Aldste Isaac Grindstaff, September 28 2009

> Hola everyone!
> I just love this area and my new companion hna Vera. I have been so blessed to have the best companions in the mission and I`m so grateful. My first full day in the area we found a young family (with a little baby) to teach who are so prepared it`s incredible. They came to church on Sunday, with just one invitation from us, and after the meetings asked if they could have a Book of Mormon. They are going to be baptized soon I do believe. :) The ward here is also really great. The bishop and his wife and our ward mission leader are so involved in helping us with the missionary work. They even have little cars that they use to bring investigators to church in (cars here are rare. The most common way to travel is by bus or Moto)
> I feel so happy and excited about the work in this area and I know we are going to have a lot of success. I know there are families that have waited years to have the gospel in their lives here in this area and we are going to find them. I know that this is the work of the Lord and that if we do our part we will be guided to those who are ready to hear the gospel.
> My spanish is improving greatly with my new companion and I`m grateful for that. I didn`t think I could go so long without english, but really I don`t even notice it. I still don`t have an incredibly broad vocabulary, but the words I don`t know my companion has the incredible ability to fill in for me when we talk in the streets. Yesterday I was telling her a story about something that happened with my second companion and realized I didn`t know all the words I wanted to use. My companion filled in all the words I didn`t know and I learned a lot. I`m actually having a hard time speaking in english without throwing in spanish words now. it`s funny to read the things I write in my journal. It`s a lot of spanglish.
> Oh, I had quite an experience this week that gave me quite a fright. We were doing contacts on the way to a lesson and a couple waved to us in their house. This to us was an invitation to speak to them and not wanting to turn in down we went over to them. They invited us in and then we learned that the man of the house was baptized 10 years ago, but has since joined a church in town because he believes the Lord had something more for him to do. We taught them the restoration with emphasis that this is the only church with authority and invited them to pray. They didn`t seem to understand at all. Anyway, before we left they wanted to say a prayer (which we always do after lessons) and we thought it was a great way to invite the spirit. Well, they grabbed our hands and then he proceeded to shout and talk really fast and his wife began muttering under her breath. We were really stunned by this and I just wanted to leave. I was a little frightened to be honest. It`s a little sad that something as beautiful as prayer can be changed to something very dramatic and showy.
> I know this is the true church and that we have a loving Heavenly Father that wants to hear from us. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, that the Book of Mormon is true and that we have a living prophet today. I am looking forward to conference because it is wonderful to hear what the Lord wants to tell us through the mouth of His servents.
> I love you all lot`s
> love, hna Grindstaff
>
> p.s. Isaac, how did your lesson with the spanish lady go? :)