Well family, it has been a great week, a growing week, and I'm loving it!
We started teaching this teenager, Yasmeli, this week and she is awesome. She is Catholic but just loves learning about God. She asked a Jahova's Witness to come to her house every Saturday to have a Bible study with her (we're hoping to take the place of this JW...haha) and has been doing it every Saturday for the last three years! She told us she doesn't pray usually with other people but after we taught her how to pray, we asked her if she would say the closing pray. We expected her to be a little hesitant but instead she said, "Sure! I'd like to try." :) We're excited to keep teaching her.
We had a few minutes to knock some doors the other day and it was a fun experience. We were walking up to the door and I said to Sister Dana, "Okay Hermana, this one's yours!" She got a panicky look on her face and said, "But we never practiced door approaches in Spanish!" Right as she said that, the lady answered the door and said "Hello?" (In English) I just looked at Sister Dana and she said, "Hi!....Sooooo" A long pause followed and she turned and looked at me. I tried to wait it out as long as I could, giving her encouraging head nods, but eventually had to swoop in and save her. haha I love awkward door approaches and am so glad I got to be present for that one:)
Have I ever said how much I love Hispanic people? After dinner the other night we went to a lesson with a little girl Brianna and her brother. We knocked on the door and her parents were there. We met them for the first time and fell in love! They immediately welcomed us in, invited us to eat dinner with them, offered us drinks, and were so nice! They are Seventh-Day Adventists but said we were welcome to come back anytime. It was the biggest contrast from knocking earlier that day and not getting to say two words before the Americans said "Not interested" and slammed the door. I am so grateful for my call to serve with the humble Hispanic people. Sister Dana and I were on a high after the lesson - I love when you feel the true JOY of missionary work!
We were eating dinner with a family the other night and the husband, that isn't a member, was being a hoot. He asked Hermana Dana why she couldn't eat wheat/flour and she explained how it makes her gassy. After dinner he didn't want to listen to the message we gave and excused himself with the excuse, "Maybe I'm allergic to wheat too - I'm feeling gassy..." Little pill.
Sickness and missionary work isn't the best combination. I woke up a few nights ago at 3:00AM to the sound of Sister Dana throwing up. Poor girl has been sick in bed for the last 2 days and it's been hard but good for me. Hard because being inside all day STINKS. I just wanted to get out and work! You can only read so much of Jesus The Christ, PMG, the scriptures and the Liahona before your eyes start watering - whether because of reading so much or because I was crying from being cooped up so long, I don't know...haha But it was also really good for me to. I have realized that I'm changing. I never want to just be sitting around doing little unimportant things. I am determined that after my mission - and on my mission - I will not waste any time. I want to be out serving, visiting people (whether it's my calling or not). I'm sure I can find good things to fill my life but I want to be in the service of the Lord always. I want to fill my LIFE with this work. I am blessed to have your examples - a mom who would drop anything to serve someone and a dad who devotes everything to his calling. If the Lord needs an errand run, I want to be dependable enough for him to trust me to run it. My desires are changing and I LOVE IT! I love the mission and how it's helping me catch vision of who I want to be and who the Lord needs and wants me to be - and for the first time in my life, our visions are aligned. I think I'm probably going to go back and be a really weird return missionary...haha but I don't have any desire to fall back into the way life was before. One day the Lord won't ask what did you DO in life, but he will ask what did you BECOME. My husband and kids better get ready to work!
No more Bishop, huh? Maybe that'll free up some time for you to write me EVERY week...;) thanks for you letter - it is something I'm learning a lot about. Pushing until the very end of ALL we do - a mission, a calling, school, etc - is part of enduring to the end. Thanks for everything - your love, support, and encouragement - but especially the packages of chocolate;) I just love this gospel and the privilege we have to share it with others. La iglesia es verdadera, les prometo!
Hermana Stewart
No comments:
Post a Comment