I honestly can´t believe that we are already halfway through April! This week was nice and busy and full of work once again, which I love. We started teaching a great 18 year old named Rudy last week. He met with missionaries before a few years ago in a different area and we met him while walking in the street one day. We have 3 lessons with him and each has been very special. When we went each time he had read the assigned parts in the pamphlets and remembered so much, down to the dates of the restoration. When we invited him to baptism he told us that he would need to pray about it first and really contemplate if it is something that he should do. That is the kind of answer that you wait for. We told him that is exactly what we wanted him to do. The next lesson he accepted a date for May. I certainly hope that we can help him progress to be ready by that time.
Jimmy has officially disappeared. He doesn´t have a phone (like about half the people here) and so we can´t call him. We keep passing by his house and work trying to catch him and just can´t find him. We still don´t know why he changed his mind so suddenly about baptism or really what is going on. We are just waiting patiently and I´m sure eventually we will run into him somewhere.
We also had some odd experiences this week. We went to teach a reference that a member had given us. We have been trying to pass by for a few weeks and she is NEVER home so when we finally found her we were really excited. The lesson went pretty well. She seemed pretty interested and had a lot of good questions and was even writing down some of the things we said or the scriptures we used to be able to study them again afterward. Or at least that is what we thought. Turns out she goes to another church and gave all of her notes to her pastor to be able to help with an anti-mormon sermon. There is a member that lives next to the church and told us what had happened. We still haven´t quite decided what we´re going to do with that situation.
This week we were able to have two lessons with Ysmenia. She never ceases to amaze me. The first one we planned as a family home evening with the relief society president to try and help her get to know a few more members in the ward. When we got there Ysmenia was talking with the relief society president who told her that her sister lives next door. We have tried visiting her sister before but she does not believe in organized religion and always tells us that she has something else to do and rarely will let us in. Well, Ysmenia went over and invited her sister to the home evening and then during the entire lesson testified of her conversion and the reason that we need to follow Christ´s example and be baptized in his church. The spirit was so strong and we all sat there amazed at the conviction that she possessed.
The next day Ysmenia invited us to another home evening at her house. When we got there she had invited her entire floor of the apartment building! 5 of her neighbors came and listened to the message. Ysmenia testified once again of the truthfulness of the church and the importance to follow Christ. When someone had a question or expressed a doubt she quickly jumped in to testify boldly and with a strong spirit. Later on we learned that one of the neighbors is a less active that now attends a different church. Ysmenia asked her, "But didn´t you receive the holy ghost? You didn´t feel the power of God in the moment? Have you ever felt an impression from the spirit? You cannot deny the truthfulness of that. I feel truly honored to be able to have that great gift in my life." Then when the less active commented that she admires the people that can be true to a religion for a long time Ysmenia commented, "That´s how it is supposed to be. Once you find the truth like we have and you are baptized you must stay faithful for eternity. There is no end to faithfulness." We just sat there in awe. She literally never ceases to make me proud.
This week is known as the Semana Santa here (the holy week). Everyone has work off Thursday-Sunday in commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ. It is a little ironic however because instead of taking time to remember the Savior, this week is more of an excuse for people to get drunk and party. We hear music blaring outside of our house from 10 at night until 7 in the morning. Then everyone goes to bed during the day before the next party at night. We´ve heard a lot of stories this week about people dying from drunk drivers and crowd problems at the beaches. It is a little sad that during the time when everyone should be remembering their redeemer they are all turning away from Him.
Everything is going remarkably well here. I absolutely love the opportunity I have every day to testify of my Savior and His love. I hope that during this time and we remember His resurrection and atonement that we will take the time to show His love to others. My companion and I have an unspoken competition for service to the other. It started with just little things like making her bed while she was showering or her taking my clothes off the line and now it has expanded to see who can do the coolest thing without the other noticing. I encourage you all to take the time to look for ways to serve those around you. What better way than to share your testimony of the restored gospel and the atonement of Christ! It is like Ysmenia said, you cannot deny the power of an impression from the spirit. Share that power with someone else during this Easter week.
I hope you all know that I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. He truly suffered for our sins so that we can repent and return to live with our Father once again. I testify that we can! Thanks to his atonement we can always return and become at one with Him once again. Love you all.
Happy Easter!
Sister Ewell
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