HOLY MOLY this week was jammed-packed. And there was so much to learn! I´ll try and sumarize it all up.
One of those blessings came about when Hna Vitola and I went to look for a reference. That family wasnt home, but we were able to meet with Olinda, a woman who lives in the same building. She answered the door a few weeks back as we were looking for the same reference, and we have been looking for her all this time in order to teach her. And this last we were able to!
This change has been a real trial for Hna Vitola and I. We´ve been striving to find new investigators through members, recent converts, and through our own efforts, but NOTHING was panning out. I cant fully explain the anguish that we´ve felt and the moments when we just wanted to give-up and cry, but I can now say that all trials bring us closer to the Lord if we let them, and that HE will NEVER leave us alone.
When I first took in our circumstances, I looked for the most obvious causes: ´´It´s the people and their agency! Why wont they just listen?´´ One more week later, I was blaming myself and my effectiveness as a missionary. I would honestly never want to pass through that again, but it humbled me and helped me learn more about the Atonement.
What I´ve learned is that I dont have to be perfect in order to be used as an instrument in the Lord´s Hands. Sometimes when I make mistakes, I sometimes have this dialogue in my mind:
´´If only I knew then what I know now,´´ and then lament over the past without moving forward. But I now know better. Because of the restored gospel, I know that this life is to help us grow and learn. A child needs to touch a hot stove at some point in life in order to know that he should touch it. He will feel the pain of learning, but the learning in turn will protect him. Does that child forget his experience? No, he has to remember it in order to never go back and touch the hot stove again. I used the Atonement to pick myself up again after a good cry, to repent, and to use the Lord´s grace in order to go out and try again.
These last two weeks my companion and I have been striving to work more intelligently by visiting with more members and consistently asking for references instead of walking around contacting. It has brought about miracles! And the members are becoming more excited to help.
One afternoon we set out with Sister Soncco to go and visit Mercedes. That appointment actually fell through, but Sis. Soncco knew who else she wanted to visit when we asked her if there was anyone else who lived close by. We immediately went to our Plan B without finding the person that we were looking for, but that led us to contact Martha. Actually, Sis. Soncco contacted Martha before Hna Vitola and I could start talking! All we could do was watch speachlessly as this member invited someone that she didnt know to attend Church. We both congratulated Sis Soncco afterward because Martha was really interested in learning more after hearing the testimony of a member, and her response was classic:
Sis Soncco
¨Oh, thank you so much! I´ve been thinking about how I want to get better at sharing the gospel...I want to give away a Book of Mormon -- I just want a BAPTISM!¨
Me: ´´I do too, Sister Soncco!!!´´
Hna Vitola and I had a good laugh after that, and we had all the energy in the world to keep going forward receiving rejection! I testify that when we rely on the Lord and bear our afflictions well, the Lord will bless us.
One of those blessings came about when Hna Vitola and I went to look for a reference. That family wasnt home, but we were able to meet with Olinda, a woman who lives in the same building. She answered the door a few weeks back as we were looking for the same reference, and we have been looking for her all this time in order to teach her. And this last we were able to!
We met with Olinda, her son Nelson, and son-in-law Paul who is an athiest. We were hoping to teach about the Restoration more in depth, but the Spirit was in complete control of that lesson. My companion and I felt impressed to focus more on how God is our loving Heavenly Father and that He wants us to pray. At one point Olinda turns to us and asks us to share a spiritual experience that we´ve had with prayer. Who asks that? Only the people that are prepared! And at the end when Olinda was practicing praying she says this:
´´Did I do that right? I feel something incredibly in my heart...as if you´ve both just taught me the real way to pray.´´
We then took that time to teach her that she was feeling the Spirit. It was really such a beautiful lesson! After one month of nothing, we received new investigators that are truly searching for the truth. I cant fully explain that joy that I had in that moment!
The rest of this week continued to be spiritual. President Uceda of our area presidency came to the mission to teach all of the missionaries. That man is powerful! I now know what it means to ´´roar like a lion´´. We learned a lot about repentance, obedience, and how our spiritual worthiness will make us into powerful servants in the Lord´s Hands. I cant think of any better promise!
Today for p-day Hna Vitola and I had fun playing soccer with other missionaries. It was so FUN. I never realize how much I miss playing sports until Mondays.
I love you all!
Hna Arroyo
