This week was awesome. Very challenging mentally, but so rewarding spiritually. Our recent convert smoked, our YSA that is having his papers processed got drunk, a lot of people weren’t home that said they would be, the list goes on. I had a hard time one night just thinking, man.. is this our fault? i felt so frustrated and was just asking myself “why aren’t people like begging to be baptized or begging to listen to us, or begging for copies of the book of mormon, this is the best thing that will ever happen to them!” Haha. Then the spirit brought to my remembrance the words Holland’s talk (MIssonary work and the atonement) when he explains this way of thinking. He explains that this work (missionary work, coming unto Christ) isn’t easy, because salvation is “not a cheap experience”. And salvation isn’t a cheap experience, because the Atonement of our Savior was no cheap experience. So it wouldn’t make sense if coming unto Him was as easy as snapping our fingers.
We have been looking for new investigators every day and trying to widen our pool and get them to the waters of baptism. We’ve been planning differently, and trying to look out of the box for new investigators. We got 4 new ones this week, and they have some great potential! (referrals of course) Also, our less active Bryan is now returned, talked with the branch president about preparing for mission, and bore his testimony in sacrament meeting yesterday. What a sweet, solid, tender mercy that was.
2 of our less active 17 yr olds have come back to church, and one other YSA came back after being less active (offended) for a few months AND she brought her less active cousin. The experience she had is so awesome and I was so happy to be a small instrument for her to coming back.
-What happened, is last week on splits, no one was home. Every appointment fell through, all the backups ,and it’s like 4pm haha. So I remembered that I had stuck a letter we got through pouch for this sister, from her cousin serving a mission. I had stuck it in my little sack of tagalog book of mormons that I brought with me that day. Anyway, it came to mind to visit her and give her the letter, and perfect timing because it was the weekend and she studies in a city about 1.5 hours away. We stop by and she happened to come home early that day, so we were able to see her. We go in, get talking, and as we are talking, all these questions came to my mind to ask. She wouldn’t open up at first, and then I just kept persuing it and listening so hard to the spirit to know what to ask her. Alma 5 came to mind and we read some verses that were pretty bold. Then she opened up about what happened, and then said Heavenly Father is really giving her the signs to come back. Her new boarding house in Angadanan… next door to the chapel there. Her small book of mormon that she lost, was found. Her friend in the branch texted her and asked where she has been. And then after she had ignored all those signs, we showed up on her door. We committed her to come to church and she said she would pray about it. She didn’t come that very Sunday and I was so sad. Then the next Sunday, (yesterday) she comes. And bears her testimony. She explained all the ways Heavenly Father provided and then said to top off the whole thing, she said something like this “Sister Hafen left her book of mormons at my house and I knew that was heavenly fathers last bold move in getting me to forget myself, take my literal body to his church and return them." I love the Lord and His mysterious ways of helping us.
Our attendance was 109 yesterday, and the last 2 weeks it has been in the 70’s. We were SO happy. I felt the spirit testify so much as I was fasting during the sacrament and saw so many complete families at church yesterday- the family really is the most prized social unit in eternity.
Despite all the downers of the week, the Lord always shows me the upsides. I love this mission and love that no matter how long you’ve been out, there are challenges and things to face one and for all. But that’s what keeps me humble. I love my companion (so much. She is sassy but loving and I just love her) and love the people in my area. I am so happy I still have so much time left to keep improving my teaching, my people skills, even improve more on the language, and most of all-my journey to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ lives and Ang Simbahan ni JesuCristo ng mga banal sa mga Huling Araw is His church again here on the Earth. I’ve never been more sure.
-Sister Hafen
shout out to my favorite brother Eric (haha, favorite) who is finally makin' it happen this week at the Draper Temple, shout out to my brand new killer neice, Kambree, and her cute lil parents Al and Toe, and to Ace Hafen who has a birthday on the 11th. And to everyone else who has had some sort of special thing happen that I haven't acknowledged because my bad memory is sometimes even worse here in the mission.
i love these sisters!
getting a little too excited about reciting D & C 4.
The kids of our investigator... they are so stinkin cute. this is where we teach them, here on this little wood plank in front of their humble home.
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