Augustin and Jessica after churchThere have been ups and downs, como siempre, pero, seguimos igual. Hope daddio can translate for ya. As for investigators, we had many a trials with Agustin and Jessica, but they have continued to put their faith into practice and they continue to overcome the trials that Satan is throwing in their face. It’s been pretty incredible to see actually. We did not get their papers submitted in time, and so they will be baptized on the 17th of March. We hope everything goes well with their papers and that will give us enough time. We should be going in this week to the Judge and 4 witnesses to set up a wedding date. Then we have to publish it in the paper 3 times and then wait 8 days, then they can be married and then they can be baptized. So hope for the best. They need to be baptized ASAP! He hasn’t been able to find a job and as a result, their money has dwindled down to pretty much nothing. When I say nothing, I mean nothing. They called us this week and asked if we could help them out with anything for food. Oh man we thought... as missionaries we barely have enough for ourselves and that cannot be our responsibility. So we called the Relief Society President. Well, we have been meeting with the R.S. pres and she is awesome and so ready to work. She owns a little store and she told us to give them her number and she would have them come over and give them the things they need. How great is that? She gave them what they needed for the week. She stepped right up to the plate and helped. We apologized a million times, but her response, "Don’t worry hermanas, that’s what we are here for!" It was awesome.
While they were with her, they told her a man stopped by their tent and told them of an abandoned house they could sneak into and live. Of course they took the opportunity. The R.S. Pres called us and told us what was going on and that they couldn’t live in something they weren’t paying for. It just wasn’t right. We didn’t know what we were supposed to do. This is so far out of our league. We decided to call and go visit and see what was up. They told us where they were and we went to the house. Well, it wasn’t much of a house. I thought it would be something... well, nicer than the tent anyway. When I walked in, I wanted them to be back in their tent even more than before. It was just four walls, dirt ground, tarp for a roof, just basically walls to protect them from the wind. It made my heart ache, but they were so excited about it. They told us they had already had problems with the next door neighbors. They came over claiming it was their house and the police came over. The police asked for papers, but they couldn’t show any. We told them they couldn’t stay there. They thought we were picking on them and got really discouraged. They wondered why we weren’t happy for them. It was a tough spot to be in. We talked very openly and honestly and told them we only wanted the best. That’s why we were checking every little thing out. The worst part is to have their papers to get married they have to have a certificate of residence. This wasn’t their property so if they continued to live there, they couldn’t get those papers, couldn’t be married and couldn’t be baptized. He said he didn’t know what to do. He had been reading through the Book of Mormon before we got there because he remembered the things we taught him about being able to find answers to his problems if he read it. He said he still hadn’t found anything. We told him to keep it up, think about what they were doing and the whole reason they were learning about the gospel was to change their lives and follow Jesus Christ. They took it into consideration. We left with a prayer. We prayed so hard that night that they would make the right decisions and really apply the gospel and everything they had been learning into their lives. It was like their first real test.
We called them the next morning and thank heavens they had returned back to their tent! I had never been so excited. They said they read and prayed after we left and they left right after we did. Oh, man. They actually understand the things they are learning. It was a huge battle to fight and win and we were so proud of them. It’s been awesome.
We also have been working with the bishop A LOT more and he is so cool. He’s so willing to do whatever it takes to make the work grow and he has a genuine care for people. He and our ward mission leader are trying to help Augustin find work. The ward is really stepping it up. The R.S. pres also went straight to visit a sister who is thinking about leaving the church because she doesn’t understand the doctrine very well. She told the other hermanas about her also. Everyone, including us, showed up to visit her. She felt the love and for now she’s staying. They also went to visit less actives which we have been trying to get the ward members to do FOREVER! And the lady they went and visited came to our activity. We played Up Chickens (for those who are familiar with the game) and watched a movie.
