28 April 2014

Hola,
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Oh Boy! All I can say is the Lord sure likes to stretch us! This week was actually a pretty good week! We were able to accomplish quite a bit! As missionaries things are constantly changing, sometimes for good and sometimes for bad. The best part is, as applies to life as well, we get to choose our reaction to it.

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So this week --- There weren't as many moments for emotional health, but it was still a harder week.  We worked a lot harder so at least it looks better on paper! On Monday we went to our less-active's house, Cindy. Like most Hispanics she fed us! We hadn't really had dinner so it worked out well. We had Chile relleno, which is a pepper stuffed with cheese! We shared the Because of Him video and they liked it! Then we went and saw Kimberley, the single sister from the ward. She isn't actually Hispanic, but it is hard for the Elders to be able to get into her home. She is very nice.  We showed her the video also and she loved the little headliners of the ability to have new beginnings and all the possibilities we have through Jesus Christ! Whether she really understood why, is something we are going to have to figure out.

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Then on Tuesday we had our regular district meeting of course. We had a blitz afterward in Davis! The sad part was that I didn't get sent to anywhere I had been before.  It was fun to just have the feel of Davis again. Man the people are so liberal here. It doesn't always make them mean, but it does make them judgmental. We tracted into this really nice lady. She had some wonderful general opinions about religion with nothing really definite. She had some great ideas that were so close to out beliefs! She even taught me something, but then I forgot what it was. I was on exchanges with Hermana Thompson, my STL. She is a great missionary! She just goes out and does it and it was a great exchange. We didn't actually teach any lessons, but we did go out and contact the people which is always an interesting experience.

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Wednesday was a normal day with things falling through and trying to just keep the day full. On Thursday we finally were able to teach Lupe. She is one of our core investigators. She has so many desires to learn, but a lot of questions. We talked about praying often and how important it is to pray in order to receive answers and help in our life. She is having struggles keeping the commitments and receiving her answer.  We hoped this would help, but she seemed a little distracted.  We will see when we see her again!

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Side note: So I am really starting to fall in love with all the members in this Ward. They are so willing to give and help and sometimes I just can't take how kind they are. They all have their own bits of knowledge and they always share them. Anyway just a shout out to the Winters Ward that it is pretty great!

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Friday we ate lunch with some members before we started out planning because in the evening we helped with their duck derby (aka Duck Dash). Yes you guessed it! For 2 consecutive years Winters has dropped rubber ducks off a bridge and raced them. There weren't as many as when we saw at the Duck Dash, but there was a pretty good amount! It was our Mormon helping hands service activity! Our job was to help the ducks that got stuck along the way! It was fun to be a part of it all.

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Then on Saturday we did some more service. One of our members has a bunny barn and the roof blew off so we went to help them build another one. It was a lot of work, but it was fun. I must say I felt pretty accomplished screwing, nailing, lifting, etc. and it was fun to learn a few new skills. My favorite part of the whole day was when Brother Zenger, the own of the bunnies told me, "This is ranching". I love it! It made me kind of fall in love with the country to be out their working hard! 

Then on Sunday we had our regular meetings, but in the evening I finally met one of our recent converts, after like 8 weeks. Her name is Sylvia. I don't know why but she has not been going to church or participating in anything really for a while. So now that we got in the door once we hope to get in it a few more times! It is amazing how the gospel is so true and I know it can work miracles in her life and everyone if they just let it change them, so that they can be eternally happy. Again it goes back to our natural man who is happy the way they are, but we are talking about the eternities here.  That is what makes it all truly important! Well I love my eternal family! I know everyone is at least trying to make everyday one that will count for the eternities and if you aren't you need to start, because if we don't start now when will you?

Les Quiero muchisimo!

Hermana Cornwall

21 April 2014

Hola,

I would of hope you all heard about the little Easter website the church put up this week. It had an amazing video that talks about Because of Him! It was an amazing week to be a part of the Church's campaign to reach out to more people. So we got an e-mail telling us about the website and the video and also to use the hashtag #BecauseofHim in all of our posts during the week. It was amazing how facebook just seemed to blow up with post and shares about Christ! Here is the website if you still want to check it out and share.
http://easter.mormon.org

So this week, I am not going to lie, was a really hard one. I find the Lord always increases the load when you thought you had just tried to manage it. The reason why it was hard is because I have a struggling companion and the odd thing is there is not much I can do about it but change myself to fit better with her. The reason why I say this at the beginning is because it all started on Monday night. My companion just
wouldn't get out of the car and I just felt this lack of desire to work and so she just talked. We talked for those hours and it was hard because I didn't know exactly what to say or do that might hurt or might help so I tried different things but she wasn't very open to them. All in all the night didn't end that well, but it was good that we understood each other more even if we couldn't exactly resolve the problem.

