So, since I got to talk to you for Mother's Day I don't think there is much I
can really say more, but for everyone else, and just in case I didn't share
it with you, I will go over some of the experiences this last week.
First of all, the mission is so AWESOME! I love it! It is
extremely hard work and can bring some of the lowest lows, but also some of the
highest highs. It breaks my heart when people truly don't understand the gospel
and the importance of it because they don't act on the words we teach them and
do what they need to do to find out. On the other hand, when they do and when
they receive those answers for themselves, there is no greater joy than that for
me.
This last week was a pretty good week. It was my companion's B-day on Wed.,
so we went out to eat as a district at a wing place and had a good time.
This
week during our free time before bed, after we get ready for the next day, we
have been trying to teach one of the Elders living with us a thing or two, so he
can get back from his mission and start dating (since he hasn't before and is
going home soon), so that has been a lot of fun. Along with that, we were able to
finally meet with Alma, Milena, and have one for sure new investigator
and two potential. One's name is Ana, who I might have talked about last week. The
others are Malgo (spelling unsure) and the other is Eva.
The meeting with Alma went pretty well. We shared the
Jeffrey R. Holland talk about the "first and great comm." and felt we
need to be bold with her, so we were and it went well. However, she is still
saying she needs to get baptized and will, but doesn't want to set a date. So it
is back to the drawing board and we are teaching her how to receive Personal
Revelation to help fuel her desires and try to help her understand that the gospel
isn't just about knowing the gospel, but also understanding it and the
importance of connecting what you know in your brain to your heart and soul (if
that makes sense).
Milena went to church and brought a friend which was really
nice and right then and there I shared the restoration with him in a nutshell. His name is Jose and we got his number and are going to try to meet with him this Wed.
with Milena and her mom.
Milena is doing good and is going to California at the end
of finals this week for about a week or two, so that means
we can finally meet with her now! We have only really met with Ana twice, once
for a Priesthood Blessing our first visit, for health, and the second we taught.
She went to the Mother's Day activity on Sat. and loved it and took her
grandson. I will talk a little more about the activity later. She has a
baptismal date on the 26th of this month and said she has been looking for
something for awhile and thinks she has found it.
Malgo, I think is what he
said his name was or Malo (it was hard to understand him because he was drunk). We met him
yesterday on Mother's Day on our way back home around 8ish for phone calls. He
called out to us and walked across the street. He said he needed help and
needed to change through Christ. He couldn't remember his address, so we walked
him home and he invited us in. We talked with him for a bit and he started to
cry a bit because he kept saying how he needed to change and wanted to. He
wants us to come over today at 6 and so we kept reminding him about 30 times when
we were with him about it. Then after this he gave us huge hugs and was so
grateful. It just goes to show you that it doesn't matter what state people are
in or where they are at in life, they can always tell the light from the dark.
It was a really cool experience and he seems like a very good guy.
The last one
I wanted to talk about is Eva. We met her actually like 2 weeks ago in Walmart (I don't think I have talked about her yet). It was funny too how we met her. We were
just in the cereal isle and we were in our proselyting clothes. This older man
thought we worked at Walmart and started asking Elder Hawks a bunch of
questions and he played along, which was way funny. Then Eva comes along and calls
out, "ELDERS!" She then says to me, "Wow, you have some muscles!" which was a
different way to start a conversation, lol, and then said, "I like you for some
reason." So, it was a bit awkward at first, but she is really, really cool and
funny.
Her story is that her dad or husband (not too sure) has dementia and was
super active in the church, but because of his condition doesn't go, but
still receives the sacrament every Sunday. She is not a member and had the
missionaries lived right next door to her. They taught her and she has read
the Book of Mormon already and says she likes some things about it and there
are things she doesn't like. Unfortunately, the sad part of this story is that
the missionaries who lived next to her didn't follow the rules and were not
living the way they should have. They also became to buddy, buddy with her and
so it is really bad. She doesn't know how that relationship should be, so she
was wanting to buy us tickets to a baseball game and all sorts of stuff. We
have a lot of work to do with her to try to correct that whole situation. So,
those were the people we have been meeting with and the rest is all less
actives and members. We are extremely busy.
