Okay so seriously this has been one of my favorite weeks on my mission so far.
So we took Antonio on a thing that we do called "Church Tours". Hermana Dorian and I had never done one before, but we practiced it in District Meeting that morning so we were like "Eh, why not?" It was SO COOL. We took him to the chapel and taught him about the "Santa Cena" or the Sacrament, and about the Atonement, and how we get to renew our baptismal covenants every week. Then we took him to Sunday School, and Elder's Quorum .... etc. Then! We showed him the Baptismal Font, explained to him what happens there. Then we just bore our testimonies on baptism. Then Antonio looks down at the font and says "I wonder when it's going to be my turn." We're like "Antonio! Whenever you want!!" Ah! The Spirit was so strong. He pretty much was like "I just want to come to church, this isn't a joke for me." Then he holds up the book of mormon and he's like "I know this is true. I just want to find out more okay?" He's SO getting baptized soon. Just a matter of when he'll get himself to church!!
Monday night I got a phone call... from Hermana Kennedy! My last companion. She was like "Guess what? HERMONO MARTINEZ IS GETTING BAPTIZED!" Oh my goodness. It was 20 years of prayers and faith and tears from his wife, and a lot of prayers and faith and tears from the missionaries too. Haha. So we went there Thursday night, and Hermano and his wife were just sitting there in a room full of missionaries. I was like "How you feeling Hermano!?" He's like "I didn't even know this was happening until two hours ago! I was at the gym!" Haha! I guess he told Hermana Kennedy that he didn't want to know til the day of because he wouldn't be able to sleep the night before. So he gets changed and I'm like "Hermano, who's going to baptize you? It's that guy with the big arms right?" He's like "Yeah, but his arms aren't bigger than mine." hahah! Anyway, we took a ton of pictures and then had a little baptismal service with him, us and the missionaries. It was seriously one of the most like- touching spiritual experiences of my life. That man would not be there if he didn't know with all his heart that this was the truth, that he was making a covenant with God. And everyone was sobbing. Hermana Martinez comes up to us and says "I'm never going to forget you all." Dah! Oh my goodness. Angels were there. And I'm totally coming back for their sealing next year. Prayers are answered. Always.
Okay, and Saturday! We stopped by to visit one of our members, Los Morenos, cuz it was their little 9 year old's birthday. We get there and our member was outside talking to her neighbor and all the kids were playing soccer. So I put down my bag and look at all the kids all antsy like and her neighbor's like "Hey, she wants to play!" and I'm like "yeah, I want to play!!!" And so Hermana Dorian and I run out there in our skirts and played soccer with a bunch of ten year old kids. Haha. I was like - "This is the life! I'm so in heaven right now." And Hermana Moreno's neighbor thought we were HILARIOUS. She would just laugh so hard everytime we touched the ball (and I did look like a rockstar compared to a bunch of little kids). Anyway, we ended up talking to her! She was like "Is it so hard being away from your family?" We're like - yeah, but we're teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, and so it's totally worth it. She was like "That's right! Christ said that you need to preach the gospel!" Haha. Anyway, she was like "You two need to come over to my house on wednesday, I'm going to feed you." And she went and showed us her house and everything. Haha. She has the cutest little family and they haven't lived here very long so they all want to learn english. Anyway, it was super awesome. I'm like - holla back, soccer and spreading the gospel. This is the life!!!
I know prayers are answered. I know that God really does love us and wants us to be happy. And when our prayers don't seem like they're being answered, we just need to trust in the Lord and know that He has a better plan for us, and His timing will be perfect. Christ set the perfect example of "Not my will, but thine be done." I know that the Lord's way is always the better way. I know that the Spirit converts. I know that if we pray and prepare for opportunities to share the gospel, the Lord will give them to us, and He'll use who we are (even quirky, awkward, soccer-player missionaries in skirts) to bring to pass His work. This work is His work, this church is His church.
I love you!!!!!
Hermana Johnson
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