BAUTISMO NUMERO UNO!!!

Hola my fellow familia and amigos !! que pasa mufasas ??

I hope your week was all just fantastic!!! Here in the ghetto things have been SO GREAT! But if there was anything that I have learned out here on my mission, it is that I never ever ever want a dog. Yep. Mom and Dad, you heard correctly.  Hahah! If I could have a dollar for every time someone wouldn't open their door because of their giant nasty dog, I would literally have paid for my mission. And this week, we literally sprinted from an attacking Pitbull!!!  HAHA one day we went to go knock on a door, and out of no where this pitbull comes flying out ready to straight attack us.  I don't even think twice and just start sprinting and Hermana Cottrell just starts sprinting right behind me in just the most ghetto neighborhood you have ever seen! Hahha I wish someone could have filmed it because that is a memory I would like to rewatch!!!  Luckily it stopped after like three houses down the street but too good! Ya dogs are just so nasty and annoying and I am convinced I never want to see one again.

Okay I know that will be false the second I get home. but for now, that is my statement (:

Well this week was also full of great things! I was eating at a members house this week and totally swallowed a bone that was in the chicken (:(:(:(:(:  The member was Latino so when I'm like freaking out in English, she is like freaking out in Spanish.  But It was just a small bone so totally fine, but definitely chilled in my throat for a good few hours until the nurse told me to eat lots of bread and just jump up and down!!  Literally hated that thought but did it and now I am bone free (: (:

The weather is also becoming UNERAL here now. It is literally perfect! Like no humidity any more and just like low 80s. I AM IN HEAVEN!!!

Well on a more spiritual note... WE HAD OUR FIRST BAPTISM!!! Cute little Dorothy! It was thee most special day! I am so happy for her. As I watched her come out of the water, it just confirmed to me again, THIS IS WHY I AM HERE. This is what it is all about. Bringing souls unto Christ! ah so great! She is still just continuing to progress and I am so happy to get to continue to progress with her!

One quote I just wanna share that I loved this week. It is a quote from Joseph Fielding Smith. He said, "As Spirits in the pre earth life, we developed worthy characteristics that showed our abilities. God observed our progress and gave us responsibilities according to our faithfulness... He knew not only what each of us COULD do, but what each of us WOULD do, when put to the test, and when responsibility was given to us."  We have specific things we are here to do! God knows what we have the ability to do! That's why we pass through the trials that we do, that why we are given the responsibilities that we have, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY PROVED TO GOD. He knows us perfectly. Try to get to know him a little better this week.

I love you all!! Have the bestest week!!!! Enjoy the fall for me and I will enjoy the sun for you(:

xoxoxoxox

Hermana Dimond

The ghetto.

The cute teen I'm teaching.

Dorothy

Another pic from the baptism.

When the JW's come at you....

"Baptism is the Word, Let your Loins be Gird"

First off, can we just look at that quote for a second. How disgusting hahahah! One of the elders here said it and I just had to quote him. The mish life tho....

Well HELLO FAM!

I have officially been out for over two months, which literally is no time at all.  Hahah, but it is a mark for me :)  This week I happened to hear some new songs from the radio while eating dinner one night.  When the radio was playing and I realized I had only heard like one of the 10 songs that played, I knew I had been out for some time! Hahaha, it just randomly hits me like that I am on a mission!  Hahah, like what??  But time really is going by so fast and I just know the mission is going to fly.  It is so hard but I seriously have never been more happy in my whole life.  Not every minute is the best, but I am happiest every min.  

This week was great! Last Monday a cute member from our ward took us to the Zoo Miami with her and her kids! It was hugeeee and so beautiful! Her kids are literally my fav.  I LOVE being with families again!  I MISS IT!  So when I am with them I just feel like I am at home again! :)  This week I also got to do a split, so I went to Central Miami for a day and a night with a different companion. It was so awesome to just see another part of Florida, and see how different my mission is going to be everywhere I serve, but that the missionary work, the lords work, is still the EXACT SAME.

