So I heard a quote that describes everything that I have felt this week:
"you can count the seeds from an apple but you can't count the apples that will come from a single seed".... hmm. how profound. but really. Story of a missionary's life.
I don't even know where to begin, It's going to take me all day to do this... well let's start with our investigator Manuel... I told you guys a little bit about him. he was the super prepared referral that we thought was sketchy for a while because he's a single guy BUT we repented. So we had THE MOST AMAZING lesson with him this week. We had been praying and fasting that we would be receptive to the Book of Mormon. From our first lesson he said he didn't think there could be another true book of scripture like the bible... well, we taught him about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon... The spirit was so strong and by the end of the lesson we had him telling us that he Knew Joseph Smith was a true prophet, that the Book of Mormon was true, and that he would be baptized at the end of the month... ALL WITHIN AN HOUR SPAN... Man, is this church true or what?! So yesterday he comes to church. Fast Sundays always terrify me because I worry about what members are going to say to chase our investigators away... well, I also repented about that. How much wrong can be said with 20 members... Well with 5 minutes to spare Manuel turns to us and is like "can I go up there?", we were like "yeahhh!", and then we looked at each other in a panic. He gets up there and says (yes, we did write it down cause it was EPIC): "No creia en el Libro de Mormon... Gracias a las Hnas que me abrieron mis ojos. No mas quiero decir que mi testimonio es: ESTA IGLESIA ES VERDADERA" so yea.. for those of you who don't sprechenzie, he bore testimony that the church was true. oh man. He walks off the podium like a boss, all smiley and stuff... oh the spirit was strong.
so yeah, I guess that was a highlight. haha.
So remember the Juarez family from Raft River? THEY GOT BAPTIZED (insert cheesy apple seed quote here...). Sister Rex and I had the wonderful opportunity to go to their baptism with an investigator and had the time of my life. So I don't know who all I told or if I even mentioned it but bro. Juarez had decided to be baptized like a month ago but he didn't tell his family! (hence why he isn't dressed in white in the picture). So as the program started everyone in the whole ward except for the Malta sisters and I, oh and the bishop, were starting to freak out because they couldn't find Bro Juarez. Well, two minutes later in he comes dressed in white!!!! You should have seen the look on everyone's face. PRICELESS. Sister Juarez started crying and the boys had HUGE smiles on their faces. super cute. Another highlight... :)
So we have a 16 yr old investigator that we took to the baptism... she is in desperate need of a life-change. She has so much emotional hurt that it makes me way sad. She has depression, she's bipolar and she has tried to commit suicide 3x in the past 4 months... so sad. We have been teaching her and this week we found out she might have to go to juvie for 18 months.. When we got to the baptism we made it there a little early and we took her to see the font be filled up. While she was there she told us that she hadn't ever felt so much peace and that she would love to be baptized. She told us that she loves the Mormon church because it fills her in ways that the catholic church never had before. She has to go to court on Thursday of this week to find out if she will end up going to juvie or not.. oh and did I mention she might be pregnant... oy.... Such a sad story. We hope that everything will work out, please keep her in your prayers.
So i'm pretty sure I have devoured Jesus the Christ. I have learned so much. This morning I was studying in Luke 12 where Christ talks to the Disciples about their calling. It applied with what I had been thinking all week long. Christ tells them not to worry about temporal things, that all will be taken care of. He teaches that as we look for the Kingdom of God all these temporal things will be ADDED on. Such a tender mercy. It's amazing to know that when our priorities are in order nothing else matters. As we look for the kingdom of God first (loving, serving, teaching, praying, reading, etc...) the rest will be provided for (families, food, money, faith, health, etc..) I am so thankful for the wonderful opportunity I have to be on my mission and be ACTIVELY seeking for the Kingdom of God. I know that as I move forward and make this a permanent change or a habit to seek Him first, the rest will fall into place.
I love this work. I love that I have the priviledge to witness miracles every single day! I'm so grateful for this week and all the wonderful things that have come with the new year. I love my savior and I love my calling! I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Love,
Hna Katherine Calero
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