Transfers...?

English class students + Elders

Food pantry volunteers Angel and Stanley (yeah, they're all crazy)

the *one* yellow banana

Alondra and Paloma (really bad selfie, sorry)

Wait, I don't get to serve in Aurora my whole mission??
I guess not! Tomorrow I'm heading up to Bloomingdale Central! I will be follow-up training the beautiful Hermana Eldredge!! (which means it's her 2nd transfer in the field, so I get to finish up her training with her!) I am beyond excited! Hmna Sorensen will be training a brand-new missionary here in Aurora! I had a feeling I was leaving, so I've had a while to prepare. We learn to love these people so  deeply and in such a different way, that leaving can be heart-wrenching. but I know that God's hand is in all things, *especially* transfer calls.

Conference was so amazing! I felt so many talks touch my heart and remind me of how much God loves me personally. If you didn't watch it, do it as soon as you can! It was so inspired.

Here are some investigator/member updates, for the last time from Aurora!


                                                                  Andres: we taught Andres more about prophets and priesthood power, in preparation for conference. He watched some of the sessions online, and watched some at the stake center. He said he loved it! He was a bit distraught when we told him I'm leaving, and has decided he is making posole (amazing Hispanic soup) for us tonight. I might have cried a little,  leaving our new convert. But all is well, and Andres
is doing great!

Cecilia: we had a GREAT noche de hogar at the Yep home, with Cecilia and the Arana family! Turns out Hmna Arana and Cecilia went to high school together! What a small world! We taught about the Sabbath day, and putting God first. Hmna Yep invited her to conference (yay for
members!). Cecilia is really opening up and searching for the truth, which has been super awesome because she asks a lot of questions. We taught her again this week, this time about priesthood power. She asked us "can I go to one of your baptisms to see what it's like?" She even talked about how she wants to be an example for her children, and how she wants them to be baptized together if she changes religions!
We were so excited! She used to be completely opposed to the idea of baptism, but step by step is seeing the blessing this gospel can be in her life.

Cuevas: we eat every week with Hmna Cuevas, a super great member in our ward. Her husband is not a member, and missionaries have been trying to convert him for years. This week he stayed long enough for us to teach him! We taught about faith and prayer. the lesson went really well, and he is warming up to us again!

Abraham: we brought Abraham a large Book of Mormon (because he is almost blind). He was so excited!! We taught him all about it and read a bit with him. He really wants to come back to church and we gave him directions. But we have stake conference next week, and that's a bit
far for him, so we'll see what happens.

Fransisco: he came to general conference Sunday! He is really warming up to the other members more, and feeling more comfortable. Also we taught him the restoration. This is three weeks in a row he has come to church!

Angela: we received a text from the miracle contact we made a few weeks ago! She has been struggling with some things and reached out to us for help. We visited her Monday morning, and had a solid lesson
with her about prayer and scripture reading. She is so cool and a really great mom to her 4 kids. We are so excited to work with her more!

Banana update: the elders showed us a picture of their bananas. We now know why someone was getting rid of them all- they aren't ripening! But the elders were blessed with one yellow banana. :) *see picture*

So I finally met someone from Torreón México (shout out to my brother Chance!).

"Choose faith over doubt, choose faith over fear, choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, and choose faith over pessimism...When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast a devil out as they had just witnessed the Savior do, Jesus answered, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove” (Matthew 17:20). I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. But because of faith I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed."
-Richard C. Edgley, Faith- the choice is yours (general conference Oct 2010)

I can add my testimony to his: I have seen mountains removed here in Aurora. Miracles are real. Faith has power. Mountains can be moved. I testify that God has a plan and we are blessed to be a part of it. I am so grateful for the time I have had here in this area, for Hmna Sorensen and her amazing example to me (I'm going to miss her!!).
Adventure is out there!

Love,

Hermana Hokanson

The trio! Hmna Roberts and Webb

Our District

Our last photo together:) Courtesy of Hmna Sorensen.