12/2/13



Hola Mom and Pops,

Big news this week! I'm not sure how to start this so I will just jump

right into explaining: usually when people are transfered in this

mission, they get a phone call during the day before so they can have

time to pack, but not enough time to fill their whole day with saying

goodbye to everyone. This transfer there were a lot of emergency swaps

last minute, so a lot of people weren't fully informed. We got called

the night before transfer meeting, and were told that Hermana I.

would be leaving and that Hermana C. and I would stay. Of course

we were all sad, and spent the whole night helping her pack up and

write little notes to everyone, but by the time we got to transfer

meeting the next morning, we were all ready for whatever was coming.

Or so we thought. When Las Arboledas came up on the slideshow, it

showed Hermana C.'s picture, and her new trainer, and NOT MINE. I

was very confused--why wasn't I in the area that I was supposed to be?

It wasn't until a couple slides later that my picture showed up with

Hermana W. for the area of Monte Cristo (still in the stake

Ilopango!). Surprise! I was being transfered! It was pretty crazy--we

had to run home to my house and pack everything up (y'all should be

proud that I only took 45 minutes to pack) before we could start our

day. I loved it, I'm not gonna lie. It was an adventure, and I love

excitement.

Now, I'm sure you all want to know a little bit about Monte Cristo.

I'll be sending some photos in another email today, but we've already

had a baptism since I got here! It was so exciting! The sister is a

member of a family of recent converts who have been getting baptized

one by one over the past few months (and will be getting baptized in

the coming months).

This family is incredible. We spend a lot of time at their house,

teaching members of their family and other investigators, so I have

already gotten to know them really well (and the 11 year old

stepdaughter calls me her "hermanita" so that is pretty hilarious).

They are so generous and loving. I stepped into their house the first

day I got to Monte Cristo and they were all hugging me pretty much the

instant I got there. I am going to have a great transfer here--the

other hermanas left our area in really good shape (a lot of really

positive investigators, involvement of members, and references), and

Hermana W. and I are planning to work really hard to keep it that

way!

Speaking of Hermana W., she is great! The first things she said

to me when we started planning for our first day together is that she

is a stickler for obedience, punctuality, and listening--all of which

are things I felt like I was lacking (not much, just a little

bit...don't worry!) in my other companionship! I love that she is so

direct and so firm in her testimony. I have loved all my companions so

far, but what I love most of all is that they all have different

strengths that I can learn from and that I always have something I can

be applying a little more in my life.

My wisdom from this week is the importance of how you view things/what

your vision is. I was sitting in a Relief Society meeting on Sunday,

listening to the importance of Visiting Teaching, when all of a

sudden, it just clicked in my head how truly important Relief Society

can be, when done right. I never really took the idea of bringing

people food when they are sick or going through hard times seriously,

but in that moment, I could see how powerful the impact of a

fresh-cooked, hearty meal could be when someone really was struggling

to make it through the day. When it seems like the world is falling

apart, the little things really do make a difference. I know that this

church has the power to change lives, and that service has power more

than anything else to change people's hearts. Christ when he was on

the earth "went about doing good", and as members of his church we

should do the same.

Love you ALL,

Hermana Romero

PS. Please inform Christy Haynie that I have gotten her Christmas

letter and that, even though it is going to be a challenge, I will

wait until Christmas to open it.