The next morning was also interesting. It was another struggle and my companion and I talked more and studied about the last weeks of Christ's life and she got a blessing.  It was kind of just a restful day for her. In the evening though, we did have the opportunity to go out and work and we had a lesson with our investigator Juan. It is a funny one because he thinks that all of the anti-Mormon ideas, or just anything that is negative about religion really, should be his answer to whether he believes or not and he just isn't letting himself jump right in. We had a member with is and through her prompting we decided he needed a blessing. Luckily we do have people in our ward who speak Spanish so we called the Bishop over to give him a blessing. The nice thing was at the end of it all, there was this true sense of peace left over. Not as much worry or questioning, but just a sense of peace, so we hope that will help in the cultivation of his little seed.

On Wednesday it was actually the best day out of the week. We just were able to go through the day peacefully. We started with service on our ranch with the Elders planting baby redwood trees. It is all quite exciting to learn more about the working of a little ranch. There is so much to do and yet it is very peaceful and very enjoyable, at least from what I can see. It was fun to just work hard and get dirty and  have some fun doing something semi-normal.  We had an amazing miracle in the evening. We have had this investigator Magdalena and her family, they have been taught since before I got there, but after six weeks I had never ever taught her. Then on Wednesday we finally taught her. She was very open and asked really good questions in order to clear up her understanding. We taught about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith! It was great!

On Thursday we tried to do planing, but it didn't really happen.  I was trying to talk about communicating better and she just got really upset from our conversation. When we went to plan she would just keep turning it all on what I thought we should do.  We talked some more and just took some space for a while. But even after the space there was still something wrong. Then finally after an hour or two we ended up finding  something to laugh at through out all of the stress. Then we tried to make a plan on what we needed to do. It was good but also bad. It is funny how sometimes the things you need aren't always the best for everyone else, but it worked out ok.

Then on Friday we had our district meeting with all of the new people which was fun. It was just nice to be around missionaries for a change and I just felt uplifted by their presence. Then we ate the biggest ribs I have ever seen. They were from like 800 pound pigs, it was at a members house and it was part of their business, but they were seriously huge.  It was fun.

Saturday, a lot of things fell through.  It ended nicely with a baptism of one of my old investigators in Davis. I got to go and play the piano.  It was fun to be with the Woodland Branch and to see someone I taught get baptized! His name is Victor Flores.  It was all just very nice.

Easter Sunday was very simple, but very nice. We ate at an older couples home with traditional ham and potatoes. The members here are so kind and nice and I was so grateful to be a part of this wonderful season.

I was so grateful for this week and the simplicity the Church brought with the video -  Because of Him. I found that my testimony was built because of it. I am so grateful for a Savior who sacrificed for me and not only that, but one who now is able to understand me even in my struggles and successes. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support, I truly so feel them!

Les quiero,
Hermana Cornwall

Enviado desde mi iPad

14 April 2014

Sister Santigo, Yasmin, Sister Cornwall

Hola,

Those that are dying to know 2 big events happened this week. First is that I had my first baptism this week! Second is that I am [not getting transferred but] staying in Winters with Hermana Santiago!

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This week was great. The reason why I didn't talk about Yasmin's baptism last week is because we hadn't really taught her for 2 weeks because she was busy, so we were a little worried whether the baptism would actually happen.  When we went over for a lesson last Monday night, she was all ready to go! She had her program all organized! Then we also had an FHE with some of the children of some of our investigators at a members home. It was great to be there with them and some other members and help them see the goodness of it all!

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View on the hill we climb each day on the Bishop's ranch.

On Tuesday we had a district meeting on :General] conference. It was fun to just be able to have all of us share what impacted us! Then, I had some great success with some less-actives on facebook. One is the son of a member in Davis who lives in Mexico. It is so great to be able to spread all around the world. Then we had a lesson with Cindy and Gisel. Cindy is the less-active we found last week who hasn't gone to church since she was a child in Mexico. Gisel is her teenage, non-member daughter who we are now teaching. We taught about temples and Cindy definitely wants to be sealed in the temple. They are just so ready to hear our message! I don't know if I said this already, but Bishop Baker, whose property we live on, is a teacher at the High School here in Winters so he knows all the kids and he knows Gisel so that is nice.  He speaks spanish so Cindy can talk with him at church! In the evening we had another lesson with Yasmin of course! We kind of did the last big commandments, like tithing and fast offerings and we prepared her for her baptismal interview. It was a big night.  All went well.

