Mi Querida Familia!!
I kind of feel like I don`t know where this week went! It flew by! For sure, we worked really hard each day, but still, a lot of our citas (appnts) fell this week and so we taught a lot of contacts, which some were effective and some not so much.
A quick example of an ineffective lesson: we were outside teaching a young lady with her baby daughter the other day, and suddenly her angry mom comes storming outside telling us to go teach someone who actually needs to be saved. We were like... umm.. YOU need to be saved.... in our heads. But its all right. She though we were Jehovas Witnesses. When we cleared that all out, she seemed a little less brava. But in the end, she told us that even though she new we weren`t Testigos, she didn`t want us to confuse her. Oh well. Nos vemos en el Juicio. NBD.
On the plus side, we were walking down main street Friday night and we passed by a house, where a young man was sitting on his front porch with his head in his hands. We kept walking, but I stopped. Hermana Pinto asked me what happened. And I told her I felt bad, like we need to turn around. She told me, Do you want to go contact that man? Me too, lets go. And so we did! Turns out he was locked out of his house, because his grandmother had fallen and coulnd`t get to the door, he also told us that last week he was sick and he was prayign that the Jehovas Witnesses could come and visit him. For the last time, we are not Testigos de Jehova! He told us he knew that, but he still felt like it was an answer to his prayer. We plan on visiting Diego again later this week. Who knows? I have learned to not get my hopes up to much for the young men, because half the time they just want to flirt. But he was an inspired contact! So we will see where the spirit takes us!
This week, we were able to find and teach 2 new investigators, Erika Elizabeth and Piedad. They are set for baptismal dates for the 9th of August, and both came to church. If you all remember correctly, Erika Elizabeth was the young women who came out of her house and started listening to our lesson with Marco, later asking us if she could come to church too. Erika Elizabeth is very curious about the idea of prophets on the earth today, and Piedad is her mother, who is super sweet, she`s around 75 years old. They live together, a little bit lonely, because Piedad has bad knees and don`t get out of the house much. But they both are very receptive and are excited to read the book of Mormon. With Piedad we have to make sure we are very clear with her, and always verifying her baptismal date, do be sure that she understands. In church on Sunday Piedad wanted to answer all the questions and she was usually spot on! <Piedad literally feels like a lost family member that I`m just now gettign to know. I have faith that they will continue to progress. A member family picked them up for church on Sunday,and they were super happy to help.
We have also tried to visit and rescue Marco who was our other investigator progresando, but it looks like hes going to the coast in the next week to work. And so we will try to visit him one more time this week, and leave him on a good note, para fin de que pueda seguir escuchando a los misioneros en Quinende, Esmeraldas.
I want to try something new in my letters, I would like to share my testimony with you all in Spanish, it feels more like home..
Yo sé que vive JesuCristo. Y algo que he aprendido y sentido super fuerte este semana, es la veracidad de la Restauracion. Lo tiene todo sentido que Dios ha enviado un profeta aquí a la tierra para guiarnos. Hay muchos personas que piensan que no importe la religión, JesuCristo va a salvar a todas. Pero... sì lo importa! Él nos habla por medio de un profeta para guiarnos en este dia para fin de que podamos guardar sus mandamientos, ser bautizados, recibir bendiciones, y en el fin ser salvos. No tengo dudas or miedo ahora para contactar y decir personas que tenemos un profeta viviente para guiar la iglesia. También he estudiado mucho del Espiritu Santo este semana. Sé que si confiamos en el Espiritu durante los lecciones vamos a poder escuchar, discernir, y hacer las mejores preguntas. Las preguntras que puedan cambiar vidas. Sé que yo estoy haciendo mi mejor parte y que Él va a bendecirnos con éxito pronto!
(I know that Jesus Christ lives. And something I've learned and felt super strong this week, is the truthfulness of the Restoration. We all sense that God has sent a prophet here on earth to guide us. There are many people who think that no matter the religion, Jesus Christ will save all. But ... yes it matters! He speaks through a prophet to guide us on this day to ensure that we keep his commandments, be baptized, receive blessings, and to be saved. I have no doubt or fear now to connect people and say that we have a living prophet to guide the church. I've also studied a lot of the Holy Spirit this week. I know that if we trust in the Spirit during the lesson we will be able to listen, discern, and make the best questions. The preguntras that can change lives. I know I'm doing my best part and that He will bless us with success soon!)
Con Amor
Hermana Powley
