Whoa. It's so weird that I've been doing this zebra thing for 4 weeks. I think it's getting easier. I think my Spanish is getting better. And I think I have a little more confidence. But then someone yells at me for not understanding them, and the confidence goes down the toilet again. But I'm working on it!
Let's see, this week was AWESOME!!!! As a district we had a goal to find 2 new people to teach per companionship. Sis. Behr and I found....wait for it.... 4 NEW PEOPLE TO TEACH!!! And they seem pretty promising too! I'm excited to follow up with them. And my district met and exceeded our goal! Oh man, the church is so true!!!
Here's my favorite part of the week, maybe even my favorite part of the mission. One of the new investigators we got was a referral from a member. We went to the house, and learned that the lady, Caridad (it means Charity :), is a care taker for elderly people that need 24-hour care, like people with Alzheimer's. We sat at a table with her and a few of the people. I asked her how she met the member that referred her, and she said the man comes to visit one of the people she cares for. She said the man she cares for is a Mormon, served a mission, and has family that live here and go to church. I heard her say his name and realized who he is. There's a sister in the ward who has a husband with Alzheimer's. I knew that he wasn't doing very well, doesn't really remember her, and lived in another home so that someone else could care for her. I've never asked her about him, because I know it's hard for her. Anyway, I realized that this man I was sitting across from was her husband, and I could tell he wasn't doing very well. But then he started singing "Se que vive mi Senor" and then "Tengo Gozo en mi Alma hoy". So I pulled out my hymn book and sang with him. He remembered all the words and loved it. I thought about the Restoration of the Gospel, and asked if he remembered Jose Smith, he said he did. I was reciting the first vision, and one time when I paused, he said the next words. At the end I was talking about having a prophet now, and he said it was Pres. Hinckley. I told him that it's actually Pres. Monson now, because Pres. Hinckley passed away. I have a book that has a buncha gospel photos in it so I pulled it out and Caridad was looking through it. There's a picture of the Salt Lake City Temple, and he thought it was the Orlando Temple, but I told him it was in Utah, and he said it was the Salt Lake City temple. I asked if he was sealed in Orlando and if he remembered it. He said he did. I sang another hymn with him, and Caridad said he was more calm than usual with us there. I know that the church is true, even if it's just because a man that can hardly remember his family or his life before knows that it's true. I know that he can remember all those things because they are true. I loved it so much. I can't even explain how incredible it was to meet him.
The day before this happened, we had that sister at a lesson with us, with Emilio! He's not married, but he has 2 kids, and lives with their mom as if he's married. He doesn't want to marry her legally, because she has Chrome's disease, and he's afraid that he'll have to pay more for her treatments, because right now the government pays for most of it. We taught him about the Law of Chastity, and thought it was ridiculous that girls that could be his daughters were teaching him about being chaste. But having that sister with us was great. She talked about her husband, and how important it is for them to be sealed in the temple. She doesn't know why they are going through this trial, but she knows there's something she needs to learn from it. She also told him about the finances of it, and that helped a lot. He said he'd think and pray about it, and I hope he'll act on the answer he gets.
Thanksgiving is coming up! Here are the 3 things I'm most grateful for this year:
1- The Plan of Salvation!!! If we can understand that plan, we will know what we need to do here, we'll have hope for what happens when we die, and I feel such joy and peace about the future. I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!
2- The way I grew up- I'm realizing a lot, with being in homes of broken families, seeing all the heartbreak that comes from divorce and bad parenting, and I've gained a better appreciation for my parents and siblings that taught me a lot, but in the way that God intended. I wish that everyone could have been raised the way I was.
3- The MISSION (obviously...)- I don't think I could have ever learned all of this without the mission. I can't imagine life without all these experiences I've already gained, and what I'll yet learn here in Florida. I wish everyone would serve a mission!
Les amo tanto!!!! Muchisimos gracias por las oraciones y cartas! (especialmente las cartas ;)
Vayan con Dios!
Hermana Despain
No comments:
Post a Comment