Oh wow. Where to start? Perhaps with the good news- Yoselìn got baptized!! As always, there were a couple hiccups with the baptismal service, but as a whole it went really well. We started only 15 minutes late, which is just about perfect in Chilean time, and Priscilla Parra (Remember her?) gave the opening prayer. Lucia Cristosomo gave a talk about baptism, and then Fabiola Riquel Cuevas and I sang a duet of Yoselìn´s favorite hymn, I Need Thee Every Hour. Hermano Sixto Contreras Cortez baptized her, and then Carmen Silva gave a talk about the Holy Ghost. We sang a closing hymn, Alexis Moscoso gave the closing prayer, and then we all went up to Yoselìn's apartment for a little celebration. We gave her her first real scriptures and a hymnbook, and she was very pleased with those. Oh also! The other little miracle? The skirt that she´s wearing is one that we bought for her- we were so unsure if it´d actually fit her, but it did!! She was really happy with it.
Erica, Yoselin, Sis De Leon
Other good news? Victor came to church!! I don´t remember if I talked about him last week... Here's the thing- when I write my letters to all of you, I abide by something that I call the Grandma Rule. If it'll make my grandma worry, I don't write it. Don't worry, the things that I don't tell all of you, I usually record in my journal. We´ll have some nice discussions when I come home! But this week, I think I have to break that rule. Keep breathing, Grandma!!
He's the son of Mercedes, the menos activo that we found ages ago when I first came to Lirquen. That first time around, Victor was only present for one lesson, and he asked lots of questions without really wanting to know the answers. We tried to help Luis, Mercedes´pareja (um, boyfriend? That isn't exactly the right word... It is like husband but without being married.), but he was very alcoholic and not very committed to changing.
Time passes, and we continue to pass by every once in a while to visit Mercedes. One day, (this was with Hermana Peterson), we pass by and find her pulling out all the clothes, shelves, etc. from Victor´s room. She´d just returned from work when one of her neighbors told her that the police had come looking for Victor, and she immediately went searching through his things to see if he had hidden any drugs etc. She didn´t find anything, and we helped her put everything back together and comforted her that it´d all be ok.
The next thing we know, he'd left the region to 'look for work', and I think to escape the law as well. When it comes to little intricate details like law, health conditions, etc. my spanish doesn´t always do so well. But that is what I understood. Fastforward to about a week ago, when we passed by to visit Mercedes. There was Victor! We started the lesson, and it became evident that he´d experienced what Alma calls 'a mighty change in his heart' (Alma 5:12). He accepted a baptismal date and agreed to read a chapter in the Book of Mormon. We returned for our sita with him, and to our dismay, he was a bit hung over and sleeping in his room. Anyone think that is going to stop us from teaching him? Think again. Mercedes ventured back there, and we followed, inviting him to come sit for the lesson. He did, and we agreed to try one more time to come and teach him.
The next lesson, he was really ready. To our surprise, he'd read the whole chapter, marked it up, and had lots of sincere questions. While we were in the lesson, someone knocked the door, and Mercedes answered it, saying 'We're busy!' Victor responded quickly, saying 'Is it Nico? Invite him in!' I couldn't have been happier. The peer pressure is a big factor for Victor- he only drinks when his friends come pick him up for parties, and we´d been brainstorming what we could do to help him with this. What better than to teach the friends?
After meeting and teaching Nico, we found out that he was baptized about 6 years ago with his family. Surprise! He also accepted our invitation to read the Book of Mormon and said he'd support Victor in his desire to be baptized. The next lesson, we walked up to the department to find not only Victor and Nico, but their other buddy Miguel waiting for us. My friends, we basically taught a Chilean gang. It was one of my favorite mission moments to this point, teaching with Hermana De Leòn, feeling the sincere desire that Victor has, the growing remembrance that Nico was feeling, and the curiosity that was eminating from Miguel.
Victor came to Yoselìn's baptism, and said he was super excited for his on the 24th (at 7:30- he's already decided the time). He left right after, and that night we decided to pass by and visit him, see how he was doing. We knocked and knocked and knocked the door, but he didn't answer. Oh no. I was afraid that he'd caved to peer pressure and left with his buddies again, and that he'd be hung over for church. The next morning, we called him, and he answered the phone, saying he was ready to go to church. Turns out he'd literally hidden himself in his room and refused to answer the phone or door all night, so that he wouldn´t be tempted to leave and break his commitment. Wow.
It'll be a process to fix everything for the 24th- because he's had problems with the law, President Arrington or one of the assistants will have to do his baptismal interview. We´ll see how it goes!! I´m so happy to be teaching him and so happy to be a missionary. I know that the Lord listens to our prayers- this week I started feeling rather disappointed in myself, feeling that I haven´t progressed very much as a missionary. Haven't helped Hna De Leòn as much as I'd hoped, haven't studied Spanish as dilligently as I'd like, haven't used our time to the very best that we should. This week we also went to a Family Home Evening with Ana Cortez and family, kind of a Goodbye for Sariah. She leaves for her mission on the 13th, and hearing from the family and their advice to her reminded me of my preparation, and also the grand privilege that it is to be a missionary. Cried a lot that night, thinking of all that I wanted to be and my frustration with my lack of progress.
Sariah, Sis De Leon, Erica
This sunday, the Soc Soc lesson was titled "Nothing is impossible for the Lord". I was so touched by the lesson, and I felt so renewed by testimony meeting and the sacrament. I bore my testimony, as it is probably my last week in Lirquen, and we´re ready and good to go for another week of work work work!
Love you all so much!
Hermana Oldroyd
An RIP celebration for a Sister and Elder finishing their missions
A slightly early birthday celebration for Erica (her bday is the 11th)
Oh Hermana Oldroyd, you are shining through again! As I was reading your message about Victor and how he used to ask questions without really wanting to know, it reminded me of an article in the July New Era by Elder James B Martino. I wish I could include it all here but let me copy and paste his last paragraphs:
ReplyDelete"The Responsibility of Revelation
Moroni tells us that “by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5). But he does not promise that you’ll know something is true just because you’re curious. You have to have a sincere heart and real intent. You have to be willing to make a commitment to change once you receive your answer. Revelation is a gift from God, and it’s not to be taken lightly. When we receive revelation, we also receive a responsibility to do something with that revelation.
I believe that Heavenly Father, in a merciful way, does not give us revelation when we’re just curious and not willing to act upon it, because then we’d be held accountable if we failed to make the change. In His own way, as a loving Father, He’s given us the opportunity to find out for ourselves if these things are true, but we have to be willing to say, like Lamoni’s father, the king of the Lamanites, “I will give up all that I possess” to know that these things are true (Alma 22:15).
Love you! Keep on keepin' on!!