Dear Beloved Family!
I am so sorry! the other week they let us know that our Pday was different this week but I totally forgot to let you know! I hope I have not caused to much worry! There are no problems here other than I have a lot to tell you!
This last week was my first translado! And.... I am still here in the same place! lol There is a work for me to do here I just know it!
Couple cool things about this last week. I have now seen five people on one moto. I saw a moto that had a speaker built into the body. I saw a moto that was pushing along side it a baby stroller! These people are crazy! lol
The most important and biggest story of this week is about Ramone Cabrera! He is the one that asked for daily help and all. He is amazing! A couple days after we gave him the run down and he asked for our help he sent us a message at eleven in the morning telling us that he wanted to meet pronto. When we got to his house he told us about how he was reading the Book of Mormon until three in the morning! He could not put it down! What’s more is that he had marked scriptures too. Not just nice ones but the best ones and he was already applying things like the diligence of Nephi in his own life! Casually he told us that of course he knew that the book was true! He said that no one other than an inspired man could have written it. Way cool! We some more lessons with him and his family in the week. He always has a bazillion questions about everything! He brought his whole family to church on Sunday! fifteen minutes early too!
Someone coming to church over here is basically a miracle. Most people do not own cars, that’s why there are so many motorcycles and scooters. When he showed up we didn’t hardly have any members in the chapel. It was wonderful! His two cutie daughters loved primary and made new friends and everything. The coolest part was talking to him the next day! He told us about how he felt and all and once again just kind of casually said that oh of course he knows the church is true! he said that during the sacrament meeting it was difficult with his little girls and everything but after the fact he felt incredible! He said that it was more joy than he had felt in a very long time. To the point that his mother was so happy talking to him and seeing him so happy that she said she wanted to come to church with him when she is in town!
We were able to explain to him that this feeling is why we are missionaries. We want to help others feel like that! WE also explained that with baptism and the Holy Ghost he could have the feeling with him always. By this point he is so excited and trying to figure out how to buy a bible too so that he can study more about everything there too. lol
The best part was that he eventually said that he knew we had a lesson prepared and he remembered that it was the plan of salvation. He said that I would give the opening and he could do the closing! Just so fun because he acts like a member and everything is always so fast and exciting because he is so eager to learn! We gave him the lesson and at the end he said that he would be baptized! He also said that he would do it this month! After he was asking about the preparation he needed before hand. Now... He is not married. WE have talked about marriage before but we wanted to get him to the point where he wanted to be baptized before we brought it up again. I explained very briefly the law of chastity and his response was that of course that makes sense then! He said that he has to get married now so that he is not still sinning after baptism! lol He just understands everything! His wife was working during this meeting but she called right at the end to figure something out. At the end of the call he told her that he has news for her later that night! He knew that it had to be something done fast!
We still do not know what happened in that conversation but I do not believe there are any problems. The only problem is that to get married is going to take a few months down here... I hope that I am still in town at that time! It would be three baptisms and a complete family! We are thinking we might take Ramón out with us to other investigators even before he is baptized because he has a stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon than a lot of the members do! Whenever we use a scripture from the bible he says oh but it probably explains it better in the Book of Mormon right? Way cool! Don’t have pictures of this family yet but soon!
Ok I need to explain a little bit about the biggest most hardest thing that I am going to face out here in my mission! This last week I had some really hard hard days because of this problem. The problem is that the members are crazy! We are trying to push and have members in the majority of our lessons but the problem is that they cannot contain themselves! They start talking about sealings and baptisms for the dead and unpardonable sins and all of the really complicated stuff! They also can’t stay on one topic. In one lesson... a very simple lesson about blessings received from the gospel... we had the story of Jonas and the whale and a big rant about worshiping idols as well as an explanation about why marriage in the temple is important! They also start saying really weird things like there are wizards who knew the truth during the apostasy but they could not tell anyone because they were not called as prophets?.... Of how about Christ suffered in the Garden for forty days and forty nights? Oh and in case you are wondering there is a web page that has all the evidence about the Book of Mormon if you really want to know the truth.... They always cut the missionaries off in the middle of sentences or say that there is a better way to explain it and then go off on some rant. There were a few days that we were very worried for our investigators. It’s a good thing that Ramón has the testimony super strong lol.
Sigh.... We are trying a different approach with the members now. We are teaching all of the lessons and showing them how they can help. This is to help build their testimonies as well as teach them how to talk to people who are not members of the church. I love them all but it’s just hard to work with them right now. Also they all say that one day this area will change and have more success but it’s like - oh it’s no use right now everything is all messed up let’s not even try.... That kind of an attitude.
I feel like everything here is stagnant. You know like it has not moved or changed in a very long time. The people do the same things every single day. Everyone thinks that religion is just kind of there and there is never progression and more understanding. We had one lady tell us that she does not want to know the truth or have her own testimony because then she might end up changing her religion... There is trash everywhere, ANCIENT trash lol I am really starting to love change! When things are the same to long I have to mix it up.
Talked to the first person this week who wanted to bible bash. Except it was more like she parrots everything she has been told and we try patiently to answer her questions. She kept telling us to find a scripture that says why we don’t worship and pray to the virgin. We tried to help her understand that no scripture exists in favor of worshiping the virgin. She really could not understand anything we said. I actually really love talking to people who have read the bible, hardly anyone here has.
I really have not heard from hardly anyone lol Mail has not even came yet out here because I am way far away from the mission home. Care has emailed me and faith too. I am good for now. I will let you know if I need anything.
I love you all so very much! The next time I write will be on Monday!
-Elder Jacob Green!
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