THIS WEEK WAS SO TOTALLY WICKED!!
Funnies:
Hna McAfee and I have started blasting hymns in the car and
singing at the top of our lungs to pump ourselves up right before Harvesting.
Apparently this last time, we just got way to pumped up. We were out harvesting
and passed a man who was working on his car outside. We started talking to him
about the light of Christ and gave him a pass along card. Sister McAfee said
that if he needed anything to call us and if he needed help with the car, we
could come back in jeans and help. I'm not quite sure why or
if I really was aware of what I was doing but I looked at him, put my
arms up and flexed my muscles and said, "Grrrr!!" He just gave me a funny
look of surprise and started laughing. I think I could remember the Spanish word for
strong or strength so I was trying to explain to him the universal language of
signs that we really could help him with his car. Regardless....I hope I brightened
his day because I surely brightened Hna McAfee's! I STILL have not lived
it down.
Another random during a lesson with
some Cubanos. If you have ever heard a "Fresh of the Boat Cuban", you will
understand that I understand almost nothing. They drop everything after the
first syllable when speaking. Yikes!! During a lesson, we were talking about lizard's for
some reason and I didn't know the word for lizard. I tried to demonstrate by putting my
arms up like lizard's arms when they run and then
I stuck my tongue out - AT THE INVESTIGATOR!! WHYYYY?!?! Who knows? She didn't
laugh.....but we got a return date! Maybe the gift of tongues just works
through different people.....I also try to channel it through sign language...
Apparently, I am so eager to share the gospel all the time
that I even share it in my sleep. The other night I was teaching discussions in my sleep,
in SPANISH, and would sit up and wave my arms around to elaborate. When
I couldn't understand how to say something in Spanish, I would say it a couple
times and then look over at Hna McAfee for her to confirm I was saying it right
(Just like I do in lessons). One time I apparently tried to say something but
couldn't... so I just said, "I don't know how to say this but ARE YOU
FEELING THE SPIRIT??" Another time I apparently got mad because the
investigator wasn't listening to me or something and said, "Listen,
this is really important!!" Basically, when I woke up the next morning, I
felt as if I hadn't slept at all. When I woke up to exercise, Sister McAfee
asked, "So how many investigators did you teach last night?" I was SO confused, so she explained it all to me. I figured I could make your
lives a little brighter with this story :)
Another funny is more Spanish mix ups. I said "Sacred Blood' when I was trying to say "sweet blood" while explaining about the mosquitoes. I then forgot that NO is universal....in all
languages. An recent convert was texting us and just sent me a "NO" but was confused because he doesn't speak English. I was VERY confused. Yikes guys..... Also my height freaks out the Latinos. When they talk to us,
they will not look directly at me. They look at Sister McAfee just
fine and then eventually make some comment about my height; I then make a joke
about it and they can talk to me. Apparently 5'10.5 is just too much for
them?
I
learned in the Book of Mormon more about Satan and the way that he works
against us. I was reading in Alma about Amalickiah and I decided to focus
upon the tactics that he uses because - man oh man, he is EVIL!! The more I
read, the more I understood that Satan works differently with each of us. One
way he really works against Sisters is to shoot down their self
confidence. If a sister is eating unhealthy and not exercising well....Satan
attacks. I've seen it with multiple Sisters here in my Zone. It
makes me want to cry. I have also tried to find out exactly how Satan works
against me. He focuses on our little nooks and crannies. If you
study about it, you will learn how better to protect yourself. That's what I
do!
A
miracle was with a man named Servando. I was frustrated because I wanted to
badly to speak the language so I could actually teach and talk to these amazing
investigators, but the barrier was still there. I just don't know enough
of the language to be as effective as I wish to. When I explained this to Hna
McAfee, she pointed out a scripture. As I read in Alma 9:21 I remembered that I
was a set apart missionary that had been given special gifts but that these
gifts would not be mine if I didn't claim them. I then remembered the scripture
that says "take no thought what ye should say beforehand.." I knelt
down and prayed to my Heavenly Father asking Him to help me. I was so scared of
speaking because of my own insecurity and doubts but when I put those
aside....I knew that the Lord could do all. I asked that He would help me to
focus and to allow me to drop all of these things. During the lesson, my fears were
gone! I could almost completely understand our investigator and when I spoke to him, he understood
me! The lesson went well and I know it was because of the Lord. This experience
gave me the boost to have courage when talking to random people and to just let
the Lord use me. He will if we let him. He will do all IF WE LET HIM.
Another
miracle: We went to the temple with Marco. It was such a good experience. He
felt the spirit and wanted to go inside. Well we told him we could help him
with that. Just one year! :) We weren't sure it would work out, but a member made
it ALL work out at the last minute. He called us purely on a prompting. The Spirit
works through the members, too. I couldn't do what I am called to do without people in
the ward.
Guys,
the temple truly is a House of the Lord. It is our sanctuary. I want to go in
SO BADLY but I know I will have to wait for 18 months. SO... I'm going to pull a
missionary and commit all who CAN to go to the temple this week. I want
my mom to receive texts that you went and she will forward them on to me! I cannot go but YOU CAN. The temple is
waiting and is open for you. Go, partake of the blessings!! We went to teach
one of our less actives the other day, but when we showed up...he was drunk. He had
just been talking about getting his temple recommend renewed two days
before and Satan ATTACKED him. His family, his girlfriend, his desires all went
crazy. He just fell apart. Living worthily and attending the temple often protects us! That is the power of the temple! THAT is the power
that you can have - Satan wants you as far away from it as possible. We may feel that we are too
busy or other things are more important; however, guess what!?!. One of Satan's tactics is
distraction. DO NOT GET DISTRACTED. Read Alma 43-52 - it talks a lot about the ways in which
Satan works.
I love you all. Be safe. Remember your goals. STUDY YOUR
SCRIPTURES AND ACTUALLY SAY YOUR PRAYERS. These two things will make or break your
LIFE!!
Hna Lake
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