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Then on Wednesday we went and made tortillas with Lupe and Estela, some of our investigators. It was fun and super easy! They were also very delicious.We had a short lesson with them about Family Home Evening!  Then we taught one of our less-actives, Victor, who is supposed to be going to the Spanish Branch but we think his guilt holds him back and he works. We read Alma 36 about Alma's conversion, being the vilest of sinners and having that complete change of heart and the desire to serve the Lord. It is amazing how any change is possible through the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is also interesting how far we can fall and he can still build us back up. My favorite section of the scripture is when he actually changes:

 18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death.

 19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

 20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

 21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

Oh sometimes we just need that Joy. I know for me that is definitely true. Noone truly wants the torment and pain, but it seems really enjoyable when we are doing it. It was a really good lesson and he really seemed to get it. We also did service for this older couple in the ward. They are compelely re-landscaping their back yard. It was hard work, but it was really fun. It was nice to just get a little dirty and sweaty doing good work for someone else. Yasmine had her baptismal interview. It is just like when a bishop interviews an 8-year old.  It is just for converts. The district leader told us that she is so prepared and ready to go!.

Thursday we had a great lesson with Cindy again. We talked about missionary work and she was all gung hoe to get into it. It is just the perfect time for her!

On Friday we had our planning!

Then Saturday We prepared more for the baptism, setting up chairs and making little pass-along cards and pamphlet displays. 

Yasmine's Husband, Yasmine, Sisters Santiago & Cornwall

Sunday was the big day! Cindy came to all 3 hours of church, Yasmin got baptized right after church. I played the piano! I am always grateful I have that skill and it was just beautiful. There were so many people there to love and support her, we were so happy!

It was an amazing week with I am sure many more miracles to come, keep up the work in your end of the woods, los quiero!

Hermana Cornwall

Sister Cornwall's Zone

Sister Fernandez

Sister Vanderniet

"Treat we helped make for Yasmin's baptism."

"My first elote (corn w/ mayo, butter, cheese and chile)"

Dinner at church with the Elders

07 April 2014

Hola,

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Well I can't believe it is already week 6. With all of the craziness it has made this transfer really fly. I look back and I can not believe all that has happened! I am so grateful for all that I have learned and all that I see that I still need to learn. It was wonderful to hear the words of the prophets! Words spoken just for me! I hope all of you felt how the Lord touched your heart today!

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So, last week we started off Monday after dinner with an amazing lesson. We were teaching our teenager Juan Carlos and had a youth from the ward come. He was amazing. He is 15 years old but he has spiritual wisdom. He was like a 3rd teacher rather than just a member present. He was able to explain certain things in such a relatable way it was just amazing.

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Tuesday was a little crazy! President Alba came because some sisters were getting an emergency transfer (the sisters I am over) and so he stayed for our Zone meeting. The meeting was on those things we had learned at MLC and sharing them with our zone. The funny thing was that I was teaching from President Alba's section from the leadership conference.  I was a little apprehensive, but it definitely turned out ok. It was nice to have President Alba there because he put his own little touch on everything we were talking about.  It waso it was just great! He ended with really focusing on the worth of souls before our Heavenly Father and how we really have to go out to work and to find in order to find those that have been prepared to listen and accept our message. It really got me even more charged and ready go. My companion and I had a little meeting with President Alba with some issues we were having and it was weird to get so much one on one help. Then Sister Alba met with me too. It is funny to have these parent figures as your leaders when they aren't your parents. I am so grateful for the care they take for each of us in order to make sure we are ok! We were fasting in order to unify our mission so it was just a day of days! In the evening we went to our one and only local mexican restaurant. One of the members has a tab for the missionaries.We thought it was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of it. It was fun for us to end our fast and just relax! Then we had a lesson with a less-active, Kimberley. I have really seen a change from her since I have been here the past 5 weeks. At first she would just talk our ear off with her life. But now even when she has a tangent she brings it back and we actually are able to have a little lesson. She has a long way to go but now she is listening and so we hope that little by the little she will let the gospel change her.

