Monday, March 24, 2014

Monday, March 3, 2014

WHAT A WONDERFUL WEEK!

What a wonderful week!!  And here we are in March :)  I can´t hardly believe it.  The months fly by!
It truely has been a week of miricles and blessings.  Its been a week that has strengthened my testimony in the power of fasting and prayer, and that God answers our prayers in his own due times. I share with you these moments because I want you to know of the miricles that God has permitted me to see in the mission.  
The week started out with the long trip to Guapelis to do divisions.  I went to  Guapelis and my companion went to Pococi (my old area).  When I called my comp to see where we were going to meet up, she told me- Wait one second, there is someone that wants to talk to you...  She passed the phone to a man named Carlos Salazar.  I met this man about a few days before I was transfered out of my last area.  He was sitting on a bench and I went and sat next to him.  We started talking and he told me that he was an inactive member of the church... for 22 years.  He actually was a member of the Bishopric.  For reasons of being offended and certain things that happen he inactivated and went back to his old lifestyle... drinking, drugs... you name it.  I was extremely forward with him that night.  Very direct in what he needed to change in his life... and then I was transfered out of my area.  
He proceeded to tell me that since that night that I talked to him that he is an active member in the church... a full tith payer.  He told me that in all of his time being inactive he knew that the church was true... and he called me his Savior.  He thanked me tellling me the many blessings that he had recieved for coming back to the church... He leaves with the missionaries everyweek- and gives them references weekly.  
I sat down and cried.  I cannot even explain in words the joy that one can feel knowing that someone has come back.  That they have used their free agency that Heavenly Father gave them to choose to change their life.  To only be an instrument in the hands of God- even though at times it is hard, and feel like you dont even make a dent, is what God needs of us.
Another lesson that I have been learning in my mission is not to get frustrated with those that have callings.  Really they have been called of God, and it is our job to help them fulfill their calling.  We have been a little frustrated with the lack of help that we have recieved from our ward mission leader... so we have changed our attitude and we are learning how to support him.  Its flipped 180.  He left with us on Sunday- and it was a wonderful experience for all.  
Haha... we had a funny experience as well in one of our lessons this week.   Well first off we are teaching a family.  Norman, Gabriela, Norma, Gabriel, and Andres (yes, they got real creative with the names...)  They are wonderful!! I think they are teaching us more that we are teaching them!  We invited them to baptism the first lesson... but the whole family wasnt there . And so they said they wouldnt make a decision without the whole family together because the head of the family (norman) needed to make the decision so that the rest could follow.  So in the second lesson we were teaching the book of mormon.  Norman kept asking us questions like- how do i know if this is real or not?  And before we could even answer him his wife stepped in and said- you need to read it and pray!  The Holy Ghost will let you know.    haha   So at the end of the lesson we challenged them to be baptized... at the end of the question he just sat and looked at us............ then said- I didnt understand the question.......... and then looked at his wife.. hahahaha we all couldnt stop laughing.  It was so  obvious that he wanted her aproval.  haha I dont know if the story is as funny told as when we were there but all of us couldnt stop laughing.  But they accepted the invitation to be baptized... Its going to be tough to give up their coffee... she tried and it gave her nausia and she was throwing up... so pray for them!!!
Also....  Alex.  Do you remember Alex?  the jew adventista.  Well he has been progressing... but at the same time he hasnt.  But this last week in our lesson we asked him if he believed that the book of mormon was true.  He paused.  And shook his head yes.  Then proceeded to show us a few verses from the bible- 
John 20 - 
 30 ¶And many other asigns truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not bwritten in this book:
John 21 -
 25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be awritten every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the bbooks that should be written. Amen.
It is truely a miracle.  And this Sunday he stayed the whole time in church.  Another testimony to me that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. 
Also Morgan.... a 15 year old boy that we have been working with for a while.  Finally got permission from his father to be baptized... and after clearing up a few doubts... finally feels ready!  In our lesson with him he called his cousin to ask him to baptized him- and he just started crying.  It was a tender moment.
And Vilma has started reading as well!! she said that she feels  a surity.  a peace that she cant describe when she is reading the book of mormon as well as other words from living prophets.  She is pretty timid, and so she is a little scared about her baptism- so pray for her! And that she can find a job!
I am truely grateful to my Heavely Father that I have this time to be a missionary.  I love being a part of his work.  I love my area- having the opportunity to serve in Moravia has truely been a blessing.  I love my companion.  I love my family.  And I love this Gospel.  
Love,
Hermana Anderson