Dear Everyone,
Well this was a good week, I wish I could transfer everything that happened onto the screen, but I will give some highlights. For starters I got a call Saturday night and I will be training this upcoming transfer. I will meet my new companion tomorrow. The new elder in my house is from Irving Texas, an El Salvadorian kid, super cool guy. But anyways, I am very privileged and honored to be training. The thought of taking care of another family's child amazes me, especially since I still feel like a young kid. It's going to be super fun though, looking forward to meeting him tomorrow.
My companion left this morning. Last night was the Mission despedida which I got to say the closing prayer at :). The spirit was very strong. It was awesome to hear each missionary's testimony about how much they have changed and learned. I have a hard time imagining that one day I'll be up there sharing my own testimony. Elder Mathews' family was there at the despedida too! I got to meet them and talk to them for a good bit. I took a picture with them but we're at the library right now so we can't send pictures. I'll send them ASAP though. It was a bit weird for me to see his family. For a little bit, I was wondering, "ok where's my family now? They should be here to greet me too." Hahah, but it was a great atmosphere at that farewell.
One thing that stuck out to me this week was when we visited Rosa (the lady with diabetes who is missing a leg). She had an awful day. She couldn't feel her remaining leg, and as she was leaving her house to go to her daily doctor's appointment, she fell over and off her wheelchair. And on top of that, she is starting to get Parkinson's disease. So she hadn't quite had the best of days, to say the least. And me, I don't really know why, but before then this past week I was just felt like I was in an emotional slump. I just couldn't get my mind to where it needed to be. I had prayed that I could get over this and find something that would motivate me.
As we talked to Rosa, I had a strong prompting to ask her if she had any regrets in her life, since she's lived a long 83 year life. Rosa explained that she did not. Reason being, because everytime something bad happened, mistake was made, or she just had a bad day, she remembered to just move forward and leave those things behind. She mentioned how she had one of the worst days she had that day, but tomorrow she'll be fine because she is leaving the day behind and moving forward. As she spoke, I felt the spirit very strongly, and I knew He had answered my prayers as she spoke these words of comfort. I am not gonna lie, I started crying. She held my hand with her gloved hands (she wears gloves so her hands to hurt so much from the diabetes pokes) and reassured me that it was going to be ok and that there is no need to worry about the past or the future. To just worry about right now and keep moving forward no matter what happens. My chronic depression was not cured, but I gained an outlook I have been looking for all my life. I know people may have shared this with me before, but I know because of the Spirit, it clicked like never before. That was cool.
As we talked to Rosa, I had a strong prompting to ask her if she had any regrets in her life, since she's lived a long 83 year life. Rosa explained that she did not. Reason being, because everytime something bad happened, mistake was made, or she just had a bad day, she remembered to just move forward and leave those things behind. She mentioned how she had one of the worst days she had that day, but tomorrow she'll be fine because she is leaving the day behind and moving forward. As she spoke, I felt the spirit very strongly, and I knew He had answered my prayers as she spoke these words of comfort. I am not gonna lie, I started crying. She held my hand with her gloved hands (she wears gloves so her hands to hurt so much from the diabetes pokes) and reassured me that it was going to be ok and that there is no need to worry about the past or the future. To just worry about right now and keep moving forward no matter what happens. My chronic depression was not cured, but I gained an outlook I have been looking for all my life. I know people may have shared this with me before, but I know because of the Spirit, it clicked like never before. That was cool.
This past Saturday, a General Authority from the Quorum of the 70 came and spoke to us with his wife. His name is Elder Joseph W. Sitati, he this huge 6 foot 5 guy from Kenya. Got a super cool accent too. He served as a mission president in Nigeria. One thing that stood out from what he told us, and I saw in our area with our investigators, is to not stop talking to people. There may be times when we share our gospel and people just reject it, or they don't see a need for it. That doesn't mean we stop trying. You never know what may have happened to that person the night before. Or the week before. Or the month before. You get what I'm saying.
This week we picked up these two investigators who turned out to be formers from 5 years ago! And we didn't even know they were formers. But a lot changed in there life that made them more able to receive the gospel. Another example: this sweet older lady in our ward, Lucy, was baptized almost two years ago. But her husband would never take the lessons. Until now. He recently had an operation to get a brain tumor removed, and now he is accepting us and wants to learn and "not be confused anymore." As he said. We invited him to be baptized and we are shooting for the 10th of December. How crazy, right? So what I am trying to say is: Just because we are rejected once or twice, does not mean we stop caring for that person. We continue to care and share the wonders the gospel brings. Who knows, there may be something on there mind that day that your knowledge of the gospel can help them with.
Take care, love you all a lot!:)
I am good for now. Thank you for the awesome packages!!:)
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| Elder Garcia from Colombia, finishing his mission and Elder Perez |
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| Elder Perez with Elder Matthews and his family as he finishes his mission |
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