This week was fairly good -- we found some people who could potentially have some good potential to progress. We have been finding, teaching, and dropping pretty fast with people not reading or keeping commitments or going to church. But we have chosen to just keep our heads up and keep going! We can't control what other people do, only ourselves.
I had two exchanges this week, one with Hermana Connolly and the other with Hermana Drew. It is always fun to learn and know new missionaries and work with other people.
We are starting this cool new initiative as a zone, called the 40 day fast -- but not from food or water, but from what gets rid of the spirit. We fasted this Saturday to help us know what we need to improve to feel closer the the spirit. It really is a principle of consacration. But I'll attach the article that inspired it all. I have a list and I am excited to start feeling even more closer to the spirit and be the missionary that the Lord knows and needs me to be.
Sunday and today were pretty great days!! I turned 20, so that is kind of wild. But even crazier is that my aunt and uncle and cousins visited me here in Panama!! We went to Causeway and biked and ate lunch and they drove us around to get groceries-- so basically the best p-day ever without having to deal with Panama transport. They also came over yesterday on my birthday with food and we celebrated and my family sent gifts with them! It felt like a piece of home. Best birthday gift imaginable!!
The thing that always keeps me going on the mission is to always think of the people I have gotten to know that have been baptized. The Lord is so loving to allow us to be part of someone's conversion. One of my favorite converts is Señor Andrés. Two memorable experiences this week were:
- we were in his house and we were going to look something up for him since he is 86 years old to put on gospel library. He tells me to wait, then searches for another phone and says "THIS is my phone purely for the church". Get you a friend who has one whole separate phone dedicated to God
- we were on his patio the other day and he was like "I don't want you to go in November. You can call me and write me, but it's not the same!!" and made cute childlike puppy dog eyes. I LOVE PANAMA AND MY PANAMA FAMILY!!
Overall, the Lord is in the work, we don't need to doubt it. He has something so perfect planned for us, and we just need to continually trust in Him.
I finished reading the Book, The Infinite Atonement, because I wanted to learn more about Christ's love in the month of love...duh. But I learned so much! I learned that His Atonement is what makes everything possible and gives reason to everything. There is no bad day, tragedy, misfortune, disappointment, or setback that can't take new light thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He can give us strength through it all because He knows all and has felt all. I love Him and He gives my life meaning!!
Someone training their chicken to cock fight
....almost twentyyyy
Exchange with Hermana Connolly and riding in the car with Zoe Riasco
Noche de hogar with familia Riasco
Ending the exchange with Hermana Drew and Linares
We found some good new friends out in the jungle this week
Holding hands with Mercedes in church
Jon, Michelle, Nixon, and Scarlett went on vacation to Panama and got to go to church with Katie. They sent this picture as their 1st Katie sighting.
Michelle brought Katie mini Cadbury eggs
Grammy made Katie a birthday sign. The day that Jon and Michelle got to go to church with Katie also happened to by her 20th birthday. Such a tender mercy. They brought all kinds of gifts down for her from home (thank you so much for carrying all those heavy gifts around) plus hugs, love, homemade brownies (made by Michelle in Panama), and even a birthday sign made by Grammy. (Grammy didn't realize that she had spelled birthday wrong. When Katie saw it, she said "I thought Pompa had the brain tumor." Too soon??) Jon and Michelle also got to go take Katie and her comp a pizza dinner on her birthday. Katie got to call me on her birthday in the evening and I got to watch her open her presents.
Then on Monday, Katie and her comp got to hang out with the Spears again. They went to downtown Panama and rode a big bike on the causeway and went to lunch. Then they took Katie and her comp grocery shopping. Katie loved seeing them and not having to ride the bus for a day. Thanks so much Jon, Michelle, Nixon and Scarlett for visiting and for filling Katie's cup so she can survive another 9 months.
Katie's 1st companion Joanne Anderson got engaged this week. Her fiance is Tyler Whitney.
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