Wed, Dec 2, 2015

Hola Familia!

So there is no such thing as Thanksgiving here so we didn't have anything special go on.  That was only a little disappointing but its all good!  I hope all of your Thanksgiving was great!

This was a crazy but good week!  I'll start off with one of the most awkward experiences I've had.
So we have been teaching this hobo named Esteban and we taught him about repentance and the importance of change.  To make the long story short, after our lesson was over and we were saying goodbye, he gave me a kiss on the cheek...... what the????

So i felt pretty gross afterwards and as we were walking to our next appointment we were stopped by 3 more hobos who wanted to know what we were doing.  As we explained who we were, it turned into a lesson about faith and it went great.  As we were saying good bye one of the hobos kissed my companion (I was on a split with Elder Harrison) and I thought it was funny until Elder Harrison told the hobos that I wanted a kiss too and I couldn't understand the Spanish so the same guy kissed me on the cheek and then right after that his buddy decided to give me one as well.... SON OF A!!!!!  It was awful but we taught some delicious doctrine so that's good.

So as you know I have been having a hard time here.  This mission is so difficult.  It got so difficult to the point that i was almost ready to give up.  I had no confidence. I thought that I couldn't help anyone because i cant even speak their language.  I pretty much felt worthless.  I felt this way all the way up until we had a lesson with twin sisters named Hilda and Lucia.  We taught them both about the restoration and I participated more than usual.  I then gave them the invitation to be baptized... and they accepted!  We are preparing them to be baptized on the 19th of this month!!!  I am so excited for them!

The next day we had a lesson with a married couple named Rafael and Rosemary and did the same lesson but different in a way.  After the lesson my companion asked if they would prepare to be baptized and they also accepted.  Then the next day we had a lesson with one of my contacts named Ingrid.  We went to a members house and oh my that had to have been my favorite lesson so far!  We taught about the restoration and gave her a different invitation.  We invited her to pray about being baptized in January and she accepted.  Things are going great for our investigators!

It is amazing how things work out.  Right when I thought I couldn't do anything, I then realized that I can do so many things!  It is such a blessing to be here giving others the opportunity to receive the amazing blessings i have received in my life.

Yesterday my companion and I went on divisions with ward members.  Me and a ward member went to go teach someone while my companion and another ward member went to go teach someone else.  It was great!  I was with a man named Frelyn and he is a returned missionary and a stud.  The lady we taught was a less active member and the original plan for what we should teach her was supposed to be the First Presidency Message by President Uchdorf in the November edition of the Liahona.  When we got to the lady's house I realized that I grabbed the December edition of the Liahona.... crap!  What do I do now?  I then decided to go to the First Presidency Message of that magazine and it was by President Monson.  It was titled "Making Time for the Savior".  It was perfect!  It talks about how this Christmas season we should focus more on bringing the spirit of the Savior into our homes.  We need to do our best to ignore the other things that compete for our attention and think more of our Savior.

I then asked the woman if she would attend church this week and she said no because she is always busy and doesn't have time.  I then told her that the Lord will bless her for her efforts.  I then asked her if she would make an effort to make time for her Savior and attend church this week.  She then paused, thought for a bit, and then nodded her head and said "yes".

I want to invite everyone to make an effort to improve yourselves this Christmas season.  This season is about the Lord our Savior, Jesus Christ.  The Lord WILL bless us for our efforts.

I love you all and have an amazing week!  

With lots of love,

-Elder Sims