Last week of training.

We didn't get everyone to go to church that we wanted this week, but we did get Crispin this week. Many people feel like we're wasting our time with him and his family, but he's showing he's changing, bit by bit, because he's gone to church I believe 4 times in the past 8 weeks. He says he's still not ready for baptism, but its baby steps. In the mean time, we're inviting him to take big steps, for when he's ready to do that. :) Other than that, it was a pretty hard week. I don't usually think that, but I'll admit it. It's okay. I didn't come on the mission to have an easy time, I came to learn and grow! Well, I've said too much for this paragraph. 

I love how you can notice when the Lord is comforting you. When you have a hard day, and yet for some ridiculous reason, you still have peace. I think that's one of the best witnesses I receive, when there's no reason for you to be happy, and you are anyway. Someone else is giving it to you.

We helped someone take in their groceries just randomly this week. I've been wanting to do that for a while! She made us take some tiny oranges as thanks. We felt bad, since we didn't want her to give us something for what we wanted to be service, but in the Latino culture, it's generally better to accept what's offered, then to deny it. Even if you have had ten tacos already.

Just a little thing I love to notice, is when Elder Kelly and I are planning, and he says some random idea, that came into my head about the same time. The spirit really does help us. :) We need quite a bit of it. 

We still haven't moved out of our old place. The owner is coming home in about five days. We're freaking out! We don't want to live with an old lady! But we might have to. Our Bishop said on his mission he always lived with old widows, and that one time, one of them would make him and his companion light her cigarette for her. Awkward. Luckily, ours is a member.

Okay, I'll hopefully have more time for a better letter next week!

Elder Grant

I'm done being trained in two weeks!

So, this week we got someone at church that is actually progressing! Gabriel is super awesome, he has said he notices the difference between our church and other churches (our church doesn't bash on others) and he wants to get baptized, except after his baby is born. That's the hard part. He's not married to the girl. And they would probably get married in the Catholic church if they did get married. We'll work things out though. His partner/girlfriend/thing says she's really seen him change in his time that he's been talking to us. And we have finally gotten him started on reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning, so we're super excited for that. He's such a cool guy. We're excited for him.

 

We gave a blessing to a father of a less active family yesterday. The mom and dad were arguing for a long time, and we had to go, so we kind of found our way into sharing a short message, and prepared to leave, but they wanted a blessing. So we first tried to give it to their like one-year-old baby, but he kept moving his head, so I'm not sure it worked. Then we gave one to the dad, and that brought the spirit back, right before we left. It's interesting, how lost people can be, yet when you show them a touch of the spirit again, they calm down. It's like a small miracle. Miracles are awesome. :)

 

 Did I mention the sisters in out district came into their area, and had a baptism in three weeks? Sister missionaries are either the best, or the... not best in the mission. Darn them sister missionaries. Helping so many people.

 

We had specialized training this week, and we learned how to teach the lessons, which usually take at least twenty minutes, in about 5-8 minutes, so that an 8 year old could understand it. Which, spiritually, is the level most of the people we teach are at. It's the first time that I've felt like I've taught REALLY well in my life. It's amazing how much better teaching simply is! You don't need to go into details! I love it so much.

 

Oh, let me give you guys my favorite scriptures.

 

D&C 18:10, Matthew 14:31, Jacob 6:12, D&C 121:7, Romans 13:12, Moses 1:39, Proverbs 3:5, D&C 50:26, D&C 63:47, Ether 12:4, Alma 37:6, and the best one, D&C 122:7-9.

 

That's all this week. :) Con amor,

 

Elder Grant

 

Oh, yeah, the pictures. The first one is the second dog to try and bite me. The first one was a foot high and had three legs. The second picture is me in Mattawa!