Is the time flying lately or is it just me? I cant believe we are already halfway through another transfer. In just a couple weeks I will hit my 5 months mark. Somebody needs to invent that time turner from Harry Potter.
So this week we did exchanges with the sister trainer leaders and I went with Hermana Hale to Los Reales! I
was so stoked to be back in my birthplace! We did a LOT of finding. Oh man alive a whole day of it. By the end of the day I was totally pooped but felt so successful. But I ended up accidentally leaving my Spanish scriptures in their car. I was super bummed. So the next day we texted them letting them know and asked if there was a time we could meet somewhere so I could get them, but no answer. That night Hermana Smyth and I walked out to the dumpster and walked past a group of guys who were not shy about their thoughts... super awkward haha. About an hour later we were in our apartment doing daily planning and someone banged super hard of the door. Hermana Smyth and I just looked up at each other with deer in headlight eyes. I got up and started walking to the door and she goes "wait wait wait!" and whips out her pink can of mace and holds it towards the door. I probably would have died of laughter had I not been so scared. I opened the door and no one was there, but I looked down and there were my scriptures just sitting there with a "Jesus loves you" note sitting on top. Woof! We were so relieved and both just started laughing at the pink mace. This probably isn't that funny to anyone else... but when you are a missionary, you seem to be entertained by thinks a lot easier haha.
So this week we did exchanges with the sister trainer leaders and I went with Hermana Hale to Los Reales! I
Now for the spiritual. We have been doing a lot of work to gain more member trust and build up the less actives. We have been working especially with this man named Humberto. He has two kids who had a bad experience with sister missionaries a while ago and as a result will not speak to or even look at the missionaries when they come over. We have been working really hard to gain back their trust and had a serious miracle! In the two transfers I have been here I had never heard either of them speak. But a few days ago, Hermana Smyth and I went over and Olivia, the little girl, came running out of the house and said "look I have a ball" and then ran away. Hermana Smyth and I about dropped to the floor with shock. We have gotten to a point where they will even high 5 us goodbye. It really sounds like nothing, but these kids have gone through so much with their family life and just to see this little change with them opening up more has been so incredible! We are so excited. Olivia turned 8 on Sunday and she says/ nods her head and claps her hands, that she wants to be baptized! So exciting!
This week I started reading a talk by a mission president called "the fourth missionary". It is a pretty well known talk and just about every missionary has read it. It talks about 4 types of missionaries, the 1st does not want to be on a mission, and ends up going home early, the 2nd doesn't really want to be on a mission, doesn't do what they are supposed to, but serves their whole time. The 3rd does what they are supposed to, but withholds their mind and heart from the service, a lot of good comes from their actions, but they personally are not changed. And the fourth serves with all their heart might mind and strength, are totally changed personally, and change many peoples lives. One thing I have found hard to do lately is to totally turn over everything to the Lord. It is not hard to give up TV and phones and computers and dating and things like that, but I find myself still thinking about what I want to do in the future and school and things like that. The talk explains how even though we have these awesome desires and goals, we need to put them in a box for the time being. And in 18-24 months we can open that box back up and bring those dreams and goals back out. But for now, it is time to consecrate my total self to the work. I am have already seen us be more blessed in these past few days that I have been working on becoming more like the 4th missionary and I cannot wait to see what else will happen. It doesn't mean that everything will become suddenly easier and we wont have hard times, it just means that I will become the person Heavenly Father wants me to be, and will be happier overall on my mission.
I love y'all and hope everything is going well! I challenge everyone to have a missionary experience this week and then tell me about it!
Love,
Hermana Lundquist