UP Chickens!!Then she showed up this Sunday to church. It’s amazing how the ward members doing their part actually works, huh?! We constantly find her riding her bike in the streets visiting the hermanas of the ward. It’s been so awesome. She told us once she gets everything organized she’s gonna put us to work. It’s been awhile since I’ve been bossed around by the ward members . haha But that’s what we are here for: to serve them, not for them to serve us. Most wards have it backwards here, but they are getting it straight. We are all working together and seeing the results. It’s great. They are rescuing, serving, looking after. We have investigators and it’s a happy world over here in Sarand Del Yi. There is still much to be done, but we’re progressing. Wahooo!
As for Ruben, Leticia’s new boyfriend, he is doing well. We set a baptismal fecha for the 10th. It’s pretty cool. He’s excited for it. He knows this is a better life for him and says he’ll give up anything to get to that date. The mission goal is to have a baptism every week. We are pretty well on our way to hit that goal for this month. And we have lots of potentials still to get to baptism. Jaekelin didn’t come to church this Sunday, which means she’s not progressing. When we teach her, she agrees to do everything but she isn’t coming to church. We think there is something more bothering her. We stopped by yesterday, but she is so quiet we can’t figure out what the problem is. We’ll have to see. She is reading from the Book of Mormon from the beginning and loving it so that’s good and she comes to all the activities.
... ha um... we found a bazillion bugs in our sugar, salt and other food after we had just eaten it. As a result we have been so sick this week. It’s been miserable.
On top of that, we were out proselyting one day and we found a cactus that has fruit on it you can eat. I didn’t know, but my comp has the fruit in Bolivia and said it’s amazing so we decided to get some to eat. Welp... cactus plants can be deceiving. I thought I was pulling one off without any needles or pricklies. Boy, was I wrong! I had the needles in every single one of my fingers and my comp had to pull them out one by one. They are so small though. So we thought better… we'll get gloves and pull them off into a bag. So we did, but it was windy... while my comp was pulling them off they blew into my eye. And it hurt, and I couldn’t see the rest of the day. I had to go to an eye doctor and he had to clean out my eye and afterwards it still hurt like the dickens. My comp discovered that they were also all in her clothes. She took off her clothes to find that they were in her arms and legs and all over her face, they are so small! They look like little blonde hairs but they stick in you. Her legs started getting really irritated, red and hurting. We couldn’t do anything. We had to go to a pharmacy and buy wax... yep you guessed it. Then we waxed her entire body. No joke. It was crazy. We hurt! Stupid cactus. But we got the fruit. I didn’t think it was worth it, but my comp did. I have a pic of the fruit after we cleaned it and everything. It’s kinda like kiwi but sweeter. Anywho... that was a fun day. So glad it’s over though.
The "Cactus Fruit!"I got letters from Yuri, Sheyla and Hermana Laursen this week. Oh man. Yuri is so awesome. He sent me a cool nice pen. He’s doing really well and is so grateful for Hermana Laursen and me. It brought tears to my eyes reading what he wrote. Of course, I have it saved and I’ll be able to share all these things with you when I come home. We told him after he visited all the temples in South America he had to save and come visit us in the states. He asked if the invitation was still open. So cool!!!! I hope he comes once Hermana Laursen is home. Maybe he can come for Christmas and we can take him to temple square. Wow, how cool would that be?! He does well for a young guy here in Uruguay. Sheyla is doing good too, ah misses me I guess. Hermana Laursen said everyone asks about me and asks her if she misses me, when she says yes, they say so do we. Ah! I miss everyone there so bad! It’s ok though. She also says Luciano and Shantal are great too. The ward has stepped it up with them. The bishop took him shopping for shirts, ties, pants, shoes and they are paying for him to go to EFY. So cool huh?!
I just wanted to share all these thoughts with you. Things are good. Ever since changes, my comp and I have had a chance to really get to know each other on a deeper level. It has been good. I want you to know how truly blessed we are to have each other as a family, to be here on the earth together and have the gospel in our lives. Appreciate that! Where much is given, much is expected. There is much expected of us. Live up to that. I have a cool story I’m going to send later. Be kind, love and serve one another and others. Go out to the rescue too. I love you all more than life itself. Be good… Until next week.
Love, Ash
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