Week Forty-Seven

So I'm still here in Oncativo for the time being. President Salas is still trying to figure things out. Right now it doesn't matter so much if I stay or go to a different area, but I would just like to know so I can unpack. Living out of suitcases isn't my favorite. But anyways, this week was good we have been still teaching Carlos the lessons after baptism. He is so great. We passed by the window before we knocked and saw him reading the Book of Mormon. It really was just a tender moment from the Lord to see him putting forth such an effort in the things the Lord wants. The sad part though was that Sunday came and he didn't make it to church. So we went by and apparently something happened he got hit or fell and hurt his head. We don't know exactly because we heard two different stories. So it was more of a he didn't go because of what happened not because he doesn't want to. So we're going to go by again tonight and talk to him and try to figure out what happened. We are still teaching Manuel and we had a lesson with the Branch President and we realized that he has a few doubts still and that he might not be doing things for the right incentive, so we're going to get the Elders to help us out and keep praying and working with him. The greatest thing that has helped with him is getting him to pray about things while we are there to help him recognize the spirit and that these things are true. It's been amazing in lessons how sometimes the Lord blesses me to remember situations or things that I have learned that can help these people.

We also had interview with President Salas. It was kind of a wake up call for me that I've become to comfortable with where I'm at and that the Lord wants me to keep growing spiritually. How I've been serving with my strength and might but I've been with holding my heart and mind. I haven't given Him those things completely. And I read this amazing talk the Fourth Missionary that really opened my mind and although it's for missionaries I think it can apply in general as well. "Your greatest work: your most important creation is and ever will be you. What kind of person will you become?... When everything else is removed and there you stand alone who will you be? Envision and plan for your greatest work." And it talks about how everyday we can either make choices to help shape us to who we will become or we can be shaped by world and the result of the world will just be another average person." The realization of your amazing and true potential happens only in the hands of the Lord. But you and only you can place yourselves in those masterful, loving hands." We must give our will to His to become who he wants up to become. As a missionary it requires forgetting ourselves and giving our selves to the Lord.  Then, and only then do we start to become the missionaries He called us to be. I pray that I can give him everything my heart and mind and through that I know I will find the true joy and peace that comes from this work.

To answer some of your questions. Food is expensive in thoughts of pesos for example 1L of milk is like 6 pesos. Fruits and veggies aren't to bad it's a lot cheaper if you go to the little veggie stores then the super market. I hope you enjoy the cherries and apricots I haven't seen those here. As far as service we try to plan something every week. We usually clean the church for the members and then we just try to serve when we see people who need a hand. And no I haven't gotten the package. I should have gotten it last week when we had interviews but all of my letters and packages were in the wrong zone because they organized it according to how transfers were supposed to be so I'll have to wait till the end of the month probably and pray that nothing gets lost along the way. But don't worry I'm sure it's here I just haven't received it.

Con Mucho Amor,
 Hna Potrie