And finally, today's email:
As predicted, we had even more lessons this week than last week. The weird thing was that I didn´t feel like we had more lessons. A lot of our appointments fell through and we were lacking in our daily goals. But as it turned out, we had 3 more lessons this week than last. I don´t understand anything.
And...we didn´t end up having a baptism yesterday. It ended up being that we really wanted it but it was for us more than for the people who are getting baptized. I had to put into perspective my motives for getting this baptism and realized that Miguel couldn´t be entirely prepared in that time, and it would end up being too rushed and not the way he needs it to happen. We think Miguel should be ready by this coming Sunday. He has a lot of interest and he´s reading and progressing well, and he has wonderful questions, but our lessons with him are SUPER hard because his two little boys who are 5 and 1 are ALWAYS in there playing and crying and screaming and it is SO hard to feel the Spirit and to know what to say to him. He was going to pray this weekend (and I hope he did!) to ask specifically if Heavenly Father wants him to get baptized. I feel confident that he will get that answer and be prepared to get baptized this weekend.
As far as Clelia and Andrea...it would be nice if we could actually have a lesson with them. She always tells us that she doesn´t have time. I just want to bear my testimony to her. That´s it. I´m praying that she will let us in this week!
My exchange was a little taste of heaven. Hermana Judy is the best teacher I have ever seen teach. When she introduces the Book of Mormon to someone or shares her testimony or even just talks to them, her whole face is lit up with love and happiness. What we were teaching was the love and reality of Christ. The words literally flowed out of my mouth in a way I had not experienced before. I felt so happy and refreshed. I felt free to bear my heart and to show the people we were teaching that this is real and true. I wanted to talk because I wanted to add my witness to what Hermana Judy was saying. At the end of the day she told me I was a very good teacher and I felt so flattered to hear that praise from the best teacher in the world. Also, Alcalá is really pretty and I loved getting to know it a little better. :)
Thursday we had Zone Conference and it was INCREDIBLE. At the beginning we all got to stand up and sing The Star-Spangled Banner and it was awesome. Truth is I really miss America sometimes. :) The theme of the conference was miracles and I felt so strongly that we are entitled to them as servants of the Lord. We got to listen to a few missionaries share miracles that had happened to them and it was amazing. Not surprisingly, I cried pretty much the whole time. We started and ended the conference watching a clip from the John Tanner story, the part at the beginning when he wants to get baptized but can´t because his leg is seriously damaged and he can´t even walk. Of the two missionaries teaching him, the one who invites him to get baptized is initially dissapointed when he says he can´t get baptized, but his companion recognizes that this is an opportunity to work a miracle. He asks him if he believes that Christ healed the lame like it says in the Bible. He then bears testimony of the complete restoration of the gospel, and asks John Tanner if he believes that this healing power is a part of the restored gospel and if he has faith that he can be healed. John Tanner´s eyes get wide and he says "Yes. Yes I do." And then the missionary stands up and commands him in the name of Jesus Christ to get up and walk. And he stands up and throws aside his crutches and walks across the room. I started crying so hard at this because I could feel that that power is still the same today as it was then. We still have the power to heal and change lives and work MIRACLES because we have the power of God in His restored gospel. This is REAL. It is. I know it with every fiber of my being and I cannot deny it.
The rest of our investigators are progressing decently, nothing too dramatic, and I don´t feel like they´re ready to get baptized quite yet. Keep praying for them, especially for Miguel, Clelia, Andrea, Luz, Teresa, Hazzell, and Andrei. I´m sure they will get baptized sometime soon. :)
I surprised my companion with a birthday cake and ice cream for her birthday on Friday and we had a good busy day. Saturday we really had a party and birthday lunch with Jhony and Alba, who are still my favorites. I love listening to them and talking to them. They know the gospel is true like I know it is true. They are an incredible family and every time I talk with them I have this desire and the faith that one day I´m going to find a family like theirs to teach the gospel to and to baptize. I know I will. I love this work so much. I can´t even express how much I love it or how much I love my Savior. He is REAL and I LOVE HIM.
Have a wonderful week! Hopefully this email will actually go through... :)
con un testimonio inquebrantable,
Hermana Lara Schaumann
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