this week we taugh jessica and beatriz and we taught them the Plan of Salvation, they loved it even though they dont show a lot of enthusiasm, jessica had talked to her husband about the lessons and how she loves learning and feels really intrigued by our religion and she likes the testimonies that she hears from the members and they even knew one of the members we brought and they noticed a huge change in her and want the same. However after we committed her to come to church and she didnt look to sure, so i asked her what is holding her back, was it the 8 children that you will have to take care of? she said yes , but also she doesnt have the full support from her husband and he doesnt seeem very intrested. so, i bore my testimony aboiut how i came to be converted and how i was living the gospel all on my own, but how much it has blessed me, i teared a little bit . But then we committed her to have a kneeling prayer with her husband and read the family porclamation with him and have a litttle talk about it. I felt so inspired to ask her that and knew they will feel the spirit so strongly if they did.
we have been having a lot more members involved in our teaching appointments. Let me tell you how much of a drastic difference it makes in the progression of the investigators and its a lot more intrestin a nd spiritual, for their life expiriences makes them more meaningful plus they are usually the typical challanges that we all face in life and they,t horugh, the gospel have the tools to overcome them, and that is a living testimony of how the principles we teach are true and bring many blessings. we invited hermanan toledo, a blind lady, and wow she makes the ground shake beneath her, she is on fire spiritually! she has such a tender heart and she even offered one of our investigators that doesnt know how to read to read and is so concerened for the spiritual well bieng of others. I admire her, the outlook she has on life and the pure knowledge that Heavaenly Father loves her.
We taught one of our favorite families,( i kow we are not supposed to have favorites, sorry) her name is roxana and her children victor, asuncion and perla they invite us over all the time to make hot chocltate or whtever so we can teach her family a lesson and enjoy eachotehr company for a little while, One morning about 10:30 am after raking leaves and putting them in bags for a lady in a neighboorhood , we went over there and prayed that she willl be there, my companion said" please Lord if she is home i will behave this weeek" Sure enough the Lord answered her prayer after the second time she let us in, sh had just wokedn up and we read the Book of mormon with her and then she invited us to have lunvh with her so we helped her prepare a meal and we ate, it awa the best, she is like our mom. we had 8 investigators come to church, not as much as last week it was a little sad. This week we have seen the difference we are so HaPPY........ and are so ready to work! i enjoy everything we do and my companion and i love eachother!
we went over to blanca and her seven children's home to help them with a yard sale, no one came for the longest time so we helped her clean the house, after a hwile we decided to excersise our faith and pray for people to show up, so we did and threee minutes later people strted coming! the girls were so excited and hope that that strengthened their testimony about prayer.
we had a little ceasers dinner ar a less actives family's home and after that we asked if the uncle was around becaue he went to church and is not a member, he came over and we had a lesson of coarse "how to begin teaching" as he walked up to us smelling like an ashtray/homless man, has a prickly beard and was covered in tattoes, and was sort of confused, we greeted him and at first i was kind of in a whatever attitude about talking to him, hey i am not perfect, anyway as we started gettign to know him and saying how the gospel can improve the quality of his life and how, throiugh the gospel he can overcome anything, he started to really listen, he siad he loved learning about God and how said that he knows that he is probably one of his worst children and how he needs to change a lot. he even said that "i've done some htings htat i want to tell you, just so you can know what type of person you are dealingw with, i hvae so many problems" Something came over me and my companion. I didn't see a dirty sinner, who i saw was an innocent child, a child of God, all he needs is a little direction and His love. i felt compassion towards him. I testified that through the saviors sacrifice, non of that past matters, it can all be wiped away and he can truly feel a load off and forgiven and he will learn the meaning of love and express it to his family better. My companion touched his heart as she said, "do you love your son? what would you be willing to give for the life of your son? you'll give anything right?" his facial expression showed how much love he had for hima nd that he would give anything for him, he even said "hermana.." as he touched his heart. That is only a portiion of what our Heavenly Father feeels for you and me, he wants you to be happy. He told us something extra nice, he said he felt super comfy around us and he hasnt' felt that same with other missionaries, and that he sees us as his friends we all giggled and had a fun lesson.
After that amazing lesson we went over to a members house, we were suppoesed to meet them there , and they were in charge of bringing blanca and her family to watch The Testaments, we sat and ate popcorn, let me tell you, those little ones sure can eat, they attacked like 8 bags of popcorn and still ate chips and goldfish. It was so fun, Blanca was teary eyed when the Savior visited the Americas, especially when he healed Jacobs father.
on sunday we went over to blancas an hour befoe churhc to help her kids get ready for church, it was fun. they also came to a fireside that night to hear the testimonies of all the recent converts, by t he way Blanca and her daugher Janet are both gettting baptized on saturday!! :D the rest of her family will follow shorty after, if they are good examples :) which they will. well the whole week was paked with tiny beautiful miracels but here are some pictures.
