Hey, friends!
So first of all, guess what? I hit my six month mark on Friday. Six. Months. Where did that time go? It freaks me out. What's even weirder is that Elder Trucolo keeps telling me he thinks I'm going to train after this change, and he goes "just think Hermana, once you finish training your daughter, it'll be June." Whaaat? Time is going so fast, and sometimes slow at the same time. But still, mostly fast. I'm getting so oooooooooold. In the mission.... Oh and also, no worries you guys because uh, I'm not going to train.
Well I can't say this was the best week of my life, but the Lord always rewards the bad days in a week with miracles. There are miracles everywhere.
So remember Chichi, the cute spunky little old lady we contacted last week? Well, we went to her house this week. On Wednesday she let us in and said she would listen because she thinks it's good to hear about other religions, but said up front "I'm Catholic and I don't plan on ever changing." We got to know her and found out she wasn't ever married, has no grandkids, all of her siblings and close family members are dead. She just has one nephew who lives on the other side of the country. She is really alone, but told us "God helps me through it." And she is still spunky and with this cute smile always on her face. We gave a brief message about the love of God and then asked if we could come back. On Saturday we taught the Restoration, and at one point it was so sad because we asked her a question and she said "I'm sorry dear, can you ask it again? The thing is I've had a lot of things happen to me in my life and they all just barely filled my head." Poor lady. :( But then we continued and really focused on prayer and how this Gospel helps us overcome our trials. Then at the end, she goes "You know what? I believe you girls. You speak purely and you're far from home and I don't think you would tell a lie."
Ummm, GOD LIVES.
That same day, we had a SUPER awesome lesson with Brian and Angela. They're the couple where the husband has a hard time believing in God. But the thing is, when we went last week he told us a straight up "no", that he doesn't believe or have faith. But then he actually read Ether 12 which we had left for him, and Angela had read 2 Nephi 31. So we kind of ended up talking about a lot of things. We talked about repentence and how baptism is the first step (because of what Angela read), and we said that any guilt that they could be feeling, they can be free of through the love and Atonement of the Savior. and then we talked about faith (because of Brian.) This time, when we asked him if he has faith, he goes "I don't know...maybe." So it's gone from a no, to a maybe in a week! But he's reading the Book of Mormon, so obviously he does. And then, I asked him "Do you know how you can find that faith?" He was looking away when I said that, but then he looks at me and goes "...how?" And I held up his Book of Mormon and said "todo lo que quiera en la vida, puede encontrar en este libro." "Everything that you want in life, you can find in this Book." Cool enough, just that morning I had actually finished the Book of Mormon for my second time in the mish. I don't think I ever had a sure testimony of the Book of Mormon like I have gained here on the mission. It really is everything. As I testified of it, I could see the change in his eyes. We gave them the "soft" baptismal invitation (which sounds better in Spanish but basically is something like "If the Lord answers your prayers and you feel this message is true, will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized?") Angela said YESSSSSS. And Brian said he would think about it. HE WOULD THINK ABOUT IT. That is huge. Going from not believing in God to thinking about baptism. Aaaaand they c a m e to c h u r c h.
M I R A C L E S.
Haha okay so story time. So on Friday, like always, we had our weekly appointment/dinner with Maria and Miguel. We figured it would be really great to have the testimony of Elder Figares and his wife, so we invited them. But then his wife (the most gringa of all gringas in this world haha) says she's not going to go. So, okay, we'll just go with Elder. But then it's 7:20 and we call him and he's just barely on his way to another appointment with the Elders, but then he leaves them and comes to us. So we get to Miguel and Maria's. And let me just add, Hermana Zumeta and I had planned a SUPER boss lesson about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We're going all day imagining Maria crying and the Spirit being so strong. But then, what happened?
....old people happened. hahaha.
Because we get to their house, and they say they've already made dinner for six because they had planned on Sister Figares. And Maria's daughter is in town and trying to call another country and Miguel and Maria don't know how to work their telephone, so I help them. So Elder calls Sister and says "I'll come get you." So it's like, 8:20 now when they finally come back. And then, those four blessed old grandparents of mine need to go outside to look at the garden. (also keep in mind that I am translating for SIster Figares with Maria.) So we're there for like, another fifteen or twenty minutes. So then, Hermana Zumeta and I decide it's not the right time for the lesson and we just share a scripture about faith. And then the four oldies start sharing the "back when I was a kid" stories that old people love to tell haha, and at this point it is 9:15 and we know that, like always, they have dinner waiting for us. So we tell them, but Elder Figares goes "Nahhh, you're fine." Haha, um, coo'? So then we eat the always delicious meal, but eat it in 2.5 seconds and get home late at 9:45. So long story short, that lesson didn't work out. Hahaha. But there's always next week. Maybe that isn't even a funny story to anybody but me, I just can't help but laugh at big, planned lessons that turn into disasters. It's like a tragically funny story every time.
Also, I forgot to tell this, but a few weeks ago when we brought Elder Figares to meet Miguel and Maria, at the door Elder Figares makes the joke "do you know these two chicas?" And Miguel goes "ellas son mis nietas!" Which means "they're my granddaughters!" If that doesn't just tug on you're heart strings, I don't know what will.
Also, let me just share the undying love I have for the Alvarez family. They are so close to getting to the temple! Daniel got the okay to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood! He just has to wait for the District President to interview him. But he was so excited! Also, fun fact: he is a chubbier version of my brother. And he's even a policeman. I showed him a picture and he was amazed. Haha I love him. And Franco is my little buddy. He knows my name know, and while he was running around the chapel yesterday, he caught sight of me and went "Hermana Nonan!" And climbed over everybody in the row to get to me. I love him. My biggest wish is to be able to be here when that beautiful family becomes beautiful and eternal.
So there you have it, folks! I love the Book of Mormon, and I so much love my Savior. I love my family here in Uruguay, and my family and friends back home! ARe you sharing the Gospel? Are you praying? Are you reading? Good. I hope you're all doing just swell.
I love you, I love you, I love you!
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