Buenas Tardes, rather. How is everyone doinnngg? well, lots to talk about, and lots to tell you, and lots of pictures to send. We'll see if I can fit it all in. All in all, despite some weird disappointments, it was a GREAT week. I was thinking about it, and family, I think I can really feel your prayers! For reals, in every way. Every thing that I told you to pray for, I saw an improvement in this week. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! You are all the best. My testimony on my mission is constantly being increased of just how living the Gospel is what allows us to feel the Atonement, and how the constant companionship of the Spirit is truly the greatest gift you could ask for. I'm so grateful for the sacrament and for the temple that allow us to feel that Spirit in such a real way. I was sitting in church yesterday, thinking about how before my mission, it would be so easy for me to sit in church, and completely miss the Gospel, which is where the real joy comes from. It's so easy to go through the motions, to be active in the church and not active in the Gospel. And really, that will bring you happiness but it won't bring you the fulness of joy that comes from the Gospel! So, I am grateful that my mission has taught me how to be active in the Gospel, not just the church. There you go...Sister Fors insight of the week.
K, so...like I said, great week. We had NINE new investigators! That is compared to our normal average of 2-4. So, awesome. And the majority were men/families...which is who we were hoping to find! Prayers=answered. We found several really awesome couples. On Monday night, I had a really strong feeling that we needed to pray and search for 2 new investigators specifically. So, we were out, and we just followed the spirit about where to go, and we ran into this awesome couple. We started talking to them, adn they're from Guanajuato, so I talked to them about when I went there. We just had a great conversation, and they have a solid family and have been married for 30+ years. So we started chatting, and we told them we'd like to teach them more, and they were like "well, we gotta eat our dinner, but do you want to come back in half an hour?" So, we came back in half an hour, taught them the Restoration, they were awesome and actually understood the idea of authority/dispensations (which is rare), and it was awesome. So, that started off the week. Then we got a referral the next day,for this guy named Rafael and his wife. We show up, they let us right in, and he's like "Did the gentleman send you?" and we're like "yeah...what gentleman?" and he said that some man pulled over his car when they were walking on the side of the street, started talking to them, said he was the president of 200 missionaries, and invited them to learn more. It might've been our mission president, but he said he had white hair, so we're not sure... (an angel! haha I just thought of that). Anyways, so Rafael just lost his job like 2 weeks ago, said he's struggling with his faith, so we read Alma 32 with him right then and there, and we'll see what happens. Awesome.
Also, on my birthday (which I'll explain more of), we had another cool experience getting 3 new investigators. Right after our lesson on Tuesday with Rafael, we met his neighbor Angel, who says "Yeah, I met with missionaries before, you know Hermana Tejada?" haha, yes, my trainer had taught him when she was in this area! So, we set up a return appt, but we were a little unsure because he said that back then they stopped listening because they had decided they didn't want to change religions. Anyways, so the return appt was on thursday (the birthday), and we go there, and we're talking and I'm thinking "yeah, they're still not interested." Sister Cottrell asked them about baptism, and they said that they felt like they needed more time back when they were talking w/ missionaries, and now they're very content with their lifestyle/religion. So, definitely not interested, so I decided that rather than teach them, we would just have a blessing over their home (like we've been doing more of.) So, we have the blessing, which was really good, the Spirit is so strong every time we do one of those. So, afterwards, Sister Cottrell says "I feel like I should ask you about baptism again." and this time the wife answered, and she goes "Yeah, I think if we got more into it, I'd be baptized." and her husband agrees this time! Change of HEART! And it was so cool, because SIster Cottrell only asked them because she didn't fully understand their answer the first time, and she felt like she needed to ask them again. The fact that she couldn't understand all of their Spanish helped her to follow the spirit even more! So cool. It's so cool to see how we can't convince people one bit on our own, but the power of prayer is so real, and that Spirit can change people's hearts in an instant. So cool.
Ok...so. You probably want to know about what happened with the baptism. This was the one weird disappointment of the week, that we're still trying to figure out. So, Ivette was totally solid. Then Tuesday, she was set to have her interview, and her mom calls right before to cancel, saying that Ivette's feeling pressured and the baptism's off. We have to convince her to let us come over and talk to her, and it was so weird...Ivette seemed totally changed. Something happened, and we're not sure what...but like her eyes seemed just darker and she seemed more closed off. So sad. We tried talking to her and all she said was "I want more time" and she's feeling pressure from everyone. So, we told her we were cool with that. And we're not sure if it's the mom trying to influence her (because the mom is kinda weird at times), or if one of the YW said something or what. All we know, is that she was all set to come to church on Sunday, then when her fellowshipper called her, she said she wasn't going. We don't know what's up! And I'm really worried that we're going to lose her completely...she's all set to come to girls camp still, and I hope it still happens. So...there you go. So, with that, and with Nadia partying hard right before her graduation, our baptismal prospects for may were/are looking dismal.
