But really. I am SOOOO HAPPY! I don't know what changed
this week, but for the first time in my mission, I went a whole week
without feeling homesick once. I was just soo happy with where I am that
thinking about home wasn't very tempting. I mean, I love you all but
this gospel brings the realest and strongest happiness possible and the
mission is part of that!
Anyway, the transfers are coming up. I don't know if
I will be writing next week because we heard that they might have us
travel to the offices early for transfers. Its just a rumor, but if I
don't write next week, I promise, I'm alive. Basically, Hermana Medeyro
has been in Junin for 4 and a half months and that usually means its
time for her to be transferred. Based on what president has said before, I
will probably be left in charge of the area with a new companion. Since
we have so little time left together Hermana Medeyro and I just decided
to make this next week and a half the best of our entire mission. We
worked like dogs, and laughed more than I think I've ever laughed in my
life. I'm just so happy!
Anyway, I wanted to tell you a little bit about the
Barroso family that we have been working with. They are inactive members
with six kids (exactly our ages but opposite genders). I guess
something happened between Hermano Barroso and another Hermano and both
the families went inactive because of it. The Elders recently
reactivated the other family and we have been working with the Barrosos.
Their youngest son is ten years old and never was baptized, so he has
been our priority. Well I already love them so much and I just want to
tell you all of our wonderful experiences with them!
First of all, one day it was looking like it was
going to storm (shocker I know), and when we arrived at the house of the
Barrosos, their power was out. The Hermana let us in anyway and we
started talking with her. Pretty soon, the storm started and all of the
kids with all their neighborhood friends came running in. We lit some
candles and decided to teach a lesson about prayer to all the kids. At
the end, we asked for a volunteer to say the prayer, and Valentina, a
twelve year old non member friend of one of the Barroso girls,
volunteered. Her prayer was so simple, "Heavenly Father, please help the
rain to stop so that the Hermanas can get to their house safely and not
get wet. Amen." We congratulated her on her prayer, and almost
instantly, the rain stopped. She was shocked! "Look! Look! It stopped!
It really stopped! But really! Look!" We left a bunch of wide eyed kids
with a new found testimony of prayer and we have been meeting with some
of their families since. Valentina has now come to church two times with
the Barrosos and will be working towards baptism in March! I always
knew prayer works, but its always humbling when we get to see the
answers to our prayers so quickly.
Second story, when we first started teaching
Nicolas, we thought, "Easy baptism, A ten year old boy whose parents are
members, no problem." Hahaha joke. Nicolas has made us work just as hard
as any investigator or harder. He was getting a little distracted
during the lessons and we could see that he needed something to show him
how important this gospel really is and how important it is to come to
church! I decided some good pioneer stories would do the trick. (Haha
mom, I was thinking of you the whole time. Go pioneer stories!!) I had
recently bought the Doctrine and Covenants DVD that has the Joseph Smith
movie, Legacy, the Joseph Millett video, Zions camp, and tons of other
videos in spanish and we decided to watch the Joseph Smith movie with
their family. We started the movie with just Hermana Barroso, Nico, and
us missionaries, and ended with the whole family captivated. Even the
sixteen year old rebellious daughter who NEVER listens to us watched.
Nicolas kept looking at us wide eyed and saying, "Why did they do that
to the prophet?" After the movie we discussed it and asked, "After what
you saw, do you think it is hard to go to church?" He obviously said no
and we had him committed really well to attend with his parents. We also
asked Diana, the sixteen year old, what she remembered about her
baptism and were shocked when she replied, "My baptism was the most
beautiful day of my life."
Needless to say, as we were biking to the church
early sunday morning, the Barrosos passed us on their motorcycles. Nico
was waving at us and yelling, " HOLA HERMANAS!!!" We started cheering
so loud we almost fell off our bikes. I was soooo happy I was almost in
tears! The whole Sunday I was just beaming. We had their family sitting
front row with some of their investigator friends. I watched as one of
our converts paid her tithing for the first time and another gave her
first prayer in Sacrament meeting. We had 14 people in Relief Society (a
record) and for the first time in years we had a young womens class! To
finish off the day, I walked into the chapel on Sunday to see Hermano
Barroso talking with the other Hermano that had offended him like they
were best friends. The gospel changes people! I am SOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!
Hermana Millett
Explanation of Pictures:
Eva, a baptism (sort of) of the Elders with the six of us missionaries in Junin! This was the fifth baptism programed for Eva and she FINALLY showed up at the church. I guess the water heater broke so the water was freazing. When they baptized her, her hair didn't go all the way under but she WOULDN'T do it again. We will se what happens, but I liked the picture of our district! Sharing a branch with two other companionships is the best!
The homemade flan we ate for lunch today. Lunches with members are always such a special treat here!
District
lunch out by the lake with the family Ogluin! They are the cutest. They
told us all their stories of how they met, and then when they were
baptized in their forties. They sang us a song that sounded like
something Grandpa Millett would know. They said it was written for the
dedication of the Los Angeles temple so maybe he does know it!
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