You guys are like magical, spiritual beings

So Pam and Mike Smith (the greatest people I have ever met, they're like our adopted grandparent) they have this neighbor who isn't a member and she has cancer and her mom just got home from the hospital cause she had two strokes it's so sad. But kathy (the neighbor) has her sister Gene and Gene's husband, Paul staying with them so we've been seeing them a lot and just catching up, they are so awesome! None of them are members but they're so nice to us. The other night we went to go visit them just to see how everything is going and Paul was like "You guys are just like these magical, spiritual beings" and we were like "what do you mean?" and he was like "you guys just have something about you, you're so awesome. I really like you guys" and we were like IT'S THE LIGHT OF CHRIST! Hahah it was just so funny the way he said it.

Well I decided it would just be easier to send you all my emails directly, instead of having my mom send it to all of you so I hope that's cool. This week was so great! Last week was really hard but this week was great! We've been teaching a lot about the Plan of Salvation and the Restoration lately which is great. My comp bore her testimony yesterday and was like "I just love the Plan of Salvation to death!" and i almost laughed out loud cause it was so punny. She didn't even mean it to be a pun but i was laughing cause through the Plan, we can overcome death! haha it was great. 

Last week I forgot to mention that I also volunteer at a THRIFT SHOP! Parker e-mailed me just laughing his head off at my new lifestyle and honestly it is really funny to think about who I was just a month ago compared to what I can handle now. changing lifestyle's is weird. But it's a lot better now! It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL here! Seriously I thought people were over-exaggerating when they said how beautiful it is, but no. It's amazing how beautiful it is. We got fed a lot this week by members which is so nice! We were at the Rains' the other night and Jared (he's like 11) was showing us his lego things that he made and I was like "That looks like a Pod Racer!" and he just kept talking and Karen, his mom, was like "Did you hear what she said?" So i repeated it and he slowly stood up and gave me a high five and was like "You're like the first girl I've met that likes Star Wars" it was so funny! 

The members here are so awesome. I so admire their faith. A lot of them have multiple callings since there aren't very many people in the branch. They're so amazing, seriously it's crazy how different it is here than in Utah.

Things with our investigators are going well! I love keeping busy and teaching lessons! Also i LOVE the gang. We are at their house almost everyday. They're so nice and welcoming, it makes me feel good! 

One thing that has definitely helped me on my mission is the Book of Mormon. Seriously, mission life is hard. We get rejected by people ALL DAY long and we're forced to hear people's doubts about the gospel and their questions and concerns everyday. They voice things that I've never even questioned in my life. I really have never had so many doubts about the gospel being shoved in my face. But every morning I read the Book of Mormon and receive that witness from the Holy Ghost that it's true. That it's the word of God. That it's another testament of Christ. That it needs to be shared with the world. And all of my doubts are gone. Any question that I have or that my investigators have can be answered through the Book of Mormon. It definitely has been the biggest help the past two weeks (besides prayer) 

Another thing that has really helped me that i LOVED is the AP's shared a story with us our first day here. They said how a brother got up in fast and testimony meeting and shared part of his patriarchal blessing that said "Brother, you and your wife would have joined the church a long time ago but the missionary that was supposed to convert you, decided not to go on a mission" HOLY COW. That hit me so hard! I think about that a lot. When I don't want to knock on someone's door or go do something, I think about that and it gives me a lot of motivation. Someone needs to hear the gospel from ME. I loved that. I hope you all have a great week! Please keep writing letters and sending emails, I really appreciate it!  

Funny Stories: (These are more for me than anyone else so if no one laughs I'm sorry, but I think they're funny haha!)

I keep remembering things from the MTC so I have to write them down so I won't forget.

Me: "We've eaten so many donuts since being here"
Sis Campbell: *totally serious* "what are you talking about, we only eat like 2 a day"

Sister Clark: "I'm pretty sure the MTC is designed to break you" *I'm changing this to The MISSION FIELD is designed to break you hah

Sister Giles: "I just feel like I'd say something like 'will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by someone holding the proper priesthood authority of God?....are you down?'"

Sister Campbell and i got burritos from the vending machine and we were asking the Elders to bless them so we could eat and Elder Moody was like "OH I GOT IT! Good tortilla, good meat, good God, let's eat" 

Stories from the field now: 

Pam: "My son one time yelled at me as we were walking out of the store and yelled 'MOM GET IN THE CAR. I'M SICK OF YOU DRINKING AND CHEATIN ON DAD'" hahah i was laughing for days at this.

Brother Morgan in church bore his testimony and was like "I've heard the three T's: Things Take Time. well I have my own three T's today. My teeth, tithing, and testimony. Well since I can't share the first two with you I guess I'll share the third" hahaha he is so awesome!

At dinner with the Rains, their 3 year old Abby (she looks like a 5 year old and has the vocabulary of a 10 year old it's crazy) always says "SISTERS" so she was like "SISTERS" and we looked over at her and she was like "yo mama's so fat" and we didn't even hear the rest of the joke cause we were laughing so hard! HAHahaha it was so funny and so unexpected! 

Well that's it for today, sorry my emails are so long but I know my parents like them so if you don't read all of it, don't feel bad! Have a good week and know that God loves you! 

XOXO

Sister Rodriguez

1. HOW BEAUTIFUL IS HAMILTON?!? Seriously I love this place. It's 2 minutes away from where we live. I'm obsessed.

2. Our cute little church building 

3. If you and your companion don't match, are you even companions?

4. Sister Reijntes is in my district! Yay, we were friends in the MTC so it's good to see her.

5. The clouds were so low!

6. The sunsets here are so gorgeous! 

1. This is the view from Pam and Mike's deck! So gorgeous

2. Excuse the crazy eyes, but this store is the cutest and it's my name!

3. New York is so beautiful.

4. This place cracks me up. It's a car wash but you can also wash your pets there! Hahaha I laugh everytime I see it.