Jason says this was brought back from a Youth Conference by one of the youth
Dear Mom and Dad,
If I fall asleep in the middle of typing this letter, it´s because we played soccer for two hours this morning and I ran my heart out. But it was worth it--I can actually play soccer now, that´s pretty awesome :D
First miracle of the week, I got my triple combination back! About two months ago it fell out of my back while we were running back to the apartment to get in on time. A week ago, I ran into someone on the street who said they had a book that belonged to a member of our church. We went by on Tuesday, and now I am back to teaching with all four standard works! When I think of the journey that this book took in the last four months (bag to ground, ground to this house about ten minutes away, person who lives in the house to meet us, we went by the house), I am ridiculously grateful to have it back.
Second miracle is AF. A while back we ran into her while we were touching doors down a street, and she invited us right up, but didn´t have time to listen to us because she was on her way to the hospital. This week we went by and taught a few times. She said that, throughout here life, she had rejected and turned away more missionaries than she could count, but that something spoke to her--the words she used were something illuminated her--when we passed by this time. She came to church this Sunday, loved it, and is already planned out how she is going to tell her Catholic family that she is going to get baptized. I have always heard, there are people who are prepared out there. She is living proof of this, a true miracle.
Hermana R, the Gospel Principles teacher, is catching some fire. She set up a church-movie-night with a couple of her friends this next week, and invited us to come present the movie with a hymn and a prayer. She says her friends are really catholic (as opposed to "catholic, but in my own way" (en Español es "catolica catolica" en vezde "catolica, pero a mi manera")) but she is excited to introduce them to the restored gospel.
This Friday we had a church activity, a celebration of music through the ages. The missionaries got the assignment to prepare something from the nineties, so of course we danced something to Backstreet Boys. The dance was pretty great, but you´ll have to take my word for it until I send you my camera card, because the file is way to big to send with email.
After the activity I started talking to P and A, the parents of C, a priest that goes out with us all the time. They asked me if, as couple missionaries, they could go to Utah. I said they would probably have to learn English beforehand, but that I definitely believe they could. The best part is, Pedro is a recent convert, he got baptized about when I entered the MTC in August. Even past their sealing in the temple in this coming August, they are already planning on a senior mission! To Utah! I love people. I´m pretty sure they would be amazing missionaries, too.
Saturday we had interchanges, I went to Casablanca. Highlight of the day was doing service--we cleaned out a vacant lot where someone wants to build a house, mostly lifting big wooden pallets and throwing them over a wall. At the end of the project the Hermana in charge gave us each a pair of gloves as a reminder. A little bit later, at lunch, a 15 year old kid who reminds me incredible of my brother J explained all the tricks that he can do on ripstik, scateboard, and bike. We made a deal that I´d come back after my mission so that he can teach me.
Last story of the week. I´ve known for a while how important the spirit would be in guiding our teaching, so that we could help a wide variety of people with an even wider variety of needs, but I have also realized here how important the spirit is to guide where we go. Last night, we had used up all of our plans and had two ideas of who to pass by. We thought about it for a few seconds then, based on a feeling more than anything, we decided to pass up the person who lives right next to our apartment and walk a few minutes to a family of recent converts (L, D, and F) to see how they were doing. Turns out we passed by in the only moment in the entire week when they were all three together. We shared a bit about reading in the Book of Mormon and congratulated them for what they were doing (L has already finished the Book of Mormon, just a few months after being baptized!)
Being guided by the Lord to bless His children really is the best experience. I love my mission, love my life.
Viviendo el sueño.
Love you,
Elder Jason Ray
Editor's note: We have re-enabled comments. If any of you want to post a comment, we will collect them and send to Jason.
