Feliz Cumpleanos:Tyler
Hermosa Familia,
Hey family, so I don't have too much time to write because we have
exchanges and we have a zone activity. We have them once a month, so I
will cram fast.
Lunes- We ate with the Coopers, which was a miracle, it was
interesting because they just kept talking, and talking and talking to
us. Haha, we couldn't get them to stop. So we tried to share a short
message then we tried to leave in good time, but over all I would say
it was a great lesson. We think that they like us!... They fed us and
so I would say it's a miracle. Then we did service at the library!
It's so great.
Martes- we had a MIRACLE day. The whole DAY was awesome. We started
off and hit it off with the bikes. We put in 5 hours of people to try,
Not to mention that it was SOOO humid that day, I was
LITERALLY soaked through, like my clothes were worthy of ringing out.
It was great. Anyways we went and found a less active that I have been
looking for my whole time here. He is AWESOME, he said we could come
visit him this Tuesday, so we are excited. His name is Jose Cervantes,
and then we went and we were riding and riding and almost every house
we knocked someone opened the door and at least talked to us! It was
awesome, some said no, some said maybe, and some said come back. (We
were going through all of the potential investigators that are in the
area book and trying to see which ones are ready...) Then we stopped
by Katie (at the eye doc) and gave her a We love You/ thank you card,
and she really liked that,... (Guess who we saw at church the
following Sunday?... Her husband..Mike.. Yeah yeah, he told us thank
you for visiting Katie..) (awesome) then we had a cita with Barbara
and it was a powerful lesson. She told us about some hard things that
are going on and how much they are struggling.
After 3 hours we had tried everyone we had put in. We ran out of
things to do... So we decided to go home and have dinner, and pray
about where to go. We both felt like we should ride and try people up
in this one area in Woodstock, so we did. We knocked the first house,
nada, the second house, nada, then the third we knocked and a man
answered, and we asked for his wife, Maria, because she was in our
teaching records. She came to the door and started asking us questions
and finally she was like, "Can you just come share a message and tell
me what you believe?" Haha, and we were like, uhhhhh of course! So we
did! She was SOOO into our lesson, she asked awesome questions and she
was like, I am so excited to come to church on Sunday, I am bringing
my husband. She is so cute! We felt like our prayers were answered
because we found a new investigator because literally ALL of our other
ones aren't talking to us right now, except Barbara, and she doesn't
really talk to us. We were so happy the whole day.
Miercoles- We have a sort of new investigator named Daysi. Let me tell
you about Daysi..... She is the best person EVER! She is next door
neighbors with Hna Monge and is AWESOME. She begs us to come over to
feed us so, we decided to stop by. Right as we walked in.... She
started belting a song for us... (She's actually SOOO good at singing)
and it was TOTALLY like we walked into a baptist church but Spanish
style.
We served with Hilda, no time for more words.... BUT.... it was
great! She fed us pasole... The Elders were helping us to and at the
end we all ate... Hilda also broke out the bow and arrow and I totally
shot it... Felt a little bit like Katniss. It was awesome... I hit the
cows stomach (don't worry it was a target) on the first try, yeah
awesome.
We had our Book of Mormon class and it was the elders turn to
teach. It was a great class. Right after the class we get a call from
Maria, (our brand new investigator..) she calls us and says, "Hermanas
thank you for your time, but I don't want you coming anymore...please
stop coming." I was on the phone and I was just sad because I thought
we had just gotten a new investigator and already she was calling to
tell us to not come back. Well the Elders were with us because we were
still at the Book of Mormon class and they were like, "Just stop by
tomorrow, go, she's fine, she just got scared..." Well, we went home
exhausted and a little sad, I knew that everything was in Gods hands,
we did our best and then, he can make up the rest!
Jueves- Hilda made the pasole on Lunes and didn't heat it up well
enough, and so we were SOOO sick, (the elders were too) and we were
out ALL day. At four AM precisely both Hna Woolf and I were up and in
the bathroom several times. We tried to go work in Harvard.. But we
were in the bathroom every half hour at the gas station. It was
horrible. Word of advice- don't eat bad chicken.-- it isn't fun I
promise. We also had a cita con la Hermana Alcantar, and she made me
eat 8 tortillas and four tacos that day.. I was so sick. My companion
and I both, were so sick, BUT with a lot of prayer we went through THE
whole day laughing and smiling! In all honesty it was hilarious.
