Mi querida familia.
Oh how I love you guys. and oh how I love this country. I decided to extend another transfer so I won´t be coming for Christmas. Just kidding. Everyone is telling me to do that but they don´t really let you extend. Or I would for the rest of my life.
It has been an interesting week. I ate canned corn, soaked in the corn water, mixed with a mayo and milk and cheese liquid that you drink at the end. That was disgusting. And then we have been in the doctor´s office almost every other day because my comp has parasites. She has had them for 10 months and never said anything to any companion and just suffered it all. I couldn´t stand to see her in pain so I called the nurses and now- here we are, in the doctor´s office, laughing our heads off every day as we shove ourselves on whatever bus we can find and sprint to Xela in order to get back in time for our lunch appointment. But it is all good. We should have things under control by the end of this week.
And then I was in a different area for almost 3 days this week trying to help strengthen a companionship that was falling apart. It was actually one of the most spiritual experiences that I have had recently. One day they called us, so stressed out, and we went running over to their area. We had prayed so hard to know what to say and do. We felt impressed to just sing a hymn and read Mosiah 3:19. We then talked about how the Atonement can help us overcome the natural and become a saint, or a good companion and missionary. I then suggested that they each write 5 things that they love about their companion and read them out loud to each other. There were a lot of tears and forgiveness and hugs. It was amazing. They both put goals and talked about how they could change. One of the hermanas that isn´t the most teachable made me cry as she just looked at her companion and said ¨I will pray every day so that the Lord can help me become who he needs me to be. And I will ask you every night what I can do better the next day.¨ It inspired me to be better also and to do everything I can to change. I loved loved loved something that my awesome cousin Elder James Clayton sent last week. He said- ¨I want to be broken down so that I can be built back up, with Christ as my foundation. That way I will never fall.¨ That is so true. James is learning quickly what the mission and life does to us. Breaks us down and builds us up with Christ as our foundation.
This week I have heard about a lot of broken families, failing businesses, sad hearts and wounded homes... Gloria Ramirez that wonderful woman that we found last week is one of the best people that I have ever known in my life. I will tell you her story when I get home. But she inspires me. When her children were growing up and asked her for a book in school and she didn't have the money she would tell them not to worry, that she would find it, and then she would go up on her roof and pray and then go out on the street and sell her shoes and her clothes that she had and she´d buy the book for her child. Or she would go without food for a while so that they could eat. I cry every time I think about it and every time I listen to the song ¨I am a Child of God¨ I think of her. She will live in a mansion in heaven. I think it will take some time for her and her family to be baptized, but I have been blessed to know and love her. I found a quote this week that I absolutely loved. It is from Elder Uchtdorf and it says-
¨The Lord doesn’t care at all if we spend our days working in marble halls or stable stalls. He knows where we are, no matter how humble our circumstances. He will use—in His own way and for His holy purposes—those who incline their hearts to Him.¨
We have started a new thing where we go with old investigators, menos activos, and recent converts and just start reading the Book of Mormon with them, starting in 1 Nephi 1. We ask a lot of questions about their understanding and help them follow the story line, because as I learned this week- Guatemala is the most illiterate country in all of central america. Then we ask them to apply each chapter to their lives. It is always incredible to see what the spirit can teach through every single chapter. Then we leave chapter 2 with the commitment to read it before the next cita. along with questions that they can think about as they read. We also leave them the commitment to pray and ask specifically to know if the Book of Mormon is true and if Joseph Smith was a prophet. It is really helping them gain an understanding of the Book of Mormon, receive spiritual witnesses and testimonies of the truth, and establish gospel study habits. It sounds so simple and like that is what we have always been doing my whole mission but for some reason it is just really powerful right now. We got 2 inactive families, la familia Fuentes y la familia Soch, to come to church for the first time in years this week. And they are both part member families. We are really working with the non-members there too. And Nicole (the girl from the bus) and her family are totally active now. And Perla Polio is doing so great in personal progress and getting ready for girls camp. All because of the Book of Mormon. I love that sacred testament of Jesus Christ.
Well family, life is good. All is well. I just want to do what´s right. I don´t always understand the Lord´s purposes, but I know that He understands mine. And I will follow Him.
Hermana Jane
