Well this week has just been FULL of the craziest stories and miracles.... no kidding we have been being blessed in abundance! Heavenly Father is letting me have a jam packed end to the mission... cause these next three weeks are going to be CRAZY full of things to do!
We FINALLY had a lesson with Carlos, we've been trying to see him for forever! He has been coming to church since about January/February time... but he is so stinking busy we haven't been able to keep an appointment with him.
But this week that all Changed!
Monday we started off the week right by having a powerful lesson on the Restoration with Eduardo present also. Eduardo was just giving the sweetest testimony of the restored gospel and how to know if it is true. Then the next day we set up a baptismal calendar with him for May 16th! (no worries.... I already told Bishop Maher I am going to Skype into the baptism if I must!). He was super excited to visually see all that will occur over the next few weeks. We mentioned how he'd need to be living the word of wisdom and law of chastity by this date, etc. And I was like we will have lessons on both of those and just briefly explained that the w.o.w is like a health code, etc. He was like what do I need to do to live them. So I briefly say "well we believe that we should partake of coffee, Tabaco, tea," Carlos... "wait, no tea? No sweet tea?" Me.... "yep, no sweet tea." Carlos... looks down for a second, then looks up smiles says "okay I can do that, what else?" It was the funniest thing. You can always tell that the Lord is preparing those for the gospel based on their reactions! It was incredible to see him so willingly accept the W.O.W. even before we have gone into detail about it and why we believe it, etc. He is one stellar guy! We also had a lesson with him after church yesterday with Brother Buchanan there. It was really good. =)
We also have been teaching Tony, who is a roommate of a less active member. Anyways we had two really wonderful lessons with him this week too! We read from the Book of Mormon both times and just talked about the testimony of Joseph Smith, etc.
Tony told us all about his life.... and the craziness he experienced as a youth in El Salvador among the El Salvadorian war. He saw some gruesome things... it was gross! But he and his family escaped to Mexico when he was 14. It was really neat to see him share of his experiences. He told us how once their family escaped to Mexico him and his sister were in a restaurant and some firecrackers went off outside and how he immediately hid under the table at the restaurant. It was really sad to see how distraught the war made him. Thankfully he is here now and he is open to learning about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know it can bring him the peace he is seeking for.
We have recently been walking a lot to our appointments to not only increase our IO's but also to enjoy the beautiful weather. Saturday we didn't have any appointments scheduled which is a little daunting but considering that we had been having so much success already this week I wasn't too worried about it. I knew Heavenly Father would prepare a way for those who he has prepared.
Meanwhile we talked to about ten people on the way to try to go see a less active. We are about to turn down a street that our less active lady lives on and a van pulls up beside us. The lady inside starts harshly speaking to us, sternly more like. She was very upset that we had just handed her granddaughter this card and that we hadn't come and knocked the door to talk to her. . . we were completely confused!! We hadn't talked to anyone under the age of 20 our whole way there... so we assumed that maybe the other sisters had given her the card.
We were all trying to quickly put to mind who her granddaughter was and so Hermana Earl proceeds to ask "How old is your granddaughter??" ... 28... "oh is your granddaughter Ashley? The one who was outside playing with her son Carson?"
Come to find out yes it was. (My bad for assuming that the 28 year old lady owned the trailer... haha. But it was an honest mistake!) We apologized quickly for not answering the phone call she had just tried to make but assured her that we would love to share a message with her. We then proceeded to explain how we are the Spanish missionaries and that the number on the card we had given her was that of the English sisters in the area. Then during this conversation the English sisters immediately call back. haha. So she answers and is like "I am currently talking to the sisters... I'll get back to you."
Yes, it was a little intense moment. She then said if someone is going to hand me a card about Christ I expect them to expound on it. She then asked if we would come and talk to her and her daughter more about Jesus Christ and what we believe.
I immediately saw her heart change before our eyes, she graciously invited us to have a ride to her house and then we walked in and I immediately felt the spirit so strongly. Although she isn't a member of our church I could instantly feel the spirit present in abundance. I knew it was because she was willing trying to follow the Savior and there was no sense of contention of any sort in her home. We proceeded to talk to her and her daughter of the Restoration of the gospel. They both accepted the invitation to read the Book of Mormon. They wouldn't allow us to reset an appointment with them but we asked if we could call them in a week and see how their reading was going. They told us yes. I know that they are going to start reading the Book of Mormon and their hearts will continue to change. Janice brought up the baptismal question on her own. She said she was willing to do anything to more fully follow her savior and if this was the way she would gladly accept it. Her daughter wasn't as 'gung ho' about the restoration and you could tell there were doubts written across her face. But we assured her that all the research she has done on the church, etc, would be only complete if she took the offer we were giving her. To find out for herself if the Book of Mormon is true. Because if it is then Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and the church of Jesus Christ is on the earth again today.
I am happy to say I think that we found the Sisters "Miracle May". :)
We have talked to so many interesting people this week! We talked to a pastor for a good twenty minutes all about charity and the pure love of Christ. He accepted the offer to learn more and so we gave him to the elders who actually are in the city he lives in.
We've really been trying to continuously find those interested in the gospel. We've been talking to EVERYONE! It is hilarious because we are trying to get Hermana Limb to talk more, and this week we have our goal of 100 IO's... 33 a piece.. we gave the extra one to Hermana Limb. We decided we will all get ice cream if we make it! Hermana Limb is hilarious though...
sometimes I think my companions might kill each other but then the next minute they are best friends... So I guess that's a good thing right?? I'm just the mediator of the situation. Making sure no actually killing occurs. ;) They are both so hilarious though. I am excited to see how much they grow by the end of their missions.
Family... Sometimes I am thinking that my email will be so much longer than it actually is. I wish I had some more exciting things to tell you but even if I were to write them they won't be as exciting as me telling you in person in a few weeks... so you might as well just hold your horses and expect some incredible stories from the mission! =)
Marci, thanks for the package! You're the best! I appreciate it! I am sporting my bracelet each day! And I am giving two to President and Sister baker this week at interviews! =)
I can't believe that I am going home so quickly. These next three weeks might do me in! I have been so tired recently.. haha. =)
I hope yall have a great week! I know mine will be full of the unexpected, as always. Heavenly Father truly does watch out for his missionaries. I know he watches over each and every one of us. He knows our potential and he stretches us each and everyday so we can one day become even more like him.
I can't believe the mission ends so soon. My CCM companion, Hermana Williams wrote me a letter this last week and it was just so weird to hear about how different we have become. She is flying home on the 12th though, so hopefully I will run into her at the airport! =) Start and end together.
I love yall so much!
As always,
Hermana Gray
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