Well I just have to tell this random story real quick, because it is literally just the epitome of everyday life out here. So one day this week, an elderly woman in our ward calls us to come visit her.  We have no idea what she needs but obviously we head over.  So we get there and she does not tell us why we are there.  She just starts talking forever and ever and starts talking about her Cabbage Patch doll, which is "her son" pretty much.  She hands it to me to hold and to not drop the head and everything.  Like she was paranoid that I was going to drop the head.  Like this is real life. So here I am just sitting talking to this woman, trying to just share something spiritual and understand her needs, as I am cradling this cabbage patch doll.  Hahahaa, you would just have had to be there to understand the weirdness of those few moments in her home. HAHA, I just love people in Miami.

But on a more spiritual note..... I AM HAVING MY FIRST BAPTISM THIS FRIDAY!!!!! This cute woman's name is Dorothy!  We found her about three weeks ago. I have yet to meet anyone more elect and ready.  She's so sweet and is literally like our grandma.  She has no daughters, so she said we are the daughters she never had.  We are like family. I have the biggest love for her and am so excited for her!

Well last thing. I just wanted to share a quote from this week that I read from Thomas S. Monson that I loved:

"Should there be anyone who feels he is too weak to change the onward and downward course of his life, or should there be those who fail to resolve to do better because of that greatest of fears, the fear of failure, there is no more comforting assurance to be had than these words of the Lord: "My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then I will make weak things become strong unto them". 

I LOVED THIS! Whatever we feel we cannot do, WE CAN, because of the Lord.  We are SO BLESSED.  Everyday I talk to so many people who don't even have the slightest bit of knowledge that we do.  We are so lucky.  The atonement is the biggest blessing, and I am just beginning to understand it.

I love being a missionary and I love you all!  Thanks for all your support I love you all so much!  Have the best week!

Your fav Flo Rida gal  xoxox   

Hermana Dimond

Preppin for the hurricane

All the houses putting on their hurricane shutters

Prettiest sunsets

Sister Cottttt

The Zoooooooooo :) :)

Zoo Miami

The doll?

The weekly pic with "Tina the Ferret."  Literally she was a wild ferret that our ward mission leader found in his house. Sooo nasty, but I had too much pride I had to hold it and say that I did it! Probably has rabies!

Survivorrrr of MATTHEW

Hi my all my favoritist people!!! 

I hope you are all doing so good!  This week has been so crazy. I don't really even know where to begin! But it was incredible and I have witnessed so many miracles!!  

This week we survived a hurricane, hurricane Matthew! My area was so lucky to not be effected by it, but we had no idea if we would or not, so we completely prepared for it!  It was so crazy having to even think about it, because that is something I have never ever had to plan for or deal with in my life.  The craziest thing was driving past every house and they all had their hurricane shutters up and then driving past the gas stations and having all the gas be gone, and if there was a gas station open, literally it was so packed you couldn’t even drive in.

We went to get some supplies at the store and everyone and their dog was walking out with cases of water and batteries and food. I straight up felt like the zombie apocalypse was happening. But we were able to get everything we needed. We had to stay in our house for about a day and a half, due to the weather and the storms, but it was all good! I got lots and lots of study time in J We even pushed our beds together and had just a bumping slumber party as we painted our nails and watched "The Testaments", yah know, just typical girl sleepover things. We also wrote a parody, so yah that hit single will be coming at yall soon!  So we just pretty much tried to keep ourselves sane.

But after we found out the hurricane had passed our area I just felt so blessed. It was also a blessing because it humbled a lot of the people down here, and people have been much more receptive to our message, ha ha, ok well most people. 

This week was also amazing because we found our VISION FAMILY.

Every Friday, our whole mission knocks at 5 o’clock to find families specifically. Last week Sister Cottrell and I prayed for a specific family that we wanted to find. We got very specific revelation; the number of people, the gender of the kids, and looks as well. This week we witnessed a miracle. We were knocking and this sweet woman let us in to her house. As we were talking with her, her whole family came out into the living room and it hit me, WE FOUND OUR FAMILY!  It almost had me in tears. They are continuing to progress and I know that prayers are answered. 

I know that prayers are answered. I pray for you all everyday! I am continuing to pray for all those who were affected by the Hurricane, those in Haiti and Cuba, as well as here in the states. The thing about the church that is amazing is that it is the same everywhere. Everyone here gathered together to help and take care of those people who need it. We as members of the Church really stand out, because we radiate pure love and willingness to help! It’s incredible! This church is amazing! 

