Instruments

Last week was the begining of taking out teaching records and hunting people down. This week we went out and searched for less active members! We met several, which made us sooo happy.

 One woman is Bertha, who hardly has time to just rest because her family runs a radio station and she teaches school on the side. We spent our visit with her getting to know who she is and what she likes to do, and we found out that she loves to cook and bake! You better believe that we have an appointment to bake a cake coming up. :) We also got to talking about her spiritual core, and what she does to keep it running. Our conversation led to OLA (orar, leer, asistir = pray, read, attend). Bertha obviously is missing several essential parts, and we first talked about what she thought she could improve and we bore testimony of how those three things can bring daily peace and communication with God. It was a great visit. 

We were also given a reference from a member to visit her nonmember friend who has been coming to our branch. We went to visit them, and came to find out that she and her friend both live out of our sector! Anywho, we got to know the member, and got to know know her and her less active grandson. We are going to meet with the elders of their true branch and introduce them this coming week!

This week also has reinforced the fact that missions make you stretch and develop talents that you didnt have before. The branch president slyly asked if my companion and I would choose two hymns that our branch choir could sing for our branch conference that is coming up. Shortly after we chose them, he then asked if I would be the choir director. Never in my life...We are working by faith right now! Well, that is all we ever do - the members are working by faith by having me lead their choir. :) We have definitely had some good laughs about it! 

Let choir members sing in tune. . . and life still goes on. 

The pinacle of this week was when Hermana Harbertson, the wife of our mission president, came and accompanied Hna Jesperson to our appointments! It was after we had a training and interviews from President, and we headed out to visit Percy and Ana. 

Hna Jesperson and I had really prayed and talked about what they would need to learn next days before, and we decided that Lesson 3, the Gospel of Jesus Christ felt right. But when we were in their house, about to begin, our plans suddenly didnt feel right. I took into account how Hna Harbertson has been sealed in the temple to her husband, and the more I considered the idea, the stronger the Spirit grew. Heavenly Father´s Will was undeniable, and so Hna Jesperson and I went forward and taught about temples and celestial marriage. We asked Hna Harbertson to share her testimony and experience with attending the temple, and goodness - when she spoke, the Spirit made His presence undeniably known. 

The Spirit had an amazing effect on Percy and Anna because they were attentive and began asking questions about how they could be be married in the temple and do the work for their dead. At one point, Ana, who is normally quiet, began telling us about her dad who had died sometime before. They both were happy to hear that their loved ones who never had the opportunity to live the gospel are able to receive baptism and other ordinances through them in the temple. Hna Jesperson and I both marveled at how Hna Harbertson´s broken Spanish was made strong, and the effect of the Spirit on Percy and Ana. That lesson was a miracle! And we went home feeling that we allowed God to use us as His Hands. 

As missionaries, we work for that feeling.

We have had more meetings with Percy and Ana, which have told us that they arent ready to be baptized yet, but we have been focusing even more on the temple. Recently we also taught them about forgivness and the importance of praying together as a couple in order to strengthen their relationship. We take it as far as their understanding goes, and we are getting better at using object lessons and analogies. 

Slowly, but surely they are progressing! That is all that we could ask for.

It is easy to get frustrated when your investigators arent progressing like you think they should. I am at fault for this! But certain words from my setting apart blessing keep coming to my mind whenever I feel this way and need comfort. I was promised that I would be a help to bringing many people to Christ, but that they will come in their own ways and times; and that a step toward Christ is a step in the right direction. I was then told to be patient in recognizing those steps. I have been striving to do just that, although it is really difficult sometimes. Hna Jesperson and I have been seeing some real blessings from focusing on the needs of the people, and letting ourselves be the mouth-peace for the Spirit. Percy and Ana arent yet ready to get baptized, but they are definitely developing their faith in Christ and learning about the need of daily repentance. I know now that they are the foundation for everything.

Patience and humility are real virtues! They allow the Spirit to show us the right path, and we are given spiritual power. We will always need to rely on that power. 

This is all for now!

Love,

Hna Arroyo