Enero 3, 2011

This past week was really, really good. Especially Friday--Sunday. On Thursday we increased our commitment to be exactly obedient, to not even let the small things slip, and the Lord blessed us immensely. He used us to find SEVEN new investigators. Now the trick'll be KEEPING them all. Not letting any slip through the cracks, things like that. But I love these people already. They're all so different... It's interesting how everyone's life has taught them different things. I know I've already said this, but it's SO TRUE.... The Holy Ghost is the ONLY One who knows them intimately and perfectly and can communicate through us to these people exactly what they need. It's a big responsibility to make sure we're the clean, willing, loving, at least somewhat knowledgeable vessels through which He can do that.

We found one lady by going out earlier than usual. We decided that I would do my language study when we came back to the apt. that night and to go out at 10 a.m. :) We went to talk to a potential investigator named Virginia (veer-hin-ee-uh) at a Mexican store, but she wasn't there. We were about to leave when some crazy zebra shoes caught my comp's eye and she window shopped for a second. The lady inside opened the door and said, "Well, come in!" and then she said it in Spanish to my companion. Spanish always makes us perk our ears because you really have to search for the Spanish in JC. So we went into the store. At first I just wanted to get out of the store because it wasn't pday... but there wasn't anybody in the store and she said it was fine to sit down with her and "talk about the Bible". So we sat there behind the front desk and taught her! We talked about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration, mostly. She's from Columbia and speaks English with a Jamaican accent and obviously fluent Spanish.... even though she looks like she's from Kenya.
Then there's Miss Faye. We volunteer with her at the food pantry every Thursday, service day, and she lives in a senior apt. complex. We visited her and taught the Restoration. She's sweet. She's from Ireland, has the accent and all. :) I think for now she passes us off as extra-religious-young-people haha and ya know she says how she appreciates that there are still some young people who are religious because all the stuff she hears the kids say today is..... yeah. Not exactly "God-fearing".
Mary is the daughter-in-law of Sis. H. in the ward. Apparently she had a good friendship with a couple of sisters a few years ago, but she said they mostly just talked with her and were her friends but didn't teach her formal lessons, etc. We got to know her, shared a message about the Book of Mormon, and gave her the same challenge our mission pres. gave us to read the Book of Mormon in 60 days (about 10 pages a day if YOU guys wanna do it!!) and she accepted. :) She's a great person, very friendly. She and Sis. H. talked about their trip to England.... where they visited MANCHESTER AND YORKSHIRE and London.... I was all sorts of excited/envious/hanging on their every word haha. Someday, I tell you, someday...... I WILL do a study abroad in London.... Anyway.....
Marina is the friend of a less-active, Cristina. She said she wonders what the correct religion is and is apprehensive about joining the wrong one. She's currently Catholic. It's super hard to find her, get a hold of her, but we are definitely not letting her go. She actually came to sacrament yesterday (and brought her son!) and I had a strong prompting to bear my testimony. While we were sitting there, I just wanted so badly to be able to share with them what I know and feel because I'm usually not able to do it in lessons as easily. I got up and bore my testimony with all my heart to them, hoping that somehow they'd open their hearts to the Spirit that the sacrament meeting holds, to let it touch them so that they might have the desire to investigate more...
After the meeting, the way they looked at me changed. The way they talked changed. In a good way. I could tell that they had felt the Holy Ghost during that meeting, at some point, and that they could tell from the testimonies they heard from the wonderful members of the branch, that there's something different about this church. I hope that doesn't die. I hope it grows and grows.........

Well, we have more new investigators, great ones that we ... ugh... the feeling that comes is so hard to describe.
But I'm thankful for the extra measure of Spirit Heavenly Father gives His missionaries. For the opportunity to be used in His hands for the welfare of my brothers and sisters. It's so humbling and motivates you to be the best you can because it's someone else that is involved and you LOVE them because he/she is your brother/sister. And to claim that I love Christ, my Savior and Friend, I must love all men and women.

I hope everyone is well. My companera is sick right now and I'm doing my best to use what little nursing experience I have to take care of her. :)
And yes, transfers are tomorrow... but I don't think either of us are leaving. Neither of us will allow it haha.