This week went super fast again. Its crazy how fast the weeks go.
I feel like I dont remember much from the beginning of the week...I dont
know it just went by so quickly. Hermana Estevez was a little sick for a few
days this week. Basically everyone here has gripe but she is feeling better
now. But we had a day or two where we werent really working. I went on splits
with some ward members and with another hermana from the other area while she
was sick. Kind of hard to go on splits with members because they sometimes dont
know completely how to work or they like to talk a lot with the investigadores.
But it was fine. Also every thursday we have what is called Noche de
Hermanamiento and this thursday we were in charge. But hermana estevez was
sick, so i had to lead the activity solo because i was on splits with the
members. We just had a small activity talking about goals for 2014. Most of
the members i felt like just stared at me...it was kind of disappointing when i
was trying to get them excited and such but i felt like they all didnt really
want to be there...but whatever.
On Saturday we had intercambios with the sister training leaders. I stayed
in the area and hna estevez went to the other area and Hermana Rodriguez came
with me. It was a really good experience for me to lead the area. We worked
super hard and it was good for my confidence to grow that I can lead an area.
Also it made me feel good to know that i know enough spanish, sometimes with
hermana estevez i worry that i dont know enough spanish because if i dont
understand something she helps me with it, but this day on intercambios i was
with hna rodriguez and she doesnt know hardly any english and i did fine. So
that was good. I learned a lot during intercambios and it was a good
experience.
Then yesterday at church was super amazing. We had 6 investigators at
church and it was a great meeting. Eloisa and Marcos came. They are
progressing and Marcos says he has a testimony of the book of mormon. They only
say they need more time to feel more sure about baptism. Marcos is more
positive then Eloisa but I know that both of them are going to be baptized. I
just dont know when. Marcos is so smart and he loves to read which is great.
We are just going to keep working with them. This week we are going to start
teaching them the commandments. Also at church was this investigator named
Roberto. I have only taught/visited him maybe 2 times. He has received the
missionaries for a long long time now. He knows the book of mormon is true and
everything. The only problem is he works on sundays. He sells food in the
streets and that is the reason he hasnt been baptized is he wont give up his
work on sunday to go the church. He doesnt have enough faith that he will be
blessed if he goes to church on sunday. Also he has problems with drinking when
he has problems in his life. When we have visited him he says he want to go to
the church, and he prays for the strength to have faith to go to the church and
not work, but then he never goes. But saturday we visited him and had a similar
experience. But we put him in part of our fast and it really was a miracle that
he came to the church. He wasnt there at first, but during the sacrament i was
just praying in my heart he would come late, and at the end of the sacrament he
walked in, also one of the ward members shared their testimony and mentioned him
specifically that he was going to be so blessed for being here today in the
church. Really the missionaries have been trying for so so so long for him to
come just once to the church. Hopefully we can continue working with him. Also
David Calderon (Albas husband) came to the church! We have been inviting him
everyweek and he always says he is going to come, but then never does. But this
week we had more formal visits with him and he said he would come and Alba told
us she would make sure he would come. It was so neat to see them in the church
as a family. And probably most especial of all, was Alba shared her testimony.
Never have I heard a more powerful testimony in my life. Wow. First of all
she talked about how grateful she was for us and our love for her and our
patience with her when she was deciding to be baptized (which was great for
Eloisa and Marcos). It really made me realize that I am making a difference
here, even if sometimes I dont feel like it because of my spanish, but it made
me realize people really can feel my love for them. Also she shared her
experience of when she decided to be baptized and her baptism. She talked about
when we had the lesson with her in the chapel and everything. She also talked
about the Book of Mormon and how important it is for her to read and study every
day even if its just a little. Right now her mom is sick so she has been really
busy taking care of her, but she said how important it was for her to find time
to read for just 5 mins every day. Then at the very end she talked about how
much it meant to her to have her husband here with her at church and talked a
lot about that. It was neat enough that she got up to share her testimony, and
then how powerful her testimony was...wow. Never will I forget her testimony
yesterday. Its also so neat to see, because at first she was really shy to
share her testimony or she didnt really have confidence to invite her husband
but now its different. Also we had a noche de hogar (family home evening) with
them on monday and one of her goals was to go to the temple to baptisms (which
was one of her doubts originally before she was baptized). I really hope we can
continue growing on this success we have had.
That was basically the highlights of this week. Hopefully I can continue
to have another good week. Im glad you got my letters for christmas. I couldnt
find any gloves still...but whatever. Sounds like everything is going good at
home starting off this new year.
Love you all so much!
Hermana Groneman
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