NEWS
(INVESTIGATOR'S NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO MAINTAIN ANONYMITY)
OCTOBER 21, 2013 - Une promenade dans le paradis ....
Bonjour ma chère famille!
It's been a pretty interesting week. All that potential we had last week is kind of plateau-ed. Really, it's just weird little things that happened. It's also vacation right now apparently, so lots of people went out of town. So, it's honestly been kind of slow. We've had a few First lessons with people, like our Chinese girls, and Artis. Each of them are SUPER interested in the Book of Mormon and are committed to read it and pray about it. (our Chinese friend might finish within a couple of weeks because she reads so fast!) But each of them just asked for a little while to read, plus they are very engaged in their own traditions already, so they're a little hesitant to change their life right away. It honestly reminded me of the sons of Mosiah how they taught people the truth, to the point that they just literally could not NOT believe it. I think all these people already kind of believe it's true, but they're scared to know if it's true because that would mean they'd have to completely change their lives, and they're not ready to do that yet. It's frustrating, but it's not the first time I've encountered it. Back in Genève I had a guy tell me after a first rdv that he totally believed it was true, he even felt the spirit right then and there telling him he needed to be baptized but he said, he's scared to read the book of Mormon because then he wouldn't even have a choice but change his life. He didn't even take the book of Mormon from me. It's crazy how much people just DON'T want to change their life. I guess the simple immediate pleasures of this world are just TOO enticing to them to think about the Eternal Benefits that can come.
SO. after this slow week, here we are approaching the last week of the transfer with about 6 people to work with.
Quick miracle of the week - We decided to take a quick stop in the big city of Sion to contact for a bit, but we only had like 20 minutes. Well... I only contacted 2 people. First was a nun. (just to be nice and hear people tell me how great I am for introducing people to Jesus.. sometimes that's a little refreshing to hear... so we contact nuns sometimes on purpose. haha). Anyway, the second person we contacted was a lady from Cameroon who is fed up with the worlds values getting all backwards. (I agree with her). She told me she's visited church after church but she just doesn't know where to go because they're all hypocrites. (I thought of Uchtdorf's talk, and said to myself, "dang it, we're hypocrites too!" ha.) Anyway. I taught her the restoration while my companion kept talking to other people around us. We talked for a while. She accepted the Book of Mormon, then started asking all sorts of questions such as what we believe when it comes to homosexuality, divorce, abortions, etc. I guess the gospel principles passed her little pre-exam and she agreed to have a rdv with us the next day. Well. Yesterday we had that RDV and taught her the Plan of Salvation. It really is remarkable every time I teach that to see how people react. We teach SO much detail they've never heard of before, and yet, they believe it so easily. (sometimes) well. This was the case with her. She loved it. She even mentioned that she really really liked Mormons already and would love to be one. The problem is, she's moving to Germany this next week. SO... lucky we ran into her when we did! She's got all she needs to know. She'll find the missionaries up there, and she'll get to fulfill her dream of becoming a Mormon up there. ha. :)
Well... dad, I didn't send the memory card quite yet because I realized that this week we had planned to do something that I figured you'd want some pictures of. We went on a gorgeous hike up through some of the millions of grape vineyards up here to the top of a little mountain up above Sion to some old castle ruins. I'll attach a couple of pictures so you get a sneak preview of the hike, then you can add some more to the website when you get the card this next week. It was absolutely stunning. Perfect weather. With all the leaves changing colors. Over the incredible valley. surrounded by castles and grape vineyards. Literally picking grapes off the vines to eat them. (apparently everyone does it.. ha.) They were SO good. my word.
I'm in paradise everyone! Don't you worry about me!
Jimmy update-
Well.. His baptismal date was for this Saturday Let's just say, I'm pushing his date back a bit. but we're on the edge of our seats for this week. He really is going through an incredibly difficult moment in his life. For several reasons, we're not baptizing him right now.. Also. We find out Wednesday if he has to move to Italy (or even later, back to Ecuador). Long story short. He'll be baptized soon no matter what. He really does want to really badly.. Whether it's here or somewhere else, He'll be baptized. He committed to it. We'll find out this week i guess if it'll be here this next transfer.
Also, we find out this Friday if we'll even be staying here this next transfer. It's such a crazy mystery every time! Fun though. I sure hope I stay here. It is too perfect!
We'll find out. I'll let you know.
