The work is going pretty well. We are still trying to find a solid progressing investigator. Manuel's (the mentally challenged man we talked about) parents were our biggest potential to complete last week's goal of setting 1 new baptismal date. It looks like we might drop them this week. They LOVE Christianity, but it doesn't seem like they want to progress or really get what we are trying to teach. We struggle to apply the trainings with them. They are very nice but always too busy to complete the recent commitments... We will see what happens with them! We don't really know what to do with Manuel either... It seem like he isn't very adept at making conscience adult decisions. We can persuade him to go to church but that isn't the way it should be.... He is gone a lot too so we don't talk to him much.
We are still struggling to help our recent converts become more self reliant. Sergio is showing very slow progress. We are still experiencing a lot of conflict with his mom. She seems to blame us for all of Sergio's lack of responsibility/more so- problems that she herself creates... As a side note Sergio said that his mom burned his copy of the Book of Mormon to ashes because he was trying to read it...... wow. To think that she once had a baptismal date and went to church twice... The story might not be true though because we don't really know what to believe anymore- we think that Sergio is a compulsive liar. Jamson is hardly showing any. He hasn't come to church in two weeks because he doesn't want to and his dad is apparently not forcing him anymore... Anyway, I don't want to sound to negative, we love both Jamson and Sergio a lot and that's why we have so much patience in helping them fully accept the gospel and gain strong testimonies. We truly desire their full and self reliant conversion in the gospel. Like Elder Hinckley said- we want them to BECOME something different not just understand what we are teaching.
Again on a more positive note- we did find a couple of very promising formers that we have appointments with this week!
As for me, and as I am sure you already know- the biggest thing I am working on is not worrying as much and just doing the work with love. I have made a lot of improvement, especially the past couple of weeks but I still have a ways to go! I am overall very happy, despite how appearantly negative my letters sound.
We are still struggling to help our recent converts become more self reliant. Sergio is showing very slow progress. We are still experiencing a lot of conflict with his mom. She seems to blame us for all of Sergio's lack of responsibility/more so- problems that she herself creates... As a side note Sergio said that his mom burned his copy of the Book of Mormon to ashes because he was trying to read it...... wow. To think that she once had a baptismal date and went to church twice... The story might not be true though because we don't really know what to believe anymore- we think that Sergio is a compulsive liar. Jamson is hardly showing any. He hasn't come to church in two weeks because he doesn't want to and his dad is apparently not forcing him anymore... Anyway, I don't want to sound to negative, we love both Jamson and Sergio a lot and that's why we have so much patience in helping them fully accept the gospel and gain strong testimonies. We truly desire their full and self reliant conversion in the gospel. Like Elder Hinckley said- we want them to BECOME something different not just understand what we are teaching.
Again on a more positive note- we did find a couple of very promising formers that we have appointments with this week!
As for me, and as I am sure you already know- the biggest thing I am working on is not worrying as much and just doing the work with love. I have made a lot of improvement, especially the past couple of weeks but I still have a ways to go! I am overall very happy, despite how appearantly negative my letters sound.
IN RESPONSE TO LUCYS COLLEGE ESSAY:
wow that was a good essay. I didnt know I had that much affect on you guys... I dont want to say that you based your essay on something bad but I didnt mean for those sentances to be that Important... I dont know what I am trying to say... I guess I was just complaining that I am still a junior companion... ahaha I feel like I accidentally said those things but the Lord works in mysterious ways haha maybe you were meant to make something of them... and you did!!!also- I am only STARTING to realize that I have changed... Sometimes I just feel so discouraged at the long way I still have to go. But you seem to be learning a lot too!! dont worry and just lkike you said- just keep your head up and work! I am finally realizing that there is no secret to missionary work. Just work. Love the people. Serve. rely on the Lord and the Spirit and its all good so dont worry.... so basically dont you worry that I am going to be that different when I get home because I think youll realize its still me! :) I hope I change a lot (in a good way) but I am not worrying about that anymore....
also- you made me realize that you guys are probably really lost as you read my emails! haha I'm really bad at telling stories, probably as a result of my ADHD...
I love you!!!
