Mi Familia!
This week has been...well...let me just tell you about it. We've been really struggling with investigators lately. Seth, who had a date for the 28th, wouldn't even text us back all week. Christina, who was really progressing, ran into anti-Mormon stuff and told us that she's been meeting with the Jehovah's Witnesses, and that she doesn't like the Book of Mormon because it's confusing and she's the kind of person that can't move on when she doesn't understand something and just gives up instead. Mr. Moravits dropped us, the Casillas family doesn't have time for us, Patricia is too busy, Chela loves our message but won't read and told us she probably won't ever come to church, we had no investigators at church again yesterday, we have next to no appointments, Terri hasn't come to Relief Society like she said she wanted to and can't meet with us because her floor is getting redone, and no one we contact wants anything to do with us. I think I've been directly shut down more times this week than ever before on my mission, including a particularly charming Puerto Rican who, in his perfect Spanglish, literally yelled about 2 feet from my face that he has 62 years and he can't learn anything from us because we only have 21 years and he studies everything and we don't know anything. Alright, fine. If you say so.
We are working so hard. We're changing how we do things, trying to work with members, looking for people in blind spots, everything we can think of. But we're just not seeing the fruits. There have been too many hot days of biking from house to house to house to house to house...I remember thinking before my mission that time like this wouldn't bother me. As long as I work hard, it doesn't matter how other people use their agency because I know I'm doing my job. Which is true. But it still stings. Oh well. We just keep trucking! One thing I do know is that Heavenly Father isn't going to waste time. I guess that, as inconceivable as it sounds, what we're doing is making a difference.
Some good news: it's Mexican Independence Day! Viva Mexico! We had an awesome branch fiesta on Saturday with tons of good food and performances. People in our branch sang (we have some incredible singers--even a mariachi band member--in our branch!) and danced, all in their best traditional Mexican attire. It was great, and I got lots of good pictures and videos. I legitimately wished I was Mexican afterwards.
Also, my Spanish is getting much better. It's just been so gradual that I haven't noticed! An old lady I was talking to at the party told me that I speak very well and very clearly, and Hna Ludeman says she's noticed my accent has gotten better. I remember back in Riverside just getting SO LOST in lessons; that doesn't happen anymore. I still miss a few things here and there, but I can definitely hold up a conversation. I realized recently that this is the first time I've been with a companion who doesn't know Spanish better than me and where I have to rely on my own ability to speak and understand. And it hasn't been a problem. Hermana Ludeman and I are trying to speak more Spanish with each other and it takes me back to when I first got put with Hermana Rodriguez and it was SO HARD to speak Spanish to her. It comes much more naturally now. It's just such a relief to see improvement while serving in a predominately English area. I don't know how well I'll learn Spanish by the end of my mission but I know I'll learn it fairly well.
Well, before I go let me just share a quote from Thomas S. Monson that's helped me lately: "We must develop the ability to see men not as they are but as they can become." Or something like that. I've been trying to do this; I'll look at a person and think about who they can be rather than who they are. Some people are annoying, some people are lost, but all of us have the same potential. On the same note, we must learn to see ourselves as who we can become rather than who we are. It doesn't matter where we are, just where we're headed. If you're on the right path, you've got nothing to worry about.
Well, I'd better go. Have a fantastic week!
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