To Paraguay!!

January 18, 2021

To Paraguay!!

Bienvenidos a todos al correo semenal de la hermana leonard!!

Just another great week out here in the armpit of California (we love it)!! Most "Vista" thing we saw this week was a man on a bicycle, smoking a cigarette while carrying a fake sword adorned with a skull on top... also there were some broom looking type things below his bike seat and grocery bags hanging from his arms... yeah... haha welcome to the southern California no one talks about!

Really though, remember our friend Andres?? The Elders and us have been kinda team teaching him at this point and this week he set a date to be baptized--the 6th of March!!! He told us the date was perfect because it was a few days before his birthday and a day after his grandpa's!! I have felt so strongly, and still do, that his grandpa has been cheering him on to find the truth ever since the moment we stepped foot on the same concrete as him!! We're so excited for Andres!! Other than that, we also received a self-referral who, when we called her, asked us to come over later that day and talk with her kids!! They came to church this past week and we are BEYOND excited to see how they progress!! It's a family of four who are super humble and ready to learn (La Familia Mayo)! Finally, our friend Maria, who I mentioned last week, is progressing a TON and she came to church for BOTH hours this past Sunday!! She is super amazing and becoming best friends with our members too... we will be talking to her about the idea of baptism this week and we are SO excited!! Her son, Leo (17 yrs old), is super awesome too!!

The work is pumping and Hermana Haskin and I are honestly having the time of our lives. This last Tuesday, actually, our lives became a little more exciting when a text showed up on my phone reading "Hermana Haskin, we are so excited to hear about your going to Paraguay. Congratulations!!" My jaw literally dropped, haha and I couldn't speak...I had to turn the phone around for her to read for herself. We both started crying and it felt so surreal! When we first worked together, many months ago in San Juan, on her second transfer in the mission, we always talked about this happening but we were never really sure it actually would!!!! She is SO excited and a little nervous too, but it's fun because she's heard so much about South America from my time in Ecuador, and half the things we practiced during her training were divinely inspired because they were mostly from my experiences in Ecuador with contacting people, etc.. so she's more than prepared!! I feel like I'm a mom helping my own child get ready to go on a mission haha! She's so capable and her Spanish is already amazing... we're just taking in the time we have left together!! She leaves February 12, so we got some time... especially to teach all our awesome friends!!!

Honestly, my mind was in a slump this morning about what to share with you all today, and this email is already kind of long because so much happened... but I will say this: the Lord truly is aware of all nations and all people. For whatever reason, all of us reassigned missionaries, including myself, needed to come to the states to serve part of our missions. And now, for some other reason, the ones who started in the states, now need to go to other lands to help God's other children. I know for a FACT, though, that Hermana Haskin and I were meant to be companions and meet the people we have met. I thank my Heavenly Father every single day that I get to be here in California with one of my best friends teaching the gospel to these humble people every day. I would not be the missionary I am, or the person I am, without serving here in California. Reassignments are just as inspired as original assignments are. The work moves forward, and Jesus Christ is at the head of it. I know He lives.

Have a great week!

Hermana Leonard