Change

Monday, February 19, 2018

This week was not the easiest week.  Josue calls us every day but he won't meet with us and he makes it seem like he has no desire to get confirmed.  We will keep working with him but I feel sad that he has gotten so confused. 

Buuuuuut this week Juana accepted fecha for the 10th and she went to church all by herself.  She is a reference from a member who is 83.  But this lady shares the gospel with everyone she knows and she is such a good help for Juana.  Juana is passing for lots of problems with her daughters and her grandkids and her health and she is very stressed but it is cool to see the difference in her appearance and her rostro/countenance as we have been visiting her.  She is so excited for her baptismal and already wants her whole family to be baptized.  She said her husband will come next Sunday and she is moving forward with faith.  

Richard is from Venezuela.  He has been studying JW for a LOOOOONG time and the poor guy is very confused.  But he is very respectful and looking for the truth but unable to find it bc he is looking in his brain and in books and in the understanding of others, and not in the place where he could find it... his heart.  He won't pray and ask bc he doesn't understand the concept but he comes to church and as soon as he has glasses to read he will read the Book of Mormon.  

Juan, the elders visited him like 6 months ago.  He was supposed to get baptized when I was serving in Leoncio Prado but he didn't and the elders didn't know why.  Well, we know why.  His dad said he would kick him out.  He has like 50 years..  he is 50... better.  But he's still scared of what his dad and family says.  So we will work with him and help him overcome that to get baptized.  

Manuel is 93, he is also a reference from a member of our ward, patriarch.  He is so cool.  His wife died 14 years ago, she was  member.  He has accepted baptism but needs to talk with his kids he says buuuuuuut he is really awesome.  He makes suits for a living even though he only has one eye that works.  He is very slow to learn but a great guy!!  

Those are the main people we are visiting right now. 

Change, so this week like I said was not so great for who knows why but I am grateful for my leaders who always encourage me.  This week I have been thinking a lot about the things I ask investigators to do and why they don't do them.  A lot of the time the only reason is bc they are so used to being someone having a personality trait or acting in one way that they see it as impossible to change.  Looking at them as a missionary, I know it's not impossible for like 10000 reasons, but even if I tell them they do not or cannot understand.  I think this week, 15 months into my mission, I understand why as missionaries we have such strict rules, why we have to dress a certain way, why we talk a certain way, why, why, why, why.  Bc if I, as a missionary, can change from the person I was before, for real!! not just a temporal change but a real change then the people I teach will feel and understand that change is possible.  Now that takes 100% of my effort every day and it does not mean that I lose my personality and be boring.  But it does mean that I become converted and the conversion not to the mission, or to Pres. Larson, or my leaders, as great as those things may be.  My conversion must be founded on my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  And that conversion HAS to make me into a new person.  That also doesn't mean I will be perfect (far from it) but I realized this week that the change I need in my life is not a change that lasts for the mission, it lasts my whole life and if I expect people I teach to change their whole life, I better well be willing or in the process of changing mine.  

We are sons and daughter of a God who loves us so much he sent his son.  And when we believe in him we will have everlasting life.  When we believe in something we show our belief.  When we show we believe in Jesus Christ then we are being converted.  I invite    you all to take a step back and look at the changes you have or need to make in your life right now.  Pat yourself on the back, dust yourself off and get moving bc life is a crazy ride.

I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and all of you.

Hna Glassett