Love for the One

(April 8 - April 14)

It is strange to think that a whole week has gone by already but a lot has happened. Something that is really cool is that I recoginize new words and phrases that I learn everyday. Most people don`t notice, this change, but I can recognize it. Also, I can understand more and more of what people are saying here. I think I can accomplish my goal of being totally fluent by Mother`s Day. haha By then I won`t be able to remember English.  No that is not true, but I really am picking up the language fast and the members always comment on how much faster I am learning Spanish. I enjoy speaking it because I can help people more and understand what they need. Understanding brings a lot more heartache for me because I love them all so much and I want to take all of their problems away. I know that I can`t do that but I can teach the gospel and that in the long run is even better. =)

 

My goal this last week was to focus more on helping my trainer and serving her in any way that I can. She has had a really hard past. I feel like since I have been focusing on her she is a lot happier and the spirit in our lessons is a lot stronger. My title this week is Love for the One because I have a lot of love for all of the people here but I try to focus on each person individually and showing them that I love them and the love the Savior has for them as well. 

 

Me and My Trainer

Last P-Day we went to the mall. It was really interesting because it was very different from the malls in the states. Then for FHE (Family Home Evening) we went to a less active families home. It always amazes me to see how happy and excited members get when they talk about the gospel and take out their scriptures to read them, but then they don`t go to church or do those things other times. They love the gospel but they don`t live it. In their families they have a lot of problems and it is hard because I know that if they lived the gospel in their home those problems would be resolved. This gospel is designed to help and strengthen us. I know that it is the gospel of Jesus Christ and it really can make our lives so much bettter. I truly want the whole world to know this. Eventually I will accomplish my goal but for right now I will help one person and one family at a time.  

 

Wednesday we had a zone meeting. It really is great to be with the missionaries in the zone and learn more about how to help our investigators. The leaders in my area and zone are really great and they really care and look out for me. I am really grateful for that. We were given some new rules to only contact within 25min walking distance from the chapel. We also have to contact 5 males over 18 everyday. I think that is reallly great because we need more priesthood here. The priesthood is so important. 

 

A lot of my investigators are doing really great, and they want to get baptized, but they need to be married. That is a little complicated as some do not have ID`s and others are married to other people. Things will work out though. The baptism we had for the 26th of this month will most likely not happen. The husband of L is not the nicest man and we need his permission. The good thing is that she has a really strong testimony and wants this for her and her family. I do not know when she will be baptized but I am happy that she has chosen to live the gospel in her life. 

 

We finally contacted and taught a family we have been trying to teach for a few weeks now. They have a little baby who is adorable. I love watching them in the lessons and seeing their faces when they gain a testimony or feel the spirit. Especially when the husband realized that through Jesus Christ he could be cleansed and have his pains and afflictions taken away as well. It is amazing to watch people change and seeing them want more and more of the truth that we share with them.  

 

Little wild puppies by the side of the road. There are lots of wild puppies here.

This week to visit a member we had to walk up this mountain. I was not sure how far we had to go up but every 10 minutes I would check my watch and we still weren`t there. Eventually we got to the top and there was a house  but then we needed to walk down the other side of the mountain. I am not sure how long we walked for but it was over an hour. She is a great member, but her family is not members and it is really hard on her. Later in the week she invited us over for luch and when we were finished she told us we needed to eat more. The food was great but I was already so full. I ate it all though. I don`t think I have ever been so full in my life.

 

I realized this week that you can have a lot of fun on your mission. We were waiting on a bus that wouldn`t leave for 30 minutes so we decided to get some ice cream. When we did, I saw some kids playing basketball. I decicided we should play with them and make contact so I talked with my companions. It was so much fun to play and have fun. At the end we talked to them about the church and they are going to come and play with us there this week. It was a great day and I just felt so good to be out with the people and have fun with them. 

 

In church on Sunday, which is my favorite because it was fast sunday, we had a musical number.  I love to sing and am fortunate that I get to sing about a million times a day here. Isn`t that great? One mom in the church just had a son leave on a mission. She was really sad and it kind of made me feel better that our families miss us as  much as we miss them on the mission. I love that I am understanding the languge more as it enable me to be able to speak more and get to really know the members.  It is just so great! Well I have to go but thank you for everything and have a great week!!! Con mucho amor, Hna Gurule