September 24, 2012 Talcahuano

This last week has been good, just working like crazy. I am trying and a lot of times I feel really small and not able to do the work in the right way but I am trusting that God will teach me how to be better. We have a baptism on Saturday of a girl named Belen. Her dad got baptized about five months ago and he will be baptizing her. It was great to be able to teach her. We are trying hard to help people progress but it has been a challenge. The work is not easy!! but it is moving forward and it’s so amazing to be a part of it!!

My kid is doing well. He is learning. It’s interesting cause I feel like I have spoken Spanish my whole life when in reality I couldn’t speak either 8 months ago… Actually, when I was really struggling in the mtc with Spanish a district president there made me a promise. He said to me If you push through the hard and leave on your mission you will not only speak good Spanish but you will speak perfect Spanish. That promise is coming true. I can speak and without an accent haha. So I know that God will help Elder Durrant as well and help me to not feel so insufficient for the work because it is His work, not mine. So we are doing well.

I felt frustrated yesterday because we were really trying to get an investigator to church and they didn’t come. I started to wonder if I was not doing well or working bad. Well after church we went to Marcos, our friend who has multiple sclerosis, and we were doing exercises with him, throwing a ball and talking to him. We asked him if he wanted to meet our families and he said very firmly yes!! And then he stuttered out can I go to the United States with you and your companion? And we told him if he does his exercises and gets better and walks we will find a way to bring him to the states. And then he said really loud "¡Vamos!” which is let’s go!!! In that moment the Spirit came down upon me and my companion. I literally felt the love that God has for Marcos and for the service that we could do for him. It was such a strong feeling of peace and comfort that I knew that it was God telling me that He is happy with our hard work even if there are challenges and not a ton of baptisms. Even if I don’t baptize one more person in my mission I know that at least I could help Marcos progress and feel happy and most importantly feel the love that God has for him. I really love Marcos and that was a very sacred and touching experience. The feeling and power we felt were NOT from this world. It was the love of God. 

Thanks for all your prayers and support. I love you all!!