Hola! What a week!
I'm just gonna breeze through this super quick, please hold your questions for the end.
Our mission has never been able to Skype before, it was a phone call mission only. But today our mission president said he would let us try it for mother's day. So what are all of your plans?! I have every intention of calling Mama and Papa and if you want to talk to me, y'all better congregate to one of those two areas.
Hermana Gonzalez is staying here with me in Wichita Falls for another transfer! I am endlessly excited about it, I must say, even though I'm sure she's a little bit less than excited about staying here for what will now be ten and a half months in the same place... But I am selfishly thrilled about it. I adore her. And our companionship sees miracles every single day because there is very little room for contention between us.
Mister Mark Reed got baptized on Saturday! We went strong not eating sweets and he went strong not smoking and it was all fine and dandy. Until Saturday morning. One hour before the baptism. We get a call from one of the members who tells us that for whatever reason the font had been filled but the water came out green. We kind of pictured it just looking a little bit off color, but we went to look at it and it was murky and thick, like lake water. Super nasty. But after four thousand phone calls, Mark was baptized in a member's swimming pool, and even showed up to the baptism wearing a button down shirt and tie for the first time ever. I could have cried.
On Sunday, we had a family of 8 come with us to church!!! This family is amazing and we love teaching them. They ask a lot of questions and are always eager to learn more. The kids range in age from 9 to sixteen, and the parents, both moms, are both really sweet. We have had a lot of tornado-like weather this week and their family even let us and all of the other missionaries come into their shelter on one particularly scary evening.
After church, we went to Church Without Walls, another one of the interesting churches that Mark went to before his baptism, and still kind of goes to for the service aspect. This church holds services under the freeway for the homeless and they give out hygiene packs and food. It was actually pretty interesting. Except one of the men came up to me and was deaf and started asking me all kinds of crazy questions. I was glad I knew enough sign language to entertain a conversation with him, but he kept asking me if I was married and if I would stop being a missionary so we could date and have babies. Unfortunately, I had to politely decline. I know, what a bummer. I bet the fifty year age gap would have made for a solid relationship.
Last story, this week Sister Gonzalez and I showed up to a less-active's house for an appointment but he wasn't there. So the spirit, naturally, told us to steal his porch light bulbs and leave a sign that read, "If you ever want your precious light bulbs back, you need to call us and make another appointment." Now, I don't mean to toot our own horn or anything, but that less active definitely showed up to an activity the next day to claim his light bulbs and schedule another appointment. Who knew "thou shalt not steal" was a conditional commandment?!
Can I tell you why this week has been so wonderful? Okay, I will. It's because the beginning of it was the worst. I was just kind of mopey and doubting my capabilities and, ultimately, not trusting in the Lord. And I found myself counting down the days for the first time ever. But then I remembered why that's idiotic. I read my setting apart call, (because someone wonderful typed it up, lamanated it, and sent it to me), I prayed and repented for being so sluggish, and then my companion talked some sense into me. And ever since then, I have felt so motivated. So centered in the Lord. I remember why I'm here, what I'm doing, who I'm helping. And I'm so grateful for that. My life at home is amazing. But instead of dwelling on that, I need to remember that I'm here! I'm grateful that life at home is amazing but I'm not home! I'm here to help other people whose lives are far from amazing. Or help those who just need a little help remembering what God values them at.
I love this Gospel. I am unwaveringly aware of what God can offer each and every one of us as long as our priorities are set on the right things. And that God does not punish his children. He helps us make decisions if we ask for help, he gives us everything as long as we ask, and he gives us anything as long as we have faith. Because when our will is aligned to God's will, what we want and what God wants for us will be the same.
I love you all. Con todo my corazon! (don't be fooled, still haven't taught one lesson in spanish.)
Sister Best
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