bueno, entonces. This semana was, well pretty great overall. It`s still hard of course and I get a little impatient when I`m speaking a sentence perfectly in Spanish and the people still don`t understand me for some reason, but I love it. And I`m starting to learn some Guarani! So that`s fun! The people love it when you talk in Guarani. They could be staring at you cold as a rock, and you say, "Mbaechapa" (Como esta/hola) and their faces light up and they say "Ipona" (muy bien) and todo esta bien and from that moment on they love you! Well, that`s not always how it happens, but a good share of the time.
So this last week I think the Lord was teaching me patience and faith. Most of our teaching appointments fell through and we spent a good share of the week walking around Reducto trying to find our investigators or new people to teach. Lots of contacting. haha. And I was thinking "I`ve been improving. My Spanish is the best it`s ever been, I can understand the people, I`m teaching more, I`m teaching better, I`m trying harder, I`m really trying to follow the Spirit in everything I do and love the people and etc. etc., so why are all of our appointments following through! Why is everyone rejecting our message? and why are we finally finding the few people in Paraguay that dont kindly tell you no, but attack your beliefs, tell you your crazy, and just want to contend." But throughout the week, with all our experiences, things I was studying in the scriptures, and my companion`s constant optimism and hope, I finally started to realize a couple things.
First, the scripture in Ether 6 that says before you receive miracles there is always a trial of your faith. And I realized, I need to have diligence and keep going and keep trying and keep improving and have faith that the miracles WILL come, and then have patience and remember that they will come in the LORD`S time, not mine.
Second, as 2 Nephi 2:27 dice, people have their agency. Which sometimes can be really frustrating. haha. Sometimes you just want to shake people and say, "this is it! you want happiness, this is the way! choose the right!" and make them follow the commandments and come unto Christ. However, that kinda defeats the whole purpose of them CHOOSING the right doesnt it. They have to choose it. We can give them all the info and show them the way and do all we can to encourage them to follow it, teaching and testifying with the Spirit. But ultimately it is up to them. That is God`s plan. And after we do all we can, we have to pray and hope and have faith that one day, they will choose to accept the truth and act on it.
And third, even in these times when it seems like nothing is going right, there are still miracles. Everyday this week, at the end of the day, I could look back and find AT LEAST one miracle. Whether it was with one of our investigators that we did find who felt the Spirit and was really interested and wanted to know more, or helping out a member family with a problem they`re having, or finding someone in our contacts who truly wants to learn more, or even during those times when the people were attacking our beliefs and telling us we`re wrong- all that did was strengthen my testimony of this gospel even more as I thought about it and realized that I truly know that its true, and teach me to love those people and show them kindness no matter what they say or do. Everyday, there were miracles with other people and miracles for myself. This is hard, I know it is. But I am learning so much, and if I can help just one person come a little closer to Christ this week, as long as I keep trying my best and following the spirit, then at least I know I`m doing what God wants me to do, and its a success.
..so story time. Today we almost got attacked by more dogs. but we backed up and their owners came in time. We were meeting the elders and they were running up, so they saw our pathetic run away thing. But hey, i tried the trick they taught me about how to scare the dogs away (pretned to pick up a rock and throw it at the dogs) and it DID NOT WORK. But hey, i`m alive, so all is well.
Anyway, that`s it for this week. Love you!! yayu topata (nos vemos/...we´ll see you later... )
chao!
Love,
Hermana Urie
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