Hey everyone! Hope everyone is doing well and sorry for the short email last week! Man this week was so great!!! I can't even begin to describe how good it was. I am so happy to be out here on my mission. What a blessing! I named this email "Dominican Thanksgiving" because yesterday we went over to our branch president's house and we made lots of food and most of the members came to President's house to eat. We made ratatouille (I don't know how to spell that), rice, salad, and some other stuff too. The ratatouille has eggplant, cheese, carrots, and potatoes. It was actually really good. I am starting to feel like Jarabacoa is my home and that these people are my family and I will definitely be sad if I get transferred (we'll find out tomorrow).
Like I was saying, this week has been so great. We got a referral from one of the members and she is so ready for the gospel. She had the exact questions that we teach to our investigators and she is searching for the truth. She is the nana of one of the members so they call her Nana. She is so kind and came to church. It really is amazing the miracles we see everyday especially when we have been working hard to find new people. I definitely saw the Spirit working through me more this week than ever. My Spanish has gotten so much better and I know that it is not all from my own knowledge. One really cool experience we had this week was with a less-active YW named Brittany. We didn't have a scripture prepared for her because we just found her in the street, but when we both sat down Hermana Wasden and I chose the SAME exact scripture to share. The Spirit definitely wanted Brittany to hear our message. She said that was exactly what she needed to hear. I have learned to trust in the Spirit and to not even think about what I am going to say. He just gives me the words and it is incredible. Then another experience that I had this week was that we had to give talks at church on Sunday and I was so nervous. I already had one prepared, but I was just so nervous. I got the prompting to just follow the Spirit. So I did. I don't even remember what I even said, but it was great. I learned that we need to be prepared so that the Spirit can work through us and if we need to change anything that he will change it for us. After the end of sacrament meeting this family (that has lived in Roswell, GA btw) came up to me. They said that my talk and my words has touched the heart of his daughter. She was planning on putting her mission papers in, but wasn't sure and said that she was sure she wanted to go on a mission now. What a coincidence. They are from GA and that they happened to be there when I was speaking. Then our district president got up to talk and told us of how he had prepared a talk but how it had been erased that morning. He was so sad, but he prayed to Heavenly Father that he would do whatever He wanted, but he needed His help. He then went on to say that our talks were exactly what he was going to say and that we had used up just enough time so that he could share a couple of scriptures and his testimony.
I know that Heavenly Father loves and knows His children. That He is willing to help us, if we are willing to do our part. I know that if we are doing the right things that the Spirit will be able to work through us and our testimonies even though we may have fear or may not know exactly what to do. That requires faith. Faith is a principle of action and I love that. I know that Heavenly Father sent us here to learn and that is how we are going to grow emotionally and spiritually. I hope you all have a great week. I love you all,
Hermana Maikoski
PS I attached pictures of the people at President's house when we had DR Thanksgiving, a picture of me a a less-active member named Greisy (she is 14 years old.)