I've had an amazing week. Full of undeniable miracles, humbling experiences and snakes. Yes, I said snakes. :) (Notice the snake hanging on the fence!)
We didn't get a chance this week to do any tornado clean up. We're about an hours drive from New Castle so they don't send us up there very often. We've actually been proselyting ALL WEEK! Things with Cindy are going really well - she is sooo prepared. She had to leave church early this Sunday because her kidneys are failing her. Her mom still doesn't want her to be baptized, and WILL NOT attend her baptismal service. I think that her mom truly wants her to be unhappy. I don't really understand it, but hopefully over time her heart will be softened. Last week we taught her about the Word of Wisdom and she hasn't smoked for 3 weeks now. So on Tuesday when we went to visit her, her apartment smelled like smoke! Then on Thursday, we went back to visit her and I straight up asked her why her apartment smelled like smoke. She told us that the maid who comes in to help her smokes and only speaks Spanish. So I taught Cindy how to say "don't smoke" in Spanish. :) Instead, she make sure that the maid was looking at her when she threw her ashtray away. Then she started shaking her head like "no no no no". :) She's so funny! Plus, she thinks I'm an absolute riot. Everything I say she thinks is hilarious! Am I really that funny? Or is it just a gift? :)
She's still planning on being baptized on the 29th. We've taught her every lesson and now she needs to just keep building her testimony. I've actually thought a lot about what you said about getting my Visa and leaving just before the baptism - I'm going to be SO sad to leave Darko. I love so many people here!!
So President Butler huh? That's awesome. Looks like he will be releasing me from my mission in 20 months! I have now had 4 Fast and Testimony meetings on my mission mom! The time is FLYING by. I have been thinking about how fast time does go here. It feels like I just got to Darko a week ago, and it's been 8?
It sounds like all of you are having an awesome time at home and on vacations! But I'm on vacation serving the Lord! I really do love talking about the gospel with people. Especially because it's been such an amazing guide for me in my life. So mom! Thank you for always forcing me to go to church! Even when I faked sick. :)
Have fun by the pool too - and just so you know, I have seen a fat lady sitting in a pool, smoking a cigarette - just like we did in Nauvoo. BEST MOMENT EVER! haha
We've had a ton of miracles this week. I don't even know where to begin . . .
Last Monday we found a new investigator. Her name is Karren and she is this super sweet black lady who LOVES her Bible. She is super receptive and I just love her! She wants us to come back and again to visit her. She thinks that the whole Restoration was very interesting . . . and logically possible. :) We also visited Jim and Jen again. Man, they just make me so sad but I still love them and we're going to go back and pray with them and help them in any way possible.
Tuesday we had miracle timing. We walked down across the east side of town to visit one of our investigators but he wasn't home. So we walked around the loop, talked to a couple of people and as we were heading back up the street, he pulled up at the exact same time! So we went into his home and shared a short message. :) I LOVE the miracles of timing!
Wednesday was the BEST! We went ove to visit our Spanish investigators and since I'm the only one who knows Spanish I do most of the talking. While we were walking up to their door, I'm praying that I can speak the language. Then I knocked and this girl came to the door - and she was STUNNING! I was completely surprised because I expected Vico to answer the door. I wasn't sure if I should say hi in Spanish or English - so I blurted out this weird Spanish-English-baffling bafoon thing. One of those moments when you really just don't know what to say, you know? I seriously felt like I was back in the 7th grade and I'd never talked to a girl before. Thankfully she finally said hi. Then Vico came to the door and we talked a bit, said a prayer and left. But it was just the best. We laughed all the way home. :)
After a meeting at the church, we were headed home and E. Tripp decided we should get a soda. So we stopped by the gas station and ran into Robert. He's a buddy of ours and he walks around Anadarko all day and just knows everyone. He told us that he just got kicked out of his house and hadn't eaten in a few days so we bought him a piece of chicken and a slice of bread. He kept thanking us over and over again. Miracle? I'd say yes!
Thursday was awesome but nothing really to report and Friday was my very first "DROP". Yup, some investigators dropped us. When they told us, I almost started to cry. I've been crying a lot this week. I can't decide if it's allergies or the Spirit (haha), but I just want these people to be happy. So this is a funny story - We walked around the fence to this apartment complex and saw this girl who was a former investigator. When she saw us, she freaked out and ran away. Literally, ran away. So we decided to walk on the other side of the building so that we wouldn't bug her - turns out she ran the ENTIRE WAY AROUND THE BUILDING to avoid us . . . HAHAHAHAHA. So when she ran into us again - she turned around and ran the other way. HAHAHAHAHA
Later that night we decided that we'd go see Lloyd. On the way over there we ran into some investigators that we hadn't seen in about a month. We chatted with them for about an hour. They shared their struggles with us and she was just an emotional wreck. She kept saying that all she wanted was a sign from God that He loves her. So I kindly pointed out that 3 representatives of Jesus Christ were sitting right in front of her. I then cried again while telling her why we were there and that our sole purpose was to help her be happy. We ended up giving her a blessing and she asked me to give it to her. What was so weird was that the thought to cast out the adversary kept coming to my mind - so I finally said it and after I said it, the entire atmosphere of the room changed. The whole house just lifted and became brighter - they both could feel it.
On Saturday, I taught my first full lesson in Spanish. It was really cook to speak Spanish!
Sunday!!! :) The best day of the week! We had 3 investigators at church and 17 less actives!! :) :) :) It was fast and testimony meeting and I was just in the best mood! Cindy, Edwin and Fawn all came to church! Yes, we had to pick them all up, but whatever works. Edwin thought that it was the best day ever and accepted a baptismal date for July 13th. The whole Poolaw family and Jaime came to church too! I got up to speak and shared 1 Nephi 2:20
"And inasmuch as ye keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands."
Change the word "land" to whatever it is that you desire. :) You should try it.
After church we went by to check on Cindy since she left early and took a video that Natalia had for her and it was perfect. It was Sister Reeves? I think from Conference on difficult times. It was powerful!
Ok, one more funny story from yesterday. So we visited Lloyd and afterwards we saw these two guys sitting outside drinking like everyone does here on Sunday afternoons. I walked up to them to give them a picture of Christ you know? So I offered it to one of the guys and he just stared at me - real angry like - so I just figured that he didn't want the picture so I said, "Have a good day" and as I started walking off he shouted out to me:
Dude: Hey, are you from Utah?
Me: Uhhh, ya.
Dude: You have a gun?
Me: No.
Dude: Do you have a car?
Me: Yes.
Dude: Why don't you get in your car and go back to Utah!
I just laughed and told him to have a good day. Alcohol . . . . hahahahahaha
Honestly, it's just been an amzaing week! I actually got to teach Tracy about the Restoration and why the Book of Mormon is so important last night. She's been a member for 10 years now and still doesn't know that much about the church. I'm going to teach her all I can while I'm here. I'm going to be really sad when I have to leave my Okey-Mom, she really is the sweetest lady and just wants to be happy.
Gotta run! I love and miss you! Have fun out by the pool every day! Try not to get wet! :)
Love you!
-Elder Harris
No comments:
Post a Comment