- We have found a new investigator this week! Her name is Irma Arroyo and she is the mother of Ivan Arroyo who was baptized 2 years ago. We only became aware of him about a month ago when we saw him at a church activity and finally put two and two together. Unfortunately Irma speaks Spanish and little English and my translator S. Mendoza is no longer here. So I relied on the little Spanish S.Mendoza had taught me by throwing in "El Libro de Mormon, and un profeta, and bendiciones and the like mixed in with English. Ivan was there to translate so I think we made it work! S. Hogge did awesome in this lesson and is becoming more and more comfortable teaching!
- Had a church tour with Robert. We were so excited he actually showed up! Sister Williams was able to join us and it went really great. We ended in the chapel and just sat for a bit and answered his questions. The spirit was there. He is just so close! We went on Saturday and taught Victorie and Robert together. We read 3 Nephi 11 with them. That was what I like to call a "spiritual workout" lesson. He always has so many questions and hardly actually listens to the answers so I really have to rely on the spirit to guide and direct my words so that he will truly listen and understand. He has a baptismal date but still won't commit to coming to church. It was funny Victorie said, "You want to get baptized but you won't go to church?" We were finally able to discover some more of his concerns. He's holding his own self back. He knows there are changes in his life that he has to make and just won't make them. Victorie has a good understanding but doesn't quite grasp the fact of the one true church. She also won't keep any commitments. Please pray for them. We don't want to drop them because they have gotten so close but it might be the best thing for them right now. Funny Story: Robert, after our lesson, asks if he can pay for our dinner that night and hands us a $20 and says, "Sorry I'm a butt-hole most of the time." 😂
- Sister Hogge went on her first exchange to Pembroke! That place that reminds me of OZ. haha she survived. She went with Sister Smedley. and Sister Jackman came with me. Sister Jackman came out at the same time as me so it was fun to be reunited! While on exchange everything fell through as it does so we were tracting in the terrible heat and I was just so done and was praying that someone would let us in so I could be in air conditioning, pretty pathetic thing to be praying for but I was just desperate. Wel,l soon after this a kind old woman answers the door and says "Do you want to come in?" We do and she's not interested at all but is a nice Christian woman who tells us to never give up on our faith in Christ, lets me fill up my water bottle, and give us hugs goodbye. Heavenly Father hears our prayers no matter how small and pathetic we think they are :)
- There are a lot of other little miracles I could talk about that happened this week but there is just no time. I'm really grateful to have Sister Hogge. I have such a testimony that we are put in the right places with the right people at the right time. We have hard days, but there are so many good things in each day. We're having fun and working hard and expecting miracles. I had a really good study this morning in Alma 5 one of my favorite chapters of the Book of Mormon. It's all about the mighty change of heart. Now, I'm really not a fan of change, but I've come to learn that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is change. Changing the selfish, carnal, natural man minded heart we have to one that is kind, full of charity, and self-less. We do that when we give our hearts to God and he changes it to be a heart that is like His. I'm so grateful for my mission and the heart-changing experience it is.
I love you all! I pray for you daily. Thank you for everything!
Love, Sister Dearden
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