How the heck does that happen! It feels like yesterday I entered into the MTC.. I remember a couple years ago reading Colton Woodruff´s email and him saying the same thing! About when he was on his mission for 4 months already.. The time really does fly by, especially when you stay busy! In 2 months, my mission will be one-fourth of the way over.. Yikes! This week was really awesome though! We have 22 new investigators total, and 4 that have baptismal dates and are preparing for the waters! Good stories from this week as well :) good ol´ Paraguay!
Questions and Answers!
1. What was your best and most favorite experience this week?
There were a few.. We´re helping a couple stop smoking so the husband can get baptized, the wife´s already a member. We´re seeing the changes in people´s lives when they keep their commitments and live the Gospel.
2. Is it baking hot there yet?
You have NO idea! And appearently its not even hot yet.. It rains a ton here too!
3. Have you had any baptism committments?
3. Have you had any baptism committments?
Yep! 4.. Now we just need them to stick!
4. How is the Days of our Lives saga with your young couple?
4. How is the Days of our Lives saga with your young couple?
She doesnt want to go to church because there was a Primary activity on Saturday, and her friends went to it with her.. Her friends had babies too and none of the babies got toys because they´re too small.. She´s a drama queen. And Isidro doesnt want to go to church either because he likes partying too much.
5. Is there anything we can be doing from home? Are you wanting handwritten letters? Dear Elder Letters?
5. Is there anything we can be doing from home? Are you wanting handwritten letters? Dear Elder Letters?
I would love that! I can get Dear Elders every week! Letters are a little slow, so its up to you! I would love some pictures of my family! Whether through email or snail mail..
6. Are you and Elder Shaw getting along?
6. Are you and Elder Shaw getting along?
Great! I´m learning a ton! I feel like I know enough to where I can lead.. Like with the knowledge of the Gospel and the Spanish! We speak a lot of Spanish and he actually lets me speak in the lessons! I like it a lot.
What a week! We´ve got a different couple that want to get baptized! They´re going to talk about marriage, so we´ll see how it goes! They´re really good friends with one of the families in our branch, so that helps a lot! Last week we walked like 6 or 7 miles so we could teach them, then the 6 or 7 miles back! It took a long time.. But it was worth it! When it rains here, it pours! I thought it rained a lot in the South.. not even close! After it rains for a good 10 seconds, you might as well go jump in a pool. It rained really hard yesterday so there was lots of water in the streets.. My companion an I were walking along, minding our own business, and I was soaking wet before I knew it! Someone drove by in a car and splashed us! They swerved so they could get us! Punks! I just laughed it off because I probably would have done the same thing.. So we got some pictures of it!
Before that, we had church.. and I witnessed my first scooter crash! People drive like idiots here.. There´s absolutely no law here. I felt bad about the wreck though because on one of the scooters was a lady in our ward, and her 2 daughters.. they were turning into the parking area and this guy tried to hurry around and pass them.. Idiot..
A few days before that, we were walking down the street to an appointment, and there were 3 guys that shook my hand. Pretty normal right? The last guy.. there was something different about him when I shook his hand, I look down.. oh! He didnt have any fingers!! Just thumbs and nubbs! I think he put a curse on me though, because later that day, yes it happens, I pooped my pants.. not bad, but still, it happened! They do voodoo here and I think he cursed me.. He had a crazy look in his eyes. But now, I´m officially a missionary! I guess you´re not as real missionary til you poop your pants..
Last Monday after P-day ended, we went to the Rolón family, the ones that live like 2 miles out of town.. On our way back it started to rain. By the time we got home, we were walking in water up to the middle of our shins! Its a good 40 minute walk from our house to the Rolón family´s house. But now, its just hot and humid! It gets up to 120 here! It hasnt since I´ve been here yet, but it will.. That´s the only part I´m not looking forward to..
We taught 39 lessons this week! We taught a lot of the Restoration.. That and the Plan of Salvation are my favorite to teach. And I love teaching families! Families can be together forever, but we need to take the path that Christ put. There´s so many churches that just think you get to Heaven through your faith and being ¨saved.¨ How does that work? Faith is great, and necessary, but faith without works is dead.. You can sit ALL day long and do nothing and say, I have faith, I´ll be taken care of. But nothing will happen unless you do something about it! For example: There´s 2 boys, one is a beggar, and the other is a shoe-shiner. They both pray to our Heavenly Father to be blessed with money, which one is more likely to get it? The shoe-shiner.. He´s the one working and trying to find a way to get the money. But the beggar isnt working for it, just relying on his ¨faith¨alone. So if we act on our faith, we´ll be blessed!
That´s about it for this week! I loved it! I´m glad to hear everyone is doing well, I hope you all have an awesome week this week!
I love you!!
Elder Colby Dane Heiner
