NEWS
(INVESTIGATOR'S NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO MAINTAIN ANONYMITY)
AUGUST 26, 2013 - Gustavo
Well.. This week was sure something... well... it was tough. that's what it was. But. I'm learning some math on my mission... Tough things + working anyway = miracles. That's what I've learned. Ha.
Well, we had two exchanges this week. The first one was with the zone leaders. I stayed in the Salève area with Elder Rae (a Scottish elder) and we basically knocked high rise buildings until our knuckles bled, with absolutely not a soul interested. Then the next day I had a transfer with district leader (who happens to be in the Spanish equipe) so obviously, I went to the Spanish area and took their schedule for the day. Except the catch was, I was there with an Elder that has only been in the field for 2 weeks. PHEW. To tell you the truth, I work SO much better when I have some extra responsibility on my shoulders. Well. We ROCKED it. We made a bunch of awesome plans for the day, but of course, not a single one of them went as planned. But we had what we call a spark rendez-vous in the park with a lady. Which basically means, they ask if we can just talk right then and there, and we have a lesson where we are. It was awesome.. Except, it was the first time I was the most experienced French Speaker there. In fact, poor Elder Ruiz Garcia (he's a Spaniard doesn't really speak any French at all.. So.. It was all on me and the Lord. The lesson went well. we taught the entire restoration and gave her a Book of Mormon She was a funny lady, but I honestly don't see much happening there.. Then, about 30 minutes after that little rdv I'm not even joking, A 2ND spark rendezvous. SO nuts. He was awesome. We'll see what happens there. But basically, that was just an awesome day. :)
Ok... my companion.. yeah. there's definitely some unity issues. The problem is, he just won't talk to me. He'll go DAYS at a time without speaking to me. It's bizarre He'll make it clear that he has a problem with me, then he won't tell me what it is. And he's super sarcastic about it. For example, today, it was about 12 o'clock, we hadn't talked much at all and all he says is, "You know, It was very impolite what you did to me this morning." I honestly couldn't for the life of me remember what it was that I did. All I remember was that I did the dishes, and swept the floor while he was showering. Then I ate some frosted flakes. Ha. So, I asked him what it was so I can make sure I never do it again, and he gives me a weird smirk and says, "think about it, I'm sure you'll figure it out some day." And that was it.. I've been trying to work on speaking openly together, SO I'll just talk all day long. I'll ask him silly questions about his favorite movie etc, but he literally wont talk. One day he even said, "It's ok, I'll just patiently wait until the end of this transfer, it's fine!" Sooo.... Yeah. I've been talking to the zone leaders about it. And I might bring it up with the president this Saturday in my interview. I don't know. It's just bizarre because I really am trying to serve him as much as I can, and I'm stressed out of my mind because he won't contribute at all to what's going on around here, plus I don't really know what I'm doing... But...then I have exchanges with a blue, and it was the best day of my mission.. SO.. I'm a little confused. I think he's just nuts. Or he has some personal problems that he's not coping with very well.. Either way, the work goes on!
ON a more positive note. In fact, a VERY positive note. Yesterday I got a phone call that made my entire mission a success already.
Well... we've been working with an inactive guy (Gustavo) a little bit. He has quite story, but He loves his family... He's just made a TON of mistakes that are no good. He served a mission a long time ago though... anyway. He currently lives here in Switzerland and his family lives in Spain. Well... Basically, his entire family is active in the church, and his oldest daughter decided she wants to leave on a mission. And that has something to do with the reason he wants us to keep seeing him. well, last week his wife went to the Madrid temple to get endowed, so he was a little emotional. He kept getting pictures of his family at the temple etc. Well... We had a rdv last Thursday and he expressed how incredibly horrible he feels that he can't be there for his wife, but he also said how badly he wants to be sealed to his family, but he obviously can't yet.. well.. I set a goal with him that by the time his daughter gets home from her mission he'd be ready to go to the temple to get sealed as a family. He loved it, and he's super committed, but he kind of threw his life at me and said, k.. what do I need to do? ha. SO... we started out by, COME TO CHURCH on Sunday! ha.
Well... Sunday came around... NO SHOW. I was so bummed. But I didn't think too much of it. I texted him and called him and everything, and nothing... Well... Sunday night at about 8 PM, I got a phone call from him.
