Last Monday we had another zone conference in Bahia Blanca. The whole conference was centered around the Elder Holland talk, I believe it is called Feed My Sheep. It was about how it will help us as missionaries succeed in our own personal study and growth, as well as our investigators we are working with. One of my favorite parts he talked about was how important setting goals are in your life. That if we don't make goals, then we won't get anywhere in life. When we make these goals they should be realisitc. As missionaries we are constantly setting goals everyday, and as we do, we are able to look back at the ones we did really well on and the ones we didn't do well on and focus on the ones that are really important. As missionaries and as people in the world, we need to remember that when we make these goals that we need to be realistic in what we want to accomplish. We can't accomplish something that is above and beyond our reach. Something else I really liked was the we can't turn out back on God, you will break his heart. Not only that, but in the missionary world as well. When knocking on doors and finding investigators we can't turn our back on them if we don't think they will succeed. As well as..every moment is the right moment for missionary work. I thought a great deal about how important it is to remember that in any given situation, What would God do in that moment?
On Tuesday, we got a call saying we had to go back to Bahia Blanca that night to get some paper work done for our Visas. Yeah! That means my Visa came through and I will officially be a legal. Right now I have been using a 90 day tourist visa. We left around 4 in the morning as it is an all day process and we had many missionaries opportunities. We talked to many people waiting in line and sitting waiting for their turn. We even met one guy from Columbia and some of his family is from the US.
This week we also had some miracles with investigators and less actives. It started out as a struggle because of all the traveling to and from Bahia, which is about an 8 hour drive there and back. Which means we had to cancel on 3 appointments with our investigators. Which was very very sad. Although we were able to make next week appointments with them in return. We were able to get back from Bahia on Friday night so are goal for Sat was to invite as many people to church as possible. This is where the miracles came! On Sunday we had many of our menos activos (less actives) show up as well as ones who hadn't been to church in a really long time and were struggling a lot. We also had a progressing investigator who we have tried to get to church for three weeks now! I was so happy to see all of the people at church. I have noticed that one of the hardest things on the mission is to get people to commit to coming to church. But I have learned that commitments are what make the members stronger.
My companion and I also had a really cool experience the other day with a sweet family. We knew very little of this family because we found them as a street contact about two weeks ago. The mother has two kids and has 7 jobs! As we came to the house we were afraid that they were going to shut us down, but the husband said pass in, pass in, and they all started clearing the table and popping pop corn for us. As they offered it to us, I looked at my companion with big stars in my eyes!!!!!!!!! THIS FAMILY is something! Something special. They all sat around the round table just waiting for us to make the next move. We got to know more about them and taught the whole first lesson, leaving them with a Book of Mormon and commitments! My companion and I left speechless giving thanks to God for the special opportunity as my companion looked at me and said that is the first time I have ever taught a whole family before. We came back a couple days later to ask how they were and unfortunately the Dad was the only one home so we were allowed to stay but he loves the Book of Mormon! We gave them a chapter to read and he read it ALL and was telling us all about it. But then found out he read the wrong chapter. Right away he said well should I read it right now!!!!?? haha That's when we had to quickly make our escape and explain to him why we couldn't stay but that we couldn't wait to teach the family again!!!!! I envy these experiences so much on my mission and I leave houses just wishing and wanting the investigators to know how important it all is!!!!!!
We also have an older man who is blind that we teach and he just got baptized two weeks ago and as we went to visit him he asked what day is was, because if was Thursday that means it is only 3 days until church! I love it there and it's a wonderful place! That moment crushed my heart to know that not only is he blind and can't see how beautiful the church is but that he can feel it in his heart!
This week I just realized today I've been a missionary for a little over 2 months! 2 months ago I entered the MTC. I love the quote that this may not be the best 18 months OF my life, but it will be the best 18 months FOR my life. I'm so glad I still have 16 months left, because these first 2 flew by! It's kind of funny because sometimes it feels like this is all I know, like my life before this was a dream. I love being a missionary! I love this gospel and I know that it has changed my life forever!!!
Story of the Dia : Me and my companion were knocking doors one day and my companion rings the door bell which was super loud! Anyways, this lady answers the door and my companion says out loud, "We are missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!!!" As the lady quickly says, "shhhhhhhh, I'm just ending my yoga class right now and they are in meditation!" oooooops!! :)
Homework: To create one goal you want to accomplish this month and pray about it!
Pigs on the loose!
Great fruit and vege store!!
VW Power!
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