We've had lots of adventures these last two weeks that I haven't had time to write about. We'll see if I can get it all in today.
Last week we had some funny faith building experiences. There's a Beehive (12 year old girl) that loves to leave with us. She got baptized in August and shes already an awesome missionary. She reminds me of Sadie. She's just funny like that. But last week we were walking and we saw a jocote tree. Jocotes are fruits that are really good. I don't really know what to compare it to. But they're good. So the Beehive girl wanted to get some down to eat. This tree was huge. So we started chucking rocks to knock some down but we just couldn't. I didn't want to waste time and be late for our visit so I told her okay five more minutes. This is a trial of your faith. We can get them down. So we kept throwing rocks as hard as we can and she was getting kinda down because we weren't having any luck. Then along comes this guy who stops and see what were trying to do. He picks up a stick and on the first throw he knocked a ton down. We were shocked. We had been trying so hard. And the Beehive girl was so happy to get her jocotes. She just kept saying I had faith I had faith. It was a funny way to see that when we have faith everything is possible. Even when other people need to help us.
Now for a segment of good news, bad news. Good news...IT STOPPED RAINING: Rainy season is officially over. Which means I can wear mascara again. What a blessing. Bad News. ITS STILL COLD. I have to cover my head and use hoodies to sleep like camping. Last Monday we went to the pacas to find clothes for the cold and I had to explain how to dress in the cold to Hna E. She pulled something off the rack and said this would be so good to sleep in. They were a pair of snow pants. Its been an adventure for the both of us. Anyway... Good news...We found Samuel the Lamanite and he went to church and hes going to get baptized(!/(¡ Bad news...turns out he lives in the Elders area. So they're going to be teaching him. But the important thing is that he gets baptized. But that's all for now with good news bad news.
Hey. Is anyone is still doing the Book of Mormon challenge? If so let me know. But its not too late to start. I think you have to read like 6 pages a day to finish by the time I get home. Its doable. That's probably easier to say as a missionary who has an hour to study the scriptures everyday. haha but I know you can do it. That's probably 20 or 30 minutes every day. And you'll be blessed for it forever.
The other day I had to show my ID to some one in the store to buy something. They just laughed and said That's not you. They didn't believe it was me until I pulled out like 3 more documents showing that it was me. Yes, the picture on my id is from when i was 16. But even when I pulled out a more recent one from 2 years ago the lady was still suspicious. How many tall white girls are there in this country that I could have stolen an ID from. It just made me laugh. Apparently I look nothing like I used to. Hna E has told me that too when we sees old pictures of me. I'm thinking I can nail the changes down to three things...I'm tanner, blonder, and fatter. That about sums it up.
Hna E was never part of the Young Women's program because she got baptized when she had 20 years. So she started her personal progress on the mission. Its really fun to help her with all the goals and read scriptures with her. Shes so excited about it. I wish I would have made my personal progress a more meaningful experience. I did it. And I can remember a few of my projects. But its just not the same. Helping her with personal progress is probably better for me than it is for her. haha
This week we realize that people are so eager to believe in the Book of Mormon. In Spanish there aren't scriptures that come with the bible and the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price all stuck together in a giant book. We have the bible and the triple separate. And I always get out my triple and have it on my lap during lessons ready to look up scriptures. So this week we were in a lesson with a really nice lady who was really passionate about what she believes in in her church. She was starting to argue with us a little. She pointed to my triple, clearly thinking it was the Bible, and said all we need to know is in that book. Every single thing that God wants us to know it right here. We don't need anything more or anything less just THAT book. It was so hard not to laugh so we just agreed with her and finished with a prayer. Afterwards I told Hna E that I have never seen anyone receive such a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon that fast. It gave us a good laugh. But later that week it happened again. We were dying trying not to laugh. But Hna E just was honest and said Hermano, wow what a miracle. You have already testified of this book and you didn't even know what it is. The Spirit made you know its true.! Ah. Good ol Libro de Mormon.
Were teaching this cute little sick grandma. She listened to the Elders before and she has a strong testimony but shes really sick and can't really come to church. One day when we visited her she was feeling worse than normal, so we explained blessings and that the Priesthood holders have the authority from Christ to heal people. She quickly accepted to receive a blessing. So we ended the lesson and went out looking for some sacerdocio. We ran across the high way to a members house (that's just how you get from point A to point B. There's no other way to cross.) and within 5 minutes we had 2 priesthood holders at her house to give her a blessing. The next day she felt good enough to go out walking with her friends. She has a lot of faith. It was a good reminder of the power of the priesthood. That's really the only difference in this church when it come down to it. This church has the authority of Christ. It works miracles. I'm so thankful for it and for the priesthood holders I know back home. Its really good to know that even in Guatemala a priesthood blessing is only a jay walk across the highway away.
Love you.
Hermana Haymond
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| some sisters in our zone |