33: Vaya Pues

In keeping with the theme of PURA CATRACHA I am trying to make my vocabulary as catracho as possible. This week my phrase has been "vaya pues" - basically means, okay, go ahead, alright, goodbye, we use it for everything.

Contacting? Vaya pues.

Baleadas? Vaya pues.

Medical appointment with sick missionary? Vaya pues.

Each week just gets more fun in Girasoles :) We are focusing more on prayer, if we are unsure what to do or need inspiration before an appointment, we pray. We are also trying to focus on the importance of sincere prayer with our investigators; praying to the Father in the name of Christ, and asking specific questions with the desire to act. Yesterday in almost every single lesson, our investigators offered sincere and reverent prayers to the Father in the name of Christ, and we were amazed - lots have been telling us how specifically they have felt the Spirit guide them to receive answers.

Adalid is a new investigator from last week - we taught him the first time Saturday night, he went to church, and he now has a baptism date for the 4th of November, not-so-cooincidentally his birthday! He is progressing well and is super animated to do whatever we invite him to do.

Tanya finally went to church! We were so happy! She is preparing to be baptized next weekend. We have been worried with her because she wasnt progressing for a little while, but as we read 2 Nefi 31 with her yesterday it occured to her how important it is for her to make this covenant and keep it. She is very poor and felt a little ashamed going to church in her jeans, so today we bought her some outfits to wear to church and her baptism so she always feels welcome. I really developed a love for Tanya this week as I studied the attribute of virtue and saw so many great and christlike qualities in her.

Daniela Vanegas received an answer and knows this is the true church, but she hasnt been able to obtain permission from her mom to be baptized. :( We are hopefully meeting with her family tonight to see if we can help her obtain permission.

We are still teaching English classes and they are really helping us out - we have a few of them that committed to come to church this week! We started teaching Michael yesterday and he is very positive and sincere, he accepted a baptism date for the 18th.

And Jorge, the subject of the majority of our prayers this week! We dont know what to do with him. We felt so strongly after a specific prayer in weekly planning that we need to continue teaching him, but he continues to drink. I guess well just trust in the Lord and see what happens!

I have been reading a talk that Hermana Wengert gave me called The Fourth Missionary, and it has changed me as a missionary. There were times when I was doing everything right; I couldnt have been more obedient, but I was frustrated and impatient every now and then. But the fourth missionary, the one who is changed, is happy no matter what. They want to go out and work because they love the Lord. They are wandering contacting for hours and still have a smile on their face because they trust that the Lord will put someone in their path who is prepared. Things can get hard, but I know that if I am obedient and charitable I will always be happy :)

1-3. Halloween / Friday the 13th FHE with the Chases and The Office

4. Baleadas with the sweetest member that lives in our colony - Pati :)

5. Hermana Chases treat after her workshop in Zone Conferences, I love that woman!

6. FELIZ 9 MESES HERMANA WENGERT!!!!! We ate ourselves sick with semitas and tajaditas that night we were dead the next morning. Worth it.