President´s coming to the islands for some interviews this Thursday, and then we heard he´s coming to our District Meeting as well. So we were super worried what sort of sinning we had been doing to merit the big guns... Until we called around and realized that he´s been doing interviews all over the mission (apparently a February custom). Thank heavens for cell phones in the mission. Also, we´re having a General Authority come to the islands for a Mission Tour this month to impart his knowledge and wisdom. Which is pretty cool. And then I realized that not every kid here had two General Authorities in his ward (and one of them was even my home teacher!), so then I realize that´s REALLY cool. We´re excited.
In other news, the pancake streak continues - When the companion only has enough money buy food for three days, then he needs pancakes the rest. Haha but it´s fun, and I´m starting to add fun things like yogurt and nuts or applesauce and chocolate and see what happens. I have a starving in-house guinea pig. Y lo aprovecharé.
In more serious news, Juan Soro, our main investigator, is talking about baptism - no fecha, but the members (whom he LOVES) are very supportive and helpful, unlike his menos activo brother. They keep making allusions to it in class, like "Juan, when you get baptized, you´ll be renewing your covenants in the Santa Cena as well." "Juan, let´s suppose you got baptized tomorrow - how would you bear your testimony? About the things that changed you - the book of mormon, Joseph Smith, etc." Not super important news, but it made me laugh.
We had a really cool experience working with the members. Presidente Castro, the old mission leader and new Quorum presidente, decided that we could aprovechar some old member information thingys (cédulas, in Spanish) that were in the cabinets - see if anyone got missed when this branch switched from paper to computer. Several names yielded nothing - death, moving, etc. But, we found a family that had slipped through the cracks! Up in the mountains, a nice little hike (because the bus that´s SUPPOSED to go up there doesn´t). They´ve got a little ways to go (word of wisdom, lack of desire to pay tithing..), but they´re interested in listening. It was awesome to see that yielded someone to teach, because we´re having some dificulties finding new investigators. Our town is full of people who are only here for the early mornings or late nights- otherwise they´re in the big cities working.
We also saw some fruit from our English classes! After about four weeks of consistent spiritual thoughts, a 21 year old named Florencio decided to come to church! And not only did he come, but he stayed for all three hours and participated. I expected a 21 year old would come for the first bit, sleep, and get out as quick as he could. We kinda tricked him into coming cause my companion was giving a talk. So that was really cool. He said he might come next week, and we´re going to try and teach him this coming week as well. His buddy Santiago didn´t come, but we´ve played soccer twice now with them, and I think they definitely have potential.
It´s so interesting and so simple at the same time - people who do stuff progress! There´s nothing that makes me happier than moments like Juan Soro running frantically to us saying "I was assigned to read Ether, but I can´t find it!! I found Moroni about Baptism and Alma about Faith, but where is Ether??" I think that´s our best way to advance in the gospel. Do stuff. Magnify callings. For us, open the boca in all times and with all people - even if they just came back from Mass. That´s my missionary thought - DO STUFF. It works miracles. In the words of Yoda (Charles this is for you) "Do or do not. There is no ´try.´"
I was going to share a funny story, but this casino keeps going "BINGOBINGOBINGO GANO GANO DINEROOOOOO!" And so I can´t think. Gospel´s true, I love it here. And I made it to Isaiah in the OT. MAN that guy is tough.
Love,
Elder Stew.
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