¡Avanza Su Verdad!

Hola familia y amigos!

Such a great week!

First off, on Tuesday we had a meeting with the ENTIRE mission about technology use as missionaries. Elder Zwick from the Seventy came and also Brother Hemingway who is in charge of online proselyting for the church I'm pretty sure. That was such an amazing meeting! We received a lot of inspired instruction concerning iPads and facebook and all that good stuff and we also talked a lot about how we have been so blessed to be able to use these tools to reach out to more people and share the gospel on a greater scale. At this meeting we were also informed that Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be visiting the Illinois Chicago Mission THIS Saturday! I CANNOT WAIT to hear from an Apostle of the Lord! 

So that was an AWESOME way to start the week, and then the Lord blessed us with several miracles throughout the remainder of the week as well. Generally the week was so good because we were able to find quite a few people (less actives, potential investigators, and a NEW investigator)! Our new investigator is this really sweet lady named Maria! I don't remember if I already shared about how we found her but I'll share it again cause it's a great story! So this was my last P-day with sweet Hermana Gonzalez and we had just spent two hours shoveling snow to be able to get our car out of the parking lot. Now that I think about it we took a route that we don't usually take to get to the store because initially we were planning on going somewhere else but that didn't work out. So on the way we see a car that was trying to leave their driveway but was stuck halfway in the street. We stopped at the next street we could, grabbed our shovels from the trunk, and ran over to the stuck car to help them out. Maria was outside trying to push the car so we joined her and the three of us were able to get the car out of the snow! Afterwards we helped her shovel some more of her driveway and we were able to talk a little about what we do as missionaries. We got her contact information and planned to visit her again! Well Hermana Dowdle and I finally got in contact with her on Friday! We just went to her house to see if she was home and she recognized us right away and let us in! We taught her the Restoration and she seemed to understand everything really well. We invited her to be baptized when she feels ready and she said yes! It was so awesome! Another cool thing is that before we even started teaching her she was saying how she was glad we came because she's been wanting to come to church! She couldn't come yesterday because she was doing something with her kids but hopefully she'll be there next time! 

We had another sweet experience when we were knocking this week. So it was towards the end of the night and of course this sweet family was the last door we knocked. We wanted to try a new approach for when people answered the door so we decided to invite them to watch the short video, Because of Him, after introducing ourselves (Elder Drebing suggested this to me). They agreed and were so attentive to the video. I could feel the Spirit so strong. After the video we testified of Jesus Christ and the importance of our message, then asked if this was something they wanted to learn more about. The woman looked at her children then back at us and said "yes." We're so excited to see them again this week! It was so adorable because they live on the top floor of their building, and the children went to the window to wave to us as we were walking away. 

This week was just full of experiences like that. It was amazing! The Lord is just so good to us. I'm so excited to see what is in store for this week! We're going to work so hard! It is also the last week of the transfer. I Dowdle (doubt) I'll stay here for another but I'll let everyone know what happens next week after we get the text on Saturday. Find out what happens next time on Hermana Knowles: Missionary in Chicago! STAYED TUNED! Haha I think I'm so clever with my cliffhangers. Man ya'll are friends/family with such a dork. 

Anyway! La iglesia es verdadera! Testifico que nuestro Padre Celestial y Jesucristo viven y que nos aman. Soy un testigo de las bendiciones que este evangelio trae. Me encanta mi misión. Me encanta servir a otros. Me encanta el Libro de Mormón. Yo se que es la palabra de Dios, sin duda! Y quiero invitar a todos a leer este libro. Yo se que puede cambiar su vida y si lo haga, prometo que va a tener una relación fortalecido con nuestro Padre Celestial y Su Hijo Jesucristo. Se que aquí en esta misión es donde mi Padre Celestial me necesita y estoy tan feliz para tener esta oportunidad de servir. Todavía estoy aprendiendo muchas cosas y también estoy muy agradecida por estas experiencias que me ayudan a crecer. Gracias por todo que ustedes hacen para mi! Les quiero mucho!

(English Translation: The church is true! I testify that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live and love us.  I am a witness of the blessings that this gospel brings.  I love my mission.  I love serving others.  I love the book of Mormon.  I know that it is the word of God, without doubt!  And I want to invite everyone to read this book.  I know that it can change your life and if you do, I promise that you will have a stronger relationship with our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ.  I know that in this mission is where my Heavenly Father needs me and I am so happy to have this opportunity to serve.  I am still learning many things and I am also very grateful for these experiences that help me grow.  Thanks for all that you do for me.  I love you very much.)

Mantener la Sonrisa,

Hermana Knowles 

I LOVE this song! I remember the ward choir sang it at my farewell :)

Himno de batalla de la República

1.	Mis ojos ya perciben la gran gloria del Señor,
	cuando Él esté venciendo la maldad y el error.
	Ya desnuda Su espada cual un rayo de furor;
	avanza Su verdad.
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	Avanza Su verdad.
2.	He leído la palabra que enseña la verdad
	que según el hombre siembre, eso mismo segará,
	y Jesús a la serpiente la cabeza herirá,
	y Dios avanzará.
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	Avanza Su verdad.
3.	Ha llamado a la carga y no retrocederá.
	A los hombres que lo siguen Jesucristo probará.
	¡Oh, sé presta, pues, mi alma a seguirle donde va!
	Pues Dios avanza ya.
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	Avanza Su verdad.
4.	Fue allende de los mares que el Rey Jesús nació,
	y con perfección sublime Él la luz a todos dio.
	Sed valientes, pues, vosotros y luchad cual Él luchó.
	Pues Dios avanza ya.
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	¡Gloria, gloria, aleluya!
	Avanza Su verdad.

Me and Poky

Bagels for lunch.