Holy Cow! This week has just flown, and it had to be packed with some really amazing things!
One of the really amazing things in the week has been the miracles of success that we have seen each day. We are in the middle of a very busy time in the season, and yet, we have had more lessons each day than many weeks combined!!!!!!!!!!! (a little less, but still super close!!).
I was especially happy to the events of Monday. I thought that it would be much slower, especially with the Dairy Tour in there (which was fantastic!!), but we actually got in contact with Leonel, who we havent been able to see this while transfer (about a 6 week period...super long for missionary work). He's doing really well, and still reading in the Book of Mormon! Which is really hard with his work schedule, but it's amazing to see the miracles through that!
Might as well go through the week then. Well, the Dairy tour was a blast! President Alread has an amazing set up at his dairy! We walked around and saw lots of things, as well as went in and milked a few. It's kind of funny how happy they are to be there and be milked and everything. They are milked two times each day, with an average of 17 gallons per day per cow! CRAZY!! But there's your fun fact of dairys for the week!
More within the week, we have had some amazing lessons, one of which is one of the most exciting...and happened to be the day that I was on exchanges.
Isidro is the husband of an amazing part-member family that has gone through many hard things. The wife and daughter are recent converts, and love everything about the Gospel. Isidro and the son have been very good at avoiding it. But as the time had drawn further, things have fallen into place. They went from living in their car, to having a very nice house. And that is just one of the small things that has happened to really help them out. But Isidro was still very good about keeping away...until this last Tuesday. We went with the Bishop, someone that has really been an amazing help for Isidro. And everything just flipped. The Spirit had just been gnawing at him with very specific promptings, of which were the exact commitments that the Bishop invited him to do. From that discussion, we will be going back and teaching all the discussions and helping him for a date for baptism. It is such an amazing thing to see how this is not our work at all. The Lord had been preparing him for this, and it's an amazing time for the change in the life of this family. I see so much in the whole family!! They truly can be together forever in joy, even with those who passed on as well! I'm just so excited for him!!!
Vicente Lopes has really gone through many changes that are really starting to bless his life. We came back within the week and followed up on a number of commitments that we gave him, one of the largest ones has been Word of Wisdom and drinking. That problem alone caused so many other things to come up. He drank every minute of the day, he was fired from every job for it, he spent all his money, he was going to get kicked out onto the streets, etc...just nothing good. But over 18 days ago, we really talked about what he could do if he gave it all up. We cane back, and he had not touched a drink for that time, just bone dry and cold turkey! He found a better apartment, he has a great job, he has money to spare (at which he got his first cell phone!!), it's just amazing!!! He comes every week to church and loves it! Such a pure and strong desire to learn and strive to better himself! I am overjoyed each time to talk to him! Everything about him is just amazing! MAN I LOVE MY MISSION!!!!
One of the last ones I want to share with you (so many more though). Gabriel has been an investigator for a very very long time. This has been due to the fact of his dad drawing a wall over the subject of Baptism and membership in the church for his son. He wont even mention or talk on anything related to it. But Gabriel said the opening prayer and it really hit us on his desire to be able to talk to his dad. So we really go talking about it. From there, we took a minute and thought of all the lessons that we have had with him. Most, if not all have been things that our Father in Heaven promises us blessing if we faithfully follow it's precepts. The Gospel has so much power to bless and guide, and all the pieces has been laid out and ready to be used. And not only that, but his first missionary (who has been home for a while) got in contact with him, becoming a strong influence and blessing, knowing that he was still in the minds and prayers of all his missionaries. Our commitment for him was to put it all into action, and put forward the faith to accomplish something almost impossible.
The week was just packed full of lessons like this! It was really amazing at how amazing the joy that I have felt being able to be a part of a miracle. IT's a very special feeling, and it's something that we all need to strive and pray to do. To be instruments in the hands of the Lord, I can promise that there is really nothing much greater than that!
The later part of the week, we were able to help out our Ward Mission Leader with some vines that started attacking the garden during their mission to New Zealand. Boy that was some hard work! But I feel really good about how hard I worked!! I'm not going to brag, but I ripped one of them right from the base...and they were pretty big! But with that came the realization that using my super strength took a lot of energy with it for the last few days of the week! PAIN, pain is weakness leaving the body!! WHOOO!!!!!! haha....
Ya, this week has been great! It's really hard to think that Transfer Calls come out this Saturday. My False Prophecies: ....hmmmmm..... My first guess is that we both are doubling out. My second guess is that Elder Trotter will stay, and I will be leaving...maybe to train. If not this transfer, probably next...they are receiving about 20 or so new Spanish speaking missionaries not this, but next transfer.
But this evening, I will be setting up and doing a Noche De Hogar (Family Home Evening) with the Branch. A movie night, watching, "The Prophet of the Restoration." Really good, and "must see" for my list!!
I love you all and wish the best for you! Shout-out to my family and friends...which is all of you!!! Chao!
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