week 59

Let's start with eb´ li poot!

This week was pretty successful! We were able to put four fechas - one with a girl named Angleina, then Maria, and then a couple up in the Mirador named Tecla and Fidel.

The unfortunate part is only Maria showed up to church. Not even the two Paulinas showed up that we had the other fechas with. So we have some investigating to do this week to find out why they didn't show up. I will have to say, it is weird that they commit to baptism but then don't come to church.We could bring them, but it is hard because we go to two Ramas (Branches, two separate congregations) so if we went to get them we would miss the first meeting. It is Rama 1´s Sacrament meeting, so it is important to go to see if we have investigators there. Also because I get to play piano for both! They don't seem to understand that I am just kind of faking my way through the hymns when I play. It is nice to have a job though so that time goes a little faster. I always seem to be hungry on Sundays.

We went down to La Tinta today so Elder Smart could say goodbye to some missionaries there. I'm entering my last week with Elder Smart so that is kind of sad, but I guess that is just how the mission is. Something I have learned about this mission is that no matter which missionary it is, they miss their buddies and the people here, but they are always ready to be done. I actually have a rule I'm going to put into effect after our Christmas phone call - unless you need info on when I come home or about college or something, we aren't allowed to talk about me coming home haha. I feel like from what I have seen it makes it really hard to work.

Tonight we have a Family Home Evening with a member family so that will be super good. Tomorrow we will have Family Home Evening with the other family I told you about. Working with the husband kind of went to poop, he left his family because his wife got mad because he couldn't stop drinking. The Rama is helping her a lot, I don't think the husband feels a lot of support though so I think that might be a big problem. Our Rama normally is really good about this kind of thing, so it must just be taking some time to sort things out.

Ok, time to answer mom's questions.

1. Happiest moment this week: Putting the fechas with the four people was awesome, plus we had a lot of member help so that was good. Maybe they didn't come to church, but it was still good to have more fechas!

2. Most difficult moment this week: We did this really hard service this week where we had to carry this persons house. Like literally, we tore her house down and took all her belongings and then moved it down a hill and up another hill. It was really exhausting and made me tired the rest of the week. People were threatening her because she has a stove (a really heavy stove haha) so she was worried they were going to kill her and stuff. No one has anything like that here and she has it completely paid off and it is actually pretty nice, so they wanted it I guess. They wrote messages outside her house and everything apparently. She is living more in the community now and she is next to members. I know you are probably asking why she didn't call the police, but I don't think there is much the police would do. I wasn't able to snag any pictures while we were working, but here we are taking a break.

3. Funniest moment this week: Something that has been happening between me, Elder Bos and Elder Smart is our English is getting really awful. So a couple quotes from the week. Me - "hey guys, I was looking at the calendar and the 25th falls on a Christmas this year!" Not really sure what I was trying to say there. Elder Bos - we were talking about our favorite Disney princesses at the time - "I am more of a Jasmine girl." At first none of us caught it, but then we realized that Elder Bos is not a Jasmine girl, but a Jasmine guy haha. (Editor's note - how cute are these sweet missionaries?)

4. Cutest thing I saw this week: We were just on our way up from La Tinta right now and I was sitting with Elder Bos and we were playing with a little girl who was super cute. I should have taken a picture but I forgot. 

5. Most spiritual moment this week: This is kind of cheating, but it was pretty spiritual to put all those fechas in like two days. That felt pretty good.

6. Longest walk this week: Either the Mirador or an appointment we went to far enough away that some members actually drove us in a car, and then we had to walk home. If those investigators come to church they have the strongest faith in the world!

Dad asked how things are going with my health. Eh, they are going. I think I will just have to get used to being sick until I finish my mission.

My spiritual thought for this week is from an interview I saw with David A. Bednar. He was asked the question, "How can I achieve both temporal and spiritual self reliance without focusing primarily on temporal self reliance?" Elder Bednar had some strong feelings. He said "Number one, I don't like the term self reliance. We should never rely on self. First and foremost, we should recognize our dependence on God and our reliance upon Him... We are children of God. Through the Savior's Atonement we are blessed with moral agency. The principle of moral agency is the least understood of all gospel principles...Why do we have agency? ... It is to choose Him. Not to choose what we want, but to choose God, and to love and serve each other... As we begin to have the name of Christ come upon us through ordinances and covenants, we have a new family name: Christian. And with that name we are to represent Him at all times and in all places and in all things... When we enter into that covenant and begin to have the name of Christ come upon us, our agency is enlarged. It's no longer individual agency. It is enlarged to become representative agency. And representing Christ and His name at all times and in all places and in all things becomes more important than what we want."

Don't know what more can be said.

I love you and have a good week!

Love, Elder Toolson