So at the zoo this last week we were spray painting fencing
and digging holes. I also almost got grabbed by a lynx (well sort of), We were
digging to replace a water line and the lynx cage was behind us. Both of them
were chilling next to the fence and Dave(zoo worker) said they like to reach out
and grab through the fence, so pay attention. I lost my balance, but caught myself ( was
still a good distance away), but I looked back and they we on their hind legs
just waiting for me, haha. So, it was pretty funny, but guess you had to be there for that one.
We did service at Penny Lane, the thrift store, and this old lady started talking to us and so we told
her who we were, what we are doing and everything. She said that's nice and then
said how she hates it when people knock on her door, because it puts her on the
spot and she said she always says, "Look, I just changed religions for my husband
and I don't know anything about my own religion, so why would I want to learn
about yours?" She was really funny and really nice, so it was a nice little
encounter.
Then we planned a day a little badly because we accidently planned
two dinners. One was at 4 and the other at 6. That might not sound too bad, but
they loaded our plates with food, and might I add, these were not normal size plates!
They were huge, very deep plates filled to the max! The food was delicious as
always, but once you hit that wall you can't taste it any more. I got half way
done with the second dinner's plate and couldn't eat anymore without going into
an instant food coma. So, I asked for a bag and they were really nice about it and
then just beat ourselves up more because we didn't ask sooner! But, the visit
went really, really good and the people are amazing here. They are so loving,
and giving.
Yesterday on the way home from lunch with a member, it got really
windy and this guy had a bunch of Mother's Day stuff up for sale on the side of the road. We were about 5 feet away as we walked by when the next thing we know, there was this huge gust of wind and then I heard stuff fall. Without a thought, like so many others would do, we just turned back and helped him out. He was so grateful for the help. Before my mission I probably would have just kept walking on. It is just so cool for me to see how my companion and I, without even a thought, just
automatically react to situations and end up doing as Christ himself would do. We have so many
opportunities to serve and so many ways, it is awesome. Even just telling people
hi and asking them how they are doing uplifts them so much and me too.
Holidays are
awesome because it just provides us with another reason/way we can lift others up. We told every
woman we saw Happy Mother's Day and it was cool to see them light up, especially
since before (and this is funny to observe sometimes) how they see missionaries
coming and sometimes don't know what to do or how to act and so they try to
avoid us doing all sorts of weird, totally noticeable things.
I love it here and
the people here are amazing not just members, but everyone. It is really cool to
see how as long as we are doing what we need to do the Lord puts people in our
path to uplift and He helps us find those whom he is preparing.
There have been
so many times were people just come up to us without us even seeing them and
they start talking to us and later tell us, "Ya know, I don't know what it
is or why I came over here, but I feel like I needed to hear what you have to say
and there is something different about you." Anyway, I can keep going on
and on about all the things that have happened, but these are just a few of them
and I need to get going.
I want to leave you with my testimony that I know that this
church is true and is the restored church of Jesus Christ on the earth today.
I
know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and translated the Book of Mormon through
the power of God.
I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that those who
read it and do as it directs will receive a witness of the truthfulness of
these things for themselves through the Holy Ghost.
I know that God is the same
yesterday, today and forever and because he is the same, he loves us more than
we can comprehend and wants the very best for us. As a loving parent guides and
teaches a child he does so for us through prophets, the bible, the Book of
Mormon, and through prayer.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and that this is his
work and church on the earth today, and that knowledge becomes engraved deeper
and deeper in my heart and soul every passing day as I see my prayers answered
and see the lives of others change for the better and receive Christ's light in
their countenances.
I know his invitation still stands to "come unto me..
and I will give you rest," and I know that as we do as he directs, to
"learn of me," we can come to know him and come to know that he truly
is the Only Begotten Son of God and our Savior and redeemer.
I testify of the
truthfulness of these things with all my soul and with an invitation to all to
put these things to the test and accept our Savior's invitation.
I say these
things in the name of our Lord, our Savior, even Jesus Christ, amen.
