This week was a busy, fast, and hard working week.. just like all weeks :) But thats the way uh hu uh hu I like it uh huh uh huh (just thought I would throw that song in there).
People have always told me that when the Lord gives a lot to a person He also expects a lot from them. Sometimes I wonder how I am capable to do all the things that the Lord has commanded me to do. And then the voice of good ol Nefi comes to mind "the Lord will give no commandment unto the children of men sin preparales la via para que cumplen lo que El Señor les ha mandado." spanglish.... but thats how my brain works. Hahaha.
This week the primary president of a different ward called me in a panic and asked me to accompany the primary in their program on Sunday at 8:00, our meetings start at 10:00 and normally we are out colecting investigadores at this time so in my mind I was thinking that it would be imposible to help her but when I opened up my mouth out came the words "of course hermana, when can I get the music from you?" This was thursday night and Sunday morning I had to play... even though I didn't practice until Sunday morning it actually went surprisingly well (tender mercy jajaa)
This primary program was super cute and it made me think about my cute nieces and nephews.. which by the way are GIANTS.... goodness when did that happen.
This week me toco a ir afuera... shoot... english... I had to work a lot outside of my area and leave my daughter here to take care of the area. In total I was only in my Area Saturday and Sunday.. but I am SO GRATEFUL because my daughter did an awesome job :) She has been a huge help to me and I am grateful for my little Hermana Palencia. It was another tender mercy :)
This week when I was in a different area we went to go visit a family that the hermanas were teaching. When we got there the investigador looked at me from head to toe and said... "you have been a missionary for a long time haven't you?"
"well kinda.. why hermana?" said me.
"because your clothes are old and your shoes have holes in them, also your plack is fading..."
"uhhhh... well thats embarrassing... hahaha"
"Hermana what shoe size are you?"
"ummm like 9 why?"
"DONT MOVE THEN!!!"
so I sat there and waited for this lady to come back.
When she came back she had a pair of brand new shoes in her hands.. she told me to put them on to see if they fit. Which they did. And then she looked at me and told me that she was going to give them to me... It was a moment that is hard for me to explain.. watching this woman.. that has a tin roof, and just rice and beans to eat, so selflessly giving a pair of shoes to a white girl that has a house in the united states with hot water... I wish you all could feel what I felt in that moment..
The mission has taught me what is humility... what it means to be selfless.. to be Christ like.. Nicaragua is a land of miracles.. and a land of people that are so open to the gospel. I am so impressed and I stand all amazed at the love these people have for complete strangers.. I am so grateful for everything that I have been able to see here in the mission and I know that these things that I have learned will help me to be a better person.
This weekend if all goes well we will have the baptism of Alfonzo.. I don't remember if I talked about him.. but here is his story. We contacted him in the street when I was with hermana Gamboa.. he said he wanted to leave behind his addictions and become better. SO we startred teaching him but he never came to church so we stopped teaching him. 3 weeks ago he showed up alone, and said "so did you guys get bored of visiting me?" haha that night we invited him to be baptized and he accepteed. This Friday he will be getting baptized :) you are all invited!!!
Anyway I hope all is well in the winter wonderland. Save me some hot chocolate.
Love you all!
Hermana Willardson
