Hola familia!!!
The weeks continue to fly. I think Chile is on a different time loop or something. But I had another great week and I´m sure the next will be just as great!
So this week I had probably the most interesting lesson yet on my mission. So we're teaching this lady, Maria Angelica. She's like SUPER evangelist. She's even taken it upon herself to be a self appointed missionary. She just walks around all day, guided by God and talks with people on the street or in buses about Jesus and how they should open their heart up to Him. But the thing that worries her is she's not baptized and she knows that's what she's missing. So we invited her to Barbara's baptism and she came. So when we went to meet with her afterward, she told us that she doesn't know if she can change her religion. She was born into the Pentecostal and that's what she knows and doesn't know if she wants to change. We explained that the gospel isn't going to take anything from her beautiful relationship with God and that in fact, God wants to add to her knowledge and strengthen the relationship even more and that's why He sent us to her. Then she told us that as she watched Barbara go in the water she felt a fire in her chest really strong, that she hadn't felt before. We explained that that was the Holy Ghost testifying to her that the baptism was done by the authority of God and something true. She was like 'yeah' and we could tell that she was thinking about it. I then asked her if she remembered when we taught her the steps to pray and how God would answer her prayer. We explained that through the Holy Ghost and feelings and peace and joy and tranquility that we can know and feel something is from God. We asked her that if she prayed if she believed God would tell her what to do and she said yes. So then we promised her that if she prayed with us right then and asked God if she should be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints she would receive her answer. So we kneel down and she prays out loud. And she just starts crying. Like crying, crying. I´m talking waterfalls here. And then the praying gets even more crazy. She starts sending hysterical glorias a Dios. Hallelujah gloria a Dios. I didn't know what to do and I peeked over at my companion and she was like really confused too so we just kept quiet. Meanwhile I'm just praying that she'll receive an answer and accept a date to be baptized. Then she finally (after like 10 minutes, not even exaggerating) stops and quiets down and tells us that she feels the same fire in her chest. We tell her that's her answer! Now I'm sending glorias a Dios. And then she starts praying like evangelica gloria hallelujahs thanking God for her answer. She's crying hysterically and blowing kisses towards the heavens AND THEN she just starts laughing! And it's not even laughing it's more like cackling. I seriously thought that when she'd look at us her eyes were going to be red or something like some evil spirit possessed her. Luckily no red eyes. But then she looks at us and is like, but wait. Why do I have a headache now?? And we're like well you have been crying a lot.. She was freaking out that it was because maybe she shouldn't be baptized, but then reasoned that it was probably a devil trying to keep her from making the decision. She seemed content with that explanation so we just went with it. Long story short... she accepted a baptism date and promised to come to church Sunday. 2 days later we went back for our next lesson. She opens the door finally and the first thing she tells us is that she's not going to be baptized. We're like what are you talking about remember the fire in your chest?? Anyway after talking a little she let us come in and we read with her in the Book of Mormon, 2 nefi, chapter 31, when he's talking about baptism. After much talk she finally settled down and accepted her baptism date again and said she'd come to church. And then Saturday morning we got a phone call from her. She told me that she's been thinking it over and we shouldn't wait for her Sunday and she's not going to be baptized. When I tried to ask her what made her make this decision she hung up on me mid sentence. So we have no clue what happened. I´m sure her pastor or someone said something to her... But even though she's a little.. expressive with her faith, I felt really sad about her decision. It's like the people just don't know what they're turning down. So after the phone call we said a little prayer for her and continued on with our day.
I compared our experience with Maria Angelica with that of Barbara. Barbara received the feeling in her chest and followed through with it. And now has a beautiful testimony of the gospel and is a thousand times happier. I know that not everyone will accept the gospel but I know that for those who do, their lives are changed for the better. I also know that it's not a reflection on us or our testimonies if the people we talk with accept to continue or don't. Our duty as members of the church is to share and invite. The choices others make is a reflection of their own obedience, not ours. I feel so grateful for the opportunity I have just to share, it's not important what happens after. I know that our efforts have far more greater value to God than the results and so as it says at the end of my favorite novel ¨We beat on, boats against the current¨sharing the gospel with all that will hear (you're my best friend forever if you can name the book).
