This week was the long-awaited transfers week, and... I`m still in Pancasan 3! Woohoo, Granada! Round 4, with the powerful companionship of Quezada and Hansen ``echando fuego`` as the missionaries always say.
Okay, I`m not going to lie, I was a little surprised and disappointed with the news. I mean, I love Hermana Quezada, but I am in a bit of a rut with the area. Obviously, I didn`t have changes BECAUSE I was hoping to have changes, so there`s a lot more I need to learn and more that I can give in this little part of the world! Hna. Quezada and I decided that since there weren`t changes from the outside, we`re going to be making a lot of changes on the inside to make this the BEST change we`ve ever had! And it`s already looking great, since we met our goal of more lessons with a member present and some miracles of this week!
-Miracle: On Sunday, we passed by for two different 12-year-old girls that we had contacted during the week who had said they would come to church. Well, everyone tells us that they`re going to come to church, and most of them are lying. :) But when we knocked on Julisa`s door, she was ready and waiting for us. Then we called Amy, and she said she would come meet us at the street. We walked to church calmly with both of them, chatting happily, and they became best friends. Then Julisa says, ``I was telling my grandma that I want to get baptized in the Mormon church.`` We`re like, ``Oh, that`s cool. Do you want to get baptized on June 13th?`` Yep. Amy wants to get baptized too. And we got to church early, and President Russell was there, and it was just a happy moment all around.
-Miracle: Marlon (age 38) has come to church for the past eight weeks consecutively, but he couldn`t get baptized because he didn`t want to stop drinking. Then he had a bike accident and nearly bit his tongue off, which made him unable to drink alcohol. (Pretty sure I already told you this part of the story.) Anyway, he was still hesitant to accept a baptismal date because he was baptized Catholic and is afraid that God will punish him if he`s baptized again. We finally got him to commit, and he was progressing well toward the 30th of May, reading the Book of Mormon a little bit and coming to the ``Family Week`` activities in the ward. Then one of the AP`s came to interview him and try to move his baptismal date up (I never understand why they like to do that, pero bueno...). He got all freaked out and didn`t want to get baptized. He came to church on Sunday and told us that he had met with his part of the deal, but he never wanted to get baptized so we couldn`t visit him anymore. THEN our wonderful branch president started talking with him on the church steps (tender mercy: he couldn`t escape and go home because it was raining) and helped him to calm his fears. Other wonderful members also talked with him for a little bit. So then he comes to talk to us and asks all sheepishly, ``So, do you think, maybe, we could keep going? If it`s okay with you, I want to get baptized on the 23rd (that`s this Saturday!!).``
Wow, I`m super out of time, but I know that God directs this work. Sometimes He allows us to be tested to our very limits, but it is for our good.
Ah, super quick: 1) I`ve had a few moments this week where I see things with my ``charity eyes`` as I have decided to call it. It happens when I start to let the stress melt away and focus on the people instead of the numbers. It`s easier to contact and talk to people and I feel more love and patience. The weird thing is that I honestly feel that my vision changes, that it becomes more clear... I hope you don`t think I`m crazy, but I think that`s just what it feels like when Heavenly Father allows me to feel His love for his children for just a moment.
Read Alma 17-25 (Ammon and his brothers` missions) and notice how the Lord brings about His work. There are SO many phases that I hadn`t realized before... member missionaries, references, former investigators... ah, the scriptures are so great!
SO much that I cannot even tell you all of it. KNOW that I am happy (and happier than before) and that you have been answers to my prayers. I feel your prayers! I love you!
-Hermana Hansen
Sorry, I`m the worst and will not send pictures AGAIN. Next week, pinky promise!
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