Week 27

Dear all,
On Wednesday night the Meenas had their interview with President
Johnson. It went great and are getting baptized this Saturday!! We had
the interview at the visitors center and while we were there, Kumkum
(she's 9 years old) asked us what we do in the mornings. We told her
how we get to study and read the scriptures. She said, "wow you're
lucky, I wish I could but I can't read Hindi very well". Kumkum and I
ran to the back of the visitors center where we have the Book of
Mormon in almost every language and picked her out a Book of Mormon in
English. We met with them at their house the next night and she was
already in the end of Second Nephi! We couldn't believe it and she
told us all about what she was learning. Then Gaury who is 7 ran up to
me looking like she was going to burst if she didn't tell me right at
that moment and said, "Guess what I got to do last night???". I asked
her what, and she said, "I said family prayer all by myself last
night". Then Avni started arguing with her saying that she said it too
haha! They take turns because all of the girls love praying. It just
makes me so happy to see their family doing all these things on their
own.
Today we had our district activity that took most of the day, so I
don't have much time to write. We are so excited for the Meenas
baptism. Also recently we've been meeting with a lady named Miriam.
She has been really busy and never come to church since I've been here
in the area. Yesterday we were at church talking to some of the ward
in the foyer and all the sudden we saw
Miriam with two of her kids walking outside! I couldn't believe it!
The kids really enjoyed primary and she loved it. She was raised
Catholic and after church she said she loved the idea that no matter
how old you get, there is always something to learn still. While we
were there talking to Miriam, I saw the Meenas zoom past us into
sacrament meeting and they sat down with another family in the ward.
It is great to see how comfortable they are now.
Something that I was studying this week was Alma chapter 5. I've
studied it a lot throughout my mission and it's always a great self
evaluation. There is a quote that goes along with it that I loved by
President Ezra T. Benson. It says ,“When you choose to follow Christ,
you choose to be changed. The Lord works from the inside out. The
world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of
the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take
themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing
their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their
environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can
change human nature. Yes, Christ changes men, and changed men can
change the world." I am so grateful that we have the Atonement of
Jesus Christ that allows us to repent and change to be better every
day! I love you all.
Love, sister Haertling