This past week has been a bit different but really good,
nonetheless. Saturday, Elder Silva had members and non-members from his last area
come down for his Birthday. We were taken out to eat lunch at a Colombian
Restaurant and then later that night German and Marisol (2 investigators) took
us out to Ruth Chris..... Let's just say the steak and calamari was the best I
have ever tasted in my entire life. I love those two people so much. They
are a blast and some of the most giving, and loving people ever. German has had
a very interesting life and is one of the most knowledgeable person I have met,
as well as one of the most loving. Words cannot come close to describe them. It
was a blast!
This last week we picked up 2 new investigators. One of them was a
really weird first visit though. We had an appointment with Josseline who
is an inactive member whose information we got from her brother who is also
inactive. We called her and set up an appointment. We went to what we
"thought" was her house, afterwards realizing we put in the address
to a referral we got for a potential investigator. We knocked the door and this lady
yelled out from the 4th floor, "Who dare?!" we answered and she
yelled back asking who we were looking for and so we said Josseline and she
replied saying, " Oh, she be in da back of da house, fourf flah," so we
went around and started walking up which seemed to be an endless flight of
stairs. It was really weird and I have never seen so many doors in a house in
my entire life. Anyway, we get to the door and knock; she opens it and told us
to come in and how she has been waiting for us to come. The part that threw Elder Silva and I off was that she was Dominican and
looked nothing like her brother, so we sat inside and got to know her. She
had a Gospel Principles book she had marked like crazy and loved reading. In the
mean time, Silva and I are just stumped trying to put everything together not
really sure who on earth this lady was. It was one of the most awkward and
hilarious times on my mission. I was so confused. Despite all this confusion it
was still a great visit and now we have a return appointment with her this
Thursday which should be fun. She loves learning and seems to have been prepared
to hear the gospel, so it will be fun working with her.
One of the other great
experiences this last week was with Neftali who we haven't been able to meet
with for a few weeks. We went in thinking we were going to be teaching him the
Restoration, but the Lord had something different in store for him. The Spirit
was so strong and what happened that night Elder Silva nor I cannot take credit
for. As we listened to the Spirit we stayed on the point of Gods love, asked
him if he's ever felt it before. He said yes, but it has been a long time. The
question then came, do you want to feel it again? He said yes. I dont know how
to really explain everything that happened, but there was a lot of opposition.
It was all guided carefully by the Spirit. We go to the point where we asked
him to pray, so he can feel that love. He said he didn't feel ready for it. Then
as we asked more questions (I have no clue what they were) the next thing I
know we are just promising him so many things and testifying to him about his
potential as a Son of God and many other things. He said for some reason he
felt angry, and all these other things, that night; not toward us, but just felt
angry inside. It was at this point he asked if we could just come back because
of how bad he was feeling inside. I wasn't going to give up on him and
especially let him feel worse after meeting with us. It was very clear that
night that Satan and others where there bringing that opposition. Through
persistence, and being guiding by the Spirit, we were able to eventually give
him a blessing. I was able to be the one to be the instrument in the Lords
hands and be the mouthpiece for the blessing. The whole experience was one that
I will not forget and one that I am grateful that I was able to experience.
Through persistence, love and the Spirit we were able to help him to feel peace
and the Love that God has for him. It was a remarkable experience and one I am
not too sure I should explain more about. I am so grateful for the Priesthood
and that it has been restored on the earth for our use in blessing the lives of
others.
Our Gospel Principles class was jam packed yesterday! We had 10
or 11 people in it! Six of them were non-members!
On friday we had a wedding for
Hna Estrada who is one of the most amazing members ever. It was at the branch
building and she made it a missionary focused wedding which was pretty
cool. There were about 26 or 27 non-members there.
This week has gone by so
quick and was jammed with so many different things it is hard to express
everything, so sorry if it is all over the place. I am stoked because tomorrow
I get to study with President Packard and sleep over at the Mission Home because my
companion is having knee surgery. It will be a cool experience.
This
last week I finally feel that all that the Lord has been teaching me over the
years is starting to sink in and make sense. It is interesting how it seems
like it is at the end of the mission that EVERYTHING starts to make sense about
how to do things.
I am so grateful for our loving Father in Heaven and his Son
Jesus Christ. I know that they are all merciful, loving and have special plans
for each of us to accomplish in our lives. I know that through them ALL things
are possible. I am so grateful for what they have allowed me to learn and come
to know. I leave these things with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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