Monday, June 30, 2014

Santiago - June 30, 2014

Greetings Family!
I got bored of hello.
Wow. It's hot there. It's cold down here.
I made Root Beer! It was delicious! I loved it. I forgot how much I love root beer. I accidentally froze it, and it lost all the fizz, but it was delicious even so!
I love the atonement. I studied it almost all week. During one of our lunches, the non-member sister of a convert came in and we were able to share about the atonement with her after a fight she'd had with her husband. It always invites the Spirit really easily when you talk about that, and she seemed a lot better afterward.
We asked a mom for permission so that her son could get baptized. She said no - that he was too young, that he was already baptized Catholic, etc. We explained that he didn't have sins as a baby, and she agreed, so she stuck to the "he's too young" argument. My comp said, "Sister, wasn't he younger the last time he got baptized?" That flabbergasted her. Even so, she didn't give permission, but the promise in D&C was fulfilled - the enemies of the truth will be confounded.
We talked to a former investigator the other day. When we asked him if he'd read in the Book of Mormon, he replied very rapidly and very calmly, "I know it's true." It was kinda awesome. And he accepted to be baptized next week! Yay for formers!
We taught a transvestite prostitute this week. It was kinda weird. At first when she started telling us why s/he works like s/he does, I felt kinda repulsed and sad, but as we started bearing our testimonies about the first principles of lesson one, I think I got to feel a little about what God feels for his children. I was sad that he had chosen to make those decisions, but even so, I knew that God loved him, and that through repentance and obedience to the commandments, he could still obtain glory. You're never too far gone to receive blessings and the love of God.
There were quite a few baptisms that didn't happen this week in the zone for various reasons - the parents decided to retract their permission the day before, the water in the font stopped working and they couldn't fix it on time, and another that was on her period and couldn't be convinced to enter in the font. I realized that Satan really doesn't want us to do what we're doing, and he'll use whatever dumb excuse to stop us. Luckily, God is more powerful, and with patience and trust in the Lord's timing, all will work out in the end. We just have to make sure to never fall for any of Satan's traps, however small or stupid they may be.
Sister Barreto, the Relief Society president came with us Saturday in the morning. We visited a member who had recently had a baby. It was amazing to see how she could relate to and help the sister. We as missionaries have a special power and authority that the members don't have, but they have a power to relate and friendship like we don't. Just goes to show how important it is to work together members and missionaries!
There's an investigator who lives in the other half of the branch - the side that belongs to the sisters - that's so very prepared. He read through the whole Gospel Principles book and is trucking through the Book of Mormon. He had a date for the 12th, and didn't want to change it. Between classes on Sunday we got talking to him and some of the members. It's amazing what peer pressure can do! Now he's very happy to get baptized this next week!
We watched Finding Faith in Christ with a part-member family. It was Sunday and the neighbors decided they wanted to put their annoying music very loud. I was somewhat worried, but the spirit was so great! I didn't even notice the music. Even the daughter that never wanted to listen to the missionaries came and watched with her... concubine is the word they use here. Testimonies of Christ bring the spirit, and if it comes in the form of a well-produced video, it's no different. Plus it lays the groundwork for some good committment in the invitations!
Anyway, I'm now off to Salta to meet the new mission president. I hope you all have a great week!
Landon

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