Hola mis amores!
Call me crazy, but I love my companion. These last few weeks have been much better, and I feel crazy saying this, but I would love to stay another transfer here in Vista with Hermana Farr. We have both grown to love each other and get along and have a good time while doing the Lord's work. Maybe we just needed to go through this dry-spell in the work in order for us to learn how to work better together, or maybe we both humbled ourselves a little, who knows. But we've both been hoping and praying to stay here together for one more transfer as Hna. Farr finishes up her mission (this will be her very last transfer). We find out on Saturday what will happen.
Yesterday we got to teach 3 lessons, and it was wonderful. We haven't taught that many lessons in a day in almost a whole transfer. We were also able to finally get a hold of Oscar and Loo Loo last night, and they let us in for a lesson :). He's reading the Book of Mormon, and hopefully she will start to read this week too. This was a miracle because we haven't been able to talk to them for almost 3 weeks for different reasons, either they were sick, he didn't call us back, they would cancel, or whatever. But finally yesterday we had an awesome lesson on the Book of Mormon and the spirit was there and we read together and they were so interested! We'll see them again on Thursday, and we couldn't be more excited!
I read something really helpful in Preach My Gospel yesterday that not only applies to missionary work but also to callings in the church, as well as just about any other aspect in life. It says, "Some may not accept your message even when they have received a spiritual witness that it is true. You will be saddened because you love them and desire their salvation. You should not, however, become discouraged; discouragement will weaken your faith. If you lower your expectations, your effectiveness will decrease, your desire will weaken, and you will have greater difficulty following the Spirit." I loved this. It gets so discouraging at times, whether it be as a missionary or another church calling, and we so often get discouraged, but we need to remember that if we let ourselves get discouraged, then we allow our faith, effectiveness, and desire to weaken, and our selves to be distanced from the Spirit. Now that wouldn't help our cause very much, would it? We just need to keep pressing forward and give it our all. We receive no witness until after the trial of our faith, and we don't get to decide how long that trial lasts. However, I feel like if we try even harder rather than allow ourselves to be discouraged, then the trial will not last so long.
Sometimes I feel so inadequate as a missionary. So many times a day I feel like I don't know enough. I really do have such a small bank of Gospel Knowledge. But, I do know that because I have a desire to serve and share what I DO know, the Lord helps me to be able to know just enough- just enough to answer the questions of those who are waiting to hear our message. And I guess that's all I need! Also, it's like any other teacher- as you study and prepare to teach your lesson, you tend to learn more than the student does. This happens every time we prepare a lesson. No matter how many times we've taught the Restoration, each time I plan for it, I learn something new that I never noticed before.
Anyway, the Spanish is coming. No, I'm not fluent yet, but I can understand pretty fluently if that makes sense? I can get through a lesson fine, it's just normal every day conversations that I have a hard time with. I've been told my Spanish has gotten much better since my first day in the field, so that's good. I'm at that point where I can't remember how to talk properly in English and can't remember some vocab in English, but can't quite speak fluently in Spanish either, so I'm hoping that my turning point where I start dreaming in Spanish happens soon haha. That would mean that I'm that much closer to speaking like a normal human being again, and not any more of this uneducated cave-man talk. Blah.
That's so exciting about Jake!! I can't believe he has already in the field! What a champ. He is going to be one stellar missionary, that's for sure. I'm glad to hear that everyone is healthy again :). I pray for each of you. I'll keep praying!
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, I love each of you so much and miss you! I hope you have a wonderful week!
Love,
Hermana Inman
