Now is the time!

"It is accounted unto you for righteousness if you proceed according to the best light you have."- Wilford Woodruff

It is crazy thinking that it is already past fathers day now! Time flies here.The prophet taught us in general conference that now is the time, we must hasten the work or we will stand before God at judgement and regret that we never worked with ALL our heart, might, mind and strength when we are fully capable.  I'm doing everything possible to be worthy of these promises. One of my greatest desires is to inherit eternal life in the celestial kingdom of God. I have learned so many things that I wish I could pick up the phone and tell you all about them.  Reread the Ensign from general conference. Study it daily. That is scripture for us now. 

This week was magnificent because we did a lot of service.  I had divisions which were kinda scary.  "Divisions" is going off on my own with another member in the ward teaching investigators the whole lessons in Spanish.  I relied on the Lord and He sure did His part in helping me. We taught new people and it must have went well because they came to church! There was another baptism and we were invited because we had starting teaching him.  But technically he was in another ward's boundary so we introduced him to the missionaries in his ward. But he invited us to his baptism and it was such a wonderful time! 

Crazy lightning storms happened that made Hermana Guerra and I have to hold each others hands for comfort, but we are safe, no worries.

We went to the aquarium today because it was Hermana Guerras birthday on the 14th! She is now 21! 

My zone saying goodbye to our mission president. Our last pday with him.  After we made him a video.

Hermana Guerra and me

Practically the whole bus was filled with our zone.  We got in trouble because apparently we aren't allowed to have so many missionaries out together like that.
 

Hermana Guerras birthday was the 14th and the family Cisneros bought her cake and we celebrated her birthday.

Sorry my blog entry is super short today. Keep being strong and super wonderful examples!  I love and miss you all and will promise to write more next time with more pictures. 

Con Amor

Hermana Blankmeyer

Last blog post from the USA

at the Provo Temple today

Benjamin our "investigator"

Awk Family pics

TODAS LAS PERSONAS: Voy a Mexico LUNES!!!!! Es increible, no?! Yo quiero a ayudar a las personas en Mexico pero yo estoy triste que yo saliendo los Estados Unidos! 

Well this week was QUITE the week!

Conferencia General son MARAVILLOSA!! Me gusta mucho el discurso de Neil L. Andersen, he even said my favorite scripture. Helaman 5:12! I felt like this general conference would be awesome because I'm at the MTC, and it was, pero honestamente, I invited many of the investigators to watch general conference and so I had my "investigator ears" on more than I did my missionary ears. That talk really touched ME personally so I really loved it. We also were able to watch the General Womens Broadcast, which TOTALLY made me excited to see 8 and 9 year old girls there. It REALLY made me wish I was at the stake center watching it with my mom and sisters, BUT I LOVE YOU ALL AND MOM- THANK YOU for helping me be the young lady I am today. You are my rock and I look up to you in every way so THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.  In about 17 months I'll be giving you a HUGE hug of thanks so be ready for it :)

*ALSO SIDENOTE: The David Archuleta, "Called to Serve" documentary at http://davidarchuleta.com/home/?p=5864 was pretty sweet especially because I WAS IN IT!!* (During the part where he lead the missionaries in singing I was up in the bleachers wearing a black and white shirt kinda in the middle) 

**ANOTHER SIDENOTE: My mission president, Carlos W. Trevino, Jr. got called as a GENERAL AUTHORITY! How awesome is that?!

A LOT of wonderful things where said that conference weekend. The devotional that sunday night was BYU Vocal Point. I started to feel the spirit so strong when they where sharing experiences from missions and their music. (I felt like I was listening from my iPod but it was way better because it was live). I seriously LOVED the hymns they shared and felt the spirit so strong. We then watched a film of Jeffrey R. Holland at the MTC on Thanksgiving morning a couple years ago. It was WONDERFUL!! 

This whole week has been full of "lasts & laughs" We had a ton of investigators to say goodbye too but also felt the spirit in SO MANY lessons. Tuesday Night Devo was with an Emeritus General Authority Elder Neuenschwander and his wife! They had AWESOME talks and I learned so much. 

