With this week being Easter and Holy Week (or Semana Santa as it is called here), there weren't many people in the streets (many people go on vacation) so the fact that we found one person while walking around who wants to know more about our church was quite a blessing. We also ended up finding a member that we had been wanting to meet while in the grocery store and an old investigator who was at the park with her kid who somehow remembered my insanely difficult name (at least in Spanish it's difficult). Those encounters were all blessings. Finding the member was by chance, we went in to the grocery store to use the restroom and we saw some kids from the other ward and said hi and this member happened to be there too. A lot of our work this week was making calls and trying to set up lessons for the coming weeks. We also got to meet with quite a few new people too. One of them is from Myanmar/Burma and he is the most humble man ever. He reminds me of the Kong Fu Panda master (shifu?), very respectful and wise.
This week the other Elders had a baptism! It was great to finally to able to be a part of one. My companion and the other Elders taught her and I got to do the interview. It was super awesome, I felt the spirit while we were doing the service and I knew she had made the right choice to be baptized.
For food this week I found some Lucama (a fruit from Peru) but in like a frozen bar and it was really good. We also bought some Maxibon bars and it's basically an ice cream sandwich dipped in chocolate on one side and the actual sandwich part tastes like cookie dough. Maxibon bars are definitely my favorite.
Funny moment: We tried setting up a lesson with a person named Nancy to meet with their family. We ended up not saving the number of Nancy in the phone but we did have a different Nancy listed in our contacts ... I ended up calling the wrong Nancy and setting up an appointment with her haha =) but it all worked out in the end.
This week I learned again how to solve problems. It is important to first recognize or identify our problems that we have, whatever they may be and then to diagnose them - finding a solution and acting on it. That's how we take care of problems - recognize, solve and act. It seems very simple but such a valuable lesson. Sometimes I feel like we choose to sit and complain about our problems when we can choose to see them as problems that are solved with a solution. We don't have to wait for someone to tell us what to do but we can act for ourself, I think the is such a great principle. The following scripture explains an additional lesson that Christ teaches us from the New Testament:
Matt 11:28-30
28 ¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
When we are yoked together with Christ, our burdens are made light. We still have to deal with our problems but the promise is that we have help and that the problems with be manageable. I testify that when we work together with Christ that is when we will truly see the miracles in our lives that we need. We will recieve the help that we need when we rely on Him. He wont fix our problems for us but He will help support us and guide us. Often times relief doesn't come immediately but He is always there to hear us and help us along to way, to give us strength to keep moving forward in our trials.
Have a great week!
Elder Openshaw
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