I love you all so much and hope you have the best week! Some gal in Florida is prayin for yah. J

xoxox Hermana Dimond

Hurricane Final

Good morning!!

We want to report that all missionaries in the Florida Fort Lauderdale mission are alive and doing well!  They are anxious to get out and get to work spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and helping those in need of help.

Heavenly Father has blessed us immensely, for which we are grateful.  We are aware that others have not been so lucky and ask that you join with us to pray for those already hit by the storm and those still in its path.

We are grateful for all the support you give our amazing missionaries.

Thanks so much,

President and Sister Richardson

Hurricane

We wanted you to know that we are trying to take every precaution to keep your missionary safe. 

We have moved everyone inland away from the coast.  Those in the areas under hurricane warning  have been evacuated to the Chapels that are inland.  Others are sheltering in place.

We appreciate your prayers in behalf of the mission and all who are in the path of the storm. 

We will try to keep you as informed as possible.

Best Regards,

President & Sister Richardson

Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission

Conference Gems and a Gun?

Hi loves!

What a crazy but good week here in the ghetoooooo (: I am starting to get used to this whole missionary life thing, I think, and I am loving it. We are literally just in the ghetto down here. My fav experience from this week was while knocking, we approached a man outside of his house, and explained to him who we were and we wanted to share a prayer with him. He turns around, GUN IN HAND, and laughs. I quickly respond "yep sir you just have a great day now." hahaha good stuff in Goulds. Never thought I would have to say, "if we see another gun, we are going to need to leave". Also this week I also said a prayer with this old Haitian man and after I finished, his first words to me were, "girl you have got a lot to learn". hahah like WHAT? its a prayer. but humbling for sure in all seriousness. Everyday I learn that clearly that I cannot do this work on my own.

My missionary stories are beginning now. We did have many spiritual experiences as well, don't even worry. (:This week we felt inspired to knock on this Cuban ladies door. There were these huge dogs outside the door that were trying to attack us, but we put on our big girl pants and knocked it anyways.  Turns out this family had lost their father/dad three days prior.  We were able to teach them and reassure them they would get to see him again.  I felt his presence in the room, as the room we were in was the room he passed away in.  It was so powerful!!

Well Conference this weekend was EXACTLY what I needed. I don't think I have ever been so excited to sit in the chapel in my church clothes to watch conference in my entire life. I was literally counting down to it! But it was SO GOOD! It was amazing as well because all our investigators and many non members came to watch it at the chapel, so it was a very cool and much different experience getting to watch it with people who are not of our faith. It made me appreciate it so much more. Well I just want to share a few of my favorite things that I heard. The first being from Elder Eyring. He said, "Often we can feel of Gods blessings, but we cannot even begin to comprehend the extent of them, and of the lords timing." I thought that was so powerful.  Even when we recognize those blessings, we still cannot even comprehend the reasoning for them, and the perfect timing for them.  God knows all things. I also loved how much they talked about members and missionaries working together to accomplish the work as well.  Being from Utah I always felt like there wasn't much I could do to help in the work. But being a missionary, I see how NECESSARY it is to have help from the members. They are really the key to conversion. I encourage you all to look for those people who need the gospel right now and reach out to them. Tell the missionaries about them. Even if they are members and just struggling. SO many of the people I have taught are less actives. EVERYONE NEEDS THE GOSPEL. EVERYONE NEEDS OUR LOVE. GODS LOVE.

I am so grateful for the members of my ward here who are looking out for me and my companion.  They treat us like family (and feed us WAY TOO MUCH haha not complaining though. except for yesterday when we had 3 meal appointments. yep wanted to die).  I know there is a reason that I am supposed to be in this specific area here in South Miami. Each day I see more clearly my purpose as a missionary, and my purpose as a human. I love this gospel with all my heart. I love you all so much and hope you have the best week! Now I'm just praying for NO HURRICANES.  Supposedly one is BREWIN ://////

You are all amazing! Love you all!

xoxox Hermana Dimond

My cute companion Sister Cottrell!

The dynamic duo!

It is too hot for life!

But then the next second it will POUR RAIN like you have never seen before!