He was bawling on the other side of the phone. This was what he said,
"I'm sorry I'm crying, I've been trying to stop crying enough to call you, but it's been three hours. But, I'm sorry I couldn't come to church today, My daughter got her mission call today, so I was skipping with them during church. I wanted to call you and tell you about it."
I was so relieved! haha. anyway.. he went on.. "well, she's going exactly where she's always DREAMED of going.. Salt Lake City Temple Square.. But Elder, I just want you to know, and I called you to tell you, That I promised my daughter, I told her and everything, But I promised her we'd go to the temple when she got home to be sealed as a family."
I can't even write this without crying geez.. He ended with, "Elder, I need your help to get there."
THAT. Right there. Is why I'm here in this mission at this time. I told myself before my mission that I was going on a mission to help make eternal families a possibility . Here's my first shot. I know for a fact that I have nothing to do with the changes that this man is making in his life. But what I do know, is that I have never in my life experienced the same amount of joy in my life. I've never cried so happily in my life. Eternal families. That's why I'm here. Mom, you can tell the stake president. He told me to write home and tell him when I find out why I'm here, tell him that's why. Cool side fact about this story: Oh... yeah, none of the wards around here know who he is, he's not in any of their records, but some how, he was in our phone as a less active in our ward. THE FRENCH ward... except.. He doesn't speak great french. So... we teach him in Spanish . I think the timing of me getting here, serving in the french ward, was just perfect to help him out right at this moment in his life.
Also cool thing: His daughter will probably still be on her mission when I get home, (maybe, I haven't confirmed it yet), But that means I can go to Salt Lake and take a picture with her to send to her dad. I think that would be awesome to get to talk to her, and talk about her dad and the changes we're helping him make.
Goodness. I love missionary work. Even when I'm stressed, Even when my companion won't talk to me. Who cares. God loves his children, and he's going to bless them whether me and my companion get along or not. ha.
well.. I've got to go.. We've got dinner at the Bonny's tonight. (family I wrote about last week).
PS... Baby Arthur (the baby I blessed) is in surgery RIGHT NOW. (2nd surgery . I'll let ya know the results of this one. They're giving him a pace maker I guess.. I'm pretty sure it's all fine though! I'm confident.
Love you!
Well, we had two exchanges this week. The first one was with the zone leaders. I stayed in the Salève area with Elder Rae (a Scottish elder) and we basically knocked high rise buildings until our knuckles bled, with absolutely not a soul interested. Then the next day I had a transfer with district leader (who happens to be in the Spanish equipe) so obviously, I went to the Spanish area and took their schedule for the day. Except the catch was, I was there with an Elder that has only been in the field for 2 weeks. PHEW. To tell you the truth, I work SO much better when I have some extra responsibility on my shoulders. Well. We ROCKED it. We made a bunch of awesome plans for the day, but of course, not a single one of them went as planned. But we had what we call a spark rendez-vous in the park with a lady. Which basically means, they ask if we can just talk right then and there, and we have a lesson where we are. It was awesome.. Except, it was the first time I was the most experienced French Speaker there. In fact, poor Elder Ruiz Garcia (he's a Spaniard doesn't really speak any French at all.. So.. It was all on me and the Lord. The lesson went well. we taught the entire restoration and gave her a Book of Mormon She was a funny lady, but I honestly don't see much happening there.. Then, about 30 minutes after that little rdv I'm not even joking, A 2ND spark rendezvous. SO nuts. He was awesome. We'll see what happens there. But basically, that was just an awesome day. :)
Ok... my companion.. yeah. there's definitely some unity issues. The problem is, he just won't talk to me. He'll go DAYS at a time without speaking to me. It's bizarre He'll make it clear that he has a problem with me, then he won't tell me what it is. And he's super sarcastic about it. For example, today, it was about 12 o'clock, we hadn't talked much at all and all he says is, "You know, It was very impolite what you did to me this morning." I honestly couldn't for the life of me remember what it was that I did. All I remember was that I did the dishes, and swept the floor while he was showering. Then I ate some frosted flakes. Ha. So, I asked him what it was so I can make sure I never do it again, and he gives me a weird smirk and says, "think about it, I'm sure you'll figure it out some day." And that was it.. I've been trying to work on speaking openly together, SO I'll just talk all day long. I'll ask him silly questions about his favorite movie etc, but he literally wont talk. One day he even said, "It's ok, I'll just patiently wait until the end of this transfer, it's fine!" Sooo.... Yeah. I've been talking to the zone leaders about it. And I might bring it up with the president this Saturday in my interview. I don't know. It's just bizarre because I really am trying to serve him as much as I can, and I'm stressed out of my mind because he won't contribute at all to what's going on around here, plus I don't really know what I'm doing... But...then I have exchanges with a blue, and it was the best day of my mission.. SO.. I'm a little confused. I think he's just nuts. Or he has some personal problems that he's not coping with very well.. Either way, the work goes on!