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Wednesday we got 28 contacts and 3 lessons. It felt so great to just work hard and have it pull off! I just love seeing people receive things from us. Sometimes it is understanding, sometimes it is love and sometimes it is just answers. I think that is one of the joys of being a missionary, is that we can fill a void in their lives. We can say and do the right things in order to help them. The struggle is making sure they don't depend un us but they depend on Jesus Christ and the gospel. That is what makes commitments so important. We need to pray to know what commitment they need and they need to do it in order to change. But like Elder Ballard said we need to follow up too!

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Thursday we taught a lesson from a miracle we had had earlier in the week. We found this less-active that wants to get more involved with the church. She stopped going to church after she moved from Mexico as a child. We are so excited to start teaching her family more. We talked about temples and family history and so it was just wonderful to testify to them of eternal families. They are such a beautiful thing and they touch everyone's hearts. On Thursday we had 32 contacts and 3 lessons! It was just wonderful! We had a great week!

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Friday we taught one lesson after all of our planning and everything to some former investigators. The funny thing was he prayed to Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith, so we found out what his concern was by the end. We are interested to see where it all goes!

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Saturday of course was a wonderful conference day. We watched the first session at the stake center in Woodland with all of the missionaries it was a lovely session. I loved Elder Holland's of course. I am really grateful I don't have mashed potatoes thrown at me. Then my favorite talk from the session was Elder Anderson. Oh he just spoke to me. When he talked about the process of trees that are in the whirlwind I understood my position perfectly. That everything that I am going through now is not because I am supposed to fight off, stop or fix the wind it is just to make me stronger. His scripture mastery in Helaman 5:12 just made it all come together perfectly. It was a beautiful little way for me to not be so sad in my personal Whirlwinds. Then the second session we watched it at a recent convert's of the Elders. It was fun to see them experience conference from a new set of eyes. I loved the talk from Elder Zwick about communication. My companion and I needed that. Recently, I have felt this tiredness of responding always kindly and patiently to my companion. I thought that I was just unable to do it, but then as my companion and I do have communication problems I realize how important that all is for my companion, but also for me to be happy, energetic and not tired. So I am trying, even in the struggles to be a bit better and to not give up.

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Sunday we went to the Osburns. They are a family in the Winters Ward, well an amazing family in the ward. They love the missionaries.So we spent both sessions there. They fed us waffles and quiche in the morning and smoothies for lunch. It was a lot of fun to be in a homey situation. My favorite talks from Sunday were President Uchtdorf's. This conference I was being a little stubborn with the Lord and didn't write down the questions I needed answers to. They were fresh on my mind and this talk was one of the ones I needed as an answer. In whatever grief I have, hopefully had, that I think is a necessary part of life, I am able to overcome it through always being grateful. That was so powerful and seemed like such an easy answer to that question. President Bednar also helped me to understand more of how helpful my heavy load is and how it helps accomplish other things that we didn't think it could help with! Oh doesn't the gospel make sense? I love it!

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Anyway, it was a great weekend to say goodbye to grandpa. I really felt the difference on Friday knowing his body was at his final resting place, It is a joy to know that is not the end, there is more to life than this and there is more life than this. My heart kind of skipped a little when Elder Ballard mentioned his mission in England. I just thought, Grandpa was there with him! It is so great to be part of a legacy so deep and full and now I have to remember that I am creating my own. Though it is hard I know it is worth it be here, to come out stronger and more prepared for the challenges that I know are ahead! So my advice, that I am trying to take myself, is to never back down, never give up because what good would that do? We are fighting a battle we know we will win so it is worth the sacrifice and the pain because we are fighting for our eternal life, but we aren't doing it alone. We have the Savior as our captain to build us and strengthen us even more. SO don't be afraid of the challenge face it head on so that you can serve others in their 4 minutes and do it with an attitude of gratitude!

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les quiero,

Hermana Cornwall

31 April 2014

My Heart is a little full today. This week has been really hard, like really hard, yet it has been manageable. I had this realization this morning though that puts it all into perspective. 

