We had an experience on Wednesday-Thursday that really made me understand the importance of that.
I likened it to gold mining. Honestly it isn´t a ¨hobbie¨for the faint at heart. It takes hours of seemingly pointless ¨sifting¨, and seeing pile after pile of common ¨pebbles and dirt¨, it can be discouraging.
On Wednesday, we had planned to go and contact some antiguos, as well as some of the potential investigators or ALBs. We went out after lunch, and for hours, in the very hot sun, we knocked, and walked, and knocked, and walked some more. but mostly just roasted under the San Juan sun.
It was Hermana Flores´birthday, and also her first day of ¨real proselyting¨. and she was, rightfully so, very flustered with the sacredness of the siesta here.
It´s something that you never really get used to...
But, she is a trooper, and learning to keep up with a loca trainer, and we kept working, kept going.
Thursday was another work day, but a day of miracles. We found, amongst all of the random door knocking and searching, several ¨personas de oro¨. Literal Golden nuggets.
1. Viviana. We knocked on her door, and she came out smiling. She told us that the elders had passed by 10 years ago, told her about the Book of Mormon, she asked for a copy, and they never came back!! She had a lot of questions about Joseph Smith, saying she´d loved his story. We gave her a Book of Mormon, and she basically begged us to come back and talk to her family on Saturday.
We did, and had an AWESOME lesson. With her husband, Mauricio, and 3 kids, Felipe, Lourdes, y Sofía.
THEN....... THEY CAME TO CHURCH THE NEXT DAY!!! WE went by in the morning, and Viviana, Lourdes, and Sofía were dressed in the cutest dresses and looked SO nice!
They all actively participated in the classes, sang, and Viviana even prayed (for the second time) in front of the whole Gospel Principles class, and it was AMAZING!
She said she already has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, and Joseph Smith.
GOLD!
2. Washington and Mercedes.
They were a referral from a family in the ward. They recently lost their son unexpectedly, and were really struggling to cope.
We showed up, and Mercedes answered. She was nice, and opened up a little, but was very hesitant. She kept telling us that her husband was still very angry with God and didn´t want anything to do with any churches. He was down the hall, watching TV, but I wondered if he wasn´t listening.
This voice in my head went ¨Sing a song! I am a Child of God!¨
So I asked her if we could sing. She said yes. We sang ¨Soy un Hijo de Dios¨, and the spirit was super strong. She started crying, and opened up about her son, and how hard it has been. A few minutes later, Washington got up, came to the door, and from behind her, invited us to come in and ¨chat¨. She turned around, a look of pure surprise on her face. We of course went in, and had an awesome lesson about the plan of salvation.
They invited us back, and also invited their son and his family to come. We have a lesson with them tonight!!
3. Raul.He was sitting on a corner and smiled, so we crossed. We explained to him who we are and what we do. He told us that he was looking for God more in his life, and that he really has pure intentions and a good heart. Then he began to cry. And told us that he has a problem with Alcohol. But that he wants to change. He´s lost a father and brother to alcohol. He said he doesn´t know who can help him. We testified of Christ´s love, and the importance of faith, and most of all repentance. WE´re going back to have a lesson with him, his mom, his brother, and his grandma that we´ve talked to before.
4. Paula. We were walking, and I looked across the street, and this door, in the middle of a dark wall, seemed to literally be glowing. We went and knocked it, and 3 little kids appeared at the gate. They went and got their mom, she came out, recognized us, and got this ¨seriously? not right now-.¨look on her face. She told us that she´d had a c-section 4 days ago, and was really tired. I just started to talk to her about her kids, and the little girl started dancing and playing with us through the fence. Suddenly she said ¨well, I guess you can come in for a few minutes.¨ We looked at each other stunned.
We went in, and she told us all about their family, the loss of all of her immediate family, and how she is struggling to raise these 4 little kids while her husband has to work far away. She was so exhausted, and just searching for something. We started the plan of salvation, and after 15 minutes, some neighbors showed up to help get kids in bed. But she asked us to write down our number and take hers, and come back!
I was reading in Jesus the Christ about the work of the apostles, and the things that Christ told them before he sent them out on their missions.
He told them : If they found themselves rejected by a household or by a town as a whole, they were to shake the dust from their feet on leaving.... but to continue on. Just like the gold miners, sometimes there seems like there´s a lot of dust. Especially with the Argentina Zonda. But with patience, diligence, and a true desire to uncover the gold, you find it. And those moments of discovery are made just that much brighter in contrast to the previous ¨gloom¨.
Love you all. Take care this week.
Esta semana que viene,
xoxo Your Hermana C
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