BUT...I still think it can happen. Because, this past week, Sister Cottrell had one of her Visitor's Center investigators get baptized! So, I think that counts. And then....CLAUDIA is all set for this Saturday! So cool. We really hope it happens, and that nothing comes up...it's her finals week in school, so we're a little nervous. But...it has been so cool to see how Claudia has progressed. Initially, we focused a lot more on Nadia...she's more dramatic, more open, moreemotional, so it was easy to teach to her needs. Claudia is 16, and she has a really hard time paying attention to things, so we took that to mean that she wasn't really interested. SO cool to see how she's changed. And it's cool, because it's ALL the Spirit...we haven't done anything. She has such a short attention span, I'm sure she remembers 10% of what we teach her. But she recognizes the Spirit so well! It's so cool, we asked her when she's felt she has felt the Spirit the most, and she said when she reads the Book of Mormon, that she feels something different! Then, we went to watch the Joseph Smith movie with her this past week, and afterwards she said she "felt different" during it as well...she describes the Spirit as "feeling something different inside". I love it. So, then, this past Saturday, we went to have a lesson with her in the chapel. The YW also delivered cookies to her on Wednesday. But, at the chapel, she came w/ her friend Heather (who was the one we committed to baptism in the first lesson) (and they read the BOM together! So cool.), and we showed them around, and we kept asking how they felt, and again, Claudia would say, "I feel different." So, then we went to the chapel. We were sitting there, and Claudia commented on how peaceful it felt. Then I actually felt like I should play a hymn on the piano when we were in there (Who am I?), so I played Nearer my God to thee. Then, afterwards, we asked Claudia about baptism. She said she wanted to, but she felt like she didn't have enough knowledge of the church yet. So, we asked her to pray there. So, we all kneeled down in the chapel, and she offered a prayer. It's so cool to see how her praying has improved...the first time she prayed, she said the word "like" about 80 times more than any other word. This prayer was so much more sincere. She started off with the normal things, then she said "And I kind of have a big question to ask you...should I be baptized this Saturday?" and then she ended it. After, I asked her, "Do you feel something good inside?" and she said "Yeah." and Sister Cottrell said "Do you think that's your answer?" and she said "yeah, i do." SO GREAT! Then, the next day, she showed up to church w/ her mom (who had the day off of work!) and her dad, Oswaldo! So good. I sat next to them, and Oswaldo was asking me questions about the sacrament, etc. Then, after sacrament, the bishop had a "chat" with him...we'll see what that does haha. But it was so good. I feel sad about Nadia, because I know she really wants the Gospel in her life, but I think for right now she's too preoccupied by her friends, partying, etc. But I know that at Claudia's baptism, that will for sure help her and Oswaldo to realize this is what they want.
So...there you go. In the VC this week, I was just there for a bit...but we had some good things. If you remember, there was a lady named Lynn from the Easter Pageant, she was teh one that was super well off, and she said that she really wanted to find out more about the church. I had emailed her, and never heard back from her. This past week, she emailed me! She said she had been really busy, but the previous night she had chatted with people on mormon.org! And loved it, and wanted to talk more with me. Her only concern is that she feels like there isn't a place for a "46 year old non-mom" in the church, but other than that, she loves it. So...I'm excited to work with that.
Okayo, alright...my birthday. Was great. I can't complain...it was the full missionary-experience birthday, I feel like. A few days before, we had dinner at the bishop's house, and they made me a chocolate birthday cake/chocolate mousse! I had mentioned my birthday to them several weeks before and had totally forgotten. A great surprise. On my actual birthday, I woke up, and Sister Cottrell had decorated the living room where we study w/ streamers, balloons, and this giant sign. She is too good. She had wrapped up the presents I had gotten in the mail, and she also got me some presents (so sweet.) Then, she made me pancakes, then we had district meeting. After district meeting, we had a pinata! That we had bought on our pday. So we had a pinata and Little Cesar's pizza, it was great. Then, we had tons of random lessons/contacting...good ol' missionary work. The cool miracle w/ Angel and his family. Then we went to dinner. The elders had told the family we were eating w/ that Carne Asada and Tres Leches were my favorites, so that's what we had! So nice. So we ate delicious carne asada and tres leches, and then their adorable little daughter named Galilea sang to me the spanish primary birthday song (tu has cumplido un ano mas...), and it was hilarious. Then, we had a lesson w/ Dora and Salvador, who are my favorites but they are not progressing and it breaks my heart. But Sister Cottrell told Salvador "es su cumpleanos!" and he started singing to me "Merry Christmas to you!" hahahaha he had gotten the words in english mixed up. It was hilarious, he is my favorite old man ever. So...I think that was the birthday. That, along with all of your awesome packages,letters everything! Al, the clothes were great, don't even worry...I've already worn all of them, thanks so much! Mom and Dad, I'm wearing the peach shirt right now. And Darron and Al, the CD has saved my sanity and I love it so much. And Eric/Gretch, you know how much I loved all of the mail/accessory/the hilarious placemat from Gretta. Thanks so much everyone! You are all the best!
So, this morning we went and hiked Flat Iron, which was a super intense hike that made my legs shake on the way down. It was really fun though, and had a great view. I'll see how many pictures I can attach right now.
So how's that for a great week? I really can't complain. I'm serious, thank you so much for your prayers...I know they make a difference. Missionary work is hard, and it's the biggest rollercoaster I've ever been on, but my testimony is so solid that the Lord is aware of all of us, and He wants to bless us bit by bit. The Gospel will make us happier more than anything else. There you have it. I love you all! Thanks for all of your support and love. Love, Sister Fors
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