Hi family --
Can y'all believe another week has
gone by? I can't. Time here is slipping by so quickly! It's kinda crazy,
because when you realize that the transfer is half over, and things that you
thought would be happening aren't really happening, it sort of lights a fire
under your butt to keep you going and keep you working hard. God brought me
here for some reason, so I've got to go and figure it out!
We're still so excited for Aida.
Yesterday we really started working with the ward to begin planning her
baptism. We are certain that it will happen in July, we just have to confirm
with her what day she can, and if all of the commitments we have extended (all
of the scary big ones lots of people have problems with) are going okay. I
actually had a really interesting experience teaching Aida this week. On
Thursday we exchanged with our district leader, so I was working the Spanish
area with an English elder. We were planning on teaching Aida a big commandment
-- one that's serious and important and critical for baptism. So I'm the only
one teaching, since I'm the only Spanish speaker, and we're cruising through a
pamphlet, everything is going fine. We sort of get to the end of the pamphlet,
and this thought popped into my head: "You skipped one little super
critical part." Because I paid attention
to that poke the Spirit gave me, I know that she has been taught that
commandment in full, and we actually had a really good conversation about the
point that the Spirit told me to bring up. In the last two weeks I have really
learned a lot on account of meeting and teaching Aida. I've learned more fully
of the power of fasting, and I've learned more fully how the Spirit will poke
at us and give us ideas and ever so often give us directions that are
clear-as-day to keep us going where we need to be going. She has been prepared
for this gospel, and God knew that I would learn a lot from working with her.
She has such tremendous faith, and a real desire to do good and follow God. And
she's just super lovable. And she's already in Mosiah in the Book of Mormon,
so it's clear that she's got the desire to be doing this. :)
I had another neat experience this
week with Rodrigo and Esbida, and it was actually the same day as Aida. We're
sitting with Rodrigo and Esbida, and I'm still the only Spanish speaker. We had
planned on teaching them the first half of the Plan of Salvation (gigantic
lesson, it has to be in two parts for it not to bore people to death). We
talked for a long time about different things, how they were feeling, had they
been reading and praying, etc. And as we finished chit-chatting, I just didn't
think the Plan of Salvation was going to do anything for them right then, plus,
we spent so much time talking that we didn't have enough time for a big lesson.
I suggested we read a chapter in the Book of Mormon, and without thinking, the
words "Alma chapter 32" fell out of my mouth. I swear, I had not
thought for one second what we ought to read, but somehow I said that. And they
ended up loving the chapter. It's all about nourishing our seeds of faith, so I
told them that they can only taste of the awesome fruit of the gospel by
nourishing their seed of faith! Let it take root and grow through diligent
reading, prayer, and church attendance! If the fruit doesn't taste good to you,
you can leave the tree to die. But no one thinks the gospel tastes bad, so I
know they won't do that. :) But it was another experience where I felt
like God was pointing me where we needed to go for them. It is not always like
that. I wish it was effortless to just open your mouth and what comes out is
inspired like it had been in reading Alma 32 with them. But I can't go wrong if
I try my best and do all I can to be a good missionary. I'm sure of that.
Things are going fine here in
Clarksville. We have zone conference tomorrow, so we are really excited about
that. I love to learn from President and Sister Woodbury, and to visit with all
of the other missionaries. And it's kinda fun to talk to the other Spanish
missionaries and know that the English ones are listening, trying to understand
what we're saying. Hahaha. I guess that's not very kind. Haha.
Anyway, we're doing good! Doing our
best here!
Have a good week, everyone!
Love,
Zac
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