HELLO THERE - THIS IS HANNAH'S MOM :) SHE WAS OVERWHELMED WITH EMAILS THIS WEEK AND ONLY HAD TIME TO READ (THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVE SHE IS BEING SHOWN!) SO SHE SEND US THE EMAIL HER COMPANION SENT HOME. WHEW!! I NEEDED INFORMATION. IT WAS NICE TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR WEEK FROM HERMANA STRATFORD AND GET TO KNOW HER BETTER. ENJOY :)
This week was so amazing! so many miracles happened.. I dont even know where to begin... lets start at the beginning:)
SO last Monday we were at Walmart after emailing and we ran into ROSA! the same one that I wrote about last week!! It was so cool! Totally a sign. We havent been able to teach her yet though... which is a bummer. we go to her house and she is never there. she has a little two pound guard dog that is literally a spawn of Satan. I wish I could send you the video of this dog. IT IS SO CREEPY! It's alright though, we just take it as another sign that satan doesnt want us to talk to her. (EVIL DOG NAMED PEQUENO - haha)
On Wednesday, we had dinner with a less-active member of our group but we got to her house a little bit early so we decided to go contacting in her little trailer park. WELL, going back a little bit, the night before there was a HUGE hail storm. literally golf- tennis ball size hail was falling from the sky, and it seemed to only hit this little part of town as we were driving though, it looked like a tornado had reeked havoc. There were holes in everyones houses! HOLES!!!! WHAT? windows were broken, leaves were EVERYWHERE. Every thing was just destroyed. SO before this dinner we started walking to find someone to talk to and there was a lady that was raking her leaves by her self in her front yard. It was a HUGE project for one person to handle, so we decided to talk to her and we asked her if we could come back and help her with her leaves. She was SO nice! and she was probably surprised that two dressy ladies were coming to ask to help clean her yard. Well we went back the next day (we recruited the Elders - who dont speak spanish at all, so it was really fun translating for them everything that happened) and bagged and raked leaves for her (all the while talking about her life and our lives and what we do as missionaries and, of course, the gospel:)) Afterward, she said to us, "ahora, vamos a comer!" which means, "And now, were going to eat!”, so we did! she made us all delicious REAL mexican food. It was so good! I could honestly live off of beans and rice and tortillas for the rest of my life if I had to, they are so good! we talked more and at the end, we asked her if we could teach her the lessons... this is what she said,"I knew you were teachers about God, I want to understand why you leave your family for so long, there has to be a good reason.."
SO! we went back and taught her!!! AND mid lesson her husband came out of the house and joined in and they both are SO GOLDEN! They planned on coming to church but then she texted us and apologized and said that she had to watch her grand kids but that she was so sorry and that she was looking forward to our cita next wednesday! that never happens, usually people just dont show, but she was legitimately sad that she couldn't come. ahhh what a miracle. her name is Elsa and his is Jesus, Pray for them OKAY!!!
Miracle #2:
We have been working with a man that is less active but hasnt come to church for YEARS. He cant read or write so he has a hard time with church because he is afraid that some one will call on him to read. Well, we go over to his house weekly and read to him the Book of Mormon. This week we read Alma 32. ALLLL about faith. At the end of our lesson, like we do every time, we invited him to come to church. He gave some silly excuse about how he doesnt have the clothes and they are in his granddaughters closet and she gets mad when he goes in there.... WHATEVER! so I basically called him out and asked him what the real reason is. He sat there for a second and then said, "okay I guess it will only take a few days to get them out..." We told him that we would come over sunday morning to wake him up and make sure he was coming. WELL we did that, and his daughter answered the door and told us that he was going to be a minute. We waited and waited and waited and finally, He came out, ALL DECKED OUT in his church clothes and said, "alright, lets go." AHHHHHHHHHHHH I about died. It was the coolest moment. he loved every second of church. He just sat there and soaked it up! ahh The church is true y'all.
There was another less active member that we tried to do the same thing with but he just called me a, AND I quote, "meanie weenie" and then didnt come... BUT he shook on next sunday, so Ill let you know how that one goes. I would just like to say that I am just firm, and he didnt like what I was saying because he knew I was right!
Something I have learned:
I got a package from one of my favorite members in Boulder, and inside there was an article about sister missionary success. I gotta say, it changed the way I will look at being a missionary. There was a story about a sister in Japan that didnt know the language and had to contact people the first day she got there.. well obviously she was struggling and so she said a prayer for help, then she just looked for people that stood out to her to talk to. she talked to 4 people and ALL four wanted to learn more about the gospel. As I was reading her story I realized something. As a missionary for the Lord, I am entitled to revelation. I am out here, on my own, doing HIS work. He has got to help me becasue otherwise, NOTHING is going to get accomplished. As his servant, I am entitled to that help, as long as I am worthy to receive it. It has been awesome because I have been able to ask and receive the help that I need. I talk CONSTANTLY to my Father in Heaven and tell him what I need. I cant even begin to tell you all the times I get exactly the help that I need. I am his servant and I am entitled to His help... Let me go a little further. We are ALL his children. As members of His church, we are ALL entitled to His help. If we are worthy to receive it, HE WILL HELP US!
AHHH I love the gospel, I love being a missionary. THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!
Have a great week!
Love, Hna Stratford
Pics of the beautiful Enriquez family
