March 30, 2015

Summary:

This week has been pretty weird with all that's happening in the north and everything. The weather went from roasting one day to windy and rainy the next. The work still moved on though, and we were able to come across new less-actives and re-contact a few old investigators that are ready to receive the lessons in their home again. 

 

Spiritual Experience:

We asked a sister in the ward for a reference, and she gave us the last name of a less-active woman who hasn't been to church in a really long time. I wrote it down, but we didn't really have any other information about her other than the general area of where she lived and I didn't think we'd be able to find her. For some reason during planning, the name just kept coming to my mind over and over. Finally, I looked up the last name in a list of members in the area. Unfortunately, there were like 10 people with the same last name. We narrowed it down to one of them, walked to the house, and knocked at her gate. A lady answered and immediately said, "Come in!" She then continued to tell us that no one from the church has visited her in a looooong time, but she was ready to go back. She said she knew we were sent from God because it was the exact moment in time that we needed to come to her. 

 

I am not even close to a perfect missionary, but I know that the Spirit is guiding. There's just aren't any other explanations. 

March 23, 2015

Summary:

This week is the end of another change, but I will be continuing for at least six more weeks with Hermana Vergara! One of our roommates went home to Argentina, one went to a different sector, and two more are coming to live with us. One is from Peru and was in the MTC with me, and the other we don't know yet. 

We have been very blessed this week in finding people to teach, so I just wanted to thank every one of you for your prayers. As we were walking down the street on our way home about a week ago, my companion and I both had a feeling we should contact a lady that was sweeping the sidewalk. It turns out she is very interested in our teachings and recieved us happily, even invited us to her house for "once," which is like a tea time kinda deal they have here every night. When we went into her house, there were also four beautiful children, and they instantly turned off the music, settled down, came to the table, and asked us, "What are you going to teach us?" I have not seen anything else like it up until now! We had a good conversation, got to know her desires, and taught about prayer, then set a date for our next visit just a couple of days later. We had the next visit, teaching the Plan of Salvation, and everything was going great. The spirit was there. Unfortunately, the sister of the lady and her boyfriend drove up and came in, and the boyfriend thought he knew everything there is to know about God. He talked so loudly and nonstop and the spirit just left... oh man. It kills me to think about it. We set a date to come back again, but she called us the night before and told us that something happened and she has to leave town. Please pray for this family! They need the gospel and we need another chance to present it!

Spiritual:

We were working with some less-actives who knew they needed to come back to church. They are a young couple and have a little girl who is barely learning to walk and talk. As we were conversing, the mom said something like, "We know it's true... oh look. Watch this..." She then opened up a book with an image of Christ. The little girl pointed and said, "Papa!" The mother then showed the little girl another picture of Christ, and the little girl had the same response. The mom then looked at us and said, "We don't know why she does this. She doesn't really use any other words. We haven't taught her anything."

Funny:

Oh man. So many funny things happened this week. So I guess I'll narrow it down to two:

1. One night, It was really hot, so I got up to get a drink of water. Hermana Jones got up to go to the bathroom and didn't know I was is the kitchen. Then Hermana Valladares got up to stretch her back or something, I don't know. This was at like 2:00 in the morning. I got my drink and started heading back to my bed and saw Hermana Valladares standing there. We talked about how we couldn't sleep for a second and right at that moment, Hermana Jones came out of the bathroom and starts walking and sees two dark figures (Hermana Valladares and me) standing there by her bed. Hahah she screams and starts breathing so hard and then we all just cracked up laughing. 

2. We were walking down a street one day and a family that was visiting from Australia passed by. One of them saw me and yelled "Hey! Do you speak English!?" I said "Yes, do you?!" He said, "Yes! I'm from Australia and I'm also here on a Mormonship!" haha

March 16, 2015

Summary:

This week was pretty low on succesfful contacts and none of our investigators came to church, but the good news is the less-actives are pulling through! We contacted and had a lesson with a less active family and I was amazed to see their situation. We talked with them and came to find out that both of the parents are converts to the church and at one point, were both VERY active and the dad was really into family history. We asked if he had a an account on Familysearch.org. He said no and it´s been a long time. So we created one right there and he pulled out a folder FULL of work and data and photos, marked up scriptures, and gospel library books. It was just a reminder to me of the sneakiness of Satan. He´s a good persuader, so I´m going to need to excercise my faith every day for the rest of my life to stay close to Christ. 

We also had the opportunity to have a stake activity yesterday. We watched the movie "Conozcan a los Mormones" (Meet the Mormons) None of the investigators that told us they would go showed up, but there were some less-actives and recent converts there and I think it was a great turnout. Great spirit-building activity. Plus I loved the movie! I want to see it in English now. haha

We also had zone conference this week. These meetings always help me remember how much I need to learn and grow here. We learned that there´s going to be a new mormon video on March 28th, "Because He Lives," in English I think. I´m so excited to teach people with this initiative.

Funny:

Everyone´s gardens are producing lots of grapes right now, so we get fed grapes at almost every house. The other day I was eating a grape and a spider crawled out of it and onto my arm. The hermana didn´t see the spider, she just saw me do a little jig to get the spider off of me and the face she made was priceless. haha.

Spiritual:

I was studying this week a little bit in Matthew and I read in chapter 13 about how the gospel must be preached to all nations before the second coming. It´s something very simple, but the more I read the more I recognize how many of the prophesies are coming to pass right now as we speak. The more I read, the more I know the church is true. 

March 9, 2015

Summary:

This week we found some less active members that live in our sector that we'd never met with before! About half the people we contact seem to be baptized and not active in the church, The good news is four of them were very receptive this week and told us they have desires to go back to church! Woohoo! 

We also had the chance to go to the temple with a recent convert, Cata, and the baptismal and confirmation ordinances for her grandma. It was a beautiful experience. I've never been good at doing family history work the way I should but now I have a testimony of it that's firmer than ever. 

Spiritual:

After the baptismal ordinance for her grandma, Cata told me she felt the spirit of her grandma present. She said she never remembered much of her grandma because she died when Cata was a little girl. She remembered something so clear, the exact for of her grandma saying I love you in a way that she never could have remembered on her own.

Funny:

This week there was a full moon. When I looked up at it, I saw a frowny face. I pointed it out to my companion and she said she saw it too. Later I heard some sniffling and I looked over and she was crying because the moon was sad! haha She's so sweet and has a very tender heart. 

We went to Santa Lucia again to go up the stairs and see the top of the city.

Got your Valentine's package and I love it! It's the best.  I cracked up at all your notes and especially at the picture of Mickelle with the lollipop! 

My roommates got me some sushi and a heart shaped brownie and wrote me cards for my 5 months in the mission mark. haha they're so great.

The temple with Cata!

March 2, 2015

Summary:

School is starting here, so finally people are coming back from their vacations! We found one new investigator this week and have been contually contacting and trying to find new people to teach. We´re also working with three recent converts on their family history, and two of them have names ready in their family to be baptized! 

Spiritual:

We found one new investigator this week. We found her in the Area Book as an ancient investigator and for no particular reason we felt we should pass by. She answered the gate and said that every time the missionaries have stopped by it has been a time of desperation for her. She said because of the experience of us passing by, she knew that God was watching over her. 

Funny:

My companion is from a part of Peru that apparently has really nice weather all the time. It rained here in Santiago one night (woohoo!) and the following morning it was still a little bit stormy. We were walking down the street and some thunder sounded. Next thing I know my companion jumps and bear-hugs me and says in Spanish "WHAT IS THAT?!" hahah She had never heard thunder before.