I’m gonna be
a mom! You could say I’m freaking out a wee little bit. We had transfers today
and I’m training a new missionary. I don’t even feel like I’m trained! How in
the heck am I supposed to train someone else?! I´ll receive my new companion
tomorrow. Right now I’m here in Los Ficus with Hermana Escalante and her new
companion. So sad to leave her :( She’s been my best friend for three months so
it’s sad. Her area is close though so I´ll see her a lot. Definitely feelin a
bit inadequate and nervous, but I know there’s a way to do it. I asked Hermana
B for her advice training and she told me, "Just don’t kill her, even if
you want to.... Cause you’re gonna want to." Umm thanks haha. I’m excited
though for the opportunity to serve more and learn new things. This week will
definitely be interesting. New year, new experiences.
This week was
amazing! I loved every minute of talking with you all, and it makes me happy
that everyone is SO happy! I also thought it would be a "sob fest"
like you said mom, haha but I, too, just felt so at peace afterwards knowing
you all are so happy and we are all being so blessed by this experience. Love
you all so much! And Hermana Escalante loves you all too. :) Good to know you’re
all still funny too ;)
This week didn’t
quite go as planned. Remember how we were supposed to have a baptism this
Saturday? Well... That didn’t quite work out. He got married though Friday!
Anyway... Yeah. So we had his interview Thursday with the District Leader. We
showed up and the church was locked. So Edwin waited with the Elders while we
went to go get the keys. Well, during this time Edwin goes on to tell them that
he had been drinking with his brother only an hour before, and how bad he felt
and everything. So we didn’t know any of this happened. We just get back and
Elder Gonzales says he needs to make a phone call.... Little did we know he was
calling Pres. Rowley. He ended up telling us what happened too. Pres. Rowley
said that he needed at least another week. It was SO sad. When Elder Gonzales
told him he couldn’t be baptized this week he cried, and was just so bummed. He
hadn’t drank since we´ve been teaching, and went with his brother to rent a tux
and his brother took him to celebrate. I learned a lot from this experience
though. At first I was so disappointed in him. I was just like, "What was
he thinking?!" But then I thought about all the mistakes I have
made. When I make mistakes, God doesn’t say "Oh Hermana Roper.
Really? Again? You knew better than that!" But no. He lets me try again.
He encourages me and continues to love me. Just because Edwin made one mistake doesn’t
mean everything is ruined. If anything, it means his conversion will be that
much better. He can feel the peace of the Atonement. That’s the biggest thing I’ve
learned this week. We all make mistakes, but we all can keep going and keep
improving.
I also
learned a lot from his wedding... Pretty much I learned how grateful I am for a
temple marriage! His wedding was just a total of five minutes signing a few
papers. The words "Till death do you part" are awful. I’m so grateful
for forever families!
We also had a
cool spiritual experience this week. One of our appointments fell through,
and we were bummed about that cause we had a member and everything. (Which is
really good here) Anyway, we were leaving and walking away when I just thought,
"We need to go back." So we went back and this investigator’s
neighbor ended up being a less active, and was just waiting for the
missionaries. It’s so neat to have the Spirit guide us every single day. He is
someone who was just needing to feel the love of Christ is his life. We asked
him what his motivation to keep going was and he told us he’s waiting for his
dad to come back. His dad left and has another family. He was raised by his
grandparents till his grandpa died and isn’t married. He just needs to feel
needed! It was so great to help him out. It’s so neat to see the spirit guide
us to the people who need us.
This year for
Christmas has been different, of course, but one of the best. I have really
felt the real meaning of Christmas! All of us missionaries were singing in the
Plaza for Christmas Eve and the spirit was just so strong. I felt so proud to
be a missionary that night. I felt so blessed to be representing Christ, and to
know that I’m important here. Being a missionary is the absolute best. It’s not
easy, but there isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be :)
Sorry this
letter is short, but the pictures took forever to load haha so for an update on
the others... Edward is getting baptized the 11th. Honestly he is so different.
Doesn’t even party with his friends now. He just has a different happiness
about him. Such a miracle! Pray for him a lot please... This week for New Years,
Satan could tempt him LOTS. D&G are getting married the 28th. We have a new
investigator Olinda that is just great. No more time sorry :)
Hope you have
a great week and Happy New Year! So many blessings in 2013, and so many more to
come in 2014 :) if you want to celebrate New Years like the Peruvians make a
statue, figure thing that looks like you and is wearing your old clothes, and burn
it at midnight :) They take it literally when they say they’re gonna
be a new person this year haha. But really... Happy New Year :) Love you all SO
much!
Love,
Hermana Roper
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