Hey everyone! How
was your week? Can anyone believe this is the last week of February?? Sups
weird.
So this week was
pretty hectic, just because of traveling different places. We had another big
Mission Tour with all the missionaries on Thursday. Well, all the
missionaries here in Sergipe. And Elder Mervyn Arnold, a general authority from
the Missionary Department who has face to face contact with the 12 apostles
(everyone got really nervous when he said that) came to talk to us and teach us
and inspire us. He is from good ole Idaho and speaks Spanish and English and
tries hard to speak Portuguese haha. He is a very tall white man who stuck out
like a sore thumb at our conference. I almost giggled too when I heard his
accent and then I realized the irony....
But he taught us
lots of great techniques and how to work better with the members by serving
them first and gaining their trust before you can expect references. Its true!
We talked a lot about 3 Nephi 11 which is one of the most wonderful chapters in
the Book of Mormon, and how Christ was so direct in his purpose to visit those
people. He came to them, and almost immediately started teaching, gave Nephi
the power to baptize, and got right to work. He didn’t beat around the bush, he
wasn’t shy, he didn’t waste time chatting, he knew what was important and didn’t
put it off. That’s what I’ve been trying to do here too!
The most amazing
part was that afterwards he asked to interview a few missionaries, and he
picked me and Sister Barbosa!! We were freaking out! Mostly I didn’t know it
was a real interview at the time, but the experience I had with him is one I’ll
never forget. He talked to me about things that I only have been talking with heavenly
father in my prayers, and I felt the same feeling I got when Grandpa gave me my
patriarchal blessing. I felt like he was looking at me and without knowing me,
cared for me and knew just what to say to help me. He wanted to do the interview
in English but my mouth wouldn’t work right so he switched back to Portuguese.
(Which I now wish I hadn’t done). But he asked me if my family is active in the
church and I said yes and he said I should be really grateful for that. That I
needed to write home to my parents and tell them that Elder Arnold thanks them
for their service in the church, their faithfulness, and their sacrifices to
raise a worthy daughter to be here serving a mission. So that is straight from
the lord people! I have amazing parents!
As for people we´re
teaching, most of our people we had to drop because they wouldn’t come to
church. They love to visit with us and want us to come back, but don’t want to progress
or change anything in their lives to be happier. It’s like we have to break up
with them lots of the time and say ´´it’s not me, it’s you..´´ Sad but true. But
we met a really great couple last week named Kelle and Zakoel. They are really
great and interested in the message of the restoration. They even were getting
upset, not understanding why they hadn’t had this wonderful message for more
time in their lives. They have lots of doubts, which is good, because it means they’re
actually interested and not just nodding their heads with everything we say. It’s
amazing to see how this light goes on inside their eyes when we teach them a
principle of the gospel, it feels like finally their spirit is recognizing what
we´re teaching, something just clicks in their head. The gospel is so true
guys!! And getting to teach about it every day is even better!!
I hope you all have
a wonderful week full of hugs and love and service and everything else good in
the world! Love you so much!
Sister Walker
No comments:
Post a Comment