Who would have thought a little over a year ago that I would be in SOUTH AMERICA for my 21st birthday?! NOT me. But what an awesome birthday it was :) woke up to find a banner set up by my beautiful comp saying "Happy Birthday Ashlynne", yeah, in ENGLISH, and she searched my English scriptures for how to spell my name and everything. Opened a bunch of gifts from the best mom ever- clothes, sticky notes, stationary, lush products(!!!), earrings, spa supplies(!!!), scarves. They sang to me in Relief Society. I got a ridiculous amount of chocolate. We had lunch with an awesome family in the ward, they made burgers and cake (because what else would a gringa missionary WANT for her birthday?) and then...we had to go on divisions.
Long story short, my comp and her trainer had to go back to their sector to visit some people that were struggling, and I went to the sector where my comps trainer is right now with her current companion.
Know what that sector is?
Lo Erazurriz.
That is correct. On my birthday, I got to work in my old sector.
TALK ABOUT BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER FOR A MISSIONARY!
Guys, seriously, you do not even know what amazing happiness I felt. Pure joy. Seriously the best birthday gift ever. We visited a bunch of people and they were all just crazy in shock, and BENJAMIN! My convert! Two weeks ago he received the priesthood and Sunday was the first day that he blessed the Sacrament! And he is preparing to go do baptisms for the dead in the temple and he invited his mom to read the Book of Mormon and she is in Alma 21 and I just could have cried to see him so happy and strong, in spite of so little support in his home, he is making miracles happen and is HAPPY to be a member of the church.
It was a wonderful day :)
And, surprise surprise, we don't have changes. I am very blessed to be in El Abrazo with Hna. Marquez for one more change :) and we are EXCITED. We had a little goal setting session yesterday and we are pumped up and ready to go and unified by our love for the people in this sector. There is still so much that we can do, and we are ready to do it.
And we had an experience last night that I would love to share with you all.
We had a lesson with two investigators last night who are the parents of a recent RM: Literally, he got home two weeks ago, and has gotten right on top of teaching his parents the lessons. We have been visiting them for a long time, but have found it to be a bit of a struggle to teach them. They have a crazy huge love for their son, but their desire to listen to the truths of the Gospel and put action to what they are learning...not so much. But now their son is home, and we have big faith that we can see a miracle happen. So we continue teaching.
Last night, we taught The Plan of Salvation, which we honestly thought would touch those lil heart strings and help them feel the awesome power of the spirit. And we had their son there to help us out, lemme tell you, returned missionaries make for an awesome MAC. We had qualquier esperanza. But it turned out to be one of those lessons where they contradicted everything that we said and trying to confuse us with craftily phrased questions. Like Abinadi and the priests of King Noah. And we did our best, but Abinadi had some amazing power, see Mosiah 13:3-4. I don't like sounding so weak, but it honestly scared me. And I did not feel good after the lesson.
As we sat down to plan for the next day, I asked Hna. M how she felt about the lesson, expecting to hear exactly what I was feeling- that it wasn't our best. But she told me that she felt great about it. And when I asked her why, she said something that I will never forget ever. She said "During the whole lesson, all they did was say no to what we were teaching. But in the end, when we testified, they didn't say anything. They can deny the gospel, but they cant deny our testimonies."
And that got me reflecting back on the lesson...on the moment when we bore our testimonies of the things that we had taught. And I realized that it was true; and I felt the strongest desire in that moment to share my testimony with her. I didn't understand why, I had just shared it in a lesson and she obviously heard it, but if there is any one thing that I have learned on my mission, it is to always act on the promptings of the spirit. So I shared my testimony. And I really just poured out my soul, we were both crying by the time I finished. And then she told me something else that I will never forget. She told me "Hermana, you have a powerful testimony. You should never be afraid to share it. Even if the people we teach don't want to hear anymore of the message we have or if they deny all that we teach, you have to share your testimony as you just did with me. Because it can move mountains."
You never think that missionaries are scared to do what they do, and maybe its just me, but I will admit to my weakness, and sometimes I get intimidated by my fellow man and their mere words and actions. But I know that I was prompted to share my testimony, my TRUE straight from the heart testimony with her so that she could tell me that. So that I could take up fresh courage that I could then realize that I was lacking and bear my testimony. Even if they deny what we teach. Even if their hearts are closed. Even if it seems like there is no hope to teach them anything else. MY testimony can move mountains. But it cant do anything if I keep it in my heart or only give it half way.
It's SO rad, the things that I am learning on my mission.
Stay rad, y'all :) Just keep doing what you do :)
Hermana Harkins
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