Things are great! We had two baptisms this past Saturday--a girl age 9 and another 18. And we are excited for another baptism next week--a young father whose wife is a member (if just slightly inactive--but not anymore!). The family is so kind. We can only visit them on Sundays because that is his only day off, and they always feed us. He is a great story of diligence. He grew up in a the poorest of the poor families, and decided he wanted more in life. He has worked diligently to be able to read, and continues to work on it. He already has a great understanding of the gospel principles. The district leader told us that in his interview on Sunday he gave one of the best answers he has ever heard as to who Joseph Smith is--that God sent him, a prophet, to restore His Church because He knew we would need His Church in our lives (something to that effect). So awesome. They still live in the slums area, but God has already blessed them so much already. I am so excited to see him continue faithful--he will be a great leader.
We picked up a lot of new families this week, and we are really hopeful for them. So excited to see the Lord continue to make this area more fruitful!
We had a great FHE yesterday with the Stake President's family. It was on Obedience and Faith and how those are our bridge to blessings. If we want more blessings, we need to increase BOTH obedience and faith (included in faith is positive thinking--my addition). This was so good, and a refreshing reminder that my goals are worthy as a missionary, I just need to ask, obey, and have faith*positively think I will achieve, with the help of the Lord*. The lesson came from a workshop with Church employees, and the speaker said that the members of the Church ought to be some of the richest people on the earth(many examples in the scriptures)--the only reason they aren't is they aren't obedient/have faith. Ex: give tithing, but give grudgingly. If your fists are closed, you cannot catch the blessings that come from heaven. But when you are generous, and have your hands open, that is when you can catch the blessings of heaven. I really liked that. A lot of this reminded me very much of "As a Man Thinketh".
***many missionaries set their standards low, which is sad. I cannot tell you how many times in the MTC we were told by leader after leader that we are meant to be Ammon's and Alma's--their are MANY waiting for us. Oftentimes missionaries sell themselves short by not thinking that they can achieve more. But God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Why would He give missionaries back then large success, and us not? I am convinced that the only thing holding us back is lack of imagination as far as goals are, and that we fall into the trap of everybody saying "that is too high of a goal, you are just focused on baptisms", when in reality if we really believe and work for it God will give it to us. I pray every day to God that He will set events into motion that will result in the words spreading like wildfire here, that people's hearts will be prepared, and that I will say and do everything at the right time. Because I do not know how to reach thousands of people on my own, but God does, and He wants them to be reached. And He will provide the way, just as He did for Alma, Ammon, and all the other ancient missionaries.
---my statement: There is no reason to set low goals, and every reason to set high ones.
1) So we have cockroaches in our apartment (I even saw one on my first night here), and permethrin to spray them and any other bugs. One night there were some, and a particularly weird one creeping on the wall and on the ceiling, out in the open. I started spraying him like crazy.....and he kept moving (it takes a while to kill them).
Me: "What do I do now?"
Sister Sojor (roommate): "Wait for him to realize he is dead."
Soooo funny. My desk ended up getting splattered with all the permethrin from the ceiling and wall.
All my love, (send my love to the grandparents too!)
Kat
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