Animo

January 14, 2015

         Today was a pretty decent p-day.  The activity was awesome, but not because we got to hang out with the other missionaries in our zone.  It was awesome because of the opportunity that I had to talk to an member of the church who goes to hand out with the missionaries. He was so interesting and spent a long time talking to me.  He really motivated me to want to work to be a better missionary.  I have got to say that I got super pumped up for the work just by talking to this hermano.  The rest of the day I spent talking to everyone, smiling, and walking with a purpose.  Our absolute best lesson was also my miracle of the day.  We went to visit an investigator (former atheist) who we haven’t seen in a while.

Miracle #114: In the lesson today I felt a strong impression to ask him how is doing with his personal prayers.  He said that he hasn’t been saying any prayers but he wanted to start.  In the beginning of the lesson he looked really sad but by the time we left he was smiling and laughing.  It was one of the most spiritual lessons that I have had on my mission. 

         I am ridiculously sore today, but I have decided that a new goal for me is to walk so fast, with urgency, that it hurts at the end of the day. The only time I want to slow down is to talk with people.  I have a ton of goals to work on. One of the coolest moments of the day was when my mission president called me to give me some advice on how to handle some of the things that have happened in the past couple of weeks that have made me angry.

January 15, 2015

Today we had a zone meeting and I realized that I am at a turning point of my mission.  I understand everything and I actually loved the meeting.  I couldn’t believe it…so NOT like me to “like” meetings. In the meeting, we got to see my miracle

Miracle #115: We got to see “Meet the Mormons” in Spanish and it was so cool.

         The rest of today we worked super hard and really well. We did lots of contacts today and we have decided to keep up with it.  I need to work hard!

January 16, 2015

         We had a great day applying what we learned in the zone conference.  We got out of the house a little bit late because our planning took a while.  When we finally left, we saw some great miracles. We worked on contacting everyone and it paid off today.  Our miracle was when we went to an appointment and it fell through.  We then felt like we should visit with the people next door.

Miracle #116: The people who lived to the right of our investigators are members who recently moved into the area but hadn’t had their records transferred yet. It was a great contact and I felt like we really helped them.

         Other than that, I am having a blast with Elder Leon.  Teaching is going really well. One of our investigators that we thought was a snake, has turned out to be sincerely interested.

January 17, 2015

         I have just past the 6 months mark!!  In getting to that landmark I genuinely can tell if I am excited about the year and a half that I have left to serve, or if I feel a tiny bit of dread.  Probably both.  I am completely exhausted and I wonder how I can keep up this pace for another year and a half. 

         We did morning contacts that were quite interesting today.  I didn’t realize that people drink alcohol in the mornings.  That makes for unusual conversations.  We then had a bit of a service project where they gave us a ton of food. Then we went to lunch and got even more food.  I was stuffed ….so full….and it was ridiculously hot.  Yeah, that led to a very sleepy missionary.

Miracle #117: I stayed awake for all of my lessons today!

         Later in the day I felt pretty crappy from eating so much.  It was awful.  Overall, it was a hard day today.

January 18, 2015

         I don’t know why it is so hard to look for a daily miracle lately.  I have to think a lot harder.  Today was a really refreshing day.  It wasn’t hot at all so even sitting all day in Church wasn’t too bad.  I king of am bummed out that I only get 20 minutes a week to play the piano.  It is a really sad thing for me.

Miracle #118: The abuelita who hadn’t been to church in 8 years, came back to church today and was super happy!

         We have 2 new people who we are teaching now and they are both absolutely awesome.  Our best lesson was with F. and his wife.  In the end of the lesson we invited them to visit the temple with us and we get to go on Thursday of this week.  I really have a lot more to write about today, but I am out of time.  I really want to answer some of the questions that my mom asked me in her last email so maybe I can make time to do that tomorrow.

January 19, 2015

         Today was hard!  I was really animated the first half of the day and Elder Leon had energy for the second half.  It worked out well.  The miracle of the day was really interesting because it happened in a condominium complex, which is usually a place that we can’t enter.

Miracle #119: We got into the condo by doing a contact and usuing one of our references.  That person wasn’t there, but we did 2 other contact and both of them want us to come back to teach them tomorrow.

         Today I don’t have much time, but I do want to answer my mom’s questions. 

What have I learned about myself?

         First and foremost I have learned that I really have a strong desire to serve the Lord.  I really didn’t know that about myself before I came.

What has changed and what do I still want to change about myself?

         Well I have learned how to speak another language and spend a whole lot less time thinking about girls. I would like to bet able to control my temper a little bit more (at times, a lot more.)

What is the hardest thing for me to change?

         Oh by far the hardest thing for me is to leave my pride behind and become a humble servant.

What has been my greatest strength or asset?

         My friendliness and the fact that I am not scared to talk to people.  I also have a lot of energy for the work.

What would I do differently to prepare for my mission?

         I would spend more time with my family trying to learn how to work out our difference rather that simply leaving to climb/work/play.

January 20, 2015

         Today was great!  Our first miracle (not the miracle of the day) was when we went to the condo and contacted a tiny bit because our appointments fell through.  The FIRST door that we knocked on just let us in to talk to them.  It was so weird because we are used to being rejected.  He was so cool!  Our miracle was odd because it had to do with a member of the Jehovah’s Witness church.  They are notoriously rude to Mormon missionaries but, not this guy.

Miracle #120: We met a kind and respectful Jehovah’s Witness who talked to us and said that he would like to read more about our beliefs. 

         We had a decent rest of the day. I had fun contacting and had animo all day.  My prayer to receive help to have energy for the day was answered.  I really liked that! Now we are fasting for our temple day tomorrow.  I am really hoping to receive some personal guidance.