maisie in mérida: March 31

This week was full of lots of different experiences that I will never forget..

I am sorry that I didnt write to you yesterday, I forgot to tell you our Pday was being changed becasue we were able to go to the TEMPLE again!! I had found another name, Henry Henderson that I was able to take to the temple. It was actually a really special experience.. Our zone leader Elder Alberto, hes from the Dominican Republic, a convert of three years (his story is literally so amazing, such a hero to me), I was able to do the ordinance of his grandma.. He was super excited because he has worked super hard to find the dates for her and everything, and had asked me if I would do the ordinances. He is the only member in his family. It really was a powerful experience.. Wow so many wonderful things happen in the mission! so many experiences...

We are continuing to have success in the area! We are working with our "Lady Gaga" (the hermana who is the picture) right now. She is so funny!! we are working on getting her married so she can be baptized. she is a little bit hard to teach because she likes to talk :) I think i told you about her last week, the Hermana Lourdes from gospel principles? she has lived a very very hard life.. she was abused in many ways as a child, but she is ready to start over. she is the most generous lady I know and SHE IS A HOOT. jajaja on sunday her sister was over and it was like i was in my home listening to Thelma and Louise (mama joanne and auntie valorie) haha she is super great.

I hit my 9 months on wednesday.. I dont want to think about time in the mission.. praying these months go by slow..

On saturday we had a lesson planned in the house of the family romero to teach aaron (who will be baptized the next week!!) when we arrived we heard screaming and yelling, but I didnt think much of it because their little abuelita who has altheimers always fights and yells like that when they try to bathe her. But then we heard the two little daughters of hermana Letty yell Hermanas!! so we went running and hermana letty came out crying saying something about bees and ran into her house. we were so confused. the daughters ushered us in the house and turns out in the backyard there were abejas africanas.. like killer bees. hermana letty was home alone with all the children of everyone because hermana justina was going through the temple becasue shes getting married this week. Aaron was there as well. The bees were in a refridge box in the backyard and the little grandma had thrown garbage and distrubed the bees and they came out attacking, there had been thousands! it was like a black cloud! hermana letty was able to get her grandma in the house but many were stung by the bees, but what was crazy is that the bees didnt attack them, but they went to the dogs that were barking and going crazy. We arrived exactly at the time to help hermana letty with the kids and get them in the house away from the bees. We had called the fire department to come because we couldnt do anything. we couldnt leave the house becasue they were everywhere! I took on the role of taking care of grandma becasue of her althimers wanted to leave the house. haha I took a couple good swats from her.

The dogs ended up dying because they were trying to protect who they loved most... something really tragic.. but also a blessing. it was a miracle that the bees had went after them and not Letty or her mom or the kids.. It was the saddest thing to see the dogs out there being tortured and stung by the bees. when they had rescued the dogs they had over 300 stings all over the body, but they did it out of love.

It made me think a lot about the love of our Savior Jesus Christ.. the love of our father in heaven..

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should notperish, but have everlasting life."

In a round about way, the dogs were like our savior.. taking the stings of life upon them, so that the family was saved, so that they could continue on. And boy was it hard to watch the dogs out there helpless.. being stung by every tempation, sins, and affliction.. But the savior took upon all of our burdens, because of the LOVE he has for every single one of us.. In the end we were all saved, and we know the dogs will live again, just as our savior lives. how he is truly with us in every moment..

Sorry this letter is a little scrambled. haha I love you all! I hope your all looking forward to easter conference weekend like I am! LOVE YOU ALL.

Hermana Hobbs