Phone Call Home: Monday, August 9, 2021

Well...today was another great day with getting to visit with Sister Garcia! I was up and at it with the good old Facebook messenger/email/text/whatever you want to call it to start my day. I just got home last night late from a trip to Atlanta to see the Braves play for a few days and even though I was exhausted I couldn't wait to get to catch up!

Sister Garcia had a great week. Some ups and some downs but overall, great. Helmer is still progressing. He set a date for baptism for the 22nd but then sent a text saying he wasn't sure about it and he decided he wanted to just worship the God that was inside of him. Needless to say, Sister Garcia and Sister Parrish were caught off guard and a little heartbroken. They still extended the invitation for church on Sunday but unbeknownst to the both of them, each of them had an impression that Helmer needed a Priesthood Blessing. So..during 2nd hour of church they lined that up and Sister Garcia said it was awesome! The gentleman who administered the blessing told Helmer that he needed to be baptized so he would then be confirmed and given the gift of The Holy Ghost. I cannot begin to imagine the feeling that must have been in that room! That is EXACTLY what Helmer needs and I love that the words were said directly to him. Sister Garcia said that the talks given in sacrament meeting were also just what Helmer needed so overall it was a great day for him on Sunday. Right now he is on for August 22 for a baptism date. I will keep him in my prayers for sure. This is huge for Sister Garcia. She found Helmer on the Facebook and has been there throughout the entire process so for her to be able to see it come to the end with baptism would be really really rad!

Sister Garcia also shared today that CiCi and her son Jayden were at church this week as well. CiCi has been taught all the lessons multiple times but has one hold up. She is not married to her boyfriend (Jayden's Dad) and she feels guilty asking him to marry her just so she can be baptized. I cannot even begin to imagine the inner turmoil but I also have such respect for her for including his feelings in on this. He is a huge part of her life and that of her sons but I just pray that she will be able to get the answers she has been longing for, be open with her boyfriend, and be able to make the choice to be baptized and to join the Church. I will be certain to keep this sweet Momma in my prayers as she is working through this crazy thing called life.

Transfers take place this upcoming week on the 11th (Wednesday) and Sister Garcia had mentioned that when she met with President Brough he asked her how she felt about training and where her language skills were. She admitted that she was apprehensive on training and her language because she is only 6 months out but that she was willing to do so if he needed her to. I KNOW she would be great, she is just underestimating herself. :) She also shared with him that she would really really like to stay right where she is at because of all of the good things that are taking place with their friends they are working with. I have had her on my mind all week and I knew she got transfer texts on Saturday so I was beyond thrilled to learn she was staying! I am also thrilled to learn that she will be staying with Sister Parrish and that they will NOT be trainers. Not either one of them! What?! I think it was as much as a surprise to me as it was for them too. I am so excited that President Brough listened and took her request into consideration as he was making changes. I pray that the Lord will reward Sister Garcia for her efforts in the area as she moves into this next six weeks.

We chatted some about sending Elder Garcia off this last week and I made sure to I gave her the chance to talk about how she was feeling about all of it. She is excited for him and she is nervous for him too. He is her very first best friend in the whole world and so she feels a sense of loss not being able to be here when we shipped him onto an airplane (completely understand there for her) but she also knows that she made the right choice to serve a mission herself. In the end, I believe they will look at these 3 years of overlap as ones filled with many blessings and experiences that will mold not just them individually but also as siblings and friends.

Sister Garcia spent her morning doing District Pday (bbq'ing some hamburgers and then thrift shopping at Savers) and then she was off to help get some stuff lined up for girls camp. That meant our phone call wasn't as long as I always would love them to be but I am always grateful for even just the shorter calls for sure. I do not know how Mom's used to do it when they weren't able to talk to their missionaries each week. That would have probably broken me! I am sure glad that Sister Garcia finds the time to dial me up and fill me in.

It's a week full of prayers for my sweet missionary girl and her companion for sure. She has exciting things happening all around her and I already am looking forward to seeing what she will have to share next Monday. But for now, I love you. I am so glad you are in Pawtucket and that you have all these good things surrounding you. I miss you and I think of you always. I love you to the moon and back. Forever and forever.

XOXO,

Mom