I know, I'm so humble...Anyways, fun Chile fact, little fruit about the size of a grape grows on tons of the trees, in all sorts of different flavors, and when your AWESOME NEW COMP knows which ones are safe and delicious, you can pick them off and have a little snack as you walk. The best ones are the color of a Fuji apple and are super sweet. I just adore Chile!
So yeah. This week. IT ROCKED. Seriously, I had been so nervous for my first companion change in the field and about adjusting to a whole new person and would she be kind or would she be lazy and all sorts of things that could be wrong or difficult with a companion...but Hermana Velazquez is AMAZING! We have all sorts of things in common (like how every week, we have a goal to be more Christ like and we pick one attribute from Chap.6 in PMG to focus on), we are both crazy about contacting (it is so fun to me!), and in this last week, I have worked harder than I have in my whole mission. Which is only 7 weeks of proselyting, but STILL, it has been amazing! Get this- in these last six days, we have gotten four new investigators, five of our investigators are now progressing, and we have TWO with a set baptismal date! And those two we contacted on Wednesday! That is the story I want to share first- the story of Alexander and Fransisco.
We were contacting in the street, which usually isn't extremely effective, but you feel good afterward because you are leaving little impressions on their heart, and eventually some missionary will be super happy because they made an appointment with a street contact. Well, we were walking down the sidewalk and past these two guys sitting on the ground talking. After a moment, I realized they were talking in English.
Whaaaaaat. Backtrack. Contact. Appointment made (!). But I didn't get my hopes up, these kind of things usually don't have success...the address doesn't exist or they aren't there or any other silly reason. But we got to Alexander's house on Friday and they were totally ready with juice and cookies and all! It was a very unique experience, because we went in ready to teach them Lesson One about The Restoration, but they had LOTS of questions. They had done a little research on the Internet (ugh) and had lots of facts that were just a little tweaked and needed a little straightening. Seriously though, with all these questions, we found out that we had two golden investigators sitting before us. They asked about smoking, drinking, chastity, personal revelation, and tithing. Tithing! And after each question they expressed how they had corresponding opinions with all of our commandments. I mean..really...two 25 year old boys. And they speak English. And they were ready for our visit. We also had my Marisole with us as our MAC (because its always better to have a member present and we needed one more girl), and when it came time to teach the lesson, it just flowed. It wasn't a lesson, it was a conversation, and that's how you know that you are doing it right.
When it came time to invite them to read the Book of Mormon, their answer was "Well, obviously we want to read it!" WHAT!!!!
In the next visit, which was the next DAY because they were so excited to hear more, was when the real magic happened. We taught them about The Plan of Salvation, which for some reason makes me nervous, I dunno, it is a big concept and especially in Spanish is difficult. But they were so excited for it, especially Francisco- he had lots of questions about life after death, and this lesson answers it all! In the middle of the lesson, in the part about the Atonement...I just, I don't know how to explain it, I was speaking and using words that I didn't know the definition of, but somehow, in that moment, it was all making sense...I can say that I truly have been an instrument in the Lords hands, that he was about to use me to connect with these two boys, and they were able to feel his spirit. That is what I am HERE for! It was amazing!
Also, they are both getting baptized on the 22nd of December :)
WWWWHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Yeah, so that's that story :)
A beautifully hilarious story from this week- the six of us missionaries in the ward were looking for people to give chapel tours to on Saturday, something we try and do to get investigators and people coming to church to see what we are all about. Hermana Velazquez and I ended up talking to this, just, crazy individual for 20 minutes. She was full of animation and opinions about how very bad we Mormons are, and at one point, she held her arms up toward the chapel and said, in reference to our beliefs and what she doesn't like, "Todos estes cosas!" "All those things!" And the first thing I thought of was the video of Emmy in the car talking about Politics. (Mom, have Dad post that video on the blog with this email. The world deserves to see it.) I was biting my lip so hard to keep from laughing! Even with no success, it is possible to be happy and have a good time trying to spread the gospel.
We had a meeting with our Bishop this week to get references of people to visit, inactive members and potential investigators. I couldn't help but think about the first time I had a meeting with him, with Hna. Ortiz. I understood absolutely nothing! I remember feeling so overwhelmed and honestly a little useless. It's honestly amazing to me that not only could I understand what was being said, but I was contributing to the conversation, telling him about members we visit and what I have found that they needed in my time with Hna. Ortiz. I still have a ways to go with the language, but I am seeing my accomplishments and they give me strength to keep going, to keep trying, to keep being a missionary!
And this week, I felt like a true MISSIONARY. I worked hard, I talked to so many people, and I was BOLD and invited people to come unto Christ, through the book of Mormon, through attending church, through baptism, through repentance...I did real missionary work this week. We are going going going all day and I LOVE IT. It is what I am here to do! I am so happy today with the work that we have done, and am anxious to get back out there and continue this work and continue to bring others to Christ, to be an instrument in the hands of God. This church is true, I know it with all of my heart. I am a missionary, and I am happy! Stay Bold, everyone!
Con Amor,
Hermana Harkins
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