We started teaching a new "investigator" this week named Edgar who has problems believing that the Lord can help us because we has been very tested in his life. Our first lesson was very short, probably about 10 minutes, but we just got to know him and his beliefs. Our second lesson, was awesome. We started teaching the first lesson and talking about how God is our loving Heavenly Father and that the gospel blesses family. He asked what are ways we can receive help from God, so we started talking about the importance of prayer and reading the scriptures and then at the end, we invited him to attend church on Sunday and he accepted! I was so excited! We don't teach him again until Thursday, but I am so excited to see how it goes.I have noticed a definite change in my Spanish this week. Since it is our 5th week, our teachers had started talking in basically only Spanish and we have to answer in Spanish for everything. I have been able to start communicating really well with the teachers and sometimes we have assistant teachers come in and I feel like I can talk pretty well with them as well. Our lessons have been coming along really well also. The only thing that gets me every time is I think of something I really want to say, but get so frustrated because I cant say it in Spanish. Yesterday our teacher had us practice teach the other missionaries in our district. We had been reading about and watching video clips from the district about how to teach with the spirit. Their "profile" was a girl who had been taking the lessons for a while, always went to church, loved the gospel, but wouldn't be baptized. She was 24 years old and had a 8 year old son. Our goal was to get a baptismal date and we only had 10 minutes to talk with her. It started off really well, I was talking decently with the Spanish that I know. But then we got to the point where she told me why she didn't want to be baptized and I had no idea how to bear my testimony in Spanish. I was struggling for a second and then our teacher told us we could teach for the next 5 minutes in English (thank goodness). I feel like the spirit busted from me. My testimony just flowed from my mouth and the Elder who was playing the investigator (yes an elder playing the role of a female investigator. We had a good laugh about it at first), told me immediately after that we wanted to be baptized and we set up a baptismal date! I talked with my teacher after about how it was so much easier to teach with the spirit in English because I always know what I want to say and what the spirit wants me to say, but I can never say it in Spanish. He had me read a quote from PMG (Preach My Gospel) that talks about how to spirit will lead us in any language and will help us speak, and I felt a little bit like it was a smack in the face. I have done such a good job of having faith here, but I failed to realize the one place I was having very little faith in. I hope that our next lesson tomorrow, I can put my faith to the test and just listen to, follow, and have trust that the Lord will help me in all things.
The weather is just as crazy as ever here. Every single night, at about 7, it starts storming. Last week there was a thunder storm that was so crazy, it shook the entire building we were in. The lights also kept going out and then coming back on a minute later. Its so strange!
The people here in Mexico party like crazy! Every single night this past week, we have fallen asleep to the sounds of music, cheering and bass. Sometimes we just stare out the window and watch all the crazy colored lights and spot lights.They also shoot off fireworks at all times of the day, no exaggeration at all. Even during the day when you cant see them at all! I want to come back and visit Mexico City one day so I can see what it is actually like.
This Sunday I got called on to speak in sacrament meeting. Sacrament meeting is just with our zone and every week everyone prepares a talk because no one knows who is speaking until right after we take the sacrament. This week I prepared a talk about faith in Christ, and... guess who was called on to speak. Did I mention the talks have to be completely in Spanish? Yeah. But, it was so awesome. I read this quote at the end that a friend gave me before leaving that talks about our calling as missionaries, and I felt the spirit so strong. I cant remember where I put it... but next week I will try to type it up and send it! It really is amazing.
It is so crazy how my testimony has grown so much here. In only 5 weeks I feel like a totally different person. My testimony of faith, the holy ghost, the gift of tongues, the scriptures, everything is 100% changed.
On Sunday we watched a devotional recording from the Provo MTC of Elder Holland talking. I LOVE hearing Elder Holland talk. I was so excited and then literally 5 minutes in... he started chastising us up the ying yang! I never thought I could feel the spirit while being chastised... but it is possible! He explained how important it is to work so hard while we are on our missions, so that we can be an example to others, so that we will have no regrets, so that our experience here can shape and change us into a totally new, totally better person, and so that we can stand in front of our Heavenly Father one day and know that we served him well for these 2 years (18 months). It was amazingly powerful. I took about 4 pages of notes. He also talked about how important it is to do what the spirit prompts us to, which is really good for me as I have been needing to work on that!
I just love Sundays here. I wrote in my journal on Sunday "It is so strange how quickly I feel like I've changed since I got here. Before, Sundays were never my favorite day, and now, I look forward to them all week!" Maybe just because it is a break from continuous lessons and teaching. But I always feel like every single lesson we have on Sundays, are an answer to one of my prayers, or explain something that I have been confused about, or have something that I can use in an investigator lesson, etc etc. The Lord answers our prayers. He really does. He hears all of us and sends answer in so many different ways. That is another reason I want to become better and heeding to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. If the Lord ever needs me to help one of his children, I want to be someone he can count on.
I love you all so much! Hope that Thanksgiving is awesome! Eat tons of mashed potatoes and sweet potato pie for me! My fingers are crossed that we get something special for dinner, but even if we don't, I am thankful to be where I am!
Love,
Hermana Lundquist