Dear Loved Ones -
Que pasa, calabaza?
Second week in the field, still going strong!!
So much has happened this week! Feel truly blessed, because this week, we met and exceeded our goals!!
But allow me to expand: so, this Tuesday, we met an old man by the name of Jose Salvidar. He didn't believe in any one church, saying that all churches claim to have all the truth, but none of them do. He said that all these people in the street say "Yo soy profeta, yo soy profeta," but none of them really are. We told him, "Exactly! You know, in 1820, a 14-year old boy named Joseph Smith had the same questions you do." We then had a very good Restoration lesson.
We then went to see a long-time investigator of Hermana Martin's. She told us she'd found an apartment in El Paso, but that she wanted to visit her family in Juarez first. Her visa's expired, so we're not sure if she's gonna make it back across the border.
We went to visit the Sidas. Hermana Sida was cooking fish.
"You sisters want some fish?"
"No, we're good, Hermana."
*hands us each a heaping plateful of fish, veggies, and chile*
"Here's your fish."
"...Thanks, Hermana."
I fear something may have gotten lost in the translation, there. :) Hermano Sida is less active, and they have two deacon-teacher-age sons, Jose and Seth. We asked Hno Sida what he did for work. He told us he fixes motors on trailers. We asked how a motor works. I asked for him to explain in VERY SMALL WORDS, palabras mas pequenos. He complied, explaining the principle of combustion. We listened for understanding, then challenged him to come up with an analogy of how faith or other gospel principles were like a motor. He laughed, but I sure hope he takes the assignment seriously.
Because P-days were switched to Mondays the Day I got here, Hermana Martin thought it was Wednesday. We went to our usual wednesday lunch appointment with Linda Harper, a funny old lady. It turned out to be a blessing, because of the following:
Wednesday, we had two hours of Service in the morning and couldn't make it. We did service at a food pantry, (it was a get-back-on-your-feet-style pantry), stocking shelves and refrigerators. Turns out Hna Jackson from another district actually worked a similar job before coming out to serve her mission. She became the leader.
We took Hermana Reza, a YW leader, and went to visit Nancy. We read 2 Nefi 9 with her, and testified of the power of reading every day. We then went to visit Marta Sanchez.
Let me explain a little about this house: you walk in the door, and the first thing you see is a glass table secured atop a shiny black stone jaguar. Your eyes travel up to see that this table, along with the back wall, is covered - covered - with porcelain figurines. There were many more little jaguars, of different shapes and sizes. There were angels, cats, flowers, you name it. And what I thought was a giant mirror on the wall behind the couch? Was the other room. With just as much porcelain figurines. I thought to myself, go figure! :-) That was a little joke. Chiste!
Because service was in the morning, Language Study and Training were in the afternoon. We went to a park. We then went to see Nalleli, pronounced N-eye-ell-ee. She was very sweet - as we taught the message of the Restoration of the Gospel, the spirit strongly testified to her that it was true. She'd already read the scriptures, up to 1 Nefi 4. We challenged her to baptism, and she said yes!!!
Wednesday night was the Ward Missionary Activity, a monthly occurance. All the members went out to less-active members' houses to confirm 1) that they still lived there, and 2) that they could come to church on Sunday.
Thursday was a day of MILAGROS porque I kid you not, EVERY DOOR OPENED TO US! Every investigator or potential or less active we sought was home! We were able to make appointments and make contact. It was awesome!
We visited Jahayra. Her dog was a crazy ball of Energy, bouncing of the walls, literally, and bounding from person to person in a happy frenzy. He reminded me of an Elder Slaugh I knew in the MTC, especially when he growled, burrgh. (the dog equivalent of pouting) :-) We taught a lesson on Chastity. She agreed to be baptized on Noviembre the 27th! The reason it's so far out, is that she needs to get married before she can be baptized.
After dinner, we met with Cynthia, a woman with four kids who smokes. We wanted to teach the Word of Wisdom, but didn't end up having enough time. We were only there for 7 or 8 minutes, so we simply testified of the blessings of attending church, reading, praying, and being baptized, and challenged her to do all those things.
We then had another Milagro. Valeria, who has a baptismal date set for Diciembre 17, told us that she and her less-active boyfriend, Nefi, had started to read the Book of Mormon together as a family!!! We were overjoyed and as we went over Lesson Three with them, they basically taught us, they were so in tune with the Spirit! It was awesome!
At the end of the night we visited Mariana. She's a less-active member; she's 30, but looks 18. She works as a nurse practitioner in the Hospital Del Sol, literally right next door to the church. She expressed to us how much she missed going to church, and promised if her work schedule allowed, we would see her there! We didn't end up seeing her, so I guess it didn't allow, but at least she has that desire!
Friday was Zone Training. It was awesome- really motivated us to work harder. As it happens, Jose Salvidar believes in reincarnation. We testified that we have a purpose, and being recycled lifetime after lifetime was not it. He hasn't agreed to be baptized yet, but he did agree to a return appointment.
AAAAND that's all we have time for this week. Tune in next time to hear more adventures from...
The Mission Log! Mission: Baptize! The Final Countdown! . . . (Name suggestions would be awesome. :)
Love, love, love,
Hermana Smurthwaite
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