Hola mis queridas familia y amigas,
This week has been a week of answered prayers. I know that God listens and always gives according to our believing power and consecratrion. We have been a little desanimados (of low spirits) because its been a long time since investigators from our sector have come to church. We also have specific goals for baptisms for the month of november, and thats a little hard to baptize people when no one assists. This past weekend was the weekend that makes or breaks November baptisms so we prayed all week long in each prayer that our investigators would be able to come to church and feel the confirming spirit which dwells there. The branch even went to the temple this weekend and we sent some names of our investigators with the relief society president to pray for them there. And even though not all of our investigators could come to church, Luis and Rosio did! Our two miracles
Rosio Benalcazar, was a contact made from a long time ago with Hermana Dillman and Hermana Muir.. a couple weeks later, when I arrived, one of our citas fell and we prayed to know what we should do. Hermana Dillman felt that we should go knock on Rosio`s door, and so we did, and she was home. We have been visiting her ever since. She has a baptismal date for the 29th de Noviembre. Rosio wants to make the changes necesary to have a life more centered in Christ. She was an inactive catholic, like many people here in our sector. She has been very interested in the Plan of Salvation, and in the Book of Mormon. When we knocked on her door this Sunday morning to pick her up for church, we were crossing our fingers that she would be ready. She opens the door and shes all dressed up in a pink skirt (missionary length) and white blouse, she puts her hands out saying something like, “ta da!!” and asks if she is dressed all right, we say, “Claro hermana que linda su vestimiento!”! Usually investigators just go their first time in jeans and a tshirt because they don`t want to dress up, or don`t have anything else but Rosio was ready. She`s a single mom, and her sons are all grown up. She is super cute, and stayed for all 3 hours. The members welcomed her with open arms, a nice change from Ibarra. Rosio said she loved church and is excited for next week.
Luis Guevara, Luis is one of those investigators that has many many questions and is very curious. He has never come to church and we have been teaching him for a couple weeks. We were really able to talk with him Saturday afternoon about his “Iceberg” (the deep problems that everyone have that keep them from making commitments; we have to be like Jack from the Titanic and dive under the water to see their real problems.. only the Holy Ghost is our guide... every true investigator has an iceberg) We were able to find out that Luis has been really stressed out about debts he has and has been thinking that he is unworthy to go to church. We talked about the influence of the Holy Ghost and how it helps us feel better and manage our stress and worries. We asked him how he felt when we taught him, helping him realize that he truly does feel peace when we visit him. We said just imagine how much better you will feel if you go to church where you are welcome and can feel the love from everyone. It clicked for Luuis. He said, "I need to go to church to feel this peace". Then he told us he would do the impossible to go to church. And he came!! It was amazing. I love Luis. He is totally one of those men who lives alone with his cats, but he is very respectful and has a spark in his eye, which shows that helongs to have a stronger testimony in the Savior. If he continues to read and pray and assist church, he will be able to develop that necessary testimony in order to be baptized by the 29th of November, his goal.
This week was another mission counsel, where all the mission leaders attend, and we discuss the challenges of the missionaries, proposing ideas and setting goals. Presidente also gives us a special Capacitaciòn (for the life of me, I don`t know what the right word would be in English), and he talked about the consecrated missionary. It was such an amazing Capacitaciòn. I realized that our level of power as missionaries, or plainly throughout our whole life, depends completely on our level of consecration. If I want to be able to invoke the powers of heaven to their full capaicty, I must lay my whole heart, might, mind, and strength on the table. It may sound easy. But placing your whole mind ont he table is tricky. That means our thoughts must be dedicated 100% to the mission and not to our own desires, needs, or dreams. We must be as Nephi. When they lived on the beach for 7 years waiting for the Lord to guide them to the promised land. Only Nephi kept himself consecrated enough for the Lord to guide him to build the boat. Every missionary int he Book of Mormon was consecrated. Ammon and his bretheren set aside riches and power that went along with kingship to set out on the impossible journey to teach the Lamanites. Their pure consecration is what brought them thousands and thosuands of fruits and baptisms. I know that the Lord guides us in our desires, but we must be 100% guidable. My goal is to be an example, and to help the other Hermanas become more and more consecrated, starting with my companion. We are goign to see miracles according to our devotion and love for the work and for Chrst.
This week was a wonderful week. I love to be a missionary and I know the Lord loves and cares for each and every one of his children. I hope and pray that we may all strive to give everything to the Lord, holding back nothing.
Con Amor
Hermana Powley
