I'll start off with the missionary work update:
Mari (our investigator with the special needs daughter) is still moving right along. :) In our lesson with her on Saturday, she sat us down and kinda sheepishly said, "I'm repenting.." She went on to recount the events of the previous night when her ex-husband passed by... He was in an argumentative mood and started in on how she needed to be better about managing the money he gave her for Juliana (the special needs daughter)... And... instead of laying into him about all of his flaws and lack of responsibility, she took a deep breath and told him that he could buy the things she needed, and they didn't need to fight. :) And then she took it one step further and apologized for all that she had ever done to offend or hurt him! Then, to top it all off, the Bishop just happened to pass by with his wife to have a visit with her and Bertolina (the member that gave us Mari as a reference). So she had the chance to talk things out with him as well! He gave her some good counsel and both he and his wife were extremely loving and supportive. :) She came to church on Sunday and spent the whole three hours grinning from ear to ear.
After our lesson with her while we were walking to our next appointment, I turned to my companion and told him that he needed to write a long journal entry about Mari that night because it's not every day that you find an investigator so prepared to accept the Gospel. Life really has not been easy for Mari, but our Heavenly Father knows exactly what trials Mari needs to progress towards perfection. :) It has been an incredible experience thus far as we've worked with her and watched the light in her eyes get brighter and brighter between visits. :) The change in her is notable. :) In a two-day span she makes spiritual leaps and bounds through the personal application of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. How incredible it is to be a part of all this. And to proclaim to the world, "peace on earth, good will toward men." I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!
This week we also had the chance to visit some more with Addelyn. I don't know if I mentioned her a few weeks ago or not... She is one of the inactives that our Bishop asked us to visit. We met her a month or so ago and hit it off pretty quick. She opened up about a lot of doubts she had and the main reasons for her inactivity. Then she disappeared. ha. We later found out that she had temporarily moved to her dad's house in the City, and didn't know when she would be coming back... Well... She's back! She came home for the weekend with the intentions of returning to her dad's and making her move permanent, when out of the blue her little brother got sick. So she stuck around to take care of him while her mom worked, and every time she got ready to leave he would start puking again... So she took it as a sign that this is where she needs to be for the time being. :) God works in mysterious ways... right?
Anyway, this week we went to visit her with one of her good friends Visalí (she's a solid member from our ward). We decided to confront some of her major doubts about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. We had a really good talk and explained with great detail the Great Apostasy, and the need for a Restoration. After we answered her questions with logic and scriptures we emphasized the need for her to receive a personal confirmation. She said that she'd received on of those the first time she started reading the Book of Mormon before she was baptized. We explained that testimonies aren't just a one time thing. We all need to constantly nurture and strengthen our testimony, or we lose it. She said she'd try, but not to expect her to be in church on Sunday... I assured her that she'd come around. haha. She asked me how I was so sure, and I told her that I could feel it. Satan is working as hard as he can to keep her out of the Church because he knows what a powerful, influential leader she will be... But as long as I have something to say about it, Satan's not gonna win!
I know that God has a plan for each and every one of us. I feel that He sent me here to find and help these people in Manoguayabo. The things that I've experienced here in this area, and in the mission as a whole, leave no doubt in my mind that God is working for the salvation and eternal life of His children. If we but learn to do His will, we can be a part of it all. And man is it amazing! I love being a missionary!!!
Last quick tidbit about the investigators:
I think I mentioned before that Elilda was still waiting for her paperwork... She has been working and praying for as long as I've known her to get the papers she needs to get married in order to be baptized. Well... We decided to fast with her last Sunday, and what do you know? Her family sent her papers in from San Juan four days later. :) She officially has papers in hand, now we're just scrambling to get some money together and find time when her and her husband (both working full time jobs) can be at the JCE building to get hitched! :) I'll keep you posted!
A few other fun things that happened this week:
--On Saturday morning we woke up at 3:45 am to meet up with a group of members from our ward to go Christmas Caroling! haha!!! Yeah, I totally thought they were joking, but we went to the meeting place and they were all right where they said they'd be at 4 a.m.! I guess it's tradition to carol in the wee hours of the morning. They like to catch people by surprise and wake them up! ha. I told them that we do it at nighttime in the states and they told me that Americans are lame. lol. So maybe I'll plan a 4 a.m. carolling party next year! Who's with me?!
--As you can see from the pictures, and what I sent last night... Yesterday was the Christmas Conference! Can you believe it's already been a year since the last one?! I sure can't! Time flies! It was fun to see lots of old friends and companions. Not every one was there, because this year for budgeting reasons they're holding a separate Christmas Conference out in the South, but I still got to see a good number of people that I love. :) All in all the event made me happy... But it was hard. I saw most of those people for the very last time here in the mission... It's still boggles my mind that missions come to an end... I DON'T WANT IT TO END!
Anyway. I still love my mission. I can't believe things are actually winding down... This place is my home and will forever own a part of my soul.
Now, now, don't let that trunky talk let you think that I'm working any less than my hardest. ha. I've been studying the October Conference talks this last week and have noticed an "endure to the end" theme. haha. It's so cool that Conference tells you EXACTLY what you need to hear! Thanks to latter-day prophets I've still got loads of ánimo to finish strong and to keep armoring up (preparing myself spiritually for the trials ahead) with the time I have left.
I love being a missionary. I love you all.
Until next week,
Elder Cade Mooney
