Semana 21- Take Up Thy Bed and Walk

If you want to find miracles both big and small in your life, simply forget yourself and go to work. There are oftentimes things around me that I forget to recognize as miracles but certainly are. I'll try to do justice enough of what has happened.

Tuesday brought tons of little miracles. There was a women we found sweeping who talked about her hard life especially that her daughter passed away. We watched a Gracias a Él video and talked about el plan de salvación. She cried the spirit was so strong. The only thing is that she was at her cousins house so we had to send her info out to other missionaries. We also talked to quite a few other people and it felt like we were on a spiritual high.

Wednesday we planned a bunch of people's faith calendars so that way we could prepare them more to be baptized. We talked to our buddy Wally and as we bore our testimonies about the restoration he told us that because of what his mom taught us he was born a catholic and he would die a catholic. Somehow, we didn't really believe him. So, we came back and talked with him more and as we explained the Godhead with him and read in the Bible of Stephan seeing Christ on the right hand of God, he changes his whole demeanor. It was like a little switch had flipped off and now he trusts us so much. He has been sharing his story with us and has gotten teary about the Gospel and where his son is now. He just won't commit yet to church or baptism but we are trying! Sauk also came to young men's and we ended up sitting in on that with them. It was pretty fun. It was all about what happens after graduation with jobs, missions, or college. And it was cool to just have these members explain what they know. We also ran so late of everything with our lessons that we didn't have time for dinner...

On Thursday we finally got our ac fixed!! Which is honestly the best news ever because we had been going in to every lesson drenched in sweat and practically begging people for water bottles. It did mean that we didn't make it to district council but we did it over zoom. We also had bought ice cream for Elder Hobbs birthday so we ended up coming during dinner time and tried to ask some drug store restaurant combo for cups and spoons to eat with and they wouldn't let us. So we just ate our lunches and gave him the mainly melted tub of mint chocolate chip. (It's tragic that we couldn't have a sing spoonful of our ice-cream efforts). We got a home grown pineapple which was pretty exciting. There also was a super talkative lady who said that she was so glad to see us and proceeded to talk about how she has always admired this church and the tabernacle choir and how centered it is on Christ. She also said when other missionaries explained Joseph Smith that it had felt so right to her.

Friday started with lots of new people and also lots of lessons. But it was chillah.

Saturday was baptism day! And nobody answered but we went and filled up the font. We also had to bring the elders back so that somebody could baptism Olga in Spanish. This is the hugest miracle of all time. So ya'll should probably take a seat. Starting of Wednesday her legs have been hurting. When we came by on Friday she told us that there was no way she could come to the baptism because of el dolor en sus piernes. I was so worried, that I interrupted her and said that we were going to say una oración right then. So, on Friday I prayed and said that she would find the strength to be baptized and to be able to walk into the font. (Her car is broken right now so a member picked her up for the baptism). She comes hardly moving with two people on either side so she can move. The baptismal service starts and 4 elders are there because the old Alice Elders are biking and in a four man house so they always need a ride. It ends up, that both Elder Hobbs and Elder Gilbert are there in the font so she can be baptized without bending her legs. People are stressed and she's in pain. But, she is able to be baptized and as she is helped out of the steps she says that the pain is leaving her legs and she is crying so hard. The spirit was so strong. If you want a miracle that is the biggest one I have seen this week. She went in weak and struggling to move and came out without any help needed. We also had our friend Margie come to the baptism and she told us that after 40 years of talking with missionaries and coming off and on to church she is finally ready to be baptized! Which we are doing on the 8th!! Also, after the baptism. All Olga could talk about was how wonderful she felt and how glad she was for the young missionaries to be here and how it has changed her life. It was honestly amazing and she got a blessing afterwards but it was honeslt so good!!

Lots of miracles. Sunday brought us a couple of people who came to church. Olga was given the gift of the Holy Ghost and we had a potluck at church. And knocked a lot of doors. All in all, a fantastic week.

Pensamiento Espiritual: Mark 2:9-12

"9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion."

- Sis Anderson and I at the playa (last monday)

- the zone area at Padre Island

- we did the whip cream toss thing and I got it on the ceiling 🫣

- Compañeras 

- bautismo de Olga!!

- featuring those aviators once again

- Brianna gave us a pineapple!

- the monster trucks in Alice! (also that family revamped their house to look like a castle so they had a moat and a turret)

- driving

- do you see how hot it is? (Ac thankfully got fixed and it cooled down a bit)

- Miniature horses that lived in a front yard