I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. This week was JAMMED packed with incredible miracles, events and amazing things that have happened to help the work of the Lord truly hasten. It has been such an incredible experience, and I honestly love it here. This week I learned that missionary work can be hastened and done in many different ways---the two this week was through events and....iPads. This week was amazing....BUSY...we are exhausted but SO HAPPY. We are here, smiling--happy--working hard---and literally wearing our lives out in the service of our King.
THIS WEEK WE HAD THE "MUNDIAL MORMON" (which means the Mormon World Cup). Our district of 8 missionaries threw a mission-wide event for all Spanish speakers in all of northern Virginia! It was a HIT! SO many people came---investigators, less-actives, actives, in-actives---from all walks of life! It was truly incredible. Since my companion and I launched the idea, we have been working like crazy for it to take off! I learned a TON about leadership, organizing tournaments and talent shows and how to work as a team in an unfamiliar culture. What the event consisted off was an All-Day event. We had a volleyball tournament in the morning (we reffed and organized it in Spanish--crazy right?) and then we had a soccer tournament all day from 1-6 p.m. and I got to work with making brackets and being the MC for the day! What a blast! Tons of people came from all around the mission, missionaries included! It was really cool to see all the people I had the opportunity to serve from my old areas. Whenever I would hug someone that I had previously served, we would both burst into tears. It is like seeing family after a long time. All throughout the day, we organized chapel tours for those who were waiting to play or had just come to watch! So many people went on them and want to start going to church that weren't going before. We met two people on the tours that haven't been baptized, but want to be baptized soon! What a miracle!!! After the soccer tournament we RAN to get everything ready for the Talent Show. We had a talent show from 7-9. We were in charge of it and it was a bit stressful, because Hispanic show-time (I found) is not the same. But it was a hit! A ton of people came to see it and 2 of our investigators participated in it!! WAHOOOO! Bryan Huartia (to be baptized this week!) sang a hipster version of "Love one another", and Byron Leonardo (getting baptized this month and professional Mariachi singer) also performed! We had people participating from all OVER the mission. The people that performed were among the most talented I have ever seen. At the end all of us missionaries performed a drum version (using cups) of Called To Serve. It was amazing! President Burton spoke at the end and invited everyone to "Come and See" and experience the Gospel and the Church and a happier life through the Savior Jesus Christ. AMAZING! It was an incredible experience: from being the DJ to MC, to organizing brackets, to organizing, to making a billion calls, to flyer designing, facebook promotions, to decorating, to rounding up, to being patient, to loving it---we got to experience it all---BUT most importantly, SO many people were introduced to the church and WANT to come and learn more! I love big projects, and think it will be apart of my life somehow for the rest of my life. After, some of the ward member came up to us, crying. They said they were so grateful that we took time to serve them and their friends and how this truly meant the world to them. I love them all so much. We were EXHAUSTED. We spent 14 hours in the church on Saturday--but all for this GREAT cause! Seeing the members invite their friends and seeing everyone have a good time made all the hard work, exhaustion and sweat worth it. I LOVE THIS GREAT WORK!!!
As a mission, we also had iPad training this week and were each given iPads to hasten the work. I have no idea how to work them! hahaha Our planners and area books and EVERYTHING is on the iPad now....and I am so out of the loop I have no idea how to use it. That is why we needed to receive training. :) It is going to be so amazing for the work! We are able to show videos to investigators and the like. My companion and I are still WAY old-school for this high-tech stuff. But we are learning! We know that they are inspired of God and are going to change the work forever! THE WORK IS HASTENING THROUGH THE INTERNET AND THESE NEW DEVICES. It is an amazing fire and we are learning so much! I love them! It is defiantly RE-Defining missionary work!! There are 30 missions in the world that have them so far. I LOVE THEM, but need to learn how to use it. It is wonderful to see that we are able to reach so many more people through iPads!!!
We made 2 GIANT Book of Mormons! It is a new way to tract. We are sooooo excited for it! :) We are trying to hasten the work in every way possible! It is a total blast!
We have been super busy this week with iPad training, Mission Leadership Council meetings, and the Mormon World Cup. But the Lord is truly CARRYING us on His back!
Miracles: We had FIVE of our investigators at church yesterday! WAHOOOOO!!! What a miracle! These people are literally elect, and are all progressing towards baptism. This ward is ON FIRE! And it is so fun to see them working so closely with us as missionaries--we are a team after all :)
MIRACLE: Bryan Huarita dared to face his boss and tell her that he can no longer work on Sundays! What a miracle! and now he will never work on Sundays again! WHAT STRENGTH! He is super excited and ready for his baptism this Sunday. We are SO excited we can't even handle it. Seeing him walk into church was such a beautiful moment. He really had to sacrifice a lot to come, but he did it anyways, because he knows that it is what will bless his life and help him prepare for a mission. Seeing him on Sunday with his white shirt made both of us jump for joy. There is literally nothing like seeing an investigator come to church. It is amazing!!!
MIRACLE: Our recent Convert, Nancy, is sharing the gospel with all of her friends that she used to be in the gangs with!! AMAAAAAZING! The other day we went over to teach her family, and she had her friend Carlos there. After a super inspired lesson according to his needs, he was super interested in learning more. So we gave him the Book of Mormon and a chapter to read. Well, we were led by the Spirit to go see him yesterday, and HE READ ALL OF THE CHAPTER AND SAID IT CHANGED HIS LIFE! He wants to know more about how he can change and be baptized! He is literally a walking miracle!
I love serving these wonderful hermanas as a sister training leader. I consider them to be my trainers because I am learning SOOOO much from watching and loving them!
Thank you so much for all your love, support, letters, and prayers. I love you all so much! Sorry, I don't get much time to write letters on preparation days. I hope all is well and I am so excited to hear about all the wonderful things you are doing. Remember----the work is hastening. But WE need to step up to the plate and talk to our friends and family about the amazing message of the Gospel. Just think: "Who could benefit from being a little happier?" and then share your testimony, invite them to church or share a scripture. It can and will change their lives.
STAND STRONG.
No comments:
Post a Comment