This week was awesome! Had a lot of "growing experiences", if you will <-- mostly in the Spanish department. I was mostly pretty terrified when I heard they'd be replacing my native-speaking companion with someone who's studied Spanish for the last 8 weeks. Quite the exchange, really. Hermana Reid and I have both had the opportunity (we were kinda forced to :) ) to step up. No more Hermana Deleon to catch us when we didn't know what to say! The members and investigators have been a great help though- either EVERYONE is talking more slowly and clearly now, or my Spanish skills jumped a few levels. Either way, you could call it a grand miracle. I'm speaking Spanish!!!
Tuesday we had our usual lesson with Antonio. He told us that he's ready to be baptized. For ya'll keeping tabs- this has been going on for quite some time. This is no small thing, really. I so badly just wanted to give him a big hug, because I was so excited and happy for him...but alas, that's not allowed. Now he just needs to decide where/when he wants to be baptized. Either here/now, without his family. Or at the end of the year with his family, when he goes to visit them in Mexico. Meeting with him on Tuesday- hope he's got an answer for us! :)
Remember the man, Junior, that I taught my first transfer out here? Taught him in English...he's a little bitter towards God about his father passing a year ago. Anyway. I haven't met with him in about 2 months :/ mostly because he was choosing not to progress- annndd a little because I really just didn't know what I/We could share with him that would help. But(!) last week, Hmna Reid shared this talk with me from the Ensign, "Improving Your Personal Prayers", that she had read during her personal study. There's a story in there - really similar to what happened with Junior...but this story had a good ending/lesson learned. Quick summary. Husband/wife had a son- son was partially blind, and needed eye surgery. After much prayer and fasting, the dad felt confident in the doctor/procedure and being able to save his son's eyes. Turns out the son's eyes couldn't be saved. This is what he said had happened after he heard the news...."I began to question everything I had ever believed. As I walked, I felt betrayed and angry. I was overcome with pain. I am not proud of the conversation I had with Heavenly Father as I walked and wept that morning. After a time, I got hold of myself emotionally. I remember the words of a children’s Primary song coming into my mind. “Heavenly Father, are you really there? And do you hear and answer every child’s prayer?” Because you clearly haven’t been listening to mine or maybe you just don’t really care about me and my son. In that moment, a tender mercy came. In my mind and heart, I felt these words: “Kevin, he is my son too.”" That's what we shared with Junior. Honestly, I was scared outta my mind to go back to his apt. and share this- just because I wasn't sure how he would react. Obviously, the passing of his father is a tender subject, and I didn't want him to think that we were undermining that. But, as I sat there and testified to him that God indeed heard his prayers, and felt the same, "Junior, he is my son too", kinda attitude- the Holy Spirit was able to testify of the things that I said. I cried as I told him how much God loves him, and that he should not give up on Him, because God will certainly never give up on him. I'm not sure if that changed his mind, or if he'll come around anytime soon...but I have no doubt that that's what Junior needed to hear.
This has again turned into something longer than I wanted. I know it's all true though. God loves us. Even those who turn their back on Him, and refuse to recognize Him and His love.
I love you all.
Hmna Mortensen
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