Hello everyone!
I just have to start out by saying, “ HAPPY SIX MONTHS TO ME!!!” Wow, six months. My goodness! One third of my mission is done. WOW. A year is still a long time ahead, but it passes by soo fast! I still have a lot to do here, and a lot to learn, that is for sure. But I feel like its a little accomplishment! ha-ha I’m sure elders just laugh at this because they stay so much longer, but O well! I’m happy!
So what happened this week that is worth talking about?? I don’t even know. After 4 months in the same area with the same companion, I am starting to get ready for a change. I don’t have any more cool pictures to show you guys, or anything too fun to say. Sad! But don’t worry; I will transfer at some time. Maybe next week? Next week is transfers and I’m way nervous. We are getting a bunch of new sisters on the mission, so I´m almost positive something will change this transfer! Aghhh, so nervous! But I trust the Lord, so whatever happens will be for the best.
Let’s see... You all say my life is exciting, but I have nothing to say! O- So the church is encouraging the missionaries to find families and men to teach. My companion and I have been doing just that. The BIG PROBLEM- No one is married. NO ONE IS MARRIED. A few weeks ago we had 7 families we were teaching, and none of them married. They have to be married to be baptized! And the reason why is because they have to pay here. When people can barely buy food for their family, the last thing they want to do is pay $152 to be married. That is a lot of money for them!! So, its very difficult to baptize these families. And on top of that, people are very lazy and fall through with commitments really fast. But, the good news is that we have one couple who is just wonderful. The man is a member, and the girl isn’t, but they are very committed and she has a strong desire to be baptized. I have a feeling it will take forever to marry them and then baptize her. We´ve already had been teaching them for more than a month! But pray for us to find married families to teach!
This week we taught a woman named Vagna. She started telling us about how she frequented another church for 8 years, and started to not feel good about their teachings. She fell away, and now a while later felt like she needed to find a church again. So as we answered her questions about tithing, or fasting, she completely agreed with everything we taught. We taught her the first lesson and felt the spirit strongly. After, she had a smile on her face, and said that she really enjoyed our message, and loved that she agreed with everything. She started to cry and said that she felt so good about what we were teaching, and felt so happy. We told her that it was the Spirit she was feeling, and that the things we were teaching were true. It was such a wonderful thing to find someone ready to hear about the true gospel of Jesus Christ, and to feel the Spirit testifying that what we were teaching was true. I love moments like this! This is why I am here, to bring this happiness to others.
Like I have been saying every week, it’s getting hot. I found the way to describe it. You know that feeling of heat when you have a fever? Your whole body is hot and uncomfortable, and its hard to cool down. And when you sleep, you wake up sweating a lot. This is my life here. For a majority of the day/week I feel like this. Uncomfortably, feverishly, sweaty hot. I can’t imagine what will happen these next few months as it gets hotter! It’s incredible to think that it’s getting cool where ya´ll are- what is cool?
Well, I love you all and am so grateful for your prayers. Pray that all will go well with transfers this week! I miss you all and am so happy to be serving here. Have a wonderful week!! Love, Sister Gordon