Prayers, Laughter and Courage!

This week has been a lot better. I'm finally getting the hang of a few things around here.  We had a few people attend church, and have been visiting more "menos activos" lately.  There are tons of them. I think it's like 80 percent in South America.  The problem with our investigators is we have many of them, but we are having trouble helping them understand the importance of the restoration. They always agree with everything we teach.  But they still think we are just like every other church and if they just believe in God they will be saved.  Everyone here is super friendly.

Streets of Ibague

You could help at home.  Please pray for A that he will be able to quit smoking.  Pray for F. and P. to be able to provide for their family. Pray for M to be able to share her testimony with her family. Pray for S that his family will be willing to hear our message.  Pray for L that her ankle will heal, and pray for N that she will be able to forgive those in the church who have wronged her.  Oh, and pray for E and his family that they will be able to know the truth of our message.

We teach a lot.  One discussion my comp was getting a little mad because the kids couldn't focus and were fighting over the pictures of Jesus.  He said something to their mother.  I have no idea what he said, but she had this look like, "You did not just say that."  It got really awkward so I just started laughing, and then she started laughing, and the kids started laughing and she realized that us Mormons aren't that crazy after all.   Grateful for the power of laughter. 

The members here are great!  The YM leader is the one who sends you pics on facebook.  He is such  a great guy.  Presidente Palma (the Branch President) is super outgoing and has a strong testimony, but my limited language skills mean I can never understand him.  He speaks faster than a rocket ship!!  The Vedolla familia and the Garcia familia and CD feed us weekly and they are all strong members who are a big blessing in my life. So pray for them too if you can!

Elder Amick and I worked as comps for a day for intercambio on Saturday.  It was a blast and also an adventure!  We got by with our little Spanish somehow.  All of our lessons were cancelled so the whole day was contacting.  We attended  a baptism for an investigate the Hermanas taught.

Funny story that Elder Amick said I could write home about.  So we arrived at the baptism early and both of us had to use the bathroom.  While we were in the stalls, a lady came in to clean so we both got really quiet and hoped she would just leave to avoid an awkward situation.  However, the doors don't have locks to the stalls, and she walked in on Elder Amick!!  She screamed and ran out!  He was embarrassed, but it was soo funny!!!  I'm glad he gave me permission to share because I am still laughing over this!

Also a big language blooper.  Hear this one:   When Elder G and I were contacting a man stopped us and asked me if I knew what I thought he said was "a Chinese Elder" .  I said, "Yes That is Elder G."  But my companion laughed and told me as we walked away that the man asked if I knew the Elder that got a girl pregnant?"!!   A huge different meaning in the Spanish language!  Whoops!  My first big language flop!   So sorry to Elder G for throwing his name around. 

We did not have any Thanksgiving celebrations here, but I did get a nice text from the Zone Leader that said Happy Thanksgiving so that was nice.

 

Our apartment is finally clean and livable.  I'm happy to report that I'm making good on my cooking skills.  I have found a couple recipes that I can cook that believe it or not taste pretty good.  I make Chili and Rice with taco seasoning and BBQ seasoning packets, and I've made French Toast Caramel Sandwhiches (Yep baby, you know it).  And Elder Amick and I even made French Fries so I'm eating pretty good lately.  

Sleeping Quarters.

Not too bad for our kitchen and wardrobe.

One more moment to share from the week.  We have a panedarie (shop) that has cinnamon rolls for like 5 cents.  I usually also get some of those every night.  When I was with Elder Amick on Saturday I bought 15 of them for breakfast because it was reimbursable.  He only ate one and I ate 14!  Then we went to lunch, and the lunches here are huge because we don't have dinner.  I had to eat everything on my plate.  I thought I was going to explode, but I did it.  In relation to food or anything else....whenever something gets really hard, I think of the Lord of the Rings theme song---remember the part when they show the gates of Mordar---and then I just buckle up and do it.   :)

I loved hearing about Ardis in the temple.  I wish I could have been there.  I also want to end on a spiritual note and share with you about Hermana J.  She is a seminary teacher here, walks with a cane, not too old and single Mom with her 15 year old son.  The night we visited her I was very tired.  It was getting late around 7:30pm.  We had done a lot of walking all day.  She had been talking to us for about ten minutes then she just started walking around to all of her neighbors and asked them if they would be willing to hear our message.  With tears in her eyes she bore her testimony to all of them about the power of our message.  Because of her that night we met a new family who is a young couple with a 5 year old.  We taught them the whole restoration and they have baptism dates.  We gave the Mom and son a blessing because they were sick.  It was powerful and spiritual.  I can also say it was the best lesson we have taught thus far all because Hermana J wasn't scared to bare her testimony.   What an example to me!  Let's all be as courageous. 

Thanks for all the updates on everyone and all your faith and prayers.  I love and miss you all. 

Keep praying and believing and finding something to smile about.

Love Elder Donaldson