Well ... this was a super awesome week. It was a little
crazy but amazing to see God´s hand in His work.
Ok, so martes/Tuesday was pretty good. We had several good
citas/appointments planned with really good investigadores, but they both cancelled.
We did contact quite a bit and have tried to find more new people to teach. We
found this girl named Eli. She seemed super interested as we explained about
the Restoration and asked lots of questions (and knows the Bible pretty well).
It was sweet to find and teach her. Later we visited Max (who is like super-duper
awesome). We helped him with his Duty to God book for young mens. We also
explained he can (and should) share the gospel with his family and invite them
to church with him. We also made a cita to have a Noche de Hogar with his whole
family. While we were teaching and visiting with him, it started raining pretty
hard. Dang. Hahaha. Of course, we just laughed. We had literally nothing
(jackets or umbrellas), because there were no clouds earlier and it didn’t seem
like it was going to rain at all. So... we got pretty dang soaked and cold. It
was kind of funny because we went to Virgilio and Remedios and like pounded on
the door, but with all the rain (and then hail) on a metal roof, they didn’t
hear us at all. Hahaha. We just stood there laughing, getting soaked, and
pounding on the door but nobody came. Hahaha :) While walking home, I’d never
felt happier. Haha, I don’t know why.
Mièrcoles/Wednesday we studied well in the morning. I read 2
Nephi chapter 2 and it was super awesome. It reminded me that I should act and
not wait to be acted upon. Later we looked for several people and then while
visiting a member family, it started raining and hailing again. We were
prepared this time, but still got kind of wet. We did have a super good visit
with Virgilio and Remedios and their family. We watched the Joseph Smith movie,
and it was super good and I felt the Spirit super strong. I shared my testimony
about the Restoration and Joseph Smith, and I felt the Spirit crazy, crazy
strong. I really truly know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know he really
did see God the Father and Jesus Christ and they really did speak to him. I
know he received and restored the priesthood power to the earth again. I know
he translated the Book of Mormon through the gift and power of God.
Jueves/Thursday was pretty good. We went to Tecoya and with
faith, went looking for a few investigators that we haven’t been able to find
in quite some time. Well... we didn’t find any of them, but we did contact a
ton of people so that was pretty fun. Also my comp’s bike is broken, so we had
to walk a ton. We did find a part member family and shared a little message
with them. Then we played a game kind of like one I used to play at home with
my family. One person is blindfolded and then everyone moves seats. The
blindfolded person tries to find someone and then says “patupatu” and the
person responds “t´oj t´oj”. Hahaha. (It’s like the Quechua words/sounds for
chickens). It was pretty fun.
Viernes/Friday was super-duper awesome. We had our district
meeting and it was on contacting or talking with literally everyone. We decided
to put it in practice and talked with a TON of people, mostly only contacts,
but we did find a man and family and the guy says he was member a long time ago,
so we are for sure returning to him and his family. We also found a super cool
family. Wednesday in the morning some little kid ran up to us and was like “Elders,
when are you going to come to my house again?” And we were like, “Ummm who are
you?” We didn’t know him at all, but apparently the missionaries visited his
family quite some time ago. Well viernes we went to their house and learned
that the dad is a member, but his wife and kids aren´t. It was sweet to find
them because he was saying the missionaries used to come all the time, but it
had been a while since they had come (like a month or two before I got to
Betanzos). We didn’t know them or anything, but somehow God led us to that
little kid in the street and then eventually to that family. They are a super
awesome family, and we have great hopes that they will progress and grow as a
stronger family in the gospel. That night we also visited Max and his family.
Unfortunately only his 2 little siblings were there, but we still taught them
and it went super good. Later the dad showed up and his is super nice and
supportive but said he was super tired from working, so we didn’t get to talk
much with him. Little by little though.
Sabado/Saturday we left in the morning to Tecoya to look for
the same investigadores we didn’t find jueves. God blessed us and helped us to
find Remberto. He is a super awesome investigator. He knows the church is true
and the Book of Mormon is true and is way more than ready to be baptized. We discussed
the interview questions with him and he knew all the answers and seems
perfectly ready but still says he doesn’t feel quite ready yet and wants a
little more time. We shared more scriptures and testimonies and examples with
him, but in the end he still says he wants a little more time. He is super
awesome though, and we know he is ready. It was awesome to find him and have a
good lesson because normally he only comes to church, and then we have a hard
time getting a cita or lesson with him during the week. In the afternoon we
studied and then had a little church activity. A few leaders from the stake
came and a few members came. There was a little message and snack and then we
played futsall... until the ball popped. Dang. It was cool though because three
teenagers that we contacted came and listened to the lesson, and then we played
and then made citas to visit them later. Later we visited Hermana Daria. She is
sometimes a little bit of a stinker. Haha. (Like when we knocked on her door
she didn’t answer so we called her, and she told us she was in Potosi. Well we
knew she was there and the door was open, so we told her we were going to enter
her house anyway. And what do you know... we enter and a few minutes later she
comes down stairs, ah hahaha and says “Elder Loco, why don’t you just let me
sleep?” Hahaha.) We read a chapter of the Book of Mormon with her and answered
a few questions she had. We are helping her prepare to go to the temple in May
and be sealed to her husband (who died several years ago) and to her daughters
(who are all adults).
Domingo/Sunday was pretty good. A bunch of leaders from the
stake came and helped us again. The young women also did a New Beginnings
presentation, which was sweet to see the stake helping establish the young
women program. Also Hermana Daria came with 2 of her daughters. Also Max passed
the sacrament for the first time and that was super cool to see. In the
afternoon, we taught the institute class for those 18-30 yrs old. Only 5 people
came and they are all like 18, 19 and 20 but already married or with kids. It
was kind of funny to think they are the exact same age as me but already have
like 2 kids. The class went well though; it’s on the Restoration of the Gospel.
We are planning to teach it each Sunday afternoon.
Today we played soccer the whole morning and then grilled
some meat and it was super good. This week was awesome. It was super cool to
see how the Lord guided us to people that needed a visit. I know this is the
Lords work, and He is in charge and knows exactly what He is doing. I love
being a missionary and serving the Lord and those around me.
Les amo!
Elder Sorensen