Alrighty, so I'm just going to get
right down to it! Of course it was a great week, but this time I did a better
job writing down in my journal what happened so that way I could remember to
tell ya'll!
Ok so first off...we are working with la familia Montoya. Missionaries have been eating dinner with them for a pretty long time because their son has been on the verge of baptism since like august. However, everyone has been too afraid of grandpa and dad to actually teach them anything, which is understandable because they are basically the epitome of what is called "mauchista" (AKA intense man pride), but last time we met with them the dad decided to stay and listen - miracle! Then he had TONS of questions, (that's always a good sign) and not just any questions but like questions of the soul! We literally spent 2 hours with him teaching the Plan of Salvation (during a huge lightning storm which added a nice effect) just answering all of his questions. His main question right now is "If we lived with God before this life, why do we need to leave just to come back to him?" He doesn't get why this life is necessary. Any unique insights they would be appreciated:) His other questions are "how do we know what is really good and what is bad?" And "what was the point of the pre-mortal life?", like what things we did there and stuff. It was literally one of the best teaching experiences I've had yet!! My very favorite part was when he asked me specifically why "all this" (he gestured to all of my little drawings of the plan) is so important to me. Then I literally just felt a rush of the spirit as it worked through me to bear the purest most powerful testimony I could about how important and precious our knowledge of the Plan of Salvation is. then afterwards there was just this silence....ah! I try to describe these moments over email and it just can't be described with words!! Amazing.
Also this week when we went and visited Tanya and she hurried and opened the door for us, then ran over and grabbed the herbal tea to show us and tells us proudly how she has officially given up coffee:) Smoking is still a different story..BUT she said that week she never smoked a whole pack, and that's less then she's done in years! And she's going to the doctor to get a special patch and medication to help her stop! It's still a long road but her progress is so much more then we had hoped for. Also she came to church on Sunday and loved it!
Another cool little story...So we have been teaching Bianca ever since I got here. She's very interested but her situation is complicated by the fact that her husband is a devout Jehovah's Witness (I think I might have already told this one..). We have been trying to get him more involved with our lessons, and we were suuuuper stoked when he said that he would let us come over and have a noche de hogar with them on Monday! So we pulled out all the stops! We found the perfect scriptures for him, we invited our ward mission leader and his wife to come, we even baked them m&m cookies! Then we show up on Monday night with all of that and at first we were super excited because we walk in and Bianca had cleaned the whole house and the kids were all there and everything. Yay! Usually our investigators never clean up for us so that's saying something! So we go in and get ready to start, and we ask her where her husband is, and she tells us "oh...I don't think he wants to come..." I was crushed. This was our one chance. And so far everything had gone perfect, but if he wasn't going to be there then what's the point? Well we decided to just go along with our plans, we sang and the Zamora's bore some awesome testimony, then we turned on Finding Faith in Christ (which was the movie su esposo said he wanted to see), and as we were watching it I just said a little prayer. "Heavenly Father please just at least let him hear a part of it from his room." Then literally a minute later he moves slowly in to get a drink, then he pulls up a chair and sits through the whole rest of the movie!! Coincidence? I think not! He left again once we it finished, but he had to at least have felt something. I know God answers prayers. That is a testimony I know I will always have :)
I'm still frustrated with my thinning hair and with how difficult it is to get access to any health information that I need. I know I shouldn't care so much but the fact that I haven't felt legitimately pretty in so long has affected me.
In other new, to round out our week, we did 14 hours of service this week picking up trash in a distribution center which was sooo fun! (Haha the things I never thought I would say in life...) We rode about 15 miles on our bikes, and had an awesome exchange with our sister training leaders! Pretty good times!:) Love ya'll!
<3hermana bonny
Ok so first off...we are working with la familia Montoya. Missionaries have been eating dinner with them for a pretty long time because their son has been on the verge of baptism since like august. However, everyone has been too afraid of grandpa and dad to actually teach them anything, which is understandable because they are basically the epitome of what is called "mauchista" (AKA intense man pride), but last time we met with them the dad decided to stay and listen - miracle! Then he had TONS of questions, (that's always a good sign) and not just any questions but like questions of the soul! We literally spent 2 hours with him teaching the Plan of Salvation (during a huge lightning storm which added a nice effect) just answering all of his questions. His main question right now is "If we lived with God before this life, why do we need to leave just to come back to him?" He doesn't get why this life is necessary. Any unique insights they would be appreciated:) His other questions are "how do we know what is really good and what is bad?" And "what was the point of the pre-mortal life?", like what things we did there and stuff. It was literally one of the best teaching experiences I've had yet!! My very favorite part was when he asked me specifically why "all this" (he gestured to all of my little drawings of the plan) is so important to me. Then I literally just felt a rush of the spirit as it worked through me to bear the purest most powerful testimony I could about how important and precious our knowledge of the Plan of Salvation is. then afterwards there was just this silence....ah! I try to describe these moments over email and it just can't be described with words!! Amazing.
Also this week when we went and visited Tanya and she hurried and opened the door for us, then ran over and grabbed the herbal tea to show us and tells us proudly how she has officially given up coffee:) Smoking is still a different story..BUT she said that week she never smoked a whole pack, and that's less then she's done in years! And she's going to the doctor to get a special patch and medication to help her stop! It's still a long road but her progress is so much more then we had hoped for. Also she came to church on Sunday and loved it!
Another cool little story...So we have been teaching Bianca ever since I got here. She's very interested but her situation is complicated by the fact that her husband is a devout Jehovah's Witness (I think I might have already told this one..). We have been trying to get him more involved with our lessons, and we were suuuuper stoked when he said that he would let us come over and have a noche de hogar with them on Monday! So we pulled out all the stops! We found the perfect scriptures for him, we invited our ward mission leader and his wife to come, we even baked them m&m cookies! Then we show up on Monday night with all of that and at first we were super excited because we walk in and Bianca had cleaned the whole house and the kids were all there and everything. Yay! Usually our investigators never clean up for us so that's saying something! So we go in and get ready to start, and we ask her where her husband is, and she tells us "oh...I don't think he wants to come..." I was crushed. This was our one chance. And so far everything had gone perfect, but if he wasn't going to be there then what's the point? Well we decided to just go along with our plans, we sang and the Zamora's bore some awesome testimony, then we turned on Finding Faith in Christ (which was the movie su esposo said he wanted to see), and as we were watching it I just said a little prayer. "Heavenly Father please just at least let him hear a part of it from his room." Then literally a minute later he moves slowly in to get a drink, then he pulls up a chair and sits through the whole rest of the movie!! Coincidence? I think not! He left again once we it finished, but he had to at least have felt something. I know God answers prayers. That is a testimony I know I will always have :)
I'm still frustrated with my thinning hair and with how difficult it is to get access to any health information that I need. I know I shouldn't care so much but the fact that I haven't felt legitimately pretty in so long has affected me.
In other new, to round out our week, we did 14 hours of service this week picking up trash in a distribution center which was sooo fun! (Haha the things I never thought I would say in life...) We rode about 15 miles on our bikes, and had an awesome exchange with our sister training leaders! Pretty good times!:) Love ya'll!
<3hermana bonny
Hey Sierra! it's Jenny! I have loved reading your posts and seeing how much you are blessing the lives of others. I'm so happy your mission has been such an amazing experience - you rock!! Also- you are beautiful NO MATTER WHAT- and I'm not just saying that because I'm your aunt. :) Can't wait to see you in a few months!!!
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