Monday, July 6 2015
Hola
Familia Y Amigos!
Well this week was
super interesting! This week the Copa America (Soccer Tournament with all the
countries of South America) was going on so almost every day there was a game.
Soccer or Fùtbol, is life here so when there is a game the whole world watches.
We spent a lot of time walking the empty streets and trying to find SOMEONE to
talk to or that would turn off their tv for 30 min to let us in. It was a
little challenging, but that also means there was more opportunities for us to
rely on the Lord and see miracles. For example, on Monday there was a holiday
so no one had work and Peru was playing so EVERYONE was in their houses with
their friends and families having a party and watching the game. All our
appointments cancelled and there wasn`t anyone in the streets to talk to. But
we said a prayer and went out with faith that we would find someone who really
needed us. We saw a lady in the street, the only person in the whole street,
and decided to talk to her. It turns out that she is a member but has been
inactive for years since she moved. She has been through the temple and
everything and still has a really strong testimony and love for the Lord, just
has never gotten back into going to church. We visited her again during the
week and on Sunday she came to church again :) She has a really strong desire
to come back and get back to the temple. What a little miracle that we found
her and can now help her rediscover the joy of the gospel in her life! Her name
is S....
Then throughout the
week we had some really awesome lessons with investigators and are seeing a lot
of progress in our area. We found a lady named P... who we contacted in the
street and she let us come and visit her. We shared the Book of Mormon in the
first lesson and she and her mom, who is super catholic, both were excited
about it and agreed to read it. Then we passed by again to visit P... and
taught about the Restoration and she LOVED IT! She was just so enthralled and
interested in what we were teaching and when we explained that after this time
of apostasy the Lord called another prophet to lead his church, she was super
excited and believed it all. She was super interested in Joseph Smith and even
started saying things like, "Wow, how incredible! Did people believe him?
Poor thing he had this great vision and no one wanted to believe him! I believe
him! There`s no way he could lie about something like that. Those poor people
that don`t know what they are missing when they reject him!" Haha she was
getting all worked up trying to defend the prophet Joseph :) But my favorite
part was when we told her that because God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet,
this line of authority has been passed down to our day and we too have a
prophet who is living and guiding the church. She practically screamed with
excitement and I thought she was going to jump out of her chair. The spirit was
so strong. Some people feel the spirit and cry, I think she feels the sprit and
just explodes with excitement and emotion. It was so awesome! She wanted to see
a picture and know all about President Monson. Sometimes I forget what a
blessing it is to have a living prophet guiding us through direct revelation
from God, but she helped me remember how marvelous it is. :) We`ve got lots of
hope for our dear friend P.... :)
One more little
miracle for the week...ok a pretty big one :) We have an investigator named
T... who we are working with to prepare her to be baptized at the end of July.
She was super excited and everything but over these past few weeks has lost a
lot of her desire and motivation. She has cancer and is in the hospital almost
every day. She is a single mom and doesn`t have a very steady job, especially
because she is always in the hospital. She has lots of debts and is super
stressed about her financial well-being as well as her health. Then this week
she got news that the cancer has spread and she now has a tumor in another part
of her body. She was really struggling with feeling like God was there to help
her. On Sunday we called her to remind her to come to church but she wouldn`t
answer. We were fasting that day and especially for her, pleading that the Lord
would help us know how to help her. She has her big operation in August so if
she doesn`t get baptized before then she`ll have to wait until after her
recovery and everything. We decided to pass by her house but she still wouldn`t
answer her phone. She lives on the very top floor of an apartment building so
we talked one of the little kids in the second floor to come and open the door
for us so we could go up and knock on her apartment. Haha, kids are the best.
:) We knocked on her door and found her and her son (who is a less-active)
still in bed. We talked to her for a little bit and then they decided to come
to church with us. WOW. All the messages and classes were perfect for her. She
even got up and bore her testimony in Relief Society! Super awesome. Afterwards
all the Hermanas in the ward came and talked to her and welcomed her. She ended
up staying almost an hour after church talking with people and one Hermana even
took her to go and meet the bishop and talk with him. So awesome! We visited
her that night with some Hermanos from the ward to give her a blessing of
health and comfort and she felt so much better.
The Lord is incredible
and is helping us in every aspect of the work. Sometimes I forget that it`s
really his work, not mine, and he`s got everything under control. We just need
to be open and willing to be his instruments. Really we as missionaries are the
lucky ones. We get a front row seat in seeing the Lord about his wondrous work
and he allows us, as weak and simple as we are, to participate in this grand
miracle of Salvation. I am so grateful for Him and for all he is teaching me. I
wouldn`t want to be doing anything else in my life right now. The mission is
one big miracle for me. :)
Please keep praying
for the people here, I know it helps. We are seeing miracles every day and I am
constantly reminded of the love of God for every single one of his
children.
Love you all so much!
Hope you have a great week! Take time every day to ask the Lord how you can
help in his work and I know you`ll be amazed with what he can do with you if
you are just willing to give a little time. Be a part of his miracles, there is
nothing better.
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Cox
Red, white, and blue! and a creepy bug we found in our room, probably the size of my whole thumb. :)
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