The Good, the Bad and the Oldley

Rod's Turn

(Who would expect wordiness from me?)

Sunday was a good day with our investigators, but bad for the branch as they are still in the old facility and attendance appears to be going down as people may not like the crowding and the uncertainty of where to direct the taxi.  Monday wasn't great either as we traveled to Chitre to have most of our appointments cancel.  Oldley is a picture below.  We don't work with non-members much, but two and perhaps three appear to be accepting gospel messages.

Jesus and Ximena:

Jesus used to be over-active (9 callings), but hasn't been for several years, they are piano students and came to church this week.  Janell has been talking [with the older students, she marriage counsels, shares gospel messages -- what a good senior companion!] about the doctrines to Ximena while I watch the little one.  (You will remember that she got a blessing from her husband to remove fears and the Spirit poured into her body -- so she has a testimony of priesthood power).  

During Relief Society, she was asked to say a prayer and did!  She is shy and coming to Church was a major breakthrough.  They came over after Church for chili and corn bread and internet.  She got to talk to her family in Columbia.  She was able to connect with a favorite cousin with whom she hasn't talked in a long time.  The cousin, a member, promised to come to her baptism.  This is the first that we had heard of it.  (What kind of missionaries let the investigators challenge them?!)

Family picture below:

Emma:

We went to see Emma thereafter -- she opened her house last week to us so Jesus could teach the youth how to prepare talks.  

Janell talked to her and shared scriptures.  After about normal time was up, I asked if she had questions about the Gospel.  She asked what rules would she need to follow if she were baptized.  We talked about attending Church, Word of Wisdom, Sabbath day, tithing, etc.  For a time, she paid tithing to the Catholic church by putting her money in a napkin and slipping in the pocket of the priest, so she works to live the Gospel as taught in the scriptures and won't find tithing a new challenge.  She talked about how the Lord has been changing her life for a long time to bring her to where she needs to be -- for example, she used to smoke and drink -- now she feels that she is getting close to where He wants her.

She has mentioned a couple times before the desire to serve a mission somewhat similar to ours and Janell suggested that she could do that as she cuts hair in her salon.  This resonated well with her as she really does it now.  She senses where a person is at and talks to them to understand and help them.

She currently drinks coffee, but it isn't an addiction.  We hadn't talked with her about the gift of the Holy Ghost, but left her with that page in Preach My Gospel to read and discuss next time.  [What kind of teachers do that! (don't tell the mission president)]

She is going on vacation, home to the Dominican Republic in two weeks for a month.  Janell suggested she take a tape recorder and capture stories from her dad.  So I am also going to take family group sheets and talk more about helping your ancestors with temple blessings, next time.  She seems to have been preparing a long time for the Gospel.  It isn't our great teaching style [leave her the manual to read, Carambalita!] that is catching her attention, rather she feels the Spirit and the doctrines resonate with her.

Lupe:

We have been sharing gospel messages with Lupe who runs a very small internet cafe.  She has a little one and is quite busy, but seems interested in the messages, we just need to catch her when there aren't customers.  She gets a feeling of peace and warmth when she reads the Bible, we suggested that is the feeling to look for in our message.

Here is a snapshot of the oldley, carrying milk cans and other things to the highway for pickup.

Jose is a recent convert in Aguadulce.  His mother asked us to help him after his grandmother died and his dad was killed in an accident (she is not a member), so we are going to see if he is interested in playing the piano.  At this point, his enthusiasm is low.  He wants things easy.

Do Miracles (unexplainable happenings) change lives?
This will be long, but I wanted to capture an experience of the elders here in Aguadulce.
There were 5 people present as Elder Reed and Goodfellow were teaching a recent convert and her mom.  The mom (Victorina Monterey) had been interested in her daughter (Maritza Itzel Espinosa Monterey) joining a church to help her bring her life into better focus.  The mom attended church with her daughter once before Maritza was baptized and has also been studying with the Jehova Witnesses.  Sister Maximina Salis de Berraza is a good strong member who lives about 10 miles out of town, active in helping the missionaries meet her neighbors and is the Young Women's president in the branch.  Sister Berraza characterized Victorina (the mom) as pretty hard of heart.  (I am capturing my understanding from Elder Goodfellow and Sister Berraza.)
These 5 were present as the Elders came to teach of prophets and the restoration.  Elder Goodfellow's Spanish is about as bad as mine, although he understands more, having mostly had Latin companions.  Sister Berraza sensed that the Spirit wasn't present and felt badly as her dogs may have been deterring.  She prayed 'the most fervent prayer of her life' and felt a great Spirit enter the room.  She was not able to hear birds or any sounds from elsewhere.  Elder Goodfellow bore his witness of the truthfulness of Elder Reed's discussion of prophets and the restoration.  Sister Berraza, as usual couldn't understand him.  However, Victorinia said that she didn't hear him, but another voice in perfect Spanish, clearly and logically explaining so that all her doubts were resolved.  The daughter heard it also.  Elder Goodfellow related to me that he bore testimony and the mom said he wasn't speaking to her, it was another voice telling her in excellent Spanish.
I have read of somewhat similar experiences, but have never known the participants.  Not always do miracles change lives, as the answers to prayers of faith can and I'm not sure why the Lord would have intervened in this way.  We suggested to Elder Goodfellow and Sister Berazza that they write it down.  We will be teaching Maritza piano, so should get to know the family better.  Maritza and her mom need to write it down as they will have challenges and the memory will dull and the feelings need to be refreshed by reviewing it.  Janell thinks it is significant that the Elders committed her to baptism the next week in that moment, but Elder Goodfellow received an emergency transfer and we haven't heard more about it.  Elder Goodfellow related that the mom said, 'Now I know that your church is true and not the other one'.  We may hear more at piano lesson time.