What a week of miracles! Learned so much, and my eyes were opened as to how strong the Lords hand is in the work.
At the beginning of this week we had a lesson with Hermano Luis, an Athiest. He was trying so hard to catch us in our own words and tease us, I felt like the Book of Mormon Prophets combating with the antichrists. He was intrigued by our message but it was clear that he didn’t really want to learn. He shut down Hermana Judd midsentence, saying that she lacked conviction and a true testimony that our message was true. I felt the spirit so strong…. Its funny, had I been the person I was before my mission I would have argued with him and gotten furious, I mean, I love my companion! But instead I felt the spirit so strong and was overcome with such a strong feeling of love for this man. It filled me up, so much so that I was shaking. In my broken Spanish I looked at him and said that I may not know much, and I might just be a young girl with little experience in this world, but that I am a special witness of the Living God, that there is a God, and that nothing will change or diminish my conviction. The words just sort of came out…. and I don’t really remember everything I said, but I was using Spanish that I had not learned. It was cool. But I told him that we did not know why he let us into his house, but I knew that a part of him wanted to know if our message was true and I promised him as a Missionary of Almighty God that if he prayed aloud, simply asking if there was a God, having even the slightest desire to know if the Lord was there, that he would have an experience that he could not explain with any logic or worldly knowledge. The spirit was so powerful…. I felt so humbled. I do not think that he will take that challenge but I know without a shred of doubt, that there is a God, that he is all powerful, that he is all loving, and that we are representatives of him.
The largest miracle of this week was when we met with our eternal investigators, the Lopez family. Hermana Elizabeth has been struggling so hard to act in faith and pray, having studied with another church for fourteen years. We have helped them get married and their daughter Katherine was baptized. Hermano Armando wants to be baptized but the Hermana tiene muchas desafios… We had them read 3 Nephi 11 and this lesson we were going to review it and try to commit them to a date… When we arrived, Hermana Elizabeth was so excited to see us, she asked if we could read the chapter together, since she was the only one who had read. After we read we asked her if she had read and prayed. She got so quiet. I was a little nervous. She told us that she wasn’t going to read but she could not sleep. So she got out her scriptures and prayed before reading. She read the chapter heading and suddenly felt the spirit so strong… She started to read and when she got to Christ’s appearance she felt physical arms wrap around her in a hug. She felt the marks in the Saviors hands. When she read about the Doctrine of Christ she cried…. Hermana Judd looked at her and asked her if she would be baptized. The spirit was so strong…. She nodded yes. I love this family!! But it was so amazing. I had no words to say in English or Spanish, but I was filled with so much love. We continue to work with them, but I love this family.
We had an incredible zone conference this week with Elder Ochoa. He really pepped us up and we decided to open up our mouths and talk with everyone…. So on our way home Hermana Judd and I also contacted two buses! We stood up in front and said, Hey we are missionaries and we have a message that will change your life! Most of the people just stared but we found two people that were so ready to hear the message of salvation. I am strengthening my confidence in my ability to open my mouth and talk to people and we are trying to find people to teach. As we have put our faith in the Lord we have contacted so many wonderful people. Every house we approach is willing to hear more. It is amazing!
The funniest thing happened yesterday! We went to pick up one of our investigators, Lito, for church. He is about eighty five and has bronchitis… and is a little crazy… but he has the sweetest heart and wants to be baptized. Anyways we went to pick him up and he answered the door in…. true story, women’s boxer shorts…. it was so funny!! He said that his kids had taken all of his clothes to wash them and hadn’t brought them back but when they came he would join us at church… he didn’t come… so after church we went back and he was still there in his boxers… he invited us in and he finally found some pants. Oh dear…. On a side note…. before we came he had been watching Lord of the Rings. Love him!!
Anyways… I love the work, I love my companion, I love my Savior!
I love you all!