Instrument in His Hands

This week my companion and I had some free time before an appointment so we went knocking. We have been trying to finish this street and we are almost done. As we were knocking we ended up getting nowhere. I felt as though I was the worst knocker in the world. I don't know why but I felt my Spanish stunk and that I wasn't saying things right. One gentlemen answered the door, I told him who we were and then he walked away. That is right, I was left standing there wondering if he would come back. When he didn't we walked away. I wanted to throw in the towel by that point and go sit in the shade until our appointment started but I knew that wasn't an option so I pressed forward. We came to this one apartment and the door was open. We knocked and this girl came to the door. As we were talking to her we heard screams and shouts coming from within the house. We all stopped talking cause the noise had come out of no where. Then she turned to us and said "Sorry about that my dad is watching Mexico play soccer in the Olympics". It was like a lightbulb all of a sudden clicked in my head. Note to future missionaries everywhere. Don't knock when there is a huge game on it doesn't work.... Or does it. We ended up talking to this girl for awhile and made a return appointment. She was my miracle. She saved me from thoughts of self-doubt in two ways. The first being her listening to our message and the second being her explaining to us to why we were not getting anyone to teach. I was just glad to know that it was me versus the olympics and not me versus me.  

 

I went on the longest bike ride thus far in my mission. We have an investigator that moved outside our area and into the Elders area. We still get to teach her for a few reasons and we were super excited about that. I am pumped because she is really cool. Her mom hasn't signed the papers for her to get baptized but we are hoping for a miracle. It is semi already happened because her mom as made an appointment for us to go back. Yeah!!!

 

Yesterday I was able to go to a baptism back in the Reseda ward. When the Hermanas came to pick us up I was informed that our Ward Mission Leader was called to be the 1st counselor in the Bishopric. It is a pretty amazing because a little over a year ago one of the Elders who just went home was told by this daughter to stop by her moms home. The daughter was a member but the mother wasn't. So the Elders went over and taught them. They were baptized and shortly after the husband was called to be the ward mission leader. They are super strong in the gospel and just went through the temple for the first time while I was in Reseda. Now to see him as the 1st counselor it is amazing. I am seeing the end results of one missionary's work. This family is a family that I hope to stay in contact with. I saw them at the baptism last night and was super happy. The mother is so wonderful! I always loved going to her home. It is not often you get to see the work unfold so quickly in front of your eyes but it has been something I have loved to watch. I hope that I am doing some good while I am out here. I was thinking about past people that I have found and have seen get baptized. I have had baptisms and I have seen people's lives change I just hope that I was a good instrument in God's hands. Through this one family you can see the hard work of this one missionary. As I was pondering about my work so far I thought of one time I can know for sure I was an instrument in the Lord's hands. My companion and I knocked on this door of an apartment. We were looking for an investigator that had been taught by the missionaries earlier. However we found that this particular person had moved. We said our goodbyes and thanks for the information and my companion started to walk away. I didn't move. I started the conversation back up again and we made a return appointment. At the time she was pregnant and was home all the time. When she had her baby we visited her in the hospital. We were able to meet her husband and apparently now the Sister's are teaching both of them. I am really excited! I know Heavenly Father reminded me of the small moment when I listened to the Spirit and talked to someone. It is really easy for me to forget the times when I listened because being a missionary I sometimes don't know where to go or if my thought is my thought or a thought of the Spirit. 

 

The fish jokes continue. I was told yesterday that a fishes brain is so small that the reason they can be in a small bowl is because by the time they swim in a circle they have already forgotten. Which is probably the reason I forget things. Elder Davis was on exchanges with our Zone Leader this week and so I was asked how the life up stream is for me. Also yesterday I was brought oysters for a snack while we wait for the Bishops meeting we have on Sunday's. I don't mind it. They are pretty funny. I have just never experienced so much in one time. Haha! I also get teased a lot about my Justin Bieber fanship. The thing is that I NEVER bring it up. For example last p-day we were at the mall and I walked past a "Justin Bieber's girlfriend" perfume stand. I didn't even notice it because I was looking at something else. One of the Elders asked me if I wanted to buy it and the jokes started. Oh geez what am I going to do with these Elders!

Well I love you all! Those are the adventures from a missionary! Hope you have a great week! Love you!

-Hermana Fish

 

oh I forgot to tell you one story. This week we went to a potentials home that we had found knocking last week. We taught her the first lesson and went to give her a Book of Mormon. She told us that she had one already. She got up and started looking for it. It took a bit to find it but once she did she brought it back to us and set in front of me. The book looked super old and had stains. When I opened the front cover I saw one of my friends names in it. When I was a junior in high school 3 (I think 3) of my friends were called to serve in this same mission. It was crazy to see this Elder's name in the book. I got really excited and said "I KNOW HIM!!!!" I am not sure if it is the same one but the time frame works out. It was about 8 years ago. The missionaries lost track of her cause she moved. I am super excited to be teaching her again. What are the odds?

Okay until next week!