Anyway. This week was a weird one, and since I am so tired this email might be lame.
First things first, TRANSFERS.
Wait no!!!!!!! FIRST THINGS FIRST. WE HAD TWO BAPTISMS ON SATURDAY. Sister Norberta Abrigo, 26yrs old and Brother Godfrey Furuc, 11yrs old (part member). To start the day out as horribly as humanly possible, we headed down to the chapel mga 11AM and the font only had like 2 inches of water in it. Sweet. And the font takes almost 6 hours to fill up because of the water pressure. So we were a little nervous. We didn't know what the heck happened, because the BML told us he filled it up but we're guessing something happened. We didn't really know, but at this point it didn't matter. ALL WE NEEDED WAS TUBIG SA FONT(water in the font), ASAP. So we ran back to our apartment, grabbed buckets, came back, and started filling by disconnecting the sinks in the mens and womens bathrooms and having the water come out below. So just imagine 4 sisters in skirts just like racing bucket after bucket for like 2 hours straight. Haha. Then some brothers from the branch came and finished for us. We filled that sucker up in record time and at exactly 1:45 the font was filled. Literally, himala (a miracle). We headed to go pick up our investigator and headed back to the church.
I was so nervous that the spirit would just be driven right out of that meeting because we had been so stressed out before, but low and behold, the Lord is mightier and more powerful than man, and the spirit was there. It was so cool to see Norberta and Godfrey enter the waters of baptism. Norberta was so nervous because she didn't know what to do, but it was great. I played a musical number on the violin and man. I can't explain how happy I was that day. Seeing them participating in the ordinance to ultimately covenant with their Father in Heaven to become like Christ is so beautiful. I couldn't even help that I was constantly smiling the entire time, and then later my cheeks were sore. From smiling.
Anyway, so back to transfers.
.....My trainer is being transferred. We were SO caught off guard. We so thought we had another cycle together for some reason. We actually found out Friday even though the rest of the mission found out today, because President Rahlf came to us personally to tell us 4 that Sister Suay and Acoba were leaving Sister Bates and me. Us 4 have become so close and the fact that we won't be together is so weird. But I'm ready for whatever is about to come. So I am staying in the area and will lead the area starting Wednesday. Bleh! I am very nervous but I am excited at the same time I guess. These past few days have been super crazy, and we haven't had NEARLY as many lessons as normal, but we have had some super powerful lessons and powerful moments with the people here.
One man I want to introduce you to is Pablo. I want to tell you all the details, but again, I am so tired. It's like that feeling when you pull the speed boat off Lake Mead after the week is over, and you literally are so hot and tired, but then when you get to the top of the ramp, you think you're home free, but no no no, not yet! You have to get out and wipe down the dang Cobalt! Hahahah. Please tell me family that you understand what feeling I'm trying to explain right now.
Anyway, Pablo. The short version. He is maybe 50 years old. And is so converted to the gospel, wants to be baptized so bad, but literally, they have NO money to pay the city to marry him and his wife officially and pay for the certificate. They have a little 1 year old girl and they have been living together for like 3 years I think. He has never missed a sunday since he started taking the lessons in 2011. He got a different job when he learned about the Sabbath Day and the importance of sacrament meeting. We have been teaching him Lesson 3, the gospel of jesus christ, the past few visits. This week was the principle of baptism. We have been praying for him and what we can do. We wanted to extend a "goal baptismal date", something that him and his wife could work for. We prayed so hard all week, and HAVE been praying for him every day since august. This week we even waited a few extra days to see him so we could be more prepared. We went to the lesson, and taught. He's so great and of course is so participative and active in every lesson. We finished our discussion and it came to the point of extending his invitation. My companion was planning on doing it, but when there was a silent break for the commitment invitation, she just looked at me. I was so nervous that I wouldn't be able to express our thoughts and feelings for what we wanted for him clearly in tagalog. I then just said a quick prayer, looked at Pablo right in the eyes, and said it all in english. Explained what we'd been thinking and then told him we wanted to think of a date. He understood everything I said. He looked at us with watery eyes and he then explained that literally, they are just waiting for a miracle. It's impossible for them to get the money to do the needed steps to get married and take care of the annulization (like, divorce) of his first wife. He explained how he just reads the book of mormon every day, prays and never misses a sunday. He is so commited to his family. He then shared such a spiritual experience he had with his baby, when she was sick. Honestly, it was so sacred and the spirit was thick in that room. I cannot explain everything he said to us, but I know that Heavenly Father is so aware of those that are committed to NEVER GIVING UP.
..This man is the ultimate example to me of FAITH and HOPE. Hope in Tagalog is Pagasa. When he spoke and used that word over and over, it just hit me so hard that honestly, HE HAS HOPE. He knows that the miracle will come. He knows that one day, they will get the money, but it won't just come one month when he gets his pay check- They really do need a miracle. He expressed that he is so grateful that as missionaries, we still come by every week, even though he can't get baptized any time soon. Just as the greatest institute teacher, Brother Case always used to say, "if you NEVER give up, if you NEVER EVER 'throw in the towel' and call it quits, there is NO way you can't make it to the celestial kingdom; there's just no way."
I have been very humbled. I can't even say that sentence enough times, with enough meaning, loud enough, or anything to fully explain what I mean. The Lord is so aware of the exact things I need to learn, the exact things that I avoid purposefully and have always avoided, the exact habits I have that need to go away, and he is basically handing me sticky notes daily with lists of things I need to change. I feel so overwhelmed at times because I am not yet the missionary or the daughter I know I want to be, and need to be for the Lord. But who I am to think I can come to a new country as a 19 year old girl, and all of a sudden be the perfect missionary? I can only do my best. But I have to do my best every day, until my best becomes who I am.
This week has been the weirdest week of my life I feel like, and I just know that many more are to come. Honestly. I'm so tired and I am just going to finish this email here. I want to go back and re read what I typed but I am too tired.
Goodbye for now!
With so much love from this country I love,
Sister Hafen
HEEL CLICK!
YEAH!
No comments:
Post a Comment