I GOT A HAIRCUT! I took my dads advice and got a buzz so that I wouldnt be super hot in Mexico like Pedro in Napoleon Dynamite. JK (just kidding) but I did get a trim because I figured....I might as well. 

We had in-field orientation on Friday and it was SUPER FUN! It got me super excited for the field, (even though I arrive in Mexico at 10:30 pm and literally get up at 5:30 that morning). But in all honesty I know that EVERY investigator, area, and companion are for a reason. NOTHING IS RANDOM and I love that. I love that mi proposito es invitar a las personas a venir a Cristo. ITS soooo important. 

I've been hearing so much about the Semana Cena (Holy Week) in Mexico and I'm thankful that in Mexico Easter is C.O.M.P.L.E.T.E.L.Y. focused on the Savior and not on an Easter bunny (which is fun). However, I personally gained a bigger testimony a year ago when I had to speak on Easter Sunday about our Savior's Atonement. I cannot thank Him enough for all that He suffered and He went through for all of us to be able to return to live with Him again. The investigators I was teaching told me that they could tell that I was a representative of Christ and it really touched me. I'm so thankful for the knowledge I have that HE LIVES! 

Thank you all for taking the time to read my blog and hear about my adventures! I'll be in Veracruz the next time I email (my pdays (preparation day) are Monday) and I unfortunately cannot email anyone except family but PLEASE CONTINUE TO SEND ME YOUR ADVICE AND tell me about the EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE! I WILL read them and write you a handwritten letter so your addresses would be helpful too!

Love you all, Stay safe and Happy Easter!

Con Amor,

Hermana Blankmeyer

ps.We were "missionary hosts" for new missionaries on Wednesday! Which was super fun and THENN we were EXAMPLES for the 39 new missionaries on "how to begin teaching" which was a CRAZY awesome experience and I felt the spirit. The weirdest part was when I wanted to teach in spanish... but it was all in English. They told us that we were not speaking full sentences on our first time.  But the second time was much better. So thats good!!!  It was so awkward teaching and formulating English sentences pero es mal porque nos ensenamos solamente en espanol. 

Also (those preparing for missions will get this) I WAS TAUGHT BY THE DISTRICTS ONE AND ONLY ELDER CHRISTENSEN! 

DAVID ARCHULETA!! WHHAT??

"Your faith will perform miracles, especially when you get your hands and feet involved." -Spencer W. Kimball

I love quotes and especially this one because this week was full of wonderful things!

Sunday is literally my favorite day here. We had fast and testimony meeting and the spirit was so strong in that room. Music and the Spoken Word was great and so was relief society. Our speaker was Cheryl C. Lant and she had a TON of wonderful things to talk about that I cannot wait to use in Mexico! We had TONS of study time here at the CCM for fast sunday and I loved it! I love reading my scriptures and PMG and finding ways to help my investigators learn more. We have 3. Two are our teachers and one is a USU Eastern Professor who is a VERY learned man. He has pretty much read ALL of the Torah, Bible, Quran (sorry I can't spell thanks to Spanish), but he's pretty much read every religious text ever and he's studied it in depth. I was so excited to teach him because he yearns for knowledge. For our Sunday devotional we had .... wait for it.... RICHARD ELLIOT! He's the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Organist and he brought one of his friends....DAVID ARCHULETA! He literally just got back from serving in the Chile Mission and he came and sang to us, bore his testimony and more. It was like a private concert from the best accompanist and singer, and every girl was fangirling it up and it was great! But really the spirit was so strong while it was all happening and I've never been so excited to go share my message to those of Veracruz!

Monday was great. We taught a new lady named Nayelli (she's super cute and I love her) she is from Mexico! Hermana Bingham and I love her sweet spirit and she is progressing wonderfully. 

We also answered one of Javier's hard hard questions. Just imagine a room of 2 young hermanas, ones 19 the other is 20, a very learned man and a hard question oh and you have to answer in spanish. I was so scared that it wasn't going to be good enough but in my opening prayer I had asked for us to teach with claridad y simple. HE GOT IT! The spirit does WONDERS! He said he's asked a lot of missionaries that question and others and hasn't been satisfied with any answer but we tried our best and got the spirit involved which really did help him and thats all we could want. 

