Date
February 26, 2017
Area
Pleasant Grove South
Companion
Elder Lopez Medina
Another day another soul saved
Let's see, I'm going to try to keep this email summarized because I always spend most my email time on my one email, lol!
OK last Monday
Not much on Mondays just preparing for the week got some groceries, the Lord blessed me and Elder Lopez with two people who decided to give us twenty bucks each, so that was so awesome, the people really love us here. Elder Lopez likes to say we are Mickey Mouse here. I know it's cool and all, but we are only men with out our call, and its The Lord they are praising not us. Sister Clegg made us some lasagna, reminded me of all the times we would have real lasagna with the Calta family! Then we went out finding it was awesome. Here, neighborhoods are hard to tract, but trailer parks, trailer parks are were the elect are, the ones who are really the friendliest.... kind of lol. We then met with Homero, every time we meet with him, the spirit is crazy! He talked about how the church demands so much time, we explained why and the benefit of it, he said he was scared of all the changes he would have to make, I told him how I understood completely, and that was something I struggled with as a youth, and that yes it's a sacrifice, but it brings us a joy and a love that we can not get from any other activity and that the church still promotes us to have hobbies that help us enjoy the blessings of life. We then met with Francisco, our convert. He's so awesome, he loves us, and treats me like family. He said that he really misses us when we don't visit him. So, we are working on seeing him more.
Tuesday
Oh man today we did a whole bunch of planning and finding, I ended up getting mad at Elder Lopez because we haven't made time for my language study and 12 weeks training and role plays, I felt like I wasn't progressing, he felt like we could spend more time in the field working, because I'm so ahead on the language, but you know me, I'm so hard on my self, and feel like I need that time to learn more words, and go through role plays. So, we decided to get back on track with that, I feel bad, I'm always bossing Elder Lopez around, but he says that he likes it. Okay, so we went finding in another trailer park. Anyways we knocked on this one door, it was a whole family. But, it was a young couple Marcos and Aide, who listened to us. Aide is a Tongan girl who's family is members, and they have a young kid, they are young to have a kid. We know they need our message to help them out, they were super cool and super receptive, so that was awesome. Then we had Juan Carlos' wedding!! Finally we've been trying to get this guy married for weeks so he can follow the law of chastity and be baptized because he's ready Freddy!! It was awesome, even though I was the only gringo!
Wednesday
We went out early today, at 10. Went looking for Latinos in some apartments, tried to visit some members, but everyone was gone. Elder Lopez and I tried talking about movies that he's missed. It was awesome being able to torture him about the newest captain America movie. We went and looked for people and found some potential. We then finished up finding the Elect in this huge apartment neighborhood so when we have nothing to do we can go to the families we found. We had some appointments, but then prayed for people who were looking for our word. We visited a part member family, the Holders. The dad is not a member, but he's learning because his sons in Texas right now on a mission, he was super receptive! We went in there acting like we were just stopping by but then it turned into a lesson. He asked about prayer so we taught him, he said he wants to be baptized when his son is back, one whole year. So, instead we are going to try to get him baptized soon so he can go to the temple when his son gets back, good idea right?
Thursday
Oh no! Exchange day, we do exchanges with the zone leaders because Elder Lopez is district leader. Elder Lopez got Elder Vi (my favorite) and I got Elder Barbosa, a missionary who is truncky (slang for about to go home and does not want to work) this was the day I realized how blessed I am with Elder Lopez! I could not feel the spirit all day.... all freaking day! I could not speak Spanish. I went from being able to survive in conversation, to talking as much and less than a new born.... the whole day he talked about how his eyes wonder on the enemy (girls) he made me pay for lunch we got In-N-Out and he didn't even finish his food and got expensive stuff. We didn't do much, but we did meet this girl who really needed our message. We met a new family who was really nice. The whole day I felt bad, I went from such light to darkness, and I though it was something I did.
Friday
BACK WITH ELDER LOPEZ!!! I found out that it was being with Elder Barbosa that caused me to feel such darkness. The spirit was back, the gift of tongues was with me, and I was happy again! Weird right?? I quickly told Elder Lopez how lucky I was to be with him and he was so happy, we are becoming good friends. We have a great time, I started having fun with him and when he asks me about English words I tell him the wrong definition or tell him really bad words, lol. Later, I tell him the real meaning, of course. We planned for the week, and then had Ariel's baptism! Man, was that awesome! We gave the opportunity to a new Priest to baptize him. It was a good experience for both, and now Ariel has someone to look up to in his barrio, we learned that Latino time is real, and that everyone runs so late. After wards we didn't know where to go, we prayed and I had this super strong feeling to go to Armoniosa, so we did, and no one answered I got worried because I knew the spirit spoke to me, then bam! He answered and we made an appointment for tomorrow, then we felt like we should go to this house that denied us last time and a guy answered and he was the neighbor and he said he wanted to meet with us, boom two appointments! I know the spirit is really real guys, I am so glad I'm worthy to act through the spirit!!
Saturday
So Friday night I asked for opportunities to practice our priesthood and we did studies in the morning and I started with prayer I asked again for a chance to practice our priesthood, when I finished Elder Lopez asked me what I asked for, I told him, and he was like wow.... Elder the Sisters just texted us and they need a blessing ... holy cow! The Lord is really helping us out! Then we went out finding again, knocked on Marcos' door and his 19 year old brother answered. We shared a message, he was stressed and said he would meet with us! Boom! Another investigator! Then we had studies, we went to a second apartment complex, our appointment canceled but we prayed for someone to find. Elder Lopez wanted to stay, we did and a guy passed by. I blurted out, "Hello!" without thinking, he said hi. We kept walking then something told me, "hey talk." I asked him if he knew anyone who spoke Spanish. He did! Boom! Another appointment!
Then we went to another apartment complex, we knocked on this lady's door. Someone else answered and I didn't know why Elder Lopez didn't ask if she was interested. We knocked on some doors and one door stood out. Someone in the same area of that lady we talked to, we went to the car and I was like elder.... I can't stop thinking about that door, he said, "okay, let's go, you will never know what's behind that door unless we check." We go, no luck.... but he says hey maybe we have to talk to that lady. We went back, her husband answered and we got an appointment with him, then when we went back to the car, boom! A family stopped us and gave us a referral. The referrall was a lady who was catholic, but felt that it wasn't the right church for her and is looking into our church, boom! We got an appointment, and gave her a Book of Mormon (BOM). Holy cow! The Lord is really working with us, and preparing so many soul's. I'm so honored he finds us worthy to bring home his flock!
I know this work is nuts guys.... I can't tell you guys all the miracles that have happened, but they are real! The Lord loves each one of us, never forget that, He and our Savior are waiting for us to be willing to act! I hope that your week was fantastic!