Tuesday was my birthday and really it was one of my best birthdays ever. We went to Zone Conference and my District leader Elder Garcia got a group of elders to sing as I walked up to the church building. And then we all took turns translating conference for Sister De la Cruz... several people complimented me on my "native" Spanish. Then at lunch they always sing "Happy Birthday" for every one who had a birthday recently, and Elder Garcia told Sister Gelwix it was my birthday that day (along with another sister) so they all clapped and cheered for us in specific before singing to all of us. Then afterwards we went to IHOP and Elder Ayala gave me a cute stuffed pink bunny hahah... still not sure where he found it. Pretty sure it either came from some five year old that is now crying, or from his ex-girlfriend.... but it was cool. Elder Garcia (tried) to make me cookies.... hahah they were the freezer kind and burnt.... hahah in Spanish he's like "Sister, I feel so sad because you made me a beautiful cake and I made you burnt cookies".... haha but it was funny. Elder Cook bought me oreos.... it was a good day. They sang at IHOP too. Really great birthday. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE JOURNALS AND WHOPPING GIFT CARD!!!!!! I seriously needed both of those things. Love you so much. And Sister De la Cruz baked me a cake! It was the first cake she's ever made. Tasted great! Really great day.
Well the rest of the week follows like this:
This week a lot of good things happened. We have an "eternagator" named Isrrael who went to church yesterday and received his answer yesterday at church. He sent us a text later that just said we need to convince his wife. And she is progressing well. The only problem there is that she is leaving to visit family in Guatamala for 6 weeks in a about a week and a half. But we'll get them baptized!!!
Also working with my buddy Paulito. We recently found out for sure that he is 9, so we can baptize him. Just the problem there is that his mom Ramona wants to know more before she gives permission. Which really is good because it means she cares about his life. So the next day after she told us that we went to talk to her and we just went through all the baptismal interview questions with her to explain what Paulito wanted to do. And then Paulito was there so we just yelled over at him "Hey, Paulito, explain to your mom what the Word of Wisdom is!" or the Law of Chastity (kid style) and she was so shocked! He just spouted off everything, all of these great values! He loves to pray, every day we go over he says "Look, I've been practicing the commandments!" and starts listing off everything, he's just so awesome! So we're close. She also told us that night that the night before she began to pray like we asked and then dreamed that she prayed all night long. Which to her was a sign that this is what she is supposed to do. So that's pretty awesome.
Well, we haven't baptized this month but in my heart I feel like we have. We have worked so hard and we have people who are prepared... but in the end it is their agency. If they don't come to church even when we teach it a million times and show up at their house ready to bring them and they bail... what can you do? I'm pretty excited for June though. Because since no one got baptized this month, lots of them have potential for next month! Silver lining....
Also working with my buddy Paulito. We recently found out for sure that he is 9, so we can baptize him. Just the problem there is that his mom Ramona wants to know more before she gives permission. Which really is good because it means she cares about his life. So the next day after she told us that we went to talk to her and we just went through all the baptismal interview questions with her to explain what Paulito wanted to do. And then Paulito was there so we just yelled over at him "Hey, Paulito, explain to your mom what the Word of Wisdom is!" or the Law of Chastity (kid style) and she was so shocked! He just spouted off everything, all of these great values! He loves to pray, every day we go over he says "Look, I've been practicing the commandments!" and starts listing off everything, he's just so awesome! So we're close. She also told us that night that the night before she began to pray like we asked and then dreamed that she prayed all night long. Which to her was a sign that this is what she is supposed to do. So that's pretty awesome.
Well, we haven't baptized this month but in my heart I feel like we have. We have worked so hard and we have people who are prepared... but in the end it is their agency. If they don't come to church even when we teach it a million times and show up at their house ready to bring them and they bail... what can you do? I'm pretty excited for June though. Because since no one got baptized this month, lots of them have potential for next month! Silver lining....
Yup... other big news.... I didn't go to church yesterday. Probably the first missionary in the history of the world to miss church. I was very sick yesterday. So the 6 of us went to a members house for dinner..... and nosotros gringos.... estabamos MURIENDONOS. (us white people... we were DYING!) We still have no idea how this is possible, but the latinos were not even ONE BIT sick, and Elder Cook and Elder McClung and I were all throwing up sick sick sick. I was up all night and threw up twice in the morning.... First time I threw up without my mommy or daddy.... it was a horrible experience. Super bad. And then We were supposed to be at church at 9 to translate an english session for our investigators... Elder Garcia to the rescue!!!! He immediately left and took care of our investigators while I was dying. At this point we didn't know the other elders were sick, just me. Elder Garcia gave me a blessing too. I tried to get ready... nope. I didn't throw up more but I could barely keep any liquid down.... it was bad. And I was just weak and shaky... I slept pretty much all day and then went to bed as usual at 10:30 and slept through the night. But I feel pretty much perfect now! But as of now I am taking control of my diet. I have gained like 10 pounds and I'm not ok with that, and every night I feel pressure to eat till I hurt... not any more. Sorry folks, I'm not an Elder, I can't just eat like that. And today I'm buying like the whole produce section.... so that's good.
Funny stories.... Sister De la Cruz is progessing well in English! We've really been focusing on that. The more I watch others try to learn English, the more sure I am that if it wasn't my first language I'd never learn it. It's really a crazy language. We were talking about "here" or something and she's like, "What?! What's the difference between pelo, corazon, cabesa, aqui, y ella?" I just laughed because I've never noticed how similar "hair, heart, head, here, and her" sound hahahaha and how completely different they are in English. It's pretty funny.
Spanish texting:
"Ola mis princesas yo se q pronto staran bien con la bendicion d Dios cuidesen mucho el padre las bendiga mil gracias x todo lo q asen x nosotros las km ok"
should be
"Hola mis princesas yo se que pronto estaran bien con la bendicion de Dios cuidesen mucho el padre las bendiga mil gracias por todo lo que hacen por nosotros las quiero mucho ok"
Pretty proud of myself for learning how to read texts... you have to read them out loud in order for it to work. English it says:
"Hello my princesses, I know that soon you will feel good with the blessing from God, take good care of yourselves, God bless, thanks a million for all that you do for us, I love you a lot ok"
That was from one of my favorite people in my branch, Hermano Tirso. He is so awesome. I like how "I love you" is "Le quiero mucho" and in texts it's just "lkm" or "te quiero mucho" "tkm".
So that's pretty much what's up. My recent converts are doing good! Lupe got a job, she's going to school, and she's looking for an apartment! Talk about miracles! The Nunez got callings as ward missionaries! And I still haven't heard from the Herberts... but soon.
LKM!!!!!
Hermana Soli
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