Sharing the Book of Mormon with Santa!
This has been yet another crazy week here is Paraíso. Where do I even begin?
Last Monday we lost our cell phone. It seems like we left in a taxi. Later we called it, and finally (the next day) a little girl answered and wasn't very helpful, saying she didn't know where she lived or
when her mom would be home or anything. So we stopped by the mission offices to pick up a phone to borrow while they order us a new one. Really we just laugh about it because, what else can we do? :)
J was not baptized this week. Actually he disappeared and we couldn't find him all week. His phone wasn't working and we didn't know where he lived. On Thursday we had a great idea to look in the
phonebook. And there he was! We were very excited, but then we got to the address and it is an apartment complex, with four buildings and several apartments. We tried asking around and ringing a few doorbells, but with no luck. Our district leader said J's brother works in their area so they went on Friday, and they found him! He said he wasn't ready to be baptized yet, and is still struggling a
little with coffee, but the set a goal that he could be baptized this week and he said he'd come to church on Sunday. But then, he wasn't at church on Sunday. In the second hour, our ward mission leader and his
wife drove us to the apartment complex to try again, and there was his car! So we knew which building and which apartment was his. He came out and we were very happy to see him and know that he's alive. haha. He came to church with us and is preparing to be baptized this Friday.
A is doing great. We finally were able to teach her husband
A and he also accepted a baptismal date and came to church on Sunday. It was great to have their whole family there. :) Yesterday morning the sister who was going to help with a ride called and said
she was sick and couldn't come. So we called G and he helped us out. Our investigators are so awesome.
Speaking of G, he is doing well. He keeps progressing well, though still hasn't decided WHEN his baptism will be. We had a family home evening with him and a family from the ward this week and he loved it.
Another awesome moment with him was that we watched the BYU devotional "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox. Such a wonderful talk and G really understood it. I highly recommend it to everyone!
Another miracle yesterday was that R and her family came to church! And, afterwards she asked if we could visit them on Tuesday! That was a wonderful tender mercy.
Lately I've been reading the general conference talks from October. I love conference! On talk I really love is "Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence" by Elder Klebingat. I especially loved the part
about becoming really, really good at forgiving. He says, "Spiritual confidence increases when you know that the Lord knows that you bear no ill feelings toward another soul." I've been thinking about that a
lot this week, and reflecting on that, and going through in my mind and really striving to forgive everyone, and not have any bad feeling toward any other soul. It's kinda a cool experience and really has
brought me joy and happiness.
I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ, and this time of year that we can remember Him. His atonement and His gospel are the reasons I can have peace and hope and joy, and are the reasons I am
here as a missionary to share that with others.
Have a very merry Christmas and I'll talk to you on Thursday! :)
Love, Hermana Loveland
