Week #48

Movie Quote:
Radar: OK, sir, you sign this top form, then initial all the rest.
Henry: Initial, Radar?
Radar: Oh, yes, sir. Your initial signifies that instead of signing, you initialed. Then you have to sign this form, which states that you merely initialed the forms that required signing. Then after you've signed you put your initial where you signed so that people will know that you OK'd your signature with your initial.
Henry: Radar, tell me the truth. Do you understand any of this?
Radar: Uh, I try not to, sir. It slows up the work.

Boom!

SO this week was HUGE! Put aside my birthday stuff and still, this week was jam packed! Let's get started! So, MY BIRTHDAY! It started at about 7:30 am, when a member, Marcos came to knock on my door while we were studying.

"Hey man!" he said, in English mind you. Yes, he speaks really well because he learned on his mission.

Me: "Hey, why are you at my door right now?"

Marcos: "Come over. NOW."

Me: "Okay, but can I know why?"

Marcos: "No. Just come over."

Me: "Can I shave?"

Marcos: "No man. I am hungry and I made brownies. So come over and eat with me!"

YES, You heard right. HE MADE BROWNIES AND EGGS AND BACON AND HE TURNED ON FINDING NEMO IN ENGLISH IN THE BACKGROUND FOR US!! I truly cannot explain how awesome my birthday started off. I loved it!!!

THEN, I went to my meeting with the President. On the way there, me and Elder Earl were pretty early, but we decided to leave the bus stop anyways and try to make it to the staff office before the incoming rain. We did not make it! I was soaked! Head to toe dripping wet. My shoes were full of water. But still, I was happy. It was my 20th birthday!! We then had our meeting in which the President some how was able to point out EVERY flaw that I have. Even every little rule I do not follow. But seriously I just realized how much better I needed to be. SOOOO... I went home and started to fix every single one of them. YEP! We did it and my week was great.

However, my package has not come yet. I will probably get it this Friday when I have another meeting with the President. Yes, we have another training this week. I am always seeing the President. HECK, yesterday he was at church in our stake conference!

Sidenote: I am 65 kilos. (145lbs) BOOM BABY!

We had a great week which included another baptism. Her name is Nilza and she is very special. Here is her story. We met her about 3 weeks ago and taught her about the Restoration of the church and about The Book of Mormon. We left her a copy and decided to go back a few days later. When we returned we were stunned to find that she had been reading, every minute of every day she that was free. At work, on the bus and at night. She even said that she had fallen asleep once and woke up at 3am to find the book on her chest. So we have been teaching her a lot. She went to church last week and this week she was baptized. It was so special. Yesterday at church our mission president came up to her and even spoke to her about a ton of stuff. I love helping people.

This week we also had a very interesting lesson. Let me explain. We as missionaries, try to avoid the "BIBLE BASH". This is a term that we use to explain what happens when really devote readers try to prove us wrong through rapid scripture quoting. Often, many dumb missionaries do not notice the bible bash as it begins and so they enter into the trap of getting angry and fighting. In the end, the missionary always loses and limps away with his pride in hand, realizing how little he actually has readLeviticus and Numbers. Well, we were caught in a bible bash this week, EXCEPT we "won". We are teaching a wonderful couple; Elias and Sandra. Elias was amember years ago but left the church. Sandra is not a member (yet). When we arrived at the house we had a plan to teach more about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. BUT, Sandra just started off in telling us how she read and believed in the book (YES!) So we just bore our testimonies and thought it was going to be a quick visit.


WE WERE WRONG... Elias then grabbed his bible and began to read off verses to try to test me to see if I really new the bible. I THANK GOD that he sends the spirit to help us because I truly felt the Holy Ghost help me answer everything he asked. However, when I opened the Book of Mormon to explain more, he freaked on me and yelled at me! "Why always that book! I don't get it. Seriously, you guys have me convinced. I love you guys, but I just can't believe in that book! USE THE BIBLE!" Well, that is when my companion stepped in and basically fought with this dude. They were almost yelling. YET.... it was okay. I was not freaking out. I felt the spirit. I KNEW my companion was doing what he needed to to set this guy straight so he would understand. Eventually Elias realized that we believe in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. He saw that we studied them both. When we were done it finally made sense to him that we have need for more scripture. Things calmed down and he actually thanked us. BUT WAIT, we aren't at the end... Elias began to ask more questions and we got going again. BUT STILL, the spirit was there. In the end, we returned to peace and he said something I wont soon forget. "Thank you for coming by. Seriously, I just have to know and I can't leave any doubt. Everyone just wants to tell me how it is. You guys, I can tell you care. Please, never stop coming by." We ended the same way we always do. If you really want to know ask God in faith. So, we "won" our bible bash. But really, it was not us at all. I would have to give credit to the Spirit of God for that one (technically, it really is the spirit that wins all of them.)

On Friday, We had a random division with our zone leaders again to do our baptism interviews. It was great except, my companion and the other zone leader grabbed the wrong bus when we went to trade back. So that night we did not get home until past mid-night. I almost died of exhaustion!!!

On Saturday, we had a weird phone call. A member called us and asked my companion and I to perform the music at her wedding THAT NIGHT. She needed something to sing and play while she entered in the room to be married! So.... we did it. My companion played beautifully and I sang. It was wonderful and she loved it afterwords. I was glad to help out and to be able to sing again.

To end my week, I would like to talk about today. A member, Alcineia, threw me a party for my birthday. She made a sea-food sir-fry with......... Octopus, muscle, shrimp, and squid. It was actually amazing. Then we had a fruit cake, or rather, a cake made from kiwi, apple, pear, and watermelon.

I love my mission. I love life. I miss you.

Eu vos amo.
Elder Asa Laws