So remember Ana Rivero? The woman that I felt like we were best friends and I just loved her so much?! She texted us and said she was going to stick with the Catholics. Little did she know we weren't gonna give up on her. We gave her some space and last night we went to see her. I was a little afraid to talk to her. Not because I was afraid to testify. I was just afraid she would reject us. But she accepted that we can come by again. She just is afraid of a change and the whole come to church and get baptized thing scared her. But I just told her how she is not like other people I've met and God sent us so she better listen to God. Well obviously I didn't say it like that but you get my drift. Keep prayers coming her way because I can see her potential!
She wasn't the only investigator that dropped us this week. So we'll be searching for new ones.
Nothing too interesting happened this week. Besides the fact that our cell phone doesn't work anymore-that makes things a little more interesting. Oh and it got super cold.
We traveled to the city today to buy some winter clothes and so we stopped by the grocery store, I've never been so happy to be in a grocery store...haha.
Okay I know this is a pathetic letter but I'll have a better one next week!
All my love,
Hermana Pearson
Monday, May 26, 2014
Monday, May 19, 2014
The best kind of compliment
So yesterday we're walking home from church and a lady stops us and asks, ´´Are you the gospel people.¨ We told her yes and then she just started pleading for our help. Her husband is abusive and drinks and she feels desperate. It made me so sad for her, but happy that she has the faith that Jesus heals. It is the best feeling when people stop us in the street and not the other way around because it means they have seen us as representatives of Jesus Christ. I think that is one of the biggest compliments to ever be able to receive--to know that others see you as a disciple of Christ.
For two Sunday's in a row I've had to fill in for the Sunday School teacher with 5 minutes notice. The branch president handed me the lesson for the Old Testament...I felt a little overwhelmed because I had no idea what the lesson was about. But it really turned out great because we talked about how Joshua had to follow one of the most well-known prophets. I'm sure he felt overwhelmed thinking ´´well, Moses just saved and liberated these people, parted the Red Sea and received the 10 commandments. How will I ever match up to that?´´ But the Lord tells him to strive and be of good courage. We talked about how God helps us be who He wants us to be when we serve him. And I couldn't help but think of myself. One year ago, I never would have imagined being able to teach from the Old Testament in Spanish. But God makes us capable of what He asks us to do.
We are trying so hard to help this struggling little branch and little by little we're seeing progress. Yesterday the branch got together and all left to visit the less actives, we have an activity next Saturday and we are doing a branch fast. And best of all, we got ourselves a ward mission leader. He just got back from his mission a few months ago so he already knows what it's all about.
We did service for Noemi this week. And really her whole life just humbles me. As I was washing her dishes with saved soapy water (they don't have money to buy more dish soap) with a piece of fabric, scraping off the dirt on the old dishes, I was just so humbled. Then to thank us she heated us up some of the little food they have (alligator...it was pretty good). When you see people like that it makes you realize how much love and generosity you truly lack.
It's very common to see pictures of idols or the virgin pasted on the people's doors or even stickers that say ´´We're Catholic please respect us.´´ Well this week we passed by a less active that I had never met and right on their front door they have the front page of the Restoration missionary pamphlet. It kinda made my day.
Con Amor,
Hermana Pearson
For two Sunday's in a row I've had to fill in for the Sunday School teacher with 5 minutes notice. The branch president handed me the lesson for the Old Testament...I felt a little overwhelmed because I had no idea what the lesson was about. But it really turned out great because we talked about how Joshua had to follow one of the most well-known prophets. I'm sure he felt overwhelmed thinking ´´well, Moses just saved and liberated these people, parted the Red Sea and received the 10 commandments. How will I ever match up to that?´´ But the Lord tells him to strive and be of good courage. We talked about how God helps us be who He wants us to be when we serve him. And I couldn't help but think of myself. One year ago, I never would have imagined being able to teach from the Old Testament in Spanish. But God makes us capable of what He asks us to do.
We are trying so hard to help this struggling little branch and little by little we're seeing progress. Yesterday the branch got together and all left to visit the less actives, we have an activity next Saturday and we are doing a branch fast. And best of all, we got ourselves a ward mission leader. He just got back from his mission a few months ago so he already knows what it's all about.
We did service for Noemi this week. And really her whole life just humbles me. As I was washing her dishes with saved soapy water (they don't have money to buy more dish soap) with a piece of fabric, scraping off the dirt on the old dishes, I was just so humbled. Then to thank us she heated us up some of the little food they have (alligator...it was pretty good). When you see people like that it makes you realize how much love and generosity you truly lack.
It's very common to see pictures of idols or the virgin pasted on the people's doors or even stickers that say ´´We're Catholic please respect us.´´ Well this week we passed by a less active that I had never met and right on their front door they have the front page of the Restoration missionary pamphlet. It kinda made my day.
Con Amor,
Hermana Pearson
Monday, May 12, 2014
Hey, I think I've met you before!
This week I did exchanges with the one and only Hermana Quispe. It was such a good day!! I miss her (and everything that has to do with El Carmen) so much! She really helped me and encouraged me with some of the difficulties we face in Bella Vista. It's probably such a good thing that I'm not companions with someone who talks as much as me. It was tempting for us not to stay up talking the whole night. (Don't worry, we were very obedient.)
