New Investigators
This week has been nuts! On Tuesday at the transfer meeting,
I saw SOOO many people I knew. I saw my adorable friend Ziandra Callaway from
BYU-I, Nicole Rios (another friend from BYU-I who just finished her mission),
Sister Mendenhall (a sister I met at Ash's ward in Pocatello), Sister
Hellickson (from Buhl 2nd ward I believe), an elder who actually knew where
Buhl is (has cousins in Buhl), and my old companion from the MTC Hermana
Geldmacher. That was so cool!
When I got there I knew I was either training my friend
Ziandra or her companion from the MTC, because there were only two Spanish
sisters. Well, I am training HERMANA GUBELI! She is adorable! She is from Utah
and is just so willing to learn. She works so hard! It is kind of fun to teach
her during our language hour. I give her assignments/things to work on and then
I try and help her understand. She is improving so much every day. She is so quick
at making decisions. It literally took her ten seconds to pick out her bike at
Wal-Mart. Sister Oxley and I took hours deciding at Wal-Mart...maybe not hours,
but it is definitely a different feel.
2nd day in the mission field for my new companion and trainee Hermana Gubeli!
That first day we had a lesson with Cesar (he has a
baptismal date for this next month) and his two friends Joey and Pollo were
there. We took a boy from our ward named Alexis. Alexis is one of the most
awesome young men ever. There was a
Mormon Message made about how they do rescue visits as Young Men (he is the one
that cries at the end). CHECK IT OUT! I basically know all the people in that
video. :) The RioGrande Spanish Ward is such a special place.
Back to my story. Since Alexis came and we had unexpected
teenagers in our lesson, we decided to watch that video and talk about how
Christ ministered one by one in 3rd Nephi. It was really cool! Those boys
should be at the next lesson we have. It is a lot more pressure being the
trainer and having a brand new missionary who doesn't know a ton of Spanish. I
have to ALWAYS be on my toes. I am speaking a lot more than last transfer. Last transfer, my comp and I really split the
time well, but now we have to plan a lot more and plan exactly when my comp is
going to say something.
There is some really cool graffiti and art all around town. This is one wall close to our apartment.
This week we had some really cool miracles with menos
activos (less actives). There is a couple that moved into this ward a while
ago, but haven't come to church (the wife doesn't feel welcome or something). We
have visited this couple before and we were on our way to visit them again, but
our member who was driving us thought we meant the daughter of this couple so
she took us to a house we had never been to. She kept saying, "No, this is
the way." I just went with it. When we opened the door I found out that it
was the daughter of this couple. Her records aren't even in our ward and we
wouldn't have found her if Hermana Roblero hadn't taken us there. She is super
cute. She is about 26 years old and has a sweet little baby girl. She let us
come in and teach the Restoration. We are really going to focus on getting her
back to church.
In the car with our most dedicated member missionary ever...Hermana Roblero!
Another Menos Activo story...last Sunday, I was standing
outside of Relief Society and this sweet girl comes up to me and asks me if
that was where Relief Society was. She asked me in English, so I answered her
in English and we walked in together. I had her come sit by me and one of the
elder's investigators (Magda, who is drop dead gorgeous and SO much fun)! It
was so fun sitting by such cute younger girls. Anyway, little did I know that
this girl is just starting to come back to church. She has been back and forth
for the last 15 years, but never stayed. We really hit it off well and I boldly
invited her to come on visits with us...she said yes! Absolutely! She came out
with us last night and she was the PERFECT member to have with us. Her
testimony is so strong, because she truly believes now and has such a strong
testimony of the Book of Mormon. I just love her! Her name is Veronica (she is
about 29, works at a Doctor's office and has an adorable 12 year old girl who
just loves us).
ANOTHER Menos Activo story from earlier this week. We ate
dinner at a member's home in our area, and after dinner decided to knock a few
doors. We ended up finding a 30 year old less active woman who just had a baby
who is also not on our records! She was so happy to see us and her baby was so
cute! We are going back again later this week!
Another Menos Activo story (haha). We were on the bus riding home Saturday night
and we met a white less active. He told he just got out of jail a few
months ago, but has turned his life around. He said the last time he went to
church was when he has twelve, and he even passed the Sacrament. He is going to
a Christian church, but we told him to come back to church. HE DID! We hooked him up with the English elders when
he got there.
Final Menos Activo story!
We were finding through formers and went to a home pretty close to where
we live. Well, the formers do not live
there anymore, but some members do! I knew the grandma because she comes to
church, but her daughter is not active. The grandma takes the grandkids to
church. One of the granddaughters is in a wheelchair and then there are about
three others that this grandma gets ready and takes to church all on her
own...quite incredible! One of the little boys isn't a son of the inactive
daughter but of another child. Anyway, he is the CUTEST! He has the cutest
glasses and his name is Luis. When we taught them the Plan of Salvation, he
knew SO MUCH! And he hasn't even been coming to church for very long, but he
loves it! He is 7 and reminds me so much of Hollister (no joke). Miss you
Holli! He wants to go on a mission one day. And he always tries to give
me hugs, which I can't do even though I want to so badly. :(
Our investigator Raul told us this week that he straight up
believes the Book of Mormon is true! I
was SOOO excited! It is so cool, because he is really Catholic. He is so great!
He has a friend that is a member of our ward, so that has been super helpful.
When we asked him to be baptized, he said he wasn't quite ready (well in Spanish
he was like "don't push me")!
We are backing off, but still teaching him.
This week was incredible for new investigators...we got 8!
That is a good week I think for meeting new investigators! Actually, we had the
best "numbers" we have had since we have been here. :) We got more lessons in than the elders before
us used to. I guess it is normal to have fewer lessons on bikes, but I don't
care...we want to exceed that norm.
This family is so sweet and the little boy reminds me SO
MUCH of Trey...SO MUCH! Same adorable teeth, mannerisms, smile...everything. It
kind of freaked me out! I may have cried a little watching him. His mom
told me is so obedient and just loves to help her. When I asked him what he
liked to do he said, "Help my mom clean." I miss you T-bone!
Wellzies, I gotta go! We are going to Los Lunas today to
play basketball, thank goodness! Love and miss you all!
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