I Love you guys, so much! stay happy. Thanks for the prayers.
Love you!
-Elder Lago
It's been a pretty interesting week. All that potential we had last week is kind of plateau-ed. Really, it's just weird little things that happened. It's also vacation right now apparently, so lots of people went out of town. So, it's honestly been kind of slow. We've had a few First lessons with people, like our Chinese girls, and Artis. Each of them are SUPER interested in the Book of Mormon and are committed to read it and pray about it. (our Chinese friend might finish within a couple of weeks because she reads so fast!) But each of them just asked for a little while to read, plus they are very engaged in their own traditions already, so they're a little hesitant to change their life right away. It honestly reminded me of the sons of Mosiah how they taught people the truth, to the point that they just literally could not NOT believe it. I think all these people already kind of believe it's true, but they're scared to know if it's true because that would mean they'd have to completely change their lives, and they're not ready to do that yet. It's frustrating, but it's not the first time I've encountered it. Back in Genève I had a guy tell me after a first rdv that he totally believed it was true, he even felt the spirit right then and there telling him he needed to be baptized but he said, he's scared to read the book of Mormon because then he wouldn't even have a choice but change his life. He didn't even take the book of Mormon from me. It's crazy how much people just DON'T want to change their life. I guess the simple immediate pleasures of this world are just TOO enticing to them to think about the Eternal Benefits that can come.
SO. after this slow week, here we are approaching the last week of the transfer with about 6 people to work with.
Quick miracle of the week - We decided to take a quick stop in the big city of Sion to contact for a bit, but we only had like 20 minutes. Well... I only contacted 2 people. First was a nun. (just to be nice and hear people tell me how great I am for introducing people to Jesus.. sometimes that's a little refreshing to hear... so we contact nuns sometimes on purpose. haha). Anyway, the second person we contacted was a lady from Cameroon who is fed up with the worlds values getting all backwards. (I agree with her). She told me she's visited church after church but she just doesn't know where to go because they're all hypocrites. (I thought of Uchtdorf's talk, and said to myself, "dang it, we're hypocrites too!" ha.) Anyway. I taught her the restoration while my companion kept talking to other people around us. We talked for a while. She accepted the Book of Mormon, then started asking all sorts of questions such as what we believe when it comes to homosexuality, divorce, abortions, etc. I guess the gospel principles passed her little pre-exam and she agreed to have a rdv with us the next day. Well. Yesterday we had that RDV and taught her the Plan of Salvation. It really is remarkable every time I teach that to see how people react. We teach SO much detail they've never heard of before, and yet, they believe it so easily. (sometimes) well. This was the case with her. She loved it. She even mentioned that she really really liked Mormons already and would love to be one. The problem is, she's moving to Germany this next week. SO... lucky we ran into her when we did! She's got all she needs to know. She'll find the missionaries up there, and she'll get to fulfill her dream of becoming a Mormon up there. ha. :)
Well... dad, I didn't send the memory card quite yet because I realized that this week we had planned to do something that I figured you'd want some pictures of. We went on a gorgeous hike up through some of the millions of grape vineyards up here to the top of a little mountain up above Sion to some old castle ruins. I'll attach a couple of pictures so you get a sneak preview of the hike, then you can add some more to the website when you get the card this next week. It was absolutely stunning. Perfect weather. With all the leaves changing colors. Over the incredible valley. surrounded by castles and grape vineyards. Literally picking grapes off the vines to eat them. (apparently everyone does it.. ha.) They were SO good. my word.
I'm in paradise everyone! Don't you worry about me!
Jimmy update-
Well.. His baptismal date was for this Saturday Let's just say, I'm pushing his date back a bit. but we're on the edge of our seats for this week. He really is going through an incredibly difficult moment in his life. For several reasons, we're not baptizing him right now.. Also. We find out Wednesday if he has to move to Italy (or even later, back to Ecuador). Long story short. He'll be baptized soon no matter what. He really does want to really badly.. Whether it's here or somewhere else, He'll be baptized. He committed to it. We'll find out this week i guess if it'll be here this next transfer.
Also, we find out this Friday if we'll even be staying here this next transfer. It's such a crazy mystery every time! Fun though. I sure hope I stay here. It is too perfect!
We'll find out. I'll let you know.
I Love you guys, so much! stay happy. Thanks for the prayers.
Love you!
-Elder Lago