Another amazing week in the field. I have learned so much about trusting in the Lord this week and accepting his will, and not using that as an excuse to rest. In my personal studies I learned so many things. This week my study was focused on my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon, 46-48. I love Captain Moroni. All of my life I have looked up to him as a scriptural hero who achieved an unattainable greatness because he was so consecrated. But it says, that he was just “a man of God.” I have set a mission goal to become a “missionary of God.”
As we finish up this change a lot of the members are doing really nice things for us…. I know it is just because my companion is going to finish and I hate the constant reminder that our little infinity is coming to an end, but I just love these members! This past Thursday one family took all six missionaries out to Pizza Hut for dinner. Hermana Judd and I came a little late but it was a great treat…. until the elders played their little joke. I was enjoying some beautiful pizza when a whole bunch of waiters came over to our table and asked if someone had a birthday… All the elders began to shout and point at me…. the next thing I knew, I had a paper hat on my head and a bunch of El Salvador waiters were shouting some birthday jingle at me. It was traumatizing. I was so humiliated! But, it was a good laugh after the fact. I dunno why that happens to me all the time.
There were a lot of very powerful moments this week that I was blessed to be a witness of. We have been working with a young girl for the past month or two and on Tuesday we got to meet with her again. She is very lost and has such a strong desire to change and better her life, but has no religious foundation, no familial support and not very many good friends, making it hard for her to recognize the progress she has made. She knows she needs to be baptized but has yet to get a confirmation that she is ready to make this covenant. Well, earlier this week we went to visit with Elder Juarez and Elder Perez, to see if they could help her accept a date to work toward. We had a powerful lesson about the atonement and repentance where the spirit was so strong. At the end of the lesson we all kneeled down to say a closing prayer. We invited her to say it, but she is extremely shy and didn’t want to pray in front of the Elders. Then, a miracle happened. Hermana Judd reached over and took both of her hands in her own, bowed her head and offered the most beautiful prayer I have ever heard. The spirit was so strong. I felt, as the Nephites did when they heard the Savior pray for them. There was such a strong outpouring of the spirit. When she finished we continued to kneel there. The young girl wept silently. It was the first time that she had felt true love in her life. We were there for twenty minutes as the spirit continued to pour out upon us. She did not say a single word, or let go of Hermana Judd’s hands. The power of the atonement is so real. I have seen a lot of miraculous things on my mission but nothing describes the power and love that I saw as I kneeled in an investigators home and witnessed my companion holding a young girls hands, pleading with the father that she could feel his love. I love this work so much. The atonement is so real.
Thank you so much for all of your love and support.
I love and miss you all!
Hurrah for Israel!
Love
Hermana Hipol