This week was really hard, yet I wouldn't say it was a "bad week." We have had to drop a lot of our investigators, and we're dealing with controlling and... ungodly... parents who are the only thing keeping their kids/teenagers from progressing in the gospel. What parent would not want their child to be strong in the gospel of Jesus Christ? We had one day this week where not one door was opened up to us the entire day, NOT ONE, for 24 hours! But, you just keep going and know in your heart that it's nothing like what the Savior went through, and perhaps the reason we have to work so hard right now is because there is somebody in our area who is 100% prepared to receive and embrace the gospel. We've been finding a lot of investigators and people who are willing to learn, but they all speak english, so we have to keep giving the english sisters our new investigators. It's okay though, it's all the same work, and all that matters is if they get baptized and come unto Christ.
We're still teaching the Palacios family, of course :) they are wonderful. Vanessa has been such a good example lately, this week her parents tried to give her coffee 3 times and she turned it down every single time, and finally her dad asked, "why don't you want coffee? Is it because you want to get baptized?" She answered "yes" to which he replied, "hmm, ok, I'll remember that and take that into consideration." Which is GREAT! Slowly but surely he is softening his heart and we are hoping and praying that she can get baptized this month.
Yesterday our ward got a new bishopric, and during their testimonies, somebody set off the fire alarm in the church... that was a fun and exciting experience, especially because just a few weeks before we had a training in ward council about how to respond when an emergency happens during sacrament meeting or if protesters try to come and stop our meetings. Luckily it was just a kid who pulled it and there was no emergency.
We're teaching the Martinez family and they have never read the Book of Mormon on their own, regardless of how many times they've been invited. So, this week in our lesson, we just read in 1 Nephi 1 and explained it to them, and the loved it! It might not seem like a big deal, but Cristian, the dad, said he wanted to read it during the week, and that it was really interesting. If Cristian gains a testimony of the Book of Mormon and (the gospel), then that whole family will be baptized! This will be huge! When we went over there they were so happy about what they learned that they asked us at the end of the lesson to bring all of our friends over from church this Thursday and they are going to make pizza for everyone! Huge fellowshipping
I'm so happy to hear about all the successes you are having in your ward back at home! That's so great that an entire family is going to be baptized and that there are so many other people to work with right now! That makes me happy :) make sure to be good friends to them, the new converts and investigators. They'll stay around if they have good friends to support them and answer their questions. That's so crazy that Jensen and Shane are working on their mission papers!! Holy cow!! They're little! But that's so great!!! :) So many Inman Missionaries! How fun that Edison Thalman's MTC teacher is Elder/Brother Armstrong! I know him! He was a great elder and I got to teach some of his converts in the Olivenhain ward while I was there! That's so cool! Small world. I didn't know he even knew who I was haha.
I am so grateful for my knowledge of the godhead again this week. God sent His SON to redeem us, and the Holy Ghost testifies of THEM. They work together for one purpose, but are THREE separate beings. The Atonement wouldn't be possible nor make any sense if God was also the son and also the holy ghost. We've had the opportunity to teach about it a few times this week. The gospel of Jesus Christ is so true! It's so comforting and brings me so much peace. I love the Lord. I love this work. I love the Book of Mormon, and I am so grateful for the divine truths that the restoration of the gospel teaches us.
Have a great week and don't forget to study the scriptures each day.
Love,
Hermana Inman
