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| Rocio's Baptism |
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| Memorize "The Living Christ" with me! |
That
was a quote from the General Women's meeting! It made me think of my
parents and all of the amazing examples of women and marriages in my
life :) So thank you to all.
FAMILIA!!!!
Wow. What a fast week. What a fast change!! It just keeps going faster and
faster. I can't even believe it. Well, here goes another choppy, random
email from the life of Hermana Bailey!
On Monday, we went to visit the Cordoba family that had baptismal dates.
the dad, Lino, wasn't there so we were just talking to Jennifer (that has
special needs) and her mom. They were sad, and they finally told us it
was because the dad and also the older sister have a lot of problems
with drinking and all that comes with it. I suspected it might be as
such because they act like they might be abused. But they said it is
only when he drinks... I hate alcohol. We left that lesson quiet and a
little down about the world, and we passed a store where a mom was
sitting outside drinking a beer while her two year-old cried at her
feet. It took literally all that I have to not grab her beer and chuck
it as far as I could and do some kind of missionary repossession on her
daughter and send her to someone who would love her as she deserves. Look, lady, the purest love the world has to offer is crying at your
feet. Open your eyes to the happiness that matters, that lasts! Ugh. That is my alcohol rant.
This week and month
in the mission, President has been talking to us a lot about repentance
and how we can teach it better and it is blowing my mind. I don't even
know how to explain it, but one thing I was reading this week was
talking about the parable of the unprofitable servants, and it says that
the best they could do would be no more than their duty required, and I realized we can never ever pay back what He has done for us. And that
living worthy of our Covenants like they talked in the womens meeting is
all we can do to even try. It makes me feel humble, and so very loved
by my Heavenly Father and my Savior.
I decided
that missions are kind of like girl's camp for 18 months. A lot like
girls camp. You are never really clean, never entirely comfortable,
there are no down comforters, and it isn't all the way civilized. Hahahaha,
anyway, this week we went with our mission leader in his car to look
for our investigator with a baptismal date and we literally could not
find her. We were desperate! I finally started just praying in my mind
and the phone rang, our investigator!!! No longer MIA!!! I love the
power of prayer. I am gaining a way bigger testimony of that.
This
week I was showing everyone the pictures of my family.... I kid you not
they are all convinced Dad is an actor, Mom is a model, and every
single one is in love with my brothers. I think I am going to have to
stop showing them to people. My entire family has a following in Peru. Terrifying, but you should all feel beautiful :)
So
we have a huge new weekly planning program and it is EXHAUSTING, but I
love it :) It makes me feel pumped and ready to work with plans to
actually do it. I have heard we are sometimes called to a mission partly
for the mission president... and I think that is true. The things I
learn from President Douglas are the things I really need to be a better
person in life. I think I want to major in international business
administration :) Just a thought. Also this week during planning I got
really hungry but was also very lazy, so I was just eating dry top ramen
and I had a flashback to YMES and how that was such a huge fad when I was like 10..... Hahaha, oh life is so weird sometimes.
This
week, I came to another conclusion about the Ruta. The Bus. The Combi. Hell. I truly feel that if only every other butt cheek belongs to you,
they should probably stop letting people on the bus. It is worse than
sardines in a can. So much worse. It is sweaty Mamitas and Peruvians in a
bus touching every part of me. I so do not have a bubble now, but I
kind of want it back....
Sooooo... WE HAD A
BAPTISM THIS WEEK!!! On Saturday, our investigator named Rocio was
baptized. I don't know if I mentioned her much before, but she is
amazing. So amazing. So prepared. Well, it wasn't all roses and happiness
to get her baptized. With 4 days left for her baptism, she disappeared. Didn't show to a lesson. Wouldn't answer her phone. And we only sort of
know where she lives... so we went on a wild goose chase (that I mentioned earlier) to find her with our Ward Mission Leader. We finally
contacted her, had her last lesson, and set up her interview. Then she
didn't show up, but then she did for that night. Then, we found out she
had a child that she had never mentioned before. We listened to her
whole story about that (she only has custody every other year) and cried
with her, and then all was ready. She was baptized by the Bishop on Saturday and it was very spiritual. then she stayed and sat with us for
the whole transmission of the Women's Meeting! It was great experience.
I
loved the Women's Conference. After, I was thinking a lot about my
family and my Mom. I sometimes wonder if I say things to the sky, they
will somehow reach you. So if you ever hear whispers on the wind... they
are my messages sent in words on the wind. Hahahahaha :) I KNOW I AM
CRAZY. Another dog followed us yesterday. FYI.
Sunday....
was a little rough. All of our members who were going to pick up
investigators.... didn't. Zero in the church. That was hard. But our leaders
noticed, and I have faith the semana will be better!!! I love our Elders in our ward, sometimes. They actually drive me nuts, but it is so
funny. We ate with them for lunch yesterday (arroz a la cubana. amo.)
and it was great. Oh Elders.
Well!!! this
week is Cambios... so no Pday for 10ish days. Also, i want to know the
announcements for Conference and everyone's personal thoughts on Conference because I don't get to watch it!!!! Ok. I think that is
everything..... I love you!!!! So so so soooo much. Thank you.
Lauren
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