Brisas - Week 27

¡Hola!

This week turned out really great! I've been so thankful for my companion's new point of view here in Brisas. Since I got here, I've been training, so I've been desperate for someone with a new take on things. Even though my companion only has 3 months on her mission, we've been using a lot of things she learned in her other mission. We decided to drop some people who just aren't quite ready for the commitment. I've always had a hard time cutting people because you want to say you have faith they'll change one day- but sometimes what the spirit really wants you to do is have the faith to drop them and search for someone more prepared.  So that's what we've done! We were blessed for it too because we found someone new who's really prepared, Jose!

We originally contacted his parents just outside their house one day.  I really didn't think it would go anywhere, but we got there and he really wanted to talk to us. He told us he's been really sick and worries because he needs to take care of his parents because they're really sick too. He's 20, and says he feels like he has a lot ahead of him and worries that he might die soon.  He has a LOT of faith though because he said he knew if he dies, it's because it's God's will. He had a lot of confidence with us right from the beginning and asked a lot of good questions. He told us he could tell something was different and really liked what he's has heard about our church. He's gone to the catholic church a lot, and doesn't like that they worship idols and don't really teach doctrine.  He accepted a baptismal date the first visit and is going strong. He went to church this last Sunday (stake conference) with a member and really enjoyed it.

At stake conference, we also brought 2 sisters, Lupita and Samantha, and Lupita's little girl. They were references from Henry's family (investigators) and live right next door! We went by their house Sunday morning and we all took a taxi together to church. We haven't really taught them yet, but they have liked what they've heard so far. They live with their dad who's not home a lot, and say they have to ask him permission for everything, so hopefully their dad is okay with everything.  Apparently he's been talking to missionaries over by where he works all day, so he's supportive. At stake conference, we got front row seats because we had investigators, so that was fun! There were a TON of people. More than they had at general conference they said. One of the seventies here in Mexico spoke and they had a choir of young men and women from one of the wards, so it was really nice.

Halfway through conference, the member who brought our other investigator, Jose, came all the way to where we were sitting and told us he needed us outside.  Me and my companion were both like "what happened???" Apparently Jose wasn't feeling very good with his heart again, so we pulled two elders out to give him a blessing. He said that helped and afterwards talked to one of the members who's a doctor.  She checked him over and prescribed him medicine. It was kinda funny because the timing couldn't be worse! When we were thinking of doctors to look at him, we first thought, "the Stake President!", but luckily this other member was there who's a doctor too, so she helped.

Something funny this week...in our search for new investigators, we found 2 sisters that live by our house that are active members, but go to another ward. They told us their grandma (that they live with) isn't a member, but listened to elders before and loved everything, just never got baptized. We made an appt with them, thinking "maybe now is the grandma's time, because obviously it wasn't before."  We got there, and it was a tiny bit awkward at first because we were trying to get a feel for how much she remembered and what her attitude towards the church was. She says she loves everything and thinks it's true, but didn't remember a ton, so we reviewed. She agreed to everything about the restoration so in my head I was like "what kept her from getting baptized before??"  Finally I just asked her if she'd like to be baptized in this church and she was like, "Alright, I got to tell you guys something..." So she talked to us about the elders that used to come and how much she adored the missionaries and her experiences with them and everything and how her husband didn't really like it but how she one day just decided to be baptized with the elders and just did it. All of us were just like "What??? You're already a member??"  Even the granddaughter was super surprised. I guess after her baptism, her husband ripped up all the pictures and she hasn't gone to church since, so no one in her family really knew. She agreed to start coming again though. Haha, that lesson was super funny.

On another note, one thing that's kinda fun is that on the 3 of December, all the missionaries are allowed to go to the temple! But, on the condition that we memorize all 25 scripture mastery of the Book of Mormon!  My companion and I are working on it, and so far we have like 8ish. I'm looking forward to that though :)

Annnnd, I guess that's all for this week.

Love, Hermana Harper