Week 8: "Awake to your Duties"

I read an amazing talk this morning by Carol M Stephens, and she cited a scriptures in Romans 13:11-12--both are very inspiring, and you should look into them :D

And yes, we are starting out with the connection between the Atonement and missionary work. In 2 Nephi 16 (or Isaiah 6), Isaiah receives a remission of his sins, and DIRECTLY AFTER the Lord asks for someone to preach. Isaiah is ready, and willing to answer that call. (see also vs. 17:14, 18:10, and 19:6). Are we?

Food update: Milanesas are still delicious!! We have them at least once a week. We also had estofada, I think it´s Peruvian, and I was in heaven!

We taught our 10 year old investigator every day this week to try to prepare her for her baptism. We talked with her family about eternal families and how they could be sealed in the temple. After this lesson, her mom really warmed up and shared how she remembers being sealed to her family. She still hasn't attended church, but Valentina bore her testimony in sacrament meeting yesterