Hi all!
So this week was a long but (fulfilling long) week! Lots happened and it was quite enjoyable.
So...our heaters stopped working and that sure was fun but we learned about how to fix them and got to talk with our landlord quite a bit because they kept dripping water and he had to keep fixing them up. Basically the heaters here are in the wall and the water heater heats water up (pretty unexpected right?) and it goes around to all of the house to heat the radiators. And the radiators kept leaking and the water pressure went to zero so nothing worked haha. But we are all good now!
Also we had snow this week! That was comforting to see and apparently hasn't happened here in 2-4 years (in Ponferrada)! So that was cool. And people were a lot more happy/friendly that day with the snow haha.
And we had some cool miracles happen this week. One, we were going on the way to a friend's home to see when we could meet with them and we found them in the street and set a time up to go see them. The other was similar but even more amazing. We had been trying to get ahold of our investagator Angel for about 2 weeks. We had one quick lesson in a park and that we hadn't had contact for a really long time. We called him, sent texts and nothing. No response. And then this week we passed by his home and he wasn't there either. So I said a quick prayer. About 20 mins later while walking in the street, I turned to my left when I saw a "Madrid" hat that he likes to wear and I shouted his name and it was him. We almost didn't see him as he passed us. But we saw him and got to talk to him and set up a time to meet with him. He had a hard couple weeks and wasn't able to get ahold of us but still wants to continue meeting in the coming week.
So we haven't taught many lessons (I won't give a number but...2... for the week) so we are looking for new people to teach. And we've talked to a bunch of people and are still searching for people who want to learn more about the Restoration.
And then we had the crazy and hilarious experiences like how we sat at a table at the mall and there is an abandoned drink 3 tables away. Some random guy comes up to the table, looks around and then takes a long sip out of it and walks away. So moral of the story, don't leave your drink abandoned haha.
We also tried finding places to go do service this week and without much luck. We got directed to a mess hall where a bunch of the people from the local penitentiary are sent to do community service and basically we got turned away from that one because they had too much help haha. And we went to some other places without much luck.
We also gave a donation to the local library of a Book of Mormon hahaha. That was pretty funny. We are just trying to do some different things that are a little more entertaining than just walking the streets here (which can be pretty empty haha). But they took the book and we'll see if it makes it on a shelf haha.
And yesterday was Elder Kamber's birthday! And we got to eat with some members. It was great. And one of the families wanted to play a joke on my new companion (without knowing it was his birthday, but it made it so much better). I was told to inform my companion that they are a poor family and so we have to eat whatever they put in front of us. And so we go to their home for food and they bring out a pot of soup and plop it in the middle of the table. And then they proceed to dish out all the broth. Normal. And then they pull out and put on every plate, a chicken leg. And then, lastly they put the chicken head on my companion's plate and we say the prayer on the food. It was done super well by them and it was really funny haha. My companion was a bit scared (and I was a bit scared as to how far I had to play along with the joke haha). I will attach a picture.
Something I liked from my scripture study this week!
So here a prophet living in the Americas around 600BC, Nephi, prophesies about Jesus Christ:
1 Nephi 19:6-7, 9
"6 Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself.
7 For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words—they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.
9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men."
Nephi recognized his weaknesses and trusts in Heavenly Father that through him, he could write something that would be of worth to those in the last days - when the Book of Mormon would be brought to life. And then Nephi talks about how even the Savior of the world, the greatest man who ever lived, was thought of as garbage, worthless, nothing. And to me it's amazing that even the Son of God had to suffer sooo much but He suffered it because He loves us. And we can show our love to Him like He asks in John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments". I know that Christ loves us and knows what we are going through. He suffered all things so that He could give us relief. If you need some help, turn to your Heavenly Father and prayer and communicate with Him. Ask for more strengthen and help and I know that you will recieve it if you trust in Him and His will.
Have a great week!
Love,
Elder Openshaw
No comments:
Post a Comment