Dear Family,
I will be brief, my host mom (Mom, you would love her! Pray for her, she has been in the adoption pool for 4 years and been trying to have children for 8. She is one of three families and they find out in two weeks.) invited me and my companion out to lunch and I still want to put in my three hours of basketball.... But I love you all!!
This week I was humbled over and over again. People sacrifice so much to be apart of this church. Families ask us to come and eat with them and we do and I know they are blessed for their sacrifice. Where the husband works three jobs and gets up at 2 to walk to work and be there by 3:30. When we arrive the wife apologizes for mess as she babysits children during the day. Going to church was never a sacrifice for me growing up. But I watch at ward counsel as 4 of the 5 men take their only day off for sunday and leave early for meetings. This sunday I was asked to speak about the trial of your faith. I was lucky that my companion was called to give the talk first so I had a solid 8 minutes to prepare. (Also I think it is hilarious because we tried all week to get people to church and we finally had a fair amount of investigators and it turns out they just had to listen to us.) But as I looked over our small congregation (small but this week we had to leave and set up extra chairs for people who kept coming [Oh the joy when an investigator walks through the door]) I saw the sacrifices of every person in the building. I was so touched.
I think I was born to be a missionary. Never before in my life have I felt so fulfilled. There is always so much to do and I don't think I can adequately express what it feels like when you see the spirit in their eyes. Yesterday we stopped by D. house and he is rather sick when we walked in he opened his eyes and asked if the missionaries were there. Surprised we said "yes". He then said, "I knew it, I could feel it when you walked it in." It is amazing!!
Quickly before I leave I want to share one more amazing experience. The Sisters a couple transfers ago were teaching a man but lost contact with him when he moved. He called us (how cool is that) and asked us to come back to teach him in his new house. So the last twoish weeks we have been visiting him and whoever else is in his house. There was this moment when S. walked in with his giant whisky bottle which assured us was filled with Ice tea (apparently I am a horrible teacher) and sat down and pulled out his book of Mormon from his back pocket. I then sat back and recognized this miracle of a situation. Here I am, a 20 year old white girl sitting on the ground in a circle of 5. One is the half blind, mostly deaf mother of one of them who sprinkles us with holy water as we walk in the house. Another got out of prison last month, 2 are covered in tattoos, and 1 has an ankle bracelet because he is on house arrest. Here I am reading Alma 32 helping these men sound out words from the book of Mormon. The spirit is so strong and one is crying as he tells us he knows this book is true. He is right. It is amazing to watch the change that accompanies a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And on the plus side we have lots of referrals from within the prison.
Love you all!
I will be brief, my host mom (Mom, you would love her! Pray for her, she has been in the adoption pool for 4 years and been trying to have children for 8. She is one of three families and they find out in two weeks.) invited me and my companion out to lunch and I still want to put in my three hours of basketball.... But I love you all!!
This week I was humbled over and over again. People sacrifice so much to be apart of this church. Families ask us to come and eat with them and we do and I know they are blessed for their sacrifice. Where the husband works three jobs and gets up at 2 to walk to work and be there by 3:30. When we arrive the wife apologizes for mess as she babysits children during the day. Going to church was never a sacrifice for me growing up. But I watch at ward counsel as 4 of the 5 men take their only day off for sunday and leave early for meetings. This sunday I was asked to speak about the trial of your faith. I was lucky that my companion was called to give the talk first so I had a solid 8 minutes to prepare. (Also I think it is hilarious because we tried all week to get people to church and we finally had a fair amount of investigators and it turns out they just had to listen to us.) But as I looked over our small congregation (small but this week we had to leave and set up extra chairs for people who kept coming [Oh the joy when an investigator walks through the door]) I saw the sacrifices of every person in the building. I was so touched.
I think I was born to be a missionary. Never before in my life have I felt so fulfilled. There is always so much to do and I don't think I can adequately express what it feels like when you see the spirit in their eyes. Yesterday we stopped by D. house and he is rather sick when we walked in he opened his eyes and asked if the missionaries were there. Surprised we said "yes". He then said, "I knew it, I could feel it when you walked it in." It is amazing!!
Quickly before I leave I want to share one more amazing experience. The Sisters a couple transfers ago were teaching a man but lost contact with him when he moved. He called us (how cool is that) and asked us to come back to teach him in his new house. So the last twoish weeks we have been visiting him and whoever else is in his house. There was this moment when S. walked in with his giant whisky bottle which assured us was filled with Ice tea (apparently I am a horrible teacher) and sat down and pulled out his book of Mormon from his back pocket. I then sat back and recognized this miracle of a situation. Here I am, a 20 year old white girl sitting on the ground in a circle of 5. One is the half blind, mostly deaf mother of one of them who sprinkles us with holy water as we walk in the house. Another got out of prison last month, 2 are covered in tattoos, and 1 has an ankle bracelet because he is on house arrest. Here I am reading Alma 32 helping these men sound out words from the book of Mormon. The spirit is so strong and one is crying as he tells us he knows this book is true. He is right. It is amazing to watch the change that accompanies a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And on the plus side we have lots of referrals from within the prison.
Love you all!
Hermana Cerro
P.S. Abby, Mary is beautiful. I wouldn't mind if you started whispering "Amanda is your favorite Aunt" for periods of 20 minutes about 4 times a day. Miss Maddy Mulford don't go getting any ideas! I am still the favorite aunt!! No brainwashing, remember? (Hannah, I am sorry for stealing the hearts of the nieces and nephews while you were away!! Oh And Congrats! I Can say that out loud now right?! If he/she is born on November 11th you will name the child after me, alright?!
P.S. Abby, Mary is beautiful. I wouldn't mind if you started whispering "Amanda is your favorite Aunt" for periods of 20 minutes about 4 times a day. Miss Maddy Mulford don't go getting any ideas! I am still the favorite aunt!! No brainwashing, remember? (Hannah, I am sorry for stealing the hearts of the nieces and nephews while you were away!! Oh And Congrats! I Can say that out loud now right?! If he/she is born on November 11th you will name the child after me, alright?!
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