Well, this week we are back in our own house(as of Tuesday)! Itºs so nice to be there. It was fun to be with the other sisters, but tiring too. We were ready to go back to our own house.
This week was a little weird with teaching. We ended up coming home early on Thursday and Saturday... Thursday because Sister Maurício was feeling sick (I think she had the stomach bug that Sister Pina had last week), and Saturday because I was feeling sick. I think I had heat exhaustion, because we had been fasting that day for some less actives, Nelly and Fretson, so I hadnºt been drinking water, and it was super hot. So I broke my fast early and we came home early because I was feeling really nauseous. But the next day, after I had drunk lots of water, I felt 100% better. :) I think I had more heat exhaustion than a stomach bug, because I started to feel nauseous during a lesson with a menos ativo, and her house was SUPER hot. That day, too, we had been fasting for two menos ativos who want to get married but are having a lot of obstacles, so I hadnºt been drinking water, so I think it was because of that. So I broke my fast early, and now I feel fine. It was just that night that was miserable, so I think it was because of the heat + fasting combination.
We were fasting for Nelly and Fretson because they want to get married in December, but found out that they wonºt be able to get married that soon unless Nellyºs stepfather will let her stay in her parentsº house after they get married, and right now he doesnºt want to do that. I hope they can know what to do!
Well, this week we talked to a lot of menos ativos, and basically found out that the majority of them donºt have anything to do during the day and were perfectly willing to teach with us and go to church with us. They donºt know a lot of people in the church, and they feel alone, so they werenºt going to church. It was so sad to realize that these people are ready to be active again, they just didnºt have anyone telling them they should go to church. So, weºre working on helping the members be atalaias for these people. The trouble in this ward is that there are some really strong members who are super willing to help out with everything, so the other members donºt really do much... or they donºt know how they can help, or feel like they wouldnºt be able to help. So we really want to work with them to help us with these people, and to teach with us more, and to give them some responsibilities for the people weºre teaching so they feel like they can contribute more. I hope it will help.
We found out this week that Nerr is hesitant to get baptized because he doesnºt want to keep the commandments. He doesnºt really understand why theyºre important. We hadnºt yet taught him the commandments, and we found this out at the end of our last lesson with him, so we didnºt have a ton of time to talk about it. But, we challenged him to live the commandments that his brother Clovis has already taught him to find out if those commandments really are from God and if our obedience really does bring blessings. He said he will, so I really hope he will. He is changing a lot in a short amount of time, but at the same time there is a part of him that doesnºt want to change. He doesnºt want to have to give up the ways he has been living, especially by keeping the law of chastity and the word of wisdom, I think. But he still doesnºt know if heºs gotten an answer about whether this church is true. I donºt know how much of that is because he knows that once he gets an answer, heºll have to keep these commandments, and how much of it is that he still doesnºt understand how to recognize the Spirit. Weºve talked about recognizing the Spirit with him, but weºll talk to him again about it. During our district meeting on Friday, we practiced how to teach about the Spirit, and we used Nerr when we were practicing. Wow, the Lord definitely helped us receive revelation to know how we can teach about recognizing and understanding the promptings of the Spirit. Iºm so excited to teach him about it!
Also, Lara is doing great. She seems so happy, and I think she is really trusting in the Lord. She will get baptized November 1, and I donºt think sheºll have any problems with this date. Sheºs so great. I think she really is becoming more converted every day. It is so amazing to see the light of the Gospel enter peopleºs eyes. I donºt think I will ever get used to it.
We were fasting for Nelly and Fretson because they want to get married in December, but found out that they wonºt be able to get married that soon unless Nellyºs stepfather will let her stay in her parentsº house after they get married, and right now he doesnºt want to do that. I hope they can know what to do!
Yesterday, I was having a hard time feeling overwhelmed. Then, I remembered a saying that I had heard, that if you feel comfortable in your calling in the church it is either because you arenºt fulfilling it completely or because itºs about time for you to get a new calling. So, now I am seeking to learn how to feel comfortable with being uncomfortable, if that makes sense. Or maybe it is feeling comfortable with being stretched and with having spiritual “growing pains.”
So, I am really learning how to know in my heart and trust in my soul that the Lord really called me to be His instrument so He can do His work, and that He called me to be here in this situation at this time. And to trust that if I will continue to give my all and to do my best, the Lord will continue to guide and direct me, and help me learn how to serve all these people who I have been called to serve. He will magnify my best efforts, so it doesnºt matter if Iºm imperfect. This is a learning process, and I am learning how to trust that in my heart, too. But I love this work. I really do. And I love the growing pains and the things I am learning, especially about not being a perfectionist but still doing my best. Missions are awesome. :)
Love you all!
Love,
Sister Zimbelman
No comments:
Post a Comment