Last week we were about to leave a neighborhood and at the last minute I had a thought come to me to try to find a less active, Roberto Rivero, that the branch president said had potential to come back to church. When he explained to us where he lived, we only knew more or less where he lived. So we just started asking. Someone told us that someone with that last name lived down the street. When we got to the house, the mom said that was the right last name but it wasn't her husband and she didn't know of any Roberto Rivero. So we started to explain we were looking for him because he is a member of our church, as we slyly started to testify to her of our message. It was raining so she told us to come in so we wouldn't get wet. Then she added, "Plus there is always more room for Jesus in our house." When we were teaching her, I started to look at the faces of her children and there is just something so familiar about them. Then looking at Ana I just felt so much love for her and I know that she is going to accept this message because I've met her a whole long time ago. She told us she talked with Elders about 20 years ago. Before she got MARRIED (it's kinda a REALLY big deal). She said she had seen us about a week earlier and that by the way we were dressed she thought "They must be the momons." Now that we had shown up at her door, she didn't think it was a coincidence because lately she's really felt the pull to get closer to God.
When we went back and taught her the second time, she had read the pamphlet we left her and she talked about how even though it's hard for her, she is making a huge effort to stregthen her relationship with God. I didn't know it was possible but I just felt so much MORE love for her. So I told her that as missionaries one of the greatest things we can experience is feeling just a tiny bit of God's immense love for people we barely know. The love I felt was really so strong. I had such a connection with her since the start and have been praying for her a lot. It made me just want to love everybody because it felt so good to feel so much love! When she prayed at the end she thanked God for her new friends who helped her feel that God was there.
I know God's love is real. Take it for a test drive. It will change you.
Love,Hermana Pearson
Last week we were about to leave a neighborhood and at the last minute I had a thought come to me to try to find a less active, Roberto Rivero, that the branch president said had potential to come back to church. When he explained to us where he lived, we only knew more or less where he lived. So we just started asking. Someone told us that someone with that last name lived down the street. When we got to the house, the mom said that was the right last name but it wasn't her husband and she didn't know of any Roberto Rivero. So we started to explain we were looking for him because he is a member of our church, as we slyly started to testify to her of our message. It was raining so she told us to come in so we wouldn't get wet. Then she added, "Plus there is always more room for Jesus in our house." When we were teaching her, I started to look at the faces of her children and there is just something so familiar about them. Then looking at Ana I just felt so much love for her and I know that she is going to accept this message because I've met her a whole long time ago. She told us she talked with Elders about 20 years ago. Before she got MARRIED (it's kinda a REALLY big deal). She said she had seen us about a week earlier and that by the way we were dressed she thought "They must be the momons." Now that we had shown up at her door, she didn't think it was a coincidence because lately she's really felt the pull to get closer to God.
When we went back and taught her the second time, she had read the pamphlet we left her and she talked about how even though it's hard for her, she is making a huge effort to stregthen her relationship with God. I didn't know it was possible but I just felt so much MORE love for her. So I told her that as missionaries one of the greatest things we can experience is feeling just a tiny bit of God's immense love for people we barely know. The love I felt was really so strong. I had such a connection with her since the start and have been praying for her a lot. It made me just want to love everybody because it felt so good to feel so much love! When she prayed at the end she thanked God for her new friends who helped her feel that God was there.
I know God's love is real. Take it for a test drive. It will change you.
Love,Hermana Pearson
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| Sofia's Baptism |
Monday, May 5, 2014
When the Bibles Don't Bash
We had another baptism this week, Sofia! She is Maria Jose's older sister. She is 12 (according to her documents. But she is convinced that she is 13. The people here don't pay that much attention to age.) She was going to get baptized last week but needed some more time to be able to give up tea. The extra time was really good because she was much more prepared, PLUS we got her Dad to come to her baptism. He is an inactive for the last 20 years and he's the one I've talked about before that is often drunk. He came a little bit late but when he came he gave Sofia the biggest hug and kiss. He stayed towards the back for everything. There are two fonts. One is really old and a newer one that we've borrowed from a recent convert. Well he saw the other one and said 'That's where I got baptized.' While he was waiting for her to change we asked how he felt. He said he felt weird and he didn't want to talk about it. So we gave him some space. When Sofia came out he hugged and kissed her again and said that she had made the best decision of her life.
Earlier in the week we did a Family Home Evening with her parents and taught the plan of salvation and later we played a game together. They really enjoyed it and had so much fun. Even their parents and the member that was with us were playing like little kids!
This week we taught a Jehovah's Witness. As any missionary who has ever talked with a Jehovah's witness knows, they don't exactly like to listen, they like to preach. So that was miracle #1. Miracle #2 was when we were talking about prophets and asked her what she knew about them. So she said ''I know they are men called of God and are led by the spirit of revelation. There's a good scripture in Acts, and she pulls out her Bible. She opens it to Acts 3: ''And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.'' But in Spanish it is better because it uses the word RESTORATION. So we pull out the Restoration pamphlet and testified that this restoration has already taken place. We have a return appointment.
Wow the time flies so fast, I'll write more next week!
Hermana Pearson
PS I couldn't send pics of the baptism this week because my memory card converter thing isn't working. I'll bring my cord next week.
Earlier in the week we did a Family Home Evening with her parents and taught the plan of salvation and later we played a game together. They really enjoyed it and had so much fun. Even their parents and the member that was with us were playing like little kids!
This week we taught a Jehovah's Witness. As any missionary who has ever talked with a Jehovah's witness knows, they don't exactly like to listen, they like to preach. So that was miracle #1. Miracle #2 was when we were talking about prophets and asked her what she knew about them. So she said ''I know they are men called of God and are led by the spirit of revelation. There's a good scripture in Acts, and she pulls out her Bible. She opens it to Acts 3: ''And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.'' But in Spanish it is better because it uses the word RESTORATION. So we pull out the Restoration pamphlet and testified that this restoration has already taken place. We have a return appointment.
Wow the time flies so fast, I'll write more next week!
Hermana Pearson
PS I couldn't send pics of the baptism this week because my memory card converter thing isn't working. I'll bring my cord next week.
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