LUNES
Pues el Domingo los Elderes nos dijeron que Marta no quiere bautizarse pero but she is embarrassed to tell us. So we headed to Noche de Hogar con ella y Maria y adrian para ayudarla. She had a TON of questions. Instead of answering question for question... we taught her the Plan of Salvation...which really answers all the questions we could have! :) The lesson was so spiritual... but by the end she told us, ''I am not getting baptized. I haven't prayed yet but I'm not going to do it. It isn't the Lord's time'' with ALL the Latin attitude in the world. I told her that if she hasn't prayed she can't know that it isn't the Lord's time! So we invited her to pray right there and then and ask specifically if she should be baptized on the 18th. When she asked that question the spirit was SO strong... she started to cry then cried and cried.... We said, ''well hermana? What are you going to do?" ''Voy a bautizarme'' dijo ella. Ooooooh it was so beautiful!! The spirit was so strong and we KNEW that this was the fecha that the Lord had planned. She is ready to be baptized!
MARTES
Today we taught a muchacha named Isabel. She is 21 years old and I already love her and think we are going to be friends for life. She has a little six month old baby and lives with her sisters. We taught her and invited her to be baptized and she said simply, ''sí!'' It was so easy I was kind of shocked :) So I asked again... "''Hermana, we are preparing a baptismal service for the ninth of May... will you be baptized on this day?'' again ''Sí!! Voy a hacerlo.'' It was beautiful :) The Lord REALLY IS preparing people!! Then we visited Ivanna and her mom Mayela... they seem a little more duro de corazón but there is potential.
MIÉRCOLES
Today we were in divisions with the Hermanas de San Roque. I was with Hermana Guit. Our plans were AWFUL because we had plans in Pueblo Nuevo all day... then Jackeline and Marta in Daniel Oduber y Alaska... opposite sides of the area y no hay buses. But that's okay we did what we had to do. The lesson with Marta was a bummer. Turns out she doesn't want to keep the Ley de Castidad because she has a new novio :( But we worked hard to help her see the blessings and feel the spirit.... Then Jackeline wasn't home... AGAIN!! We haven't been able to teach her in almost two weeks!!!! All our baptisms are falling through and I am so sad that these people I truly love are rejecting us :( BUT we had a good miracle... at seven o'clock Noche de Rama was starting at the church... and we were about half an hour away. We started to run... but I stopped at the corner by Jackeline's house and just stared at this one house... Hermana Guit said lets go! And I said...''ok but remind me about this house... it is shining!!'' haha... it really was though I'm not kidding. She said, ''well let's just knock it and ask directions to get to el centro super rápido and then we will run'' so we did... a man answered... we said ''Buenas! Somos misioneras-'' and before we could ask directions or say anything more he said come in!!!!!! Invited us in and brought his children to listen to us... we were in charge of part of the Noche de Rama so we really couldnt stay but we shared a tiny little message of our purpose and put a cita for another día. It was such a fun little miracle!!
JUEVES
Today we visited Marjorie... she is great... she has LOTS of questions and doubts... she is letting things her mom says and other people say plant even MORE doubts in her head. But for every doubt and question there is an answer!! We just dont understand yet. So we have been helping her clear up all her doubts. Then we visited Xinia... the ex-wife of recently baptized Marco. She accepted to pray and ask if she should be baptized the 25th of this month! Then Kathya... and um... her... friend.. Wendy. There are possible some problemitas there...
VIERNES
Today we visited Ivanna again... she is actually AWESOME! She is so prepared.... she has GREAT experience receiving answers to her prayers and has great faith in that. She accepted all our message and ALMOST accepted to be baptized on the ninth of May but then her Mom came in and kinda put a damper on things. Then we visited Marta.... still doesn't want to keep the Law of Chastity... she acted like such a little girl texting her boyfriend during the whole lesson and giggling...come on Marta!!!! This is salvation!!!!! Then we visited Oldemar and his wife Kathya (from the shining house by Jackeline!) They really are GREAT!!! They are Christain Evangelicos... but they only joined that church hace 5 meses. They believe in the importance of families... are married... teach the gospel the best they know it to their children. We taught them the Plan of Salvation... and though they are still firm in ''their'' iglesia... in the prayer.. Kathya thanked Heavenly Father for sending these angels to their family.. and that even though they don't know why... she knows that He sent us. It was beautiful!!!
SÁBADO
Kathya is possibly almost surely drinking coffee again and lying to us about it... the kids say it all :) It is sad. But I know the road for new converts is really rough! She needs more friendship and support from the members. Hey- be really good friends to all new members!!! At night we visited a family that my comp found before I got here... but we almost never have visited them. Maria and Marvin and their children Marvin Linda and Anderson. They are beautiful and accepted our message and the invitation to be baptized on the ninth of May! Maria and Marvin won't be able to because they are living together and he is still married in Guatemala... but the children will be able to!! What a blessing. There are so many people here prepared to receive the gospel in their lives.
DOMINGO
Today was sad. Really sad. All these great people we taught this week were committed to come to church! But NO ONE came. No one. No Marta.. No Jackeline...No Xinia.... None of the new investigators... Ivanna... Isabel.... No one. It was so sad. During the day we called them all and Marta still doesn't want to be baptized... Jackeline Xinia and Ivanna didn't answer... Isabel said she'd come to the little one at seven at night.. and Marjorie said that she wanted to stop receiving us and wanted to return the Book of Mormon. It was so sad. No one was receiving us to teach all day... I was bummed. Then we found a sister that is the daughter of a 90 year old member that isn't baptized. We taught her and invited her to be baptized right away on the 25th! She said she would pray about it... we may have a great miracle. Then we did divisions with some ward members... Heidy and I found a coupld that received us... at the end the man said, ''My mission now is to prove to you that you are in the wrong. If what you teach is actually true... I'll join. But if not.. you've gotta face that you have been tricked.'' I said firmly, ''Está bien hermano!!'' haha. I know without a SINGLE doubt that this is TRUE! 100% true. And I know from the one source that can't lead us astray... my Heavenly Father! So don't worry yáll. :) Then.... we had the Sacrament meeting at 7 pm for those that work during the day... The whole family of Maria and Marvin came!!! IT was a great blessing.... then... the best miracle of all.... JACKELINE!! After two weeks of not hearing from her and thinking she didn't want anything... she came!! All by her self... when she walked in tears filled my eyes and SO MUCH LOVE filled my heart. I haven't felt so much love for someone in a while... it was such a miracle that she came. We talked to her afterwards... she is having lots of problems with the father of her children.... people are mocking her for coming to church... but she told us that she has prayed and she knows it is true and still wants to be baptized on the 18th (which now we dont know if she can do because she is living with the father of her children)... we FINALLY gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon because we haven't been able to visit her and she was SO grateful. We told her it was the most valuable gift we could give... and she accepted it with tears in her eyes.... it was just so glorious. Heavenly Father answers prayers. He gives us trials to strengthen our faith... but His will is ALWAYS that His children can come unto him. The sad thing is that His children have their albedrío. And often times they choose... like Marta... to reject the answers they've received... to not live the commandments they know are true. I hope we can all make an extra effort to follow más the will of God in our lives. He is our Father!! He loves us and wants the best for us. And the way to receive that is through keeping the commandments. I love this gospel. I love this work. I am happy to sacrifice these short 18 months. And I am grateful for each one of you and all you've taught me all my life...... I'll see you soon!!! Skype you in a month!!
I LOVE YOU!
Hermana Cookie (That's what they call me here... Alajuela was Hermanita Coco... now it's Hermana Cookie) :)
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