December 10, 2012

Helllooooo Familia Fors!

So, I considered various titles for my email..I thought about "Me siento muerta." or "Satanas!!!!" or "Death by Coffee" but words just don't suffice. Hahhaa I'm starting really dramatic, because this past week definitely had a dramatic end, which I'll tell you about, but it's all good. I feel like my mission could be likened to "The O.C." in terms of how much drama there is, and I feel like my life afterwards will be the home shopping network in comparison. But don't worry, I like both home and the mission for their own reasons.

Anyways, so familia fors the time is dwindling down and I'm trying to just leave it all. I write "me siento muerta" because Christmas lights really is very tiring, and I wake up in the mornings and feel like I need my legs amputated because I'm so worn out. But I press on! And yes, I am being overly dramatic still. Anyways, this week we had some good things happen in our area. We got one new miracle investigator, who is the 10 year old granddaughter of an active member. Her less active mom just gave her permission to finally be baptized. They live together so it seems like she'll have the support she needs from her grandma. Here's to teaching kids! I really can't escape it...it's so funny. But I'm not complaining, I really do love it. She's very sweet and very smart. It was funny though,  she was pretty open with us and chatting with us, then we started the first lesson with her, and the minute after we said the opening prayer it was like her lips were sealed shut...she got soooo shy. We'd ask her a question like "How do you feel when you pray?" and it'd take like 30 minutes to respond. It's funny because Sister Schwartz doesn't really love teaching kids, so It's just a funny situation...we're teaching her in English and she doesn't respond, and then her grandma can't understand and so she gets impatient and starts asking her in Spanish why she's not saying anything. Hahaha. But she came to church yesterday and is doing well. For a commitment after the 1st lesson we told her to look through the pictures at the front of her Book of Mormon, and when we came back she had done that, and also opened up to a random page and started reading, and had a little bookmark and everything. So cute.

Alright...as for el drama. Ok...ISAAC! Alright. so. Monday night was before I wrote you last week...miracle lesson. Wednesday, we go and teach Word of Wisdom to him and Ana. They accept it really well...Ana was just a  little bummed about coffee. Isaac said the only thing that he had issues with was junk food, he didn't really care about the other stuff (this is a key point to remember). Then I told him that he needed to be living it for 2 weeks before he got baptized, and he said that he had already been living it, so he was still good for the 15th. Apparently after we left he continued to talk with his member friend that came with us. We get to his house on Saturday and he told us "I'm having doubts" and said he had talked with the member about them. I felt like we were doing pretty good resolving his doubts...he had questions about homosexuality, the law of chastity. With the law of chastity, he wasn't fully convinced at the end...so he said he'd pray, read, etc. He hadn't continued reading the Book of Mormon when these doubts started a few days before, so that was no bueno. So he'd start reading again, and then we said we'd do his interview on Tuesday, and that he'd be able to tell if he's ready. And there was still more that we needed to teach him, etc.

So, he, Ana, and Valeria were only able to make it to sacrament on Sunday. They're so good...they come to sacrament even though they all like fall asleep during it haha. But afterwards I went to talk to members, and Sister Schwartz talked to Isaac. He said 'I don't feel like I'm ready for this Saturday, I think I need more time." and Sister Schwartz handled it well and said "that's okay, we'll be here for you." and he said "Well, and this morning...I drank a cup of coffee." Remember...he doesn't even really drink coffee!! So, basically, what we think (and maybe we're wrong) is that Satan tempted him with the cup of coffee on Sunday morning, and he drank it subconsciously on purpose so that he could NOT get baptized on Saturday...he did it so he could get out of the pressure. noooo me diga! So heartbreaking. I was so sad...but so it is. It's just so weird how tricky Satan is...that he could plant that idea in his head to drink coffee to buy himself more time. Super interesting. Again, maybe we're wrong, but that's the impression we felt from it all.

Anyways, so here I was way bummed out about this all on Sunday after church. Then, we get a phone call. Joe had come to church for the first 2 hours, and then left before sacrament, saying he needed to make food for his brothers. Pedro tried to convince him to stay but he wouldn't. We didn't think much of it. So, while I'm sitting on the couch all teary-eyed about Isaac, we get a phone call from one of the young men. He said that Joe had actually stolen the cell phone of the YM President's wife, and that the YM president and this YM had to go and get it from Joe after church. Joe denied stealing it, but there was a tracker on the phone and he finally gave it up, then closed the door. IY! Really sad, because the YM president was in the process of working with other leaders to help Joe get the support he needed to eventually get off of probation, and then Joe went and did that. Rough. So...that was like a double whammy, for lack of a better term. We're trying to figure out what to do with the Paz family...we think we need to drop them to help them begin taking more responsibility for their progress, because Leticia didn't come on Sunday either.

Anyways, so...familia. DRAMA! Christmas lights are going well. This year there's less pressure for "numbers", more about quality/not quantity, which I understand, but it has been a little hard to have the same sense of urgency and drive, while not getting too pushy or obsessed with numbers. But there have definitely been cool experiences. Just people who are prepared! It's also really cool how you can tell who is prepared...like when I do the Christus presentation, and some people will just stand out. One time this one lady really stood out to me, and I went and talked to her afterwards and she just talked about how she felt like she needed guidance and didn't know where to turn, and she accepted missionaries! It's cool. You asked about concerts...we do have 1/2 hr concerts every night at 7 pm til the 25th. ON the 17th is Jordan Bluth, a vocalist, fyi mom and dad :) Hahhaa. But this past week I got to announce it, and then you get to stay and watch them when you do. It was a high school choir and it made me miss going to choir concerts and hearing beautiful music! Anyways, so yes...we do get to do that.

Que mas...well my time is running out. I feel like I need some crazy profound last paragraph for my last email. I was thinking it about it last night. I'm getting to the point where I really am very sad to leave here, because I do feel like I'm leaving lots of things unfinished with my investigators. Yes, I'm excited to see my family and to catch up with friends, and there are certain parts of normal life that appeal...i.e. listening to music and shopping at Trader Joes, but I feel like my life will feel just slightly empty after the mission. There is a fulness of joy that you experience several times on the mission, that I know I can feel afterwards but it will be harder to find. I know there are things I wish I did differently, but I am so grateful for the Atonement and I'm grateful for the joy that my Savior brings. I LOVE IT! And I love you all! See you sooooon, so weird! Love, Sister Fors