Tuesday, March 21, 2017

February 27, 2017 ~ Transfer 5 Week 3

Quite a busy week this past week.

My companion, Elder Weiss, and I ended up changing our Preparation day to Wednesday so that we could help the mission president with some errands (I think we were asked to do it because Elder Weiss has a European drivers license and used to serve in the office). One of the errands we did is we drove 28 boxes of pizza from the store to a Mission Zone Conference where Elder Soares talked to the Eastern Madrid missionaries and the missionaries from the North (Galicia and Asturias areas). So we brought the pizza to fed the missionaries and it was funny because everyone was asking why we were in Pday clothes =) Let me tell you, we cranked the AC in the car because it turned into an oven with all the heat from the pizzas which was amazing. My last zone was at the zone conference so it was great to talk with the Elders from Oviedo and see how all the work is going up there.

Thursday was a pretty miraculous day. I realized I hadn't given a blessing in Spanish before because I have been too nervous. On Thursday I said a prayer asking for an opportunity to give a blessing in Spanish. Only 4 hours later that prayer was answered when we visited a member's home and gave a blessing to a brother who needed one and hadn't received one for probably 4-5 years. I felt the spirit very strong during that blessing and it definitely guided my words. The words flowed which I couldn't do myself, but God used me as His instrument to do His work.

This week I have learned a lot about how God works through us to do His work. As missionaries we are the instruments He uses. 

We ran into a less actively involved member rushing on the way to a lesson, I said "Hi" and he stopped us saying "Élderes!". He told us he wants to serve a mission but doesn't know how, so we invited him to come to church this past Sunday. He talked to the bishop and has the information he needs now. The miracle is that he leaves to go back to his country today. There's no way if we hadn't found him in that exact moment he would have gotten to help he needed. 

There is no way by chance alone that we run into the people who we run into who need our help, those who the members haven't seen in years. Or knocking on a completely wrong door on accident and finding someone who you have been teaching in English class who wants to hear about the Gospel (yes that did happen this week).  It just doesn't happen by chance and it happens so often in the work of a missionary. The Lord only expects us to be worthy so that we can receive the inspiration that we need. It doesn't matter how much experience you do or don't have. It doesn't matter which missionary shares what in the lessons even if one doesn't know Spanish very well. The power comes from personal worthiness and the reliance we put on the Lord. We have to listen to the Spirit and trust that God will fulfill all His promises. And He will and He does. I know He answers our prayers and keeps His every promise.

Some funny moments: 
yesterday we were at a member's home and she started singing the US National Anthem (she's from Colombia and speaks pretty decent English) and so of course I joined in! Although she stopped at one part and I was trying to follow her lead in singing and I totally lost the words haha =) 

This week we also had a bunch of different food - from Peruvian to Honduran. We ate some cookies from Peru (doña pepa, which I ate while there in Peru), Peruvian papa relleno (fried potatoes filled with meat and cheese), fajitas (which really hit the spot), and baleadas (kind of like Honduran tortillas/burritos).

Have an amazing week!

Elder Openshaw

Calle Fuerteventura 4, 2, Oficina 8B
28703 San Sebastián de los Reyes
Madrid, España

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