Tuesday was wonderful because we had DEVOTIONAL! We also are teaching people from Spain over skype (they are members) and we have the opportunity to share a message and get to learn more about them and their needs. I love tuesdays! Also in the choir we were told that we need to triple the size (because no ones at the MTC/CCM) due to the timing of it being in the middle of the semester and things. But seriously THERE ARE IMPORTANT PEOPLE COMING!!! they need a huge choir. A little birdy told me that they are gonna be some of Thomas S. Monson's best friends... if that doesn't make you wanna come to choir I dont know what will. 

Every day of the week we learn something new, or get a question I've never asked myself, and it's truly wonderful to have the opportunity to study and get the experiences I'm having. Also everyday that the weather is below 80 I think (10) more days until I'm never gonna want my jacket again. 

We also had a WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE happen. On Wednesday we were getting ready to do TALL (Spanish study) and we had to write our branch president. There was a couple looking for some elderes that never showed up to teach them. We started talking to them about Veracruz, food, mexico, life, what we are doing and more! Then... we loved speaking to them so much we asked if we could teach them more about the gospel we are sharing... 2 more investigators and literally I've never been so excited. Its crazy that now we have 6 investigators! Most missionaries don't get this opportunity so I'm super thankful!

My spanish has been increasingly getting better but I know it'll be crazy when I'm actually IN mexico. 

I invite you ALL to watch a session of General Conference and have a question in mind. Take notes from the things you hear and FEEL! I promise your questions will be answered and you will be blessed! 

I LOVE this gospel and everyday I'm becoming more and more converted into it and I love every second of it! I cannot believe that tomorrow will be my MONTH mark! I only have 17 months left and I already want it to start slowing down. 

Te Amo mucho! Yo sé que el Evangelio de Jesucristo es verdadero! Por favor escribeme!

Con Amor...
Hermana Blankmeyer

...OOPS

So.... I really am terrible at remembering to update my blog.... OOPS... but I really am committed to updating it more frequently before I have to turn it over to a missionary email blog (which is only in 37 days!)

 So heres an update for everything thats happened since:

OCTOBER:

-Went to the BYU vs USU football game (GO AGGIES)

-Watched General Conference at my grandparents home & had to opportunity to attend the Sunday morning session 

- Big/ Little week in KD (I got the BEST BIG EVER)

-Watched USU vs BSU football 

-Extra Credit Opportunities (wahoo...)

-Fall break in Salt Lake 

-Devotional in the Spectrum 

-FHE at my bishops house (banana splits & seeing his cows)

-MISSION CALLLLLLLLL IUHGFKJ (Veracruz, Mexico)

-Seeing my family & having my friends there was beyond special to me

-The Howl (BEST. PARTY. EVER.)

-KD new member exam 

-Halloween 

NOVEMBER:

-2nd Degree for KD

-White Rose Weekend

(Walking from the KD house to my dorm in the FREEZING cold with snow with my two sisters was actually so fun)

-HAWAII!!

-Watched the USU vs UNLV football game while in hawaii

-International Girls Day! (#youcan)

-USU vs Colorado State 

-THANKSGIVING IN TEXAS

DECEMBER:

-More extra credit (...yay...)

-FINALS WEEK

-Mom's birthday & spending it in salt lake with my parents & grandparents going through the SLC Temple

-Moved back to texas

-Sister's birthday

-Date night! (Christmas lights & gingerbread houses)

-Christmas Parties

-CHRISTMAS!!

JANUARY:

-NEW YEARS! (2014 wahoo!)

-My birthday (19?! whaaaa)

-Family Portraits 

-Babysitting the CUTEST boy in the world

Sooo thats pretty much my life all summed up right now. Just counting down the days & keeping my self busy until Mexico! I'm thankful for all my friends and family and for the opportunity to meet some AMAZING people in college and I wish everyone the best year ever! 

until next time,

xoxo --Sophie B--