Les queiro mucho. The Elder next to me just sat down at his computer, put his hands on the keyboard to type, and almost his entire desk collapsed. I could not stop laughing! It was so hilarious and all the workers were stressing and I was trying to stop laughing and help but I couldn´t. And...there is a full blown dance class going on about 30 feet away from me. What a life!
I am so grateful that the Lord is aware of us and all that we do. He is taking care of us always. Hermana Lopez was transferred this week back to Xela for an emergency transfer need of another missionary. We were sad to leave each other. Even though my time with Hermana Lopez was short, I truly loved her and I learned so much from her. I miss her but maybe we will be together again someday :) And now I´m just loving Hermana Stephens! She is wonderful and we are happy together. She is from Texas, is almost 22, and has about a year in the mission. Her Spanish is unreal because she studied it for mil años and went to Spain and stuff so it´s all good. I am grateful for a President that loves us and helps us and follows the Spirit.
Fransisca, Oscar, and Aroldo will be baptized this Saturday. They are 3 little sobrinos that basically live with their aunt and uncle who are faithful members of the church. They live up in Terrero Alto and walk every Sunday to church. As we have been visiting them they have started praying a ton and are so happy and kind to each other and they said that they want to be baptized. They are super smart and the primary president and the ward are really taking care of them. The children here are SO darling! I can´t even stand looking at their little faces... I always just start crying or laughing or smiling or something. I am always a little stressed about baptizing children but this week while we were teaching them the Spirit reminded me of the Savior´s command...
13 ¶And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little achildren to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.
15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little achild, he shall not enter therein.
Those words penetrated my heart as I looked into their eyes and listened to them pray and answer questions and read scriptures. They are so precious. We are teaching through little drawing and things they have to do so that they can show their mom and she can see what they are learning. The mom works in a place that makes bread and sometimes is up until the early morning baking so she sleeps there and they stay with the aunt, Gollita, that is a member and the grandma, Concepcion. They may have holes in their shoes but their hearts are whole and bursting with love for Heavenly Father and each other.We are really working with Alex. This week we saw miracles with them. He and his wife are always bickering about random stuff and it is so frustrating. It is hard to get the Spirit there but it always happens! I have truly learned the power that prayer and hymns have in softening hearts and inviting the Spirit. We have been trying to get them to accept the invitation to be married so that he could be baptized... a miracle happened. We talked a lot about forgiveness and had so many family nights and everything and then this week we had a powerful lesson about the Word of Wisdom. He finally confessed that he had a problem with alcohol and she said that that was one of the biggest problems she had about getting married. So we planned a fast. On Saturday- we ate lunch, knelt down, and started a fast together so that Alex could completely stop drinking and so that they could know what Heavenly Father wants them to do as a family. Even though his whole family are members, none of them had ever done a full 24 hour fast before.
It was probably the most powerful fast of my life. We watched 17 Miracles with them that night so that could all forget their hunger. We talked about the pioneers and how they did not wait for perfect conditions, perfect weather, perfect clothing and food... they just accepted the Lord´s command through His servant, the prophet- and went. They just obeyed. And then suffered and were tested and tried but in the end--- look at what we have because of their obedience and sacrifice! They all came to church together on Sunday and it was precious to see them sitting together. The whole ward was loving it. Helia, the wife, had an interview with the bishop and through this interview we found out that actually they had been married many many years ago in an evangelic church and the process of the papers had just been paused and they never got entered into a computer. But they are married! And when we went over for Sunday lunch, they were all just about dead with hunger. The table was all set and we brought some random cake we made in the microwave... we all knelt together in the family and broke the fast, and Alex said he felt all his desires to drink leave. He said he felt weak but felt the power of God sustaining him. During the fast, he felt like he wanted to drink and eat but then he consciously turned his thoughts to the Savior and the feelings went away.
9 And he said unto me, My agrace is sufficient for thee: for my bstrength is made perfect in cweakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may drest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in ainfirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in bpersecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am cweak, then am I dstrong.
We are hoping to have his baptism in the coming weeks. Keep praying for Alex and the Mendoza family. I know that the Lord loves us and blesses us when we sacrifice and obey. It was the most amazing experience for their family.
The hermanas are doing great! They are so wonderful and the hardest workers! We are seeing some good progress. I am learning how to love all the people and all the hermanas and the members and investigators and keep track of them all. I am learning a lot about the planner and writing things down (like on all the papers and napkins of the counter... sorry momma.) and learning that I don´t need to remember everything because the Spirit does. He remembers everything exactly and can remind me perfectly.
During the Sacrament yesterday we were singing the hymn and I was just thinking about everything that happened this week... as we sang ¨Trust in His redeeming blood and try His works to do¨... I cannot even describe the feeling that came over me. All we must do it trust in Him. And follow Him. And then everything else falls into place and it all works out. I love testifying that our Savior, Jesus Christ lives. He lives! He knows who we are and we are preparing the world for His coming. I know with all of my heart that Joseph Smith saw Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. The Book of Mormon is the iron rod and will lead us to that precious, glorious, delicious fruit that comes from the Tree of Life. The gospel flame is burning bright inside of me and all I want to do is light that fire in the hearts of everyone around me. The hermanas, ward members, investigators. What a glorious work this is :) I am so grateful to be here. I love the gospel. I love Guatemala. I love the mission. I am so so so happy. Better and better every day. Fe y confianza en mi Señor.
I love you guys with all of my heart!!!
Hermana Jane McGill
