Herm, turns out there's a reason we usually check email BEFORE going off to play...

It's around 5 and we just got back from hiking all day in the mountains with the zone. We hiked up to the top of this huge waterfall and took lots of pictures and some of us fell waist deep in water but we all made it out alive. (I just tried to send you some pictures but I'm not sure if they went through...) Then as we were leaving we met a guy driving down in his cow truck (those pickups that transport cows) so everyone piled in back and I got to sit in front with an hermana who has knee problems and he gave us a ride down.

It was kind of terrifying because the road was really rocky steep and kinda wet but we made it out ok once everyone in back started pulling bobsled moves and shifting sides depending on which way we were tilting or turning. It was an adventure :) Then we had another long bus ride standing up to get back to town and now we're all really dirty and tired. But it was fun and I'm happy we did something adventurous instead of just play soccer.

This week has been conference week to the max but I've learned sooo much. It's hard trying to remember it all and put it all in practice in the lessons but we're definitely improving. This is a little of what I wrote to my presidente:

"Hna Graham and I feel like we've been able to teach more by the Spirit, like our teaching is more unified and that we're better able to answer people's needs as we've been practicing after the conference. For example, Friday we planned to teach someone about the gospel of Jesus Christ but in the morning we spent time to think of a couple of "inspired questions" and we planned on using "What has been the happiest moment in your life?" and then using their answer to explain that eternal life is going to be like that x100.

We ended up using that question in another lesson also and it was amazing to see how the hermana opened up and let us know more about her life. While listening to her respond, we could discern that she had doubts about seeing her mother again and that she needed to strengthen her faith in Christ. Just using that question helped us get to know her, created an environment when we were able to have an open conversation, and let us discern and teach to her needs."

So yup, things are good. We're seeing lots of positive changes and improvements. I love my companion, I love conference, and I love my zone. This is the first time I've really been in a zone with other Americans and that actually talk and it's fun. We're making thanksgiving plans already to go to a member's house and all cook together as a zone. Hmm, goes right along with President Monson's talk. Man, I feel like conference goes by so fast now! I was looking forward to it for like 3 months and it passed in the blink of an eye.

One of our investigators, Dionisia, came with three of her little boys. She is so sweet and has now been coming to church a month straight and is really progressing. We just need to be able to find her man at home now so we can get him to agree to get married and start teaching him too....Because it's been so great to see how she has really lit up with the light of the gospel. She seems so much happier.

I haven't had time to meditate and set new goals after conference yet, but one of the biggest things I got out of it was just being reminded of how awesome the plan of salvation, and how important all of this is and how everyone really really needs to know it to get ready for the day when we'll each appear before God again. Thats an Alma 34 scripture but that's a weak translation from Spanish to english. Look it up! (Alma 34:32 I think)

Love you all and hope all is well!

Thanks!!

Love,
Hermana Dance