So this week I had probably the most interesting lesson yet on my mission. So we're teaching this lady, Maria Angelica. She's like SUPER evangelist. She's even taken it upon herself to be a self appointed missionary. She just walks around all day, guided by God and talks with people on the street or in buses about Jesus and how they should open their heart up to Him. But the thing that worries her is she's not baptized and she knows that's what she's missing. So we invited her to Barbara's baptism and she came. So when we went to meet with her afterward, she told us that she doesn't know if she can change her religion. She was born into the Pentecostal and that's what she knows and doesn't know if she wants to change. We explained that the gospel isn't going to take anything from her beautiful relationship with God and that in fact, God wants to add to her knowledge and strengthen the relationship even more and that's why He sent us to her. Then she told us that as she watched Barbara go in the water she felt a fire in her chest really strong, that she hadn't felt before. We explained that that was the Holy Ghost testifying to her that the baptism was done by the authority of God and something true. She was like 'yeah' and we could tell that she was thinking about it. I then asked her if she remembered when we taught her the steps to pray and how God would answer her prayer. We explained that through the Holy Ghost and feelings and peace and joy and tranquility that we can know and feel something is from God. We asked her that if she prayed if she believed God would tell her what to do and she said yes. So then we promised her that if she prayed with us right then and asked God if she should be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints she would receive her answer. So we kneel down and she prays out loud. And she just starts crying. Like crying, crying. I´m talking waterfalls here. And then the praying gets even more crazy. She starts sending hysterical glorias a Dios. Hallelujah gloria a Dios. I didn't know what to do and I peeked over at my companion and she was like really confused too so we just kept quiet. Meanwhile I'm just praying that she'll receive an answer and accept a date to be baptized. Then she finally (after like 10 minutes, not even exaggerating) stops and quiets down and tells us that she feels the same fire in her chest. We tell her that's her answer! Now I'm sending glorias a Dios. And then she starts praying like evangelica gloria hallelujahs thanking God for her answer. She's crying hysterically and blowing kisses towards the heavens AND THEN she just starts laughing! And it's not even laughing it's more like cackling. I seriously thought that when she'd look at us her eyes were going to be red or something like some evil spirit possessed her. Luckily no red eyes. But then she looks at us and is like, but wait. Why do I have a headache now?? And we're like well you have been crying a lot.. She was freaking out that it was because maybe she shouldn't be baptized, but then reasoned that it was probably a devil trying to keep her from making the decision. She seemed content with that explanation so we just went with it. Long story short... she accepted a baptism date and promised to come to church Sunday. 2 days later we went back for our next lesson. She opens the door finally and the first thing she tells us is that she's not going to be baptized. We're like what are you talking about remember the fire in your chest?? Anyway after talking a little she let us come in and we read with her in the Book of Mormon, 2 nefi, chapter 31, when he's talking about baptism. After much talk she finally settled down and accepted her baptism date again and said she'd come to church. And then Saturday morning we got a phone call from her. She told me that she's been thinking it over and we shouldn't wait for her Sunday and she's not going to be baptized. When I tried to ask her what made her make this decision she hung up on me mid sentence. So we have no clue what happened. I´m sure her pastor or someone said something to her... But even though she's a little.. expressive with her faith, I felt really sad about her decision. It's like the people just don't know what they're turning down. So after the phone call we said a little prayer for her and continued on with our day.
I compared our experience with Maria Angelica with that of Barbara. Barbara received the feeling in her chest and followed through with it. And now has a beautiful testimony of the gospel and is a thousand times happier. I know that not everyone will accept the gospel but I know that for those who do, their lives are changed for the better. I also know that it's not a reflection on us or our testimonies if the people we talk with accept to continue or don't. Our duty as members of the church is to share and invite. The choices others make is a reflection of their own obedience, not ours. I feel so grateful for the opportunity I have just to share, it's not important what happens after. I know that our efforts have far more greater value to God than the results and so as it says at the end of my favorite novel ¨We beat on, boats against the current¨sharing the gospel with all that will hear (you're my best friend forever if you can name the book).
Also as we were leaving another house this week, I noticed a wooden sign they had hanging on their door. It said ¨How can I give so little when He gave His all?¨ Anyway I really liked that. And it's true. I was meditating on that question and I know that I have to give my all. And that maybe my all really isn't a lot in the end. But, it's all I have. And I think that in the Bible the story about the widow and her mite, it's not the sum amount that matters to God. Like the widow, I'll give all my MIGHT, heart, mind, and strength and that has greater value to God than whatever other thing. I love this gospel. I love my mission. I love my Savior.
Wishing you all another great week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
con todo el amor en mi corazon,
Hermana Evans
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