Well,
first, no, we didn't have a baptism this saturday. There was one in our
zone, the other Hermanas had a wedding and a baptism, but Fidel did not
get baptised.
If you look at the story
from a long distance, it could be kinda funny. But the fact that he was
progressing and very ready for it, made it super painful. Okay, it's
hard to see it as funny, but if it were altered a bit it would be. We
find it funny how much effort people put into rejecting us. We say hi to
people and they nod and then put a lot of ridiculous effort in
concentrating on watering their lawn as if it required a lot of
concentration. And a lot of the time people are "very busy" watching
whatever happens to be on tv or whatever else they happen to be doing.
So we do laugh at how much effort people put into ignoring us,
especially when they make the conversation a lot more awkward than it
has to be. It doesn't hurt us, we just get to laugh about it later, but
for them they get all weirded out and awkward when we just want to share
the best thing that could ever happen to them. But it's their choice.
Well, Sister Stevenson told me a story of when she knocked on a door,
the porch light came on and through the window a lady asked who was
there or what they wanted or something. They told her, and she said okay
and left the window. Then a few seconds later, the porch light turned
off. That's a funny one. With Fidel, we found him over at his neighbors
again, and we started talking to him and his buddy Roy, who expressed an
interest and actually came to church too. But it was a rough one, cause
we found them drinking. The concern was giving up drinking as
alcoholics. They expressed many times that it's hard when you're an
alcoholic. We decided we needed to explain baptism better because they
understood it's purpose as receiving godparents. But then the Roy's wife
came out and asked if we were the mormons, and then said that they had
met with the elders before and they ended up getting into an argument
and then she demanded that we leave now or she'd call the cops. We
couldn't have any kind of explanation or anything, she insisted that we
leave and that she'd call the cops if we ever came back. That was fine.
She was ridiculously anti, and it could've been funny how extreme she
was. But the hard part was that Fidel didn't say anything. He just sat
there silently and didn't make any move to continue talking to us. That
was the hard part. That we didn't help him understand the true
importance before we lost the opportunity to. He had agreed to us
meeting with him every day to prepare him for his baptism on saturday,
but at that point he said there was too much pressure. He didn't
understand that what he was preparing to receive is so much greater in
value than what we were asking him to give up, that it would help him
make that change.
Another thing that I wish I
had with Fidel, is Aldo as a member present. We don't know of any
members that could relate to Fidel as far as struggling with word of
wisdom problems. So I would like to request Aldo's experience. If that's
alright with him, I'd like to have him write down his experience with
both overcoming addiction and joining the church. And what blessings
he's seen because of it etc. I'd appreciate it a whole lot. Or if you
would like Kariann, I am totally okay with the two of you moving down
here and being member presents. :D
Well all of this is still
hard, but it's done, hopefully Fidel will come back but who knows. But
we do still have Humberto, who is also struggling with the word of
wisdom, but he is still very excited about his baptism, I do think we
need to work with him a little more about overcoming, cause he's very
scared about completely quiting.
Well, life is great as a missionary. What we're trying to work on
for this next week is having a well rounded effort, and enjoying the
mission. "Disfruta la mission" --President Maluenda.
Oh, I got a question for Kariann, Do you talk with a lisp in
spanish? Use more of a th rather than an s sound? Because President
Maluenda and his wife do. Or did you not ever talk chilean spanish? or
did Aldo tease you and break you out of it? He he.
I have a feeling you'll both make fun of my spanish when I get back cause it'll be TexMex.
Oh, momma, I got a favor
to ask of you. I know you're super busy and crazy all over the place all
the time and it being December doesn't help, but we've been working
with a recent convert named Lisa, and she's great, there are not words
to describe. But we were working with her on modesty and cleaned out all
her clothes, but she had a really hard time letting go of her shorts.
So I'm sending them to you today, in hopes that you could make them into
those bags for her. Like the ones that you made for all of the young
women. There are two pairs, and probably a blue lining of some kind
would be awesome. Maybe have Amy help pick something out, cause I think
they're pretty similar. Particularly their build. She's a tall, skinny,
pretty girl, just like Amelia!
Okay, I'm really not sure what else I should write, except that letters are scarce. :(
Oh yeah, I got sick. The elders got sick and passed it around
amongst themselves and all but one got it and then I got it. Yup dumb.
Oh! and happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Yeah, what did you guys do for it?
I think I've officially decided that my companion and I are have
turned ADD from these crazy stressful but fun and wonderful two months.
I can't think of anything else and I've spent almost 45 minutes on this so it should be good.
I love you all so much!
And I would like to request a letter from everybody claro, pero specifically Kariann and Aldo, Kaylee and Aunt Mara.
Con Amor
Hermana NJ Nielson
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