It's Good To Have You Back

I am going to be baptized, just not yet. We have been teaching this lady named Adriana. My companion started teaching her before I got here so it has been a while. Adriana is so good. She has come to church 14 times and is so involved. She prays, reads the scriptures, & goes to ward activities. She has been invited to be baptized 3 times though, and each time she has said no. Until the past two visits. She says I am going to be baptized, just not yet. We pray and pray for her. We shared Alma 7 with her and it went so good. I had tears in my eyes. She was explaining so many things she loved about this chapter. In the end, she still said, I am going to be baptized, just not yet. You just want to grab these people and shake them and tell them yes you do!!! You want to, right now. Why are you waiting?? We are teaching you THE most important thing. Your literal salvation. But it's just how it goes sometimes. It is the reality. They will be ready in time. The Lord is in control!!! And we trust Him.

 

 

This week was full of experiences. We went to lunch with a member after a few visits in the morning on Tuesday and I'm so sorry but imagine you are sitting at the table, and she tells you so excitedly to go look in the oven.. so you go look and there is a plastic bag with chicken and potatoes in it. That is what I saw in her oven. Absolutely not. We sit down and I'm planning in my head how slow I need to eat so I don't have to eat more than one. She pulls it out of the oven and there's two huge bags. She is poking the chicken through the bag, probably plastic all up in there, and plops out four of the pieces of chicken and says these ones are done enough and goes on to put the rest... the ones that she is going to feed to her family, back in the oven. Dying. So I grab a small piece and am cutting my chicken into the smallest pieces because that made me feel better and then ate the potatoes. When I'm finished she pulls out the rest from the oven, her family comes out and she is serving them and goes on to put the BIGGEST chicken on my plate. It was probably the whole wing. I laughed out loud hiding my face with my water bottle because my companion was dying. It was horrible. Normally the food isn't that bad, but this lady always has the worst. She is so kind though and loves to feed us every Tuesday... :)

 

 

One night as we were walking home, I wanted chips from a store. We have been to this store before, and she only took cash, and I didn't have any. The last time we went was to buy one egg, so I thought maybe you just have to buy more than that. My companion brought this up to me and I was like no she will take card. So we go in and nope she doesn't take card so we leave. As we were walking down the road she came out and said chicas wait. So we walk back.. she starts sobbing and tells us some things that are going on with her friend's son and we just hugged her and told her we would pray. We left and I said let's go back and pray with her. So, we did and she kept crying. It was pure and we hope to have her progress. Then we went to a references house and shared a scripture with her and she started to cry and grabbed our arms and said it was exactly what she needed. Then we prayed with her too because she was going through a hard time as well.

 

 

We had exchanges!!! My first one! I was with Hermana Fonseca!!! She is the cutest little thing. I love her. We got caught in a whole flood. The rain was just nonstop. We were able to go to lunch, do some studies, and a lesson. The lesson went so well. The lady was crying, and I know she felt the spirit. I also felt the spirit. As we walked around, we were able to have so many uplifting conversations and she is just an angel on earth. Crazy to think that next week we will receive transfer news. I am going to be so sad when Hermana Trimble leaves. She has 3 weeks left but I feel absolutely so blessed that I have her for this time. She has been an answer to prayers. The best example. The best trainer. She will be a lifelong friend.

 

 

This week has been really good but as a missionary it's hard to feel like you are doing enough sometimes. Especially when lessons fall through, or people say no, or when you are tired. In the chosen, there was a part that stood out to me so much. It was when Mary came up short. She came to Him and all He said was, "It's good to have you back." She went on to say that she feels so ashamed. He said, "It's not much of a redemption if it can be lost in a day. Did you really think that you would never struggle or sin again? Look up... I forgive you, it's over." I think that is such a good reminder of how He feels when we come or turn to Him when we are struggling. So remember Him. Remember His grace. Remember His mercy. He loves you!!! so much.

 

 

& I love you. Thank you for all the support. I will be praying for you.

 

 

Hermana Morley <3