My friends
The start of this past week was a little rough. But good thing that personal study time stepped in to save the week! I was reading in the D&C, in section 121, and this isn't an old section to me. I've read this a million times before. But for some reason...I found my answer and my solace in a particular phrase in verse 9. "Thy friends do stand by thee."This struck me very personally. "Thy friends do stand by thee and they shall hail thee with warm hearts and friendly hands."
This spoke to me in a way that only I will be able to understand. I know that I am not alone. I know that prayers are being offered for me. I know that people are cheering me on. I know that I am NEVER alone. I am thankful for all the many, many good friends that I have that have never left my side, in good times or in bad. Good friends and of course, family, too. I am blessed. This verse provided the much needed comfort that I was seeking for!
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Weak and simple
Sister Kumari and I are teaching a 79 year old man who is hardcore Catholic. He knows his Bible very, very well. Sister Kumari and I, on the other hand...well. We know stuff. But we don't KNOW know the verses in the Bible like he does. This last week we joined with the Addurus in teaching him about temples and family history work and baptisms for the dead. This was a very new idea to him. Which is strange...but it isn't even a new idea at all, if you read the Bible. Ahem. Okay. Anyways. He was very pleasantly humbled when we pointed out to him all the verses in the Bible (he won't let us teach him from the Book of Mormon; he says that it contradicts the Bible. K.) that talk directly about the spirit world and saving ordinances for the dead etc. And as I sat in that room I thought about how I have never imagined myself teaching someone as old as this Tatay is. And looking back on these past 17 months of experience as a missionary...I understand very well now what it means for the weak and simple to confound the wise men of this world. I've seen the fulfillment of that scripture, alright!
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Umbrella count
I just need to write a sentence or two about how many umbrellas I've used/had over these last 17 months. The count is at eight or nine. I either keep losing them or they break somehow. But I am confident that my umbrella right now will last me til April 20.
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Record number
Another sentence about numbers. Last week President sent all of us a text congratulating us for having achieved the highest number of OYMs in a week! 14,471. In a week, all of us talked to a total of 14, 471 people. That's a record number for this MISSION. Ever. It's not a super high number and we know that there is much more to improve on...but how uplifting it is to know that there is progression. And that Sister Kumari and I contributed to that number!
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When your walls come down
And now here is a note about how the people that seem the strongest on the outside, really aren't, on the inside. This last week Sister Kumari and I found and taught one new less-active and one investigator. On the note of the investigator-his name is Rogelio and he is 19. The first time you see him you would probably think that he's "got it all." He's well-built for a 19 year old, he's got the looks, he's smart and a very well-mannered kid. On Sunday, as he sat down with us and we got to know him a little bit more (we taught him at church! He came to church for the first time!), this boy broke down like a baby. I remember looking at him and thinking, "Wow." Just wow. I never knew that behind that strong front he has were all these problems and sadness and a LONGING for something more. And then a similar thing happened with our less-active sister, too. In our lesson with her (also on Sunday), she too broke down and cried. And shared with us what all her worries were. Her fears. The loneliness she feels. Coming away from those two experiences I couldn't help but realize that there IS sadness in this world. That's just the way that this world was made. Sadness has to be in this world...in order for people to know happiness. I also know that our trials and our sadness bring us closer to God. And that was what we testified to those two individuals. That through their hard times they would find God, and that they would find what they are looking for. So maybe...maybe it isn't a bad thing afterall, to have some hard times in life.
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This could go somewhere
Another update on our proselyting efforts: we found a NEW family that we really believe has GREAT potential to embrace the gospel! They are the MARAVILLAs. They are so great. So loving. So easy to connect with. They live in SUCH humble circumstances and yet they still love each other and are close to each other and are so willing to welcome two foreigner strangers into their home. I think that there's something here with this family. We haven't taught them yet but we will, this Thursday night at 7 pm. This could go somewhere. God blesses families. There's something here for this family.
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Miscellaneous
The count is down to 5. We didn't email yesterday because we go to the museum today as a district! And museums don't open on Mondays. So our P-day got switched to today!
Next week we email on Tuesday again because that is our temple day.
This week is going to go by SO. FAST.
Oh. Marco and Carol came to our church...AGAIN! All the way from their house! Can I just say...I LOVE these two so much?
Don't worry, amigos. I'll make sure to be 100% Sister Teo up till April 19. And then I'll see Mommy and Daddy and then cry a flood of tears and then, okay, I'll be Kim.
With love,
Sister Teo
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