Week 40 - So Sorry!

Hi everyone,

So sorry about not sending an email last week. I was playing an intense game of chair soccer and totally forgot. So please forgive me for that....but this week you'll get to read what happened for the last two weeks. :) 
 

Two weeks ago, Tuesday night we went and visited Arturo, our less active. He's a cool guy, but he's pretty much just waiting for like a sign from God that he should go back to church. But, the whole lesson with him I just kept getting the prompting DONT FORGET TO ASK HIM "WHO DO YOU KNOW THAT NEEDS A MESSAGE ABOUT JESUS CHRST?" So finally, the time came, and I asked. And he goes, "I don't know anyone in specific, but I can give you all the numbers of apartments of people that speak Spanish." WHAT. So yeah we got like 20 referrals that day and it was awesome.

Friday was district meeting, and we talked about how we are apostles with a little "a", and we watched a cool video by Elder Bednar where he explains what Apostles do.  And we literally pretty much do the same thing, but they're in charge of the whole world and we're just in charge of a little tiny area.  But it was cool.  The only bad thing was that the other sisters straight up forgot about district meeting so it was just me and Sister Speigner and Elder Byington and Elder Wilson.  Kind of awkward.  Then we finished weekly planning for the day, and went and saw Bonifacio.  We're focusing on preparing him for the temple, so we talked about temples and how important they are and what goes on in there.  He's so cool.  He told us that his dream is to do an endowment session in the Salt lake Temple.  And  I really, really want to make that happen for him.  So when I finish the mission I'm going to see what I can do to get him over there to the temple.  He's just got to, you know, actually get endowed first.  But all in good time!

 

Last Wednesday we were able to teach José with Hno Ahlstrom. Hno Ahlstrom is a really good fellowshipper for him, and it's been cool to see the Spirit work through him to help José progress. Sadly, he has not come to church for a long while so we might be dropping him soon. I really hope not, but we will see. Then we had a lesson with our less active Bonifacio. He's such a cool dude. He's going to try to ask for permission to leave the hospital to take us to the restaurant where he used to work and buy us tacos which is very sweet of him. And he wants to go before I leave at the end of the month.

Thursday we did some good weekly planning, and then we had dinner with Hna Wagner and her son Samuel. They're so cool. Then we went and visited Eva, she's a recent convert and she's so sweet! She has a really strong testimony, and we're trying to help her understand the scriptures more. She just wants all of her family to get baptized so bad but only one son has gotten baptized. And all of her kids are not interested right now, so it's hard, but eventually I think they will all come around. Then we went and visited Elsy, and she made us some salad to eat and we also talked with her about the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a really good lesson and the spirit was there super strong. And then she gave us all of Leah's halloween candy haha.

 

Then Friday morning we did power hour with Jordan again and we were able to teach a woman named Minerva and I don't know if she is too interested but she accepted a pamphlet and said we could come back on Monday so that was good. And then we talked to another cool guy named Dave who told us about all of his adventures in the marines and it was crazy. He wasn't very interested, but we gave him a Plan of Salvation pamphlet anyways. Then after that we had district meeting, which is always good. We talked about being one with the spirit because that's pretty darn important as missionaries.

 

So a really great thing that happened was we were able to meet a man named Raheem. He's actually from Iraq, and we've talked to him a few times before, and we've prayed with him, but never really taught him because he doesn't speak very much English. And I don't speak any Arabic. So we were talking to him, and I just said "Here's a picture of Jesus. And we have a friend that speaks Arabic, can we bring him with us next time and teach you more about Jesus?" And he started to cry and said yes! It was so special. So we prayed with him, and I shook his hand before we went, and as I was getting ready to walk away he grabs Sister Speigner, gives her a hug, and kisses her on the cheek! Yeah I about died laughing afterwards. But that's just how that culture is, they just love everyone.  But yeah it was pretty funny. :) 

 

And the week before this week was sooo good. We weren't able to add any new investigators, but I feel as though we had a successful week. We worked really hard and we showed people that we and Heavenly Father love them. 

Speaking of love....so I had an epiphany last Saturday morning while we were exercising, and I realized that I had not been loving people as much as I should be. I don't know what changed or what made me realize it, but I realized that if I am not doing this out of complete and total Christ-like love then there is literally no point. None at all. So I made a goal, that I would talk to every person out of love, no other reason at all. And I can't even explain the difference. It's not like people were any nicer to us or anything, but I found a joy and peace that I can't explain. And it's just completely changed everything. 

 

Also during Noche de Hogar on Monday we sang a "Jesus es Mi Luz" and these lines really hit home for me: 

"Jesús es mi luz; Él es mi poder, 

y con Su amor podré yo vencer. 

Mis faltas, con gracia Él puede borrar; ⬅️ that part right there. (My shortcomings, with grace, He can erase.)

andando por fe fuerzas he de cobrar." 

I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and that we can learn from and try to become like Him, and I'm so grateful that I can help others become closer to Him too. I love Him, and I love His teachings. And I love all of you! Have a good week! 

Hermana Fowlks 

Pictures from our FHE Scavenger Hunt with the branch.