So I’ve come to know better what TRUE blessings are in this Gospel. A blessing comes from DAILY and DILIGENTLY working towards a goal but having the GODLY patience to accept when it comes. Spanish has been a true blessing. Before the MTC... nada, and though I get frustrated I love to look at where I’ve come! What a blessing, I am really coming to understand what GODLY PATIENCE is, not simply patience. What an important quality! Haha and when I get my hopes up I get a 'humility check' below the belt! I’m doing great and as soon as I start to FEEL great, I get one big smack. Testimony is so important, that is our MOST POWEFUL tool in this work and the most important thing in our lives. Our testimony is in Christ and in Christ we receive the greatest blessings this earth can offer and more! When I don’t understand the language in teaching (we teach twice a day in classes, I simply look for a key word and bear my testimony. The most important and key tool we have in this work is an understanding of how the scriptures have helped US and how OUR STORIES can help others!
Haha as for teaching... I was asked in a simply teaching scenario if I’ve ever prayed, I said 'si' but then was asked another crazy question and drew blank. So what word do I refer to... 'si', haha. Turns out they asked if I’d ever seen God! Good thing that was practice in the MTC! Oh and my companion threw something to me and I pulled my Robin Hood 'ooof!' and he got a real kick out of that, I had never seen him laugh so hard until then!
It was so cool on Saturday, we got to go out and Proselyte! However you spell that in English, haha. Our companionships get set up with either a member, missionary, or bishop as we are assigned a few inactive families in the ward. We got the bishop! It was so humbling to see the living circumstances. Oh, my gosh. One family opened their door and looking inside their walls, not house - walls, it’s simply a field of boulders. They did have a tiny shack the size of our shed, but wow. Dogs all over, one was hacking up it’s lungs right behind us as we were making a contact and I got SO distracted! We taught two families, were lectured by a lady for an hour outside her house, and that’s about it, but wow. So humbling and scary! We taught an 18 year old and I got to bear testimony of the moment that changed my life forever - when I broke my neck and the absolute MIRACLE it is that I’m here today. I have some purpose important here and the Lord wanted me alive that day, my Spanish was okay but my spirit and confidence was amazing. That’s what we need in this life, Spirit and Confidence. That story stuck with that boy and I hope he went to church as we asked him to. I don’t understand much, especially when they speak NUTS but there’s one thing I do understand and that is my testimony of this gospel. What a joy to obtain! I am so glad a teacher back in Provo had us write and memorize our 'conversion stories' for that is what I got to bear to that José that day. I really need to get going on my Spanish, the whole day I probably understood less than 20 percent of what was going on, but my day lit up as a little girl passed my companion and the bishop to ask me how I pronounced my name! I got hers and she had a smile so big and precious! That is missionary work, not what we say, but how we feel and what feelings we can draw in others. 'Let the holy spirit guide, let him teach us what is true.'
I am way bummed... this coming Wednesday our companions ship out and I am so mad! I love my companion and the joy we’ve shared here. Though I don’t understand him perfectly, we have a love, we enjoy each other, and we are working toward a common goal - Christ. The reason why I’m so bummed is cause this next shipment of elders here is almost all North Americans who will speak next to no Spanish! We are going to speak no English to them cause I am NOT going to lose the español I’ve gained here. I am really mad about that, not going to lie. Latinos are much more fun and yes, yes this is a complaint of mine... soccer will not be nearly as good without the latinos! I am loving soccer! But only cause I play goalie where no foot skills are required, haha.
Oh! What a blessing... an elder I love, Elder English, only wears one tie. So I pulled him aside one night and let him pick his favorite of mine and he is so happy! I’ve never felt so happy seeing that smile as I taught him how to tie it! It’s the only one he wears now! The joy of simply loving and simply giving. That was our Saviors whole life.
I’m about to head out and play soccer again! What a fun time that is!!! Oh and in one week we get haircuts again and I’VE STILL GOT A BUZZ! What am I going to do. Oh and last night we got busted by another DL cause we were up laughing our heads off till probably 10:40 last night. I love our room so much! We laugh our heads off with the little Spanish we know, but the body language and functions all nations, races, and people can perform!
Well that is my week, the gospel is great, Christ IS our redeemer forever and always and the most precious gift we have in this life is our testimony of how he’s affected us for the better! Hang on to the little moments and always look for someone who is in need, whether it is a tie, a smile, or a little humility on our part. I love this work, I love Peru, and I really don’t want to be anywhere else!
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