April 15, 2010
DEEP IN THE HEAAART OF TEXAS!!!!!!
DEEP IN THE HEAAART OF TEXAS!!!!!!
I'm still in Arlington. Whoohoo!!!! I was really glad to stay because we have some amazing investigators and I wanted to be able to see them get BAPTIZED. Sister Cheketts went to Waco and now Sister Vasquez is my companion. She is AWESOME. She is Navajo and from Chinley, Arizona. I'm really excited and I think great things are going to happen this transfer.
GREAT NEWS!!!! The other day, I got the gifts of tongues. I'm not sure what happened, but all of the sudden I can understand almost everything people say. I can't respond back as well as I'd like, but I can actually carry my own conversation. It's marvelous. Funny thing is the first lesson where I could actually understand everything that was going on was with this guy named Blaz, who kept telling us that Mormons are polygamists and that it's a cult...so I just pretended like I didn't know what he was saying and let Sister Checketts talk to him.
Weird story for the day...We haven't seen Socorro for 2 weeks. We used to see her every other day. She didn't come to conference or to church last week, no one answers the door when we go to her apt, and when we call, her husband always says she's out. She doesn't have a job or really anywhere to go, so "before" she was always home. Last night we were with Hermana San Miguel and we went to visit Socorro. The gate to her apt complex was locked, which never happens. So we drove around the block and were going to go back to the church, but I was looking out the window and going to show Sister Vasquez which apt was Socorro's and I SAW HER STANDING ON THE PORCH. So we went around the complex to the gate again and were waiting for a car to come and open it (happens often.) I called and her husband answered, I asked for her and he said she was at work, cleaning houses. At 8:45 at night. We got in the gate, went to her apt, and no one answered the door.... WEEEEEEIRD.
For P-Day we played football. It's really hot here already. I scored a touchdown. Because the elders are not allowed to touch you.
This last Tuesday was an excellent day. We went to Fort Worth. All good things (ok, not ALL, but close) happen in Fort Worth. We had dinner with all of the missionaries (there are seven of us) in the ward at the Quiztians house. They fed us til we rolled out the door. Brother Quiztian came home early from work so he could be there. Afterwards we went to visit Chalino while 3 of the elders stayed to teach Brother Quiztian and we sent Elder Alcaraz and Udall to see Danny (the one that calls me Vaughn).
When we teach Chalino, I feel like I'm in the MTC again teaching missionaries that don't want to try to be investigators, so they agree with everything you say and when you ask them questions they answer them correctly and teach YOU. The only difference is weren't NOT in the MTC. We finished the plan of salvation and Chalino told us how it was so important to repent in this life because we can't after, before we taught him that. Then when we asked him if he'd read what we'd left him he said yes but hadn't finished it. We asked him to show us what he'd read because usually when they say that they'd only read like 5 verses. We'd left him 2 Nephi 2...and he'd read 4 of the 6 pages (it takes up more pages in Spanish because the print is bigger.) Which is great because it had only been a few days and he can't see that well. He's like the perfect investigator. He's ready to be baptized now but they have to come to church at least 3 times so we set a baptismal date for March 2.
He came to church on Sunday and loved every minute of it. About a million little kids got up and just said crazy things (in testimony meeting) and were running around and climbing on stuff and I was really worried, but Chalino loved it. He just kept saying, "Que bonito. Que bonito." After church he looked at us and said, "Estoy listo." I knew what he meant but Sister Checketts said, "To go home?" And he shook his head no so I said, "For baptism?" And he just grinned. I am so excited.
While we were teaching Chalino, the elders set March 1 with Hermano Quiztian. Well, actually, he asked if they had any services coming up. Which is great because he kept telling us he wasn't getting baptized.
After that we went and saw Jesus. He is ready as well, but he doesn't feel ready because he's not sure if he understands everything. When we got there, we asked if he had any questions and he said, what does it mean to be baptized?
We read Mosiah 18 and after we were done he looked at us and said, "This is it. This is what I was looking for. This is the answer I needed, but I couldn't find it. And it's right here in this book."
God's eye is truly upon the Texas Fort Worth Mission. It's such a gift to be able to help these people to come to know their Savior, to feel His love, and to be able to change their lives. We set the 2nd for Jesus as well. I can't wait for May to come. And for our next interviews so I can tell President that the Arlington sisters need to move to Fort Worth. :)
I love you all. Until next week.
Love,
Sister Vaughn
Seer of miracles
No comments:
Post a Comment