ON a more positive note. In fact, a VERY positive note. Yesterday I got a phone call that made my entire mission a success already.
Well... we've been working with an inactive guy (Gustavo) a little bit. He has quite story, but He loves his family... He's just made a TON of mistakes that are no good. He served a mission a long time ago though... anyway. He currently lives here in Switzerland and his family lives in Spain. Well... Basically, his entire family is active in the church, and his oldest daughter decided she wants to leave on a mission. And that has something to do with the reason he wants us to keep seeing him. well, last week his wife went to the Madrid temple to get endowed, so he was a little emotional. He kept getting pictures of his family at the temple etc. Well... We had a rdv last Thursday and he expressed how incredibly horrible he feels that he can't be there for his wife, but he also said how badly he wants to be sealed to his family, but he obviously can't yet.. well.. I set a goal with him that by the time his daughter gets home from her mission he'd be ready to go to the temple to get sealed as a family. He loved it, and he's super committed, but he kind of threw his life at me and said, k.. what do I need to do? ha. SO... we started out by, COME TO CHURCH on Sunday! ha.
Well... Sunday came around... NO SHOW. I was so bummed. But I didn't think too much of it. I texted him and called him and everything, and nothing... Well... Sunday night at about 8 PM, I got a phone call from him.
He was bawling on the other side of the phone. This was what he said,
"I'm sorry I'm crying, I've been trying to stop crying enough to call you, but it's been three hours. But, I'm sorry I couldn't come to church today, My daughter got her mission call today, so I was skipping with them during church. I wanted to call you and tell you about it."
I was so relieved! haha. anyway.. he went on.. "well, she's going exactly where she's always DREAMED of going.. Salt Lake City Temple Square.. But Elder, I just want you to know, and I called you to tell you, That I promised my daughter, I told her and everything, But I promised her we'd go to the temple when she got home to be sealed as a family."
I can't even write this without crying geez.. He ended with, "Elder, I need your help to get there."
THAT. Right there. Is why I'm here in this mission at this time. I told myself before my mission that I was going on a mission to help make eternal families a possibility . Here's my first shot. I know for a fact that I have nothing to do with the changes that this man is making in his life. But what I do know, is that I have never in my life experienced the same amount of joy in my life. I've never cried so happily in my life. Eternal families. That's why I'm here. Mom, you can tell the stake president. He told me to write home and tell him when I find out why I'm here, tell him that's why. Cool side fact about this story: Oh... yeah, none of the wards around here know who he is, he's not in any of their records, but some how, he was in our phone as a less active in our ward. THE FRENCH ward... except.. He doesn't speak great french. So... we teach him in Spanish . I think the timing of me getting here, serving in the french ward, was just perfect to help him out right at this moment in his life.
Also cool thing: His daughter will probably still be on her mission when I get home, (maybe, I haven't confirmed it yet), But that means I can go to Salt Lake and take a picture with her to send to her dad. I think that would be awesome to get to talk to her, and talk about her dad and the changes we're helping him make.
Goodness. I love missionary work. Even when I'm stressed, Even when my companion won't talk to me. Who cares. God loves his children, and he's going to bless them whether me and my companion get along or not. ha.
well.. I've got to go.. We've got dinner at the Bonny's tonight. (family I wrote about last week).
PS... Baby Arthur (the baby I blessed) is in surgery RIGHT NOW. (2nd surgery . I'll let ya know the results of this one. They're giving him a pace maker I guess.. I'm pretty sure it's all fine though! I'm confident.
Love you!