We went by Maria's house and we had made a card for her, and when
she came to talk to us she was like, "why did you even bother making
this for me? I don't want to talk to you, I hear some things from my
daughter about your crazy church, so stop coming over." And right as
she did that, we looked in her eyes and testified of the Book of
Mormon. Even though she still doesn't want us to come over, I know
there is power when we testify of the Book of Mormon, she felt
something prick her heart. Right now it isn't Maria's time, but as we
left we said a prayer that in the future missionaries will go knock
her door and her heart will be softened to hear the gospel! Our job
was just to plant the seed, and I know one day she will be baptized.
Viernes- we did some service with Hna Calix and it went well. We were
still not feeling the greatest but we had to work. Also-- we felt
(including president Woodbury) that Aaron should be taught by the
Elders. Which I was really excited for because Aaron and Barbara need
a change. We will still be teaching them but the elders will be
teaching them as well. We will be focusing more on Barbara and they on
Aaron. The cita (the elders told us) went AWESOME, why?... Because
Aaron is awesome. That's why.
Sabado- we went to Hnas Monges home, and we taught her a lesson. She
is so tired, because she has tons of work, so we taught her while she
was in bed. Where did we sit? Right there on the bed with her, with
all of the sunflower seeds, and other stuff on the end with her! But
the lesson went great. We just shared a video because she wasn't up
for much else, but something that I have learned is that Jesus went
and preached to the poor and the needy. He went to the people who were
penitent and teachable. It's a really bitter/ sweet thing to work with
the people that hardly have anything, because I just want to give them
everything I have. They also teach me so much, Hna Monge is one of the
most giving people I know. She feeds us missionaries like you'd never
seen, even though she hardly has anything she still gives. Has her
food made me sick? Yep. But will I keep eating it? Yep, Because God
will bless us.
It was a great week, a very weird week, but a good week. Right now ALL
of our investigators aren't talking to us. Barbara and Aaron a tiny
bit, but that's it. All of our others won't talk to us, Noelia (won't
talk to us, don't worry we aren't giving up on her), Ana, Gabriela,
Jamie, Augustina, and Rosanely. All of these people won't talk to us,
we call we text, we Facebook, we stop by A LOT, but nada, but we
aren't giving up hope! We have faith in all of these people.
Right now I have a goal to align my will with Gods will.
Sometimes I think, well am I even doing anything? We aren't
consistently teaching ANYBODY, or I really haven't been teaching
anyone consistently my WHOLE TIME in Woodstock, then (I think I have
already shared this once) I think of the Mormon message by D. Todd
Christofferson about the currant bush who gets to be a great big bush
and not yielding any fruit, and so the Gardner cuts it and trims it.
Sometimes we, like the currant bush and say, "How could you do this to
me? I was making such wonderful growth. … And now you have cut me
down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me. … How could you
do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.” And the Gardner
says, "Look little currant bush, I am the Gardner here, and I know
what I want you to be. And someday your going to tell me, thank you
mr. Gardner for loving me enough to cut me down." Those are powerful
words, and I feel like this same thing is happening to me. Sometimes
we too may feel like saying to God, "how could you do this to me? We
are working so hard, and still have no one to teach, how could you do
this to me." And He will answer, "Look my child, I am the Gardner
here, and I know what I want you to be, and one day you will say,
thank you Lord for loving me enough to cut me down."
I love the words from the Gardner when he says, "I know what I
want you to be...". God gives us trials and tests our faith so we can
grow to become like him. He knows what he wants us to become. My goal
and theme that I am working on this week is put my faith and trust in
The Gardner. Aligning my will to His. Being patient and waiting on His
timing. And I know one day I'll say, Thank you Lord for loving me
enough, to cut me down.
I am praying for my brother this week! Ecuador bound! I love ya bro!
Have a wonderful week family!
All of me loves all of you all!
Hermana Hammond
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