my favorite. I kind of left Saturday being a little bit scared to get home from my mission and “face the world” but after Sunday I felt so lifted up especially by all of the talks about keeping our covenants. I feel so sure and so calm about the future now. I’m so thankful to have a living prophet. We have been testifying a lot in our contacts and in our lessons about having a living prophet. So many people are so lost – but I know that Heavenly Father loves us and that He has given us a prophet to guide us. I also loved Elder Hollands really super deep talk about the atonement. I realized something neat as I studied a little bit more about it this morning. That Christ walked the wine press alone and that because of that none of us have to walk through life alone – but what I found interesting was remembering that we covenanted at baptism that we would make sure that those around us do not have to walk through trials alone either. (Mos 8:18 – I think)

At the beginning of this week I had a companion exchange with Hermana T. I have to admit I was a little bit nervous just because I’ve always looked up to her but it turned out to be really great! Overall I learned a lot from her and it was really a great opportunity for me to pick her brain for different suggestions and to learn from how she teaches, studies and contacts. During the companionship exchange we had one of the best lessons that I have had on my entire mission. Last week I wrote about Andrea, the almost wife of a less active we are teaching. We had taught lesson 3 with her and she did not accept the invitation to be baptized but accepted the invitation to pray about it instead. All that weekend we prayed hard for Andrea to want to be baptized and for her to get an answer. I know that the Lord heard our prayers. Tuesday night was the follow up appointment to see how she felt. We practiced that morning in district meeting extending commitment invitations and practiced extending a fecha with her – it was great because Sister R. did a good job of being Andrea with a lot of doubts and questions that we had to respond to. I was nervous all day for that appointment but was grateful that Hna. T. was there with me. As we went into the lesson with the plan that we had I felt a lot calmer and trusted that the Spirit would guide me with what I needed to do. After the hymn and prayer we asked Andrea how everything went. She told us in all honesty that she had not prayed about it that weekend and started to cry when she told us that she had been going through many trials that weekend. Hermana T. explained that it is Satan that doesn’t want us to pray and then told her that being baptized and having the companionship of the Holy Ghost with her has helped her get through a lot in her life. Then it was my turn. At first I didn’t know what to say but it was a really beautiful experience as the words came to me. I told her that that is why we are here – that Heavenly Father has sent us here so that she can have the blessings that He wants her to have by being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then, after reading a scripture her soon to be husband enthusiastically asked me, “ well can she get baptized before we get married?” I said no but that we would be having a baptismal service the next week and then invited her to be baptized. Preparing to answer a bunch of questions or respond to doubts I was shocked when she said yes without hesitating. The spirit was so strong there in that living room that night and I with tears in my eyes congratulated her. I felt very very blessed by my Heavenly Father to have been there that night.

Anyway, I’m sorry for this ginourmous letter – Oh wait I guess I’m not because everytime I say that I always get a reply saying “never apologize for a long letter”. But I love you all so so much! And do you know what is crazy a year ago this Thursday I got my call letter! Time sure flies when you are in the work of the Lord. I love being a missionary!!

With all my love,

Hermana Neff

P.S Here is a Sister Neff -ism that Hna. H. likes to immitate - after I finish talking with anyone I throw in a "pues, Gracias!" "Well, Thanks!" with kind of a high pitched voice and also a little hands up in the air gesture.