Hi Everyone!
Here are some highlights from the week. A little bit of everything...funny, sad, happy, etc. That's basically how the mission is in general. A mix of everything. But the good and happy moments stand out the most.
Monday:
We got to the airport in the north (because we have to fly for intercambios on another island) and we had an horrific experience. We got to the front counter and the lady asked for our flight info and we tell her everything and she says "are you sure? There isn't a flight at that time." Then we found out we were supposed to leave out of the south airport... And we were horrified because that meant we would miss the flight... and we spent 1 hour on the bus more than what was needed! So we ruined our Pday. The office never flies us out of the South airport because it is so expensive. But today wasn't our lucky day...So we had to change the flight and wait in the customer service line. But it all worked out in the end. Yay! What a blessing!
(Intercambio -Monday / Tuesday)
And we met Juan el canario - some drunk dude who claimed to know everyone in the neighborhood. Elder Hamilton asked if he knew the person we were looking for and he said "ya, she's leaving in that car right now." He waved down the car and then they (a guy and girl) rolled down the window and the dude shouted "I'm atheist" and went away hahaha. And then juan said "look, here comes her sister" And Elder Hamilton asked and it wasn't the sister hahaha. And we ask him for his name and he said "soy Juan. Juan...el canario". Haha it was funny.
Wednesday:
We went to Guzman's home (he's the ward mission leader) to eat really really good food. He likes Asian style everything haha. And he has nunchucks and a samari sword which are super cool haha. He was a little rusty on the nunchucks but still knows how to use them haha.
That evening, we passed by a less active family and they were home (our first pass by that answered today let us in! MIRACLE!). That hardly happens that we pass by someone and then let us in without a fight haha. They were nice. And it was kind of fun because he opened the door and said "come in elders". And they talked about all the members that they know and the good times that they have had.
As we went home, we went to the old piso to pick up a load. And we found the box of Book of Mormons that were taken! (Let me explain, we were moving and the box didn't fit in the car so we left it in the foyer thinking it would be safe...and it wasn't there when we brought down the second load...). They didn't try to hide that it was opened but at least they returned it to the same spot as before and we found it! Haha miracle! I don't think that they were expecting a bunch of religious books haha.
Thursday:
Then we passed by "Edison" an Antiguo investagator. Funny guy. He answered the door and said, "hey I'm going to get in the shower. Here's some juice. I'll be right back. You're welcome." He moved here from Nigeria. He's an interesting guy. He told us he knows the LDS church is the true church but he was going to another church because no one came and invited him to church again (he used to come all the time).
Friday:
English class. 6:55pm...no one. 7pm the regular people. 7:30pm Andrea comes with 4 friends. We ended up having 15 people there (including us)! That was so cool! And Maria V invited the friends of Andrea to come to the activity and to church haha. And there is a girl Aurora's age - they just moved here from Colombia. We didn't even have to do the fellowshiping! It was awesome! They all exchanged numbers and we just smiled and wished that all members would do missionary work like them. They are wonderful. It's the little things that count.
Saturday:
Then we did pass bys in San Isidro and we actually found two less actives that we don't have their numbers. The first, Felipe C. And it was hilarious because we asked him for help with an address and we asked if he had seen missionaries before and he said he was Mormon already hahahaha. And we had a really good conversation with him.
And the second, if we had passed by 2 mins later, she would have been gone. She was coming out of the house when we got to her door (the timbre doesn't work, and the community/association doors here on the island are often left unlocked or opened). Today we ran into the right people at the right moment. It was great.
Sunday:
This morning we had a Multi-stake conference - for Western Europe. And some people came from Manchester to visit. And we talked about the city of "Openshaw" haha. Apparently it's not a great place to live....haha.
I also translated into English from the English to Spanish translation. That was difficult haha. I translated the end of the conference because they came at the usual hour church starts and we had to start the conference an hour earlier than usual. But I translated both Elder Kearon and Elder Utchdorf's talks. It was interesting because I could read their lips and see bits and parts of what they said in English but I had to listen to the Spanish translation which was 2-4 seconds behind. So that was difficult haha. There were quite a few times I had to drop ideas and just keep going with the translating. I gave the watered - down version of the talks haha. But a lot better than trying to translate the poem from last week haha.
Here's some things I learned this week. From the conference from yesterday, Elder Hallstrom talked about if we want to feel the power that comes from living the gospel, we need to study the scriptures, think about their words and ask God if it's true. And we will recieve an answer. Elder utchdorf emphasised the same point that no matter who we are, our background, our culture, etc. all people must read, think about the doctrine, and with faith, pray to recieve a witness or testimony of the truthfulness and we will recieve an answer. Here's a scripture to back that up:
3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
(Moroni 10:3-5)
I know that Heavenly Father keeps His promises. And I know that when we ask, He answers us.
It was also emphasized that people who follow the prophet, listen to his counsels and changes their life to be in accordance with his guidance. And those who do not follow the prophet, normally accept/follow his counsels to the point of what fits with their ideas and thoughts. But when there is a contradicting counsel to their ideas, they throw away the counsel as uninspired and they make their situation an exception (they justify it). Also, the members were counseled to stay strong to their beliefs because if they don't hold on or value the gospel, they will no longer have it as part of their lives. As we put God first, all things will fall out of or into their proper place in our lives.
Have a great week!
Elder Openshaw
1) going on a hike as a zone today to roque nublo or something like that. I'll have to look the name up again haha
2) Teide and clouds
3) eating with some members! They are awesome!
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