Well. this was a more or less strange week to be honest. Kind of slow, but all is well! And the work is progressing.
Also, I got to eat in Burger King on Monday, so I am very happy. Still. Since last Monday, or whatever day that was....
Also, I bought a new shirt and there are lots of cute clothes and stores
here.... So I am really happy about that too. Hahaha it is kind of nice
to be in civilization again for a second. Well, almost civilization. There is always something that is like..... oh you're still in Peru. Hahahaha
Also, there is a parrot outside our
window and it makes noise allllll the time and I think I am going to
kill it. But it is also sort of endearing because it says "Hola" like all
day and makes me laugh. Hahahaha
Well, I honestly don't have a ton to report on because all is just starting new
this week. We have had some really cool experiences with missionaries
and the converts and rescues that we are bringing in, including one Elder from Utah who put in some dates he found and all of a sudden had
one line that goes back to Adam and Eve. His dad isn't a member, so
it was a really cool experience for him. Did you know the Seavey line
that comes from the Judd line goes all the way back? It is really pretty
dang cool.
In the time when we aren't doing a
lot, I have been indexing! And it has been awesome. There is a scripture
in Mormon 9:30 and also Moroni 10:27 and I feel like family history and
indexing are a way for us to hear voices speaking from the dust, like
scriptures say. The scriptures are just records, just like our family
history records! And it is really quite amazing.
We
have some really big plans and goals for this area... Hermana Muñoz and I
really feel like this is a chosen place. Well, we know it is. We have
felt the Spirit very strongly in some of our planning sessions and I think that with a little time and a lot of work, we are going to see
miracles here. Pray for us please! And do your family history :)
Conference
was.... amazing. My favorites were pretty much the same as mom's, and
also Boyd K. Packer's and the Jorg guy. I watched in Spanish because there
are no other gringas in my zone and I didn't want to be alone with the Elders.... Hahaha. But on the bright side my Spanish is getting really
good again because there is no English. Hahaha Oh I love conference. The church is true!
Well on to the title of this email.... there was a cockroach in our apartment this morning.
And he taught me a lesson.
This
morning when Hermana Muñoz went in to the bathroom to shower, there was a
cockroach in there. She trapped it in the rug and dragged it out to like
the washroom patio thing that is outside the bathroom. She went back
into the bathroom and I continued eating my cereal and reading. I happened to look through the door and see it crawl out of the rug. And
so I kept watching it. T here is like a 3 inch step to enter the
apartment and like a 4 inch step to get into the bathroom, so I figured I
was safe and decided to keep watching it because my suitcases were near
it....The cockroach got to the bathroom door, the 4 inch step. Obviously, it wanted to be back where it was comfortable in its
cockroach paradise of darkness and humidity provided by the 6x2 square
foot bathroom. I looked at the cockroach feeling around with its
antenna things and thought, "Well. it wants to get back home, but he
doesn't have the faith sufficient to climb the mountain", and maybe not
the strength, having been having squished by my frantic companions
shower crocs.
As I watched the little (actually massive) cockroach
continue its search, it seemed to be a little disheartened about the
massive wall that was between him and the bathroom and started to feel
around some more. He wandered to the rug that had just recently
entrapped him and dragged him from his happy place and entered once
again, but quickly realized it was the place that had power to entrap
him and he quickly exited. He then continued exploring. There was the
corner under the wash sink, but that spot was often filled with
different forms of dangers and he would have to be super cautious to not
be taken by surprise and die. He wandered through the cleaning supplies
and the shade provided by my luggage, but saw that it would only
provide him temporary happiness.
He ventured further and arrived at
the step to the room, a slightly smaller 3 inch step. Here, he could put
forth a small effort and enter in to the room. Here, he could probably
find a more or less suitable home. He could put forth a little less
effort and settle for a little less happiness. Pondering with his
antennas feeling and weighing the options, he turned and slowly made his
way back to the bathroom step.
Being
a bug, I imagine he has forgotten all of the details of his former
happy home. All he has is some sort of sense or feeling that it
exists.... and that it is behind that wall. But he can't see anything...
just a seemingly insurmountable wall. I felt for the cockroach. Oh no I thought, he has this big wall in front of him, he is injured, and he
can't see the end. If he can't see the prize, he is just going to keep
sitting there. Or pick one of the lesser options. He is going to settle! He is going to die. He is so close! But he can't see it. He cant see it! He is going to forget what is there. The opposition is too much. He is
battle worn. He is tired. All of these propelling and compelling feelings
and desires to get to a home he can't see or understand, but knows is his
home.... maybe it would just be easier to pick the rug. Or the sink. Or
the suitcases. Or even the 3 inch step. But he can't do the 4 inches. He
can't see it!
Then, the cockroach taught me something.
We
don't have to see the ending point. We just have to have faith and trust
enough in these feelings to keep going. To trust in the promises and
witnesses of the Spirit that we already have. He REMEMBERED. He felt it. And he started to climb. And, much to my companions chagrin, he made
it. He had the faith sufficient to take the steps that he couldn't see to
get home. There is no better option! There is no settling. The Celestial Kingdom is our home. And we can only see glimpses of it here
and there, but our faith HAS TO BE enough to get us climbing. Because I
KNOW that it is there. And it is just over the hill :)
Doctrine and Covenants 12 :7-8
Oh
my dear family. This church is true :) As Elder Bednar said, absolute
truth exists. And this is it :) I love you all so dang much it hurts. Keep on keeping on :) I love love love love you.
Lauren
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