Let me just tell you...this week has been so full and crazy that I literally can't even share a portion of my words. Luckily this week we were able to encounter some new people and have some really good lessons with people that are a little more prepared for the gospel. Of course we still had our down days and some really interesting visits but things definitely picked up this week. We had one lesson with a contact whose family is Catholic but he told us that he didn't believe in it because it makes no sense to pray to saints. He kept quoting scriptures in the bible that countered this and asked what we thought. When we taught him how we pray he was really excited. We extended a baptismal invitation in the first lesson and he has a date set in September to work toward. This is one of our goals now is to invite people to baptism the first time we meet them so that they have a goal to work toward. It was definitely a cool experience.
We also had some interesting lessons. One day we taught in 3 different languages. We had the normal Spanish lessons but then we contacted a few Haitians who did not speak Spanish. Once spoke English and so I taught the entire lesson to him. It was actually really weird to teach in English and Spanish words crept in here and there. But it was good for Hermana Ozuna to see how I feel many times. That same day we contacted another that only spoke French. We had a member with us who spoke French and translated the lesson for us. This whole experience learning a new language has been fascinating. Many times I can't see my progress from day to day or even in the weeks but it will just come when I'm sitting at lunch or in church and I realize that I understood an entire conversation. Or when someone says something on the street and the noises they are making make sense in my head. The spirit definitely is helping me and I know that with a bit more time I will understand everything.
A few days ago we had a cool experience with the spirit. We were resting outside a little store because it was SOOOOOO HOT! Literally I can't describe how hot it was that day. A guy approached us and said he was interested in hearing our message and invited us to visit his house a couple blocks away. Hermana Ozuna agreed and then I got a really funny feeling about it all. He went in to the store to buy something and I told her that I wanted to wait until we could have some members come with us and just didn't feel good about visiting him that night. When he came back out we told him that we just wanted to see where he lived and we'd figure out another time to come officially. So we walked to his house and then as we were trying to figure out when to visit he got all weird and kept insisting that we come in. He came over to me and told me he had bought a soda especially to share with me and all this weird stuff. The whole thing was sketch. We just told him goodnight and then walked as fast as we could back to a more populated part of town. Hermana Ozuna thanked me for listening to the spirit and I know that we were both protected that night. I don't know what would have happened otherwise but I know that we are being watched over.
I'm sure you all are sick of hearing about Nicaudi...but I'm really learning a lot from this situation every week. This week we visited her 3 times again and every time she was drunk once again. But we were able to talk with her daughters and try and lift spirits each time. Yesterday her oldest daughter Nicole was there. She's only 17 and usually lives on her own because she doesn't like being around the alcohol but is back not to help with her sisters and grandma. She told us Nicaudi spent her entire paycheck on alcohol and they have no money. I sat there with my arm around her as she cried and my heart literally ached for this girl. She is trying to hold everything together as a 17 year old. Her little sisters are super sweet too. Angelina has read 50 pages of her Book of Mormon reader on her own and told us that it is cool to read about the different stories of people overcoming hard things. She said that they are all really similar just with different people and she feels like they are about her life too. So smart. It takes all we have not to just get mad at Nicaudi when we visit her because of the effect that this is having on her sweet family. But I know that wouldn't help anything and so we keep in the frustration and just try and give some comfort to everyone else. I have faith that perhaps with a lot of time we will be able to help this family. Maybe we won't be able to stop Nicaudi from drinking but maybe her daughters can start coming to church and gain that support of the members. For now, at least they have us. It's not much...but it's something.
On a much brighter note, Alex is still doing wonderfully. He has a baptismal date in August and is so ready! We were able to visit with him a few times this week and each time was great as always. He really wants to do what God asks him to. We asked him if he was saying his prayers and he looked down and said, "Not as much as I should. I pray every single night without fail and most mornings, but sometimes I miss a morning or forget to have a prayer in my heart during the day." We reassurred him that his is doing just fine and I thought it was sweet how much he wants to be great. He has been re-reading the pamphlets and not drinking coffee. He also has a gospel principles manual from church and said, "I hope it's ok that I've been reading this too."OF COURSE!!!! Yesterday when we visited we talked a little more about the covenant of baptism. He read Mosiah 18 twice before our visit. Twice because he wanted to make sure he had understood. Teaching him literally is a dream. If there were an ideal investigator he would pretty much fit the description. Yesterday we also had a really spiritual experience after our lesson. He always gives the closing prayer and before we even asked yesterday he said he wanted to kneel. So we knelt together and he gave such a beautiful prayer and said that he knows that this message is true. It was such a spiritual moment and cool for me to finally hear someone that I've been teaching accept our message verbally.
Last of all...We were able to work with the doctors again one more day last week. This time I was helping with presentations on brushing teeth and nutrition, and helping occupy kids while they waited for the doctors. It was really fun. There were a lot of times though that I got a little frustrated because the people seemed like they were just trying to get free stuff and everyone was lying to try and take advantage of it all. We didn't have the heart to tell the doctors all of the things that the people were saying (tell them that you have a cold so we can get medicine...tell them that you don't have a toothbrush...etc). Then I got annoyed becuase I know that this isn't going to change their lives. It may help them for 30 days or so but then they're just going to return to normal. So what is the point? It was a little ironic because this is what I wanted to do before the mission but I had such a different perspective this time.
When we finished that day the director of Accion Callajera thanked the doctors and talked about how these kids got to see the kind of medical service they deserve and witness kindness from complete strangers. The doctors also talked a little bit about their experience. Then I started to understand. It isn't always about the service itself. Sure it's great to give kids toothbrushes and medication but that's not going to change their life. And that's ok. What is going to make the difference is the love. These kids got to see that someone cares and that there are kind people in the world. Maybe one of them will become a doctor and change the medical care here. We tend to look on the outside to help but it we want to change the world we will need to bless hearts first. The Savior healed peoples spirits first when everyone expected Him to heal the body. These doctors shared the Savior's love with this people. They took time to help the one, even if they were taking advantage of the system. We serve to learn to love and to show others there is love in the world, to spread hope. If everyone thought like I did- that there was no point- the world really never would change. We don't know what the consequences can be of our actions. Who knows? Maybe that WILL change this country or the world or their lives. We touch people one at a time. It is about sharing the Savior's love and trying to bring hope to others. I'm so glad that I got to have the experience to help out and learn more and really feel the spirit of service and true love for others. That's what this life is all about. And so that is my invitation this week. Find someone to love. And it doesn't have to be something big. We change the world through the little things we do. By sharing the love of Christ. There are people that need to feel His love and you can be the one to share it with them. We CAN make a difference when we have His spirit with us and even more, we WILL make a difference if we choose to act.
Love you all! The church is true and our Savior truly loves us.
Hermana Ewell
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