...and missionary work doesn't get any easier! If anything it gets harder. whyyyyyy???? BUT then come the blessings.
As I mentioned in my email last week, it snowed.. A TON. I'll include some pictures below so look out for those. Not only did it snow, but it RAINED. these past couple days we have been walking through 5 inches of water. When it rains, it pours! The prayers and fasts of the farmers in Idaho have been answered. And to top it all off, today is the most beautiful sunny day I've ever seen! Oh the Idaho weather is almost as crazy as Utah weather, just more windy...
Ch-Ch-Changes.... We got rid of the van! and no, it didn't get confiscated after our little mud adventure. We realized that it would be a lot smarter if the English sisters had it since they cover all the sisters on bikes, AND WE DON'T! I will admit it was amazing how much stuff we had in the van... going from a Van to a Toyota Corolla with 1/3 the storage space was interesting. Who knew we had so much stuff?!?!
So for District Meeting this week I made Arepas! (Mom! I found the Arina PAN in Ridleys! who knew?!). Everyone brought something to make so I made pericos and arepas for District brunch. It was so fun!
we have been working really hard to find new investigators... it seems like they are hiding and we can't seem to find them. We have prayed a lot, fasted, and worked our tails off this week... With faith I know we can find more people to teach.
one of the results of our prayers was Fabiola and her family. They are a very VERY catholic family but they are surrounded by members who set the best example around. She was a referral and it took us 2 weeks to find her at home, but this week we did! We talked to her and her kids about how the gospel blesses families and she loved it. Her boy is in scouts with the ward so at least we have a connection there. The spirit was so strong during that lesson, it was amazing. At the end we taught her to pray and in her prayer she thanked God for sending us because "it wasn't a coincidence, I need them here to teach me your word". Talk about LEGIT. It was so awesome. My companion bore LEGIT testimony and brought the spirit so strong. Ah, I love missionary work. It's these types of lessons and people that make all the hard days worth it.
Speaking of hard days, we had a couple this week. First off, since we share the branch with Spanish Elders the boundary lines are CRAZY. they cover 3 Stakes and we only cover one but in a certain spot in town it skips a street... News to us. As we were looking over our area map we discovered that Manuel is in the Elder's area! We repented and invited them to teach with us so we could hand him off. The lesson was amazing, we discovered that he was on probation (so he can't get baptized unless President authorizes it) but we also found out that he wasn't going to back down. His probation is up in June and considers it a good punishment that he has to wait to be baptized--cause it's something he wants to do! the Elders taught him this week and set a new baptismal date, he is having his interview next week--we are praying for him! He is amazing!
I don't remember if I mentioned it but we are going to the retirement center with the Branch this month, we are in charge of the mini sacrament meeting that they have. Yesterday I was asked to speak. what an awesome opportunity it was to share my testimony of our Savior's love. there is one particular sister who always makes sure she sits on the front row (she's got to be at least 90). there are about 7 elderly who attend this sacrament meeting in the foyer of the retirement home, not much room but it fills with the spirit very quick. ANYWAY. she talked to me a little last time and this Sunday I made an effort to talk to her for a little longer. these people are always so lonely, it breaks my heart. Well, this sister sweet grabs my hand and says: "I know you know this, but you are the only one who takes the time to talk to me. I know we were friends before this life, thank you for coming to find me in this world just to say hi". I basically got tackled by the spirit, she was speaking truth. Like a little fortune teller she talked to me about a lot of things that she could see in me. It was amazing how close to the spirit these people are. I cried, she cried, the spirit was there. Tender mercy to be part of something so beautiful. I know my Savior is her Savior, too. I know He knows her PERFECTLY. and for a moment, I was able to say the things she needed to hear. I felt the spirit speak through me. I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything.
I've been reading Jesus the Christ for half of my personal study these past couple days, I'm happy to say I'm almost done! I hope I can make it through by my half way mark, I'd love to read it again. I was reading about Christ's last few days, the Last Supper, the Betrayal and the Arrest.... you know, all that good stuff. And I cried like a child. I have never appreciated/understood it so well as I have on my mission. In life it is so easy to go day to day without thinking about the atonement. We can go all week until Sunday hits and then it's like "oh yea, Christ died for me...". As I have tried to focus more day by day on the Atonement, I realize that everything we do is because He died for us. Talmage talks about how Christ is the only reason we can communicate to our Heavenly Father. As missionaries we pray probably 100+ times a day.. it can get really easy to be repetitive and forget the meaning of prayers. So I guess that's my inspirational thought for you this week. re-assess your prayers. Take into account what our Savior did and how it affects our every-day life... I promise that as you do so your prayers will become more meaningful and just like Enos' sincere prayer saved him, we can experience miracles through sincere prayer.
I love you all, hope you have had a wonderful week.
Love,
Hermana Calero
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