Week 35: Ciao You Later
Hola mis amigos! This week had it's ups and downs, but I really think this next week can be amazing!
This week we had some mini miracles with new investigators. We were going through through the ward member list and visiting each house. One of them was a member who actually lived in the neighboring house to hermana Veronica and hermano Hugo. We knocked on the door and it was answered by his mother. She told us that her son had died in a tragic accident 7 years ago. We didn't have much time so we got to know her, hermana Luci, briefly and gave her a pamphlet on the Plan of Salvation. I felt that we should go back to followed up with her two days later. We went and this time the desde member's older sister, Sheila, opened the door. We had a lesson with her and she already knows a little bit about the church because of her brother and because his funeral had been held in our chapel. We have a lot of faith with her and know that your prayers will help her progress! We also hope that hermana Luci can join in the meetings, because she's usually taking care of her youngest son, Juan Manuel, who's 37 and has special needs. During our lessons with Sheila he's walk around with his small stick he keep in a vaccuum piece and unsheathes it repeatedly like a sword. He actually got a little physical with me and tried to push me out of my chair. He actually almost succeeded. But I can't help but look at him and feel the love that God has for him. My comp told me that I must have felt the spirit to go back to their house because he told me later that he didn't really feel like going back. I don't remember feeling anything strong, but I believe the spirit gently directs us to where we need to go if we're living righteously and not every feeling from the Holy Ghost is going to be a grand or even recognizable feeling, as is the case with this next story.
The other miracle is with hermana Leydi. She's an old investigator that I called 2 weeks ago or so. We had a mini lesson, but something prevented us from having a second call. I sent her a message one morning to see if we could schedule a other call. As Elder Cabrera and I were leaving hermano Hugo's house after having a short 20 minute BoM read, this women was passing by. I didn't recognize her, but she recognized us. It was hermana Leydi, and she recognized us from our WhatsApp profile picture that she had seen that morning but hadn't gotten back to us yet. And now instead of a call we had an in person lesson scheduled for Friday. We just happened to leave at the exact moment she was passing by. Any later or any sooner and we would have missed her. That and the text I sent that morning. I never felt any strong impression to do these things, but again I know that the Spirit was gently guiding us. The lesson ended up being canceled but we still got to contact with her in person. It was canceled because she forgot that the old couple who lives in the same house as her are Jehovah's Witnesses and they wouldn't let us in the house. (What's funny is that I literally bought ice cream from that couple a few hours before to give to hermano Hugo since I promised him ice cream and because Leydi's house is on the same street as Hugo and Sheila). But Leydi seems interested and also has some more family members that aren't members so we're going to have a super family home evening this week with her, hopefully Dante, and Sheila since we plan to invite her early this week, in the house of Hermana Veronica. She can be a huge help as a strong member and since they all live on the same street and know each other a little bit already. I have a good feeling about this and I know your prayers will help prepare both Sheila and Leydi to Hear the gospel!
This week our pensionista started playing hymns instead of youth music during our meals! Talk about a miracle.
After practicing the piano one day we went into the computer lab to talk with Deivi, an RM of about a month who practically lives in the stake center because of his online classes. There was also a man from Denmark there who got excited when he saw my name. He told me his father name was Sorensen. But it was fun to talk to him in a weird mix of English, Spanish, and Danish. He told my that my Danish roots are calling to me and that I should learn Danish sometime. Maybe I'll do that. Deivi asked me for some songs in English he could listen to to practice the language. I referred to him some Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Simon & Garfunkel, Swing Out Sister, and Earth Wind and Fire. He was also listening to "Eye of the Tiger" a lot. It was cool to see Brother Sorensen sing some of the lyrics to "Breakout" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You." He know where it's at.
This week was stake conference and for the adult session all the missionaries sang a special musical number and I played the piano. I don't know who decided on the song but we placed a weird mix of "Secret Prayer" and "We'll Bring The World His Truth," which aren't two you really think of playing together. And our conductor, Elder Castro, wanted the end tag of WBTWHT to be placed two times instead of once. I was confused because in the music it's only there once, and there's a reason why it's only played once, but it's fine because he's a latino who actually know something about music. But my comp Elder Cabrera can actually do an awesome Michael Jackson impression while singing Billie Jean. Who knew? But I didn't have a copy of WBTWHT, so luckily I flipped open the piano bunch and found an old copy. President and Hermana Hiatt spoke for the adult session and Hermana Hiatt did a really good job with her Spanish. We sang after them, and I guess I didn't play horribly. I hate playing on a time crunch because I'm one who needs a lot of practice to play consistently. But I wasn't even feeling nervous but my fingers got all jello-like during WBTWHT. And you know that's not good. It wasn't even that bad but I got upset with myself. Next time I'll play perfectly.
The next day we showed up at the stake center at 8am for the priesthood session but it turns out it was actually a leadership session. We ended up in the "mission room" with the Elder quorum presidents and Presidente Hiatt. It was probably a good thing we showed up though because we were the only ones from our ward there. We didn't have any investigators come to the general session, which was sad, because hermano Dante told us someone in his family passed away. He could definitely use your prayers! The youth of the stake sang a special musical number of "I am a Child of God" in English. It was actually quite good. But maybe all latinos are obsessed with end tag because they sang "to live with Him someday" 5 times before ending. I saw Brother Sorensen again after the meeting and ended up saying "ciao you later" when we left. When we talk we switch languages like crazy because other people are listening too so my goodbye came out all weird. I guess I decided to say something else in the middle of my sentence. Reminds me of a certain joke by a certain comedian...
That's my week! I hope everything goes well for you and I have faith that this week is going to be awesome! Thank you for your prayers, and TAKE LUCK!
1. Distrito Indoamerica
2. Having some pday wantans
3. El cementerio de Juan el Bautista right next to our apartment. It's where all the sketchy people hang out
4/6. Landscape around hermana Elva's house
5. Ruby!
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