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I was reading in Luke 10 about Mary and Martha. I have always liked that story because it seemed so normal and modern to have Martha say, "Hello don't you see what I am doing?". I love that Christ sees that she is troubled about many things, that she was struggling, but she didn't take that opportunity to learn  - to take the knowledge from Christ that she could carry with her now and into the eternities. I look at my life a little that way. Some moments I think "Hello, this is really hard, I can't do this alone, I am struggling someone help me." But something I have realized this week is that it isn't about the moment we are struggling, it isn't about our feelings, it is all about the lesson we learn. What we get out of our trial is what truly matters. That experience and knowledge that we gain now, when we take the opportunity, will benefit us for the rest of our lives, now and forever. When we stay in the struggle, and ask "Why me?", when we don't just let our selves learn and be changed by the experience it shows are unwillingness to follow the Father's path. He has this plan for us that we don't always understand. I am surrounded by many people that give-in to their struggle rather than overcoming it and becoming better. By no means am I perfect at it, it helps to have others to focus on, but it really helped me cope in my week of change. 

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I kept having these moments all week of why isn't anyone there that is willing to mourn with me, who was mourning, to give me comfort that I was in dire need of. Every time I would seek it, the focus would never stay on me very long and it would turn to the other. Luckily, I did receive the comfort I needed from Sister Kaiser at MLC on Friday so that made the long wait worth it. The funny part about the struggles I have personally, with my companion and with the other sisters is that I know it will all work out. Whenever I have the thought to give up I just think of how silly that would be, because I know I can do it. I had a lot of the those moments this week where I just wanted to give up, but I knew it wouldn't be worth it and today as I read in Luke I finally understood why. It is amazing how one line of scripture can really clear things up. I understand now so much better the plan Heavenly Father has for me. I couldn't really tell you exactly what happened this week, because there aren't words to describe it, but I can tell you now, as the week has ended how I have ended up because of it. It all still hurts in little ways but it is my burden to bear right now and I am very grateful for the lessons I am learning on my path. I never thought I would learn these sorts of things as a missionary. I understand so much better who I truly am, what my purpose is and how much pain and suffering I truly can take. It makes me even more grateful for that sacrifice that Christ made for me. He did it alone with no one to help him. He even told the apostles to wait up for him and they didn't. Most people just can't understand the great significance of everything.  I am grateful with my limited understanding that I can overcome my trials and continue to serve others. Like I said my heart is full of feelings but I know they are making me the person the Lord wants me to be.

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On a happier note: This week was pretty good according to the work. On Monday we ate dinner with Yasmine and her husband Justin. It was fun! Then we taught a lesson. We kind of hit some of the harder ones --. Law of Chastity, 10 commandments and Keep the Sabbath day holy. The best part was she was following all of them already so it was great and easy! We also helped her choose her invitation for her baptism! She is really excited! It is all really exciting as of right now. She also came to a baptism for one the investigators of the English Elders in our ward. It was great to have her there! Anyway she is just progressing very well!  We also taught Juan Carlos! He is really struggling. He just lets the world sit on his shoulders as a 16 year old and that really shows. We talked with him about the atonement and the potential he truly has through Christ and I think it really touched him!

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One of our new investigators as of this week really helped me to realize something. Often times as a missionary, my gut reaction is usually that people wont keep there commitments. We went to our second lesson with Maria and earlier in the day we had texted her to remind her to read. By the time we got there she had read! My realization was that none of us are usually very good at something or very committed at first without a little bit of help. That little bit of help is the difference between someone progressing and not.

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The other interesting thing this week was Mission Leadership conference (MLC) on Friday. It was Great! President Alba focused on our purpose, Sister Alba talked about the atonement. The APs helped with teaching, contacting and helped us to focus in on the importance of Christlike attributes. That is something I have thought a lot about recently. I truly know that when we are more Christlike and serve others our problems disappear and life has a purpose! It was a great meeting to get recharged and ready to go! I am so grateful to have that support out here on a mission! It is great to have others help us to learn and grow!

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Saturday of course was the women's broadcast! What a historic moment! I was so grateful to be a part of it! I loved the theme of being on the path and what that means for our lives! That path isn't always easy but it is always worth it!

 

Sunday we had meetings all day. We went from here to there and everywhere. We had a meeting with the stake president in Davis. Then our dinner was a Court of Honor for a boy in our ward getting his Eagle! It was quite the event. A little too much work in my opinion but it was fun to help out! Then we went back to Davis for my nightly Sunday meeting!

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Anyway all is good here! A lot of you have been on my thoughts recently and I am so grateful for the support I have from all of you. I hope you didn't have too much fun without me! I continue to need all of your strength and support so keep it coming!

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This week I have learned more about life than I ever think I would have learned if I hadn't been here right now. I know the Lord has put me in the place he needs me to be! Though the days are hard I know I am doing the work of our Heavenly Father!

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Les Quiero!

-Hermana Cornwall