Dear Family & Friends,
I think I can honestly say these past two weeks have been the best of my life thus far. Sister H. and I have seen so many miracles, our days have been so full, and we have been just loving these people.
So it is really difficult to say goodbye to her in a few days… she is going to TN, which is apparently pretty country so that will be fun for her, and as for me I’m getting a brand new missionary that I get to train here in the best place in the world. So excited.
People I care about and a few miracles
La familia R. – we showed up last week way earlier than usual because of some scheduling conflicts without telling them and to our great surprise and joy, their son M. opened the door! We love him and his daughter and just had a wonderful time talking about Jesus Christ over Peruvian cheese and popcorn. He asked us to give him reading assignments to whip him into shape to start reading and we are so excited to be a part of his life.
La familia D. – So this is an awesome story. About two weeks ago we first talked to a young guy D. as he was walking out of his car. He grabbed some chairs and we had an epic first lesson. Then we come back, he’s not there but get this his brother J. is there and we have a great conversation in the door and give him another Book of Mormon. We come back a third time and everyone is partying inside but J. invites his whole family to stop and listen so we have a crazy but awesome lesson. Then we teach J. and D.’s sister M. and her boyfriend J. with their mother M. They tell us to come back every day. We teach J.,M., J. and D. the next time and ask them to read the plan of salvation pamphlet. We come back yesterday and M. hands us a paper of all the questions and answers they found in the scriptures together and they stayed up until 3am doing it and she didn’t want to stop! We had a fantastic lesson and then stayed for dinner with homemade tortillas, Chile relleno, arroz, y flan. They just made us a part of their family and I love, love, love, love, them. In the end we sang songs and played guitar and their kids begged us to come back for dinner tomorrow.
D.!!!! – D., a woman I wrote about from England whose door Sister M. and I knocked on is getting baptized she had been “taught” by sisters in the past but really started to take it seriously when we came. She didn’t like church at first but we promised her that it is a place where the spirit can be felt if she is open to it and here it is God really does back up our promised, when we’re not there to see them be fulfilled
E. F. – an absolute miracle. We went to the bank to cash a check and the English/Spanish teller read my name tag and was curious about who we were and what we do. We awkwardly spewed out a couple points from the Restoration and then gave him our number and HE called US that night. That never happens! We met up at a his pizza joint and talked for hours about all his questions about religion, our lives, him growing up in Central America, his dreams to do good and give back in the world, our dreams. He is so intelligent and wonderful- It was so nice. We walked out beaming ear to ear. And he’s already started reading the Book of Mormon
At the D.’s last night I asked them the question before we really got into our lesson on the plan of salvation what is joy? They responses ranged but mostly centered on family and learning about God. In the end they told us that what we were doing right there with them was joy. They thanked us for our sincerity and honesty and told us they were feeling something they hadn’t felt in 20 years. That was joy. I know that joy comes from God. Joy isn’t a fleeting sensation though it was so intense last night. Joy comes from learning about and knowing our part in God’s plan, and then making it happen by serving Him and reaching out to his children in need. Paint a bright spot in your heart for me and do something for someone else today!
Hermana W
and Sister H
(written by Hermana W)