8/25/14

Last week was transfer meeting and I replaced my green fields and rolling hills for freeways and tall buildings (and roommates). It was definitely a culture shock. Most of our neighbors are Indian and there are a ton of Asian people and now instead of playing "spot the white" we play "spot the Hispanics" because as Spanish missionaries it is really hard to find Spanish speakers to teach in this area... 

This week was harder than my first week on the field mainly because I was used to just going from lesson to lesson but we are whitewashing a brand new area and, as great as the previous missionaries were, there are no records or progressing investigators to work with so we are just making it up as we go. Our area is quite large and 30 minutes away from where we live so that kind of feels familiar :)

I am very grateful to have Sister Boyd as a companion. She is an incredibly consecrated missionary who loves to serve and loves the Gospel with all her heart and it definitely shows! We have been going to bed absolutely exhausted and have been blessed to witness the Lord's tender mercies. In the last two days we have been able to catch up on lessons which lifted up my spirits and helped me to feel better about the whole situation. 

Yesterday we met two incredible people. One was a philosopher type guy who kind of thought himself into not needing God or religion. We talked  about research and I asked him if he wanted to try an experiment he said "sure" so I gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon (haha) he kind of smiled but took it and as we explained the background his attitude changed and he said didn't really want us to teach him about the religion but that he was willing to read the Book of Mormon and to test it out first. I took this conversation as a huge sign from Heavenly Father that he is aware of how I feel and that he loves me and is taking care of me.

Later that night we met another young man who is unlike any other person I have ever met... He had a hard time focusing but by the end we managed to through in some gospel principles and have a good discussion about our purpose here on Earth. He had an attitude of happiness and that really was an example to me of how, even in the most difficult of circumstances, we can choose to be happy. Joe invited us over to his house and asked if he could walk with us. He isn't interested in religion but we might take him contacting with us. He'll be our nonmember present ;) haha

For my spiritual thought I'd like to share an experience from a recently returned missionary (the daughter of bishop Haight) who served in Canada. She told the story of how they had one hour to get someone baptized who was on an oxygen machine and would not be able to make the trip to the chapel to be baptized. They were told to find a pool so they ran around trying to find someone who would let them use their pool, after searching and searching and knocking on everyone's doors they finally found someone who said yes and they were able to baptize this man. She spoke about how Heavenly Father always provides a way, that He knows what is going on and that he allows us to work for things but that he always answers and helps us to accomplish His work. As Moroni once said "And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will." I know that this is true. I have witnessed it myself very closely this week. Do not loose hope, do not loose faith. Everything works out for the best in the end.

Lots of love,

Hermana Quintana