Coincidences

"Coincidences are God´s way of remaining anonymous"‏

This quote has long been a favorite for many reasons.

1. Because I´ve grown up with it. Thanks to my dad repeating it and putting it in my brain, I realized many times how God was blessing me.

2. Because it´s so true right now!

And here´s why :)

1. Ignacio hasn´t been baptized... yet. But oh, he is so ready. He´s a security guard, right? Well, because of a situation he was involved in at his old job (security for a bank) he must get approved by the First Presidency before baptism. Well, that usually takes about 3 years, (or even more!) and so they pretty much just say, "hmmkay, well go to church and wait", which can be hard for  those who are ready. So this last week there have been many phone calls with the mission President and figuring out what we could do. Last Sunday (a week ago, not yesterday) I felt this incredible sense of peace that this would work out. Ignacio would be alright and that we would be able to figure out the best thing to do for him.

Prayer and faith is the best we can do right now.

2. About... 2 weeks ago or so we were visiting an inactive member at her house. Her name is Diana :) her kids are all active and she has one on his mission and another preparing. So we leave the house and I realized I forgot my Book of Mormon. Not my own personal one- we always have a Book of Mormon and pamphlets in our hands everywhere we walk. So I was about to tell Hermana C. we needed to go back, but then I felt like I needed to leave them.

 Well, the next Sunday Diana shows up at church! What??? She literally hasn't come in.... 6 months I think. Probably more. Well, she walks up to us at church and hands me a stack of pamphlets explaining I left them at her house. And I had in fact forgotten that I did that until the moment she handed them to me. And then she said that she did not bring the Book of Mormon because she´s been reading it and is it okay if she keeps it? Well, we replied of course! 

We visited her a few days later where she opened up to us for pretty much the first time and admitted that she doesn´t truly have a testimony of the church. Obviously. 

Looking at us, she said "I want it. My kids have it, and I want to have a testimony for myself." Well alright! So we´re going to go over once a week in the morning and read the Book of Mormon with her, since that´s kind of the place to start :) 

3. On Thursday I got up and said "hermana, I have faith that we can find one person today who is ready for baptism. But we have to talk to EVERYONE." Challenge accepted. We opened our mouths over 50 times, just because we had the desire and energy to do so. It was nearing the end of the day when we were walking home from our dinner appointment (that we went to earlier than usual). So we were walking home at a time that we normally wouldn´t be when this woman walks up to us. She told us that she had seen us pass a couple times and wanted to tell us to be careful (at least once a day we have people telling us to be careful.. but that´s another story). We thanked her then told her about the English classes, gave her a Restoration pamplet, and asked if we could visit her. She said yes and to call her the next day.

 

We called Marta and met her on the street to walk to her home. We were walking when she went up to this gate and opened it. We walked down this steep dirt hill to find a neighborhood we never knew existed. Other than my first day, it was the first time I´ve seen such humble living conditions; dirt floors, houses that are held together with nothing and looking like they´re going to fall at any moment, cooking outside over a fire, the works. We go into their house which is actually suuuuper nice and had tile floor. Well, we are talking to her and she tells us she lives in this house with her 5 kids. So we ask if we can talk to them and one of her daughters Rosa came along with her 3 beautiful daughters. We start talking and she says that her husband had always said how good mormons are and he´s gone to church a couple times. So we´re thinking he´s probably inactive. We taught about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the spirit was so sweet. The next day we met the husband who is in fact inactive and has been for 20 years so he wasn´t on the wards records. We taught about the resoration and challenged Rosa and her kids to baptism. They said yes! They didn´t go to church on sunday (issue number one) because the husband is an alcoholic (issue number two) and felt too embarrassed. Also, they aren´t married (issue number three) but! If I´ve learned anything out in the field, it is that ALL things are possible through Christ and this gospel. We visited them with bishop last night and I really think we can help them. Their daughters (14, 11, and 9) are all amazing and I feel like they already have a testimony. Roldolfo (the dad) said he really wants this for his daughters, so that´s good because that´s where we start: the desire. :) 

In other random news: Last night at 7:15pm we get a call that we were having a surprise party for Elder B. (one of my ZL´s from Utah). His birthday is today. The elders had planned and coordinated everything- they just needed us to show up. So we visited our people we had to, then scurried over to one of the investigators houses (yeah, the usual. He had even baked the cake!)

 

  

 We ate a dinner of tortillas with cheese and tamales while we waited. Then we were sitting there talking and laughing when the door rang and we start running around putting dishes in the kitchen and cleaning everything up. We lit the candles on the cake, then Carlos, the investigator, ran to open the door. We sneaked out of the kitchen and yelled surprise! He was legitimately surprised and so that was fun. 

These are all the missionaries in our ward and we are the best of friends. :)

I´m doing good! Speaking spanish and getting asked if I´m a spy. When the Elders first came here, people thought they were from the CIA... the usual :)

 

 

And thank you Elder P. for the newest addition to my room!!

 

Thanks for all the prayers and support, each day I feel like the luckiest girl alive :)

-Hermana Snelson