This week we fasted to be able to meet more people to teach, and our fast and prayers were answered the day of! In the beginning of Sunday we recieved happy and sad news that our investigator Maricela wants to be baptized this week, but that we will need to give her record over to other missionaries because she lives one block out of our sector. We were crushed when we found this out, but we are also so happy to see so much happiness and light in Maricela`s eyes. Heavenly Father has blessed us for sure. He even sent us more blessings yesterday by putting prepared people and a less active family into our path. Seeing Maricela so converted has given Hna Chipunavi and I so much hope and excitement for the future. I thought that I knew what missionary work was before my mission, and I am learning that there is so much more to it. We experience saddness when others misuse their agency because we love them so much, but it is a saddness that I would not give away. There is happiness in being able to empathize with another's suffering and love them despite their imperfections.
We also recieved word from President that we need to focus more on less active members. He is really concerned about Puno because it has the lowest attendance in all of the mission; even two sectors in my zone needed to be closed in the last change. Mine and Hermana C`s sector is better than most, but there are still so many less actives that we need to find! Like I mentioned before, she and I were really sad to refer our golden investigator to other missionaries after having worked three months to prepare her for baptism, but reactivations are just as important as having a baptism. It is seriously the best to see the light of Christ shine brightly in another`s eyes when they understand the Atonement and who they are, whether it is for the first time or after a long process of repentance.
I also have a story to share. Yesterday after a lesson that we had, Hermana and I met with an old woman who was having a hard time walking up the mountainside. My companion is seriously such a great example to me! Hermana Chipunavi noticed that she was crying and quickly went to the side of the old woman and helped her to the nearest tienda. We tried speaking to her in Spanish, but quickly realized that the grandma speaks mostly Quechua and knows only signal words in Spanish. With the help of the girl who works in the tienda we were able to figure out that the old woman is sick and needed kindling to make a fire. We received the kindling and helped the woman to her house. At the exact same time that we were trying to communicate with her, a member came up in the path and started speaking Quechua. We only know him as abuelito because he is the grandpa of the second counselor in the bishopric and is normally too timid to speak. But during this time we saw a miracle as he began translating for us. He related the story of the Quechuan woman to us, and began crying as he explained how she lives alone without light and sometimes food. We helped Nicolesa, the old woman, into her house, and we now have plans to visit her with Mama Rosalia who also speaks Quechua. I cant stop thinking of the signifigance of this experience. Heavenly Father put us in the path of this old woman so we could help her. A language barrier was the challenge, but He provided a way for us to share the gospel with her through the help of abuelito. Heavenly Father really loves us, and has given every one a gift that the other doesnt have so that we can serve each other. This is a commandment that we have to serve others, and although it sometimes appears hard to accomplish, He has prepared a way for our success. We need only be willing to do our part.
We also recieved word from President that we need to focus more on less active members. He is really concerned about Puno because it has the lowest attendance in all of the mission; even two sectors in my zone needed to be closed in the last change. Mine and Hermana C`s sector is better than most, but there are still so many less actives that we need to find! Like I mentioned before, she and I were really sad to refer our golden investigator to other missionaries after having worked three months to prepare her for baptism, but reactivations are just as important as having a baptism. It is seriously the best to see the light of Christ shine brightly in another`s eyes when they understand the Atonement and who they are, whether it is for the first time or after a long process of repentance.
I also have a story to share. Yesterday after a lesson that we had, Hermana and I met with an old woman who was having a hard time walking up the mountainside. My companion is seriously such a great example to me! Hermana Chipunavi noticed that she was crying and quickly went to the side of the old woman and helped her to the nearest tienda. We tried speaking to her in Spanish, but quickly realized that the grandma speaks mostly Quechua and knows only signal words in Spanish. With the help of the girl who works in the tienda we were able to figure out that the old woman is sick and needed kindling to make a fire. We received the kindling and helped the woman to her house. At the exact same time that we were trying to communicate with her, a member came up in the path and started speaking Quechua. We only know him as abuelito because he is the grandpa of the second counselor in the bishopric and is normally too timid to speak. But during this time we saw a miracle as he began translating for us. He related the story of the Quechuan woman to us, and began crying as he explained how she lives alone without light and sometimes food. We helped Nicolesa, the old woman, into her house, and we now have plans to visit her with Mama Rosalia who also speaks Quechua. I cant stop thinking of the signifigance of this experience. Heavenly Father put us in the path of this old woman so we could help her. A language barrier was the challenge, but He provided a way for us to share the gospel with her through the help of abuelito. Heavenly Father really loves us, and has given every one a gift that the other doesnt have so that we can serve each other. This is a commandment that we have to serve others, and although it sometimes appears hard to accomplish, He has prepared a way for our success. We need only be willing to do our part.
This is all for now because I am out of time, but I love you all! Reach out to less actives and always be willing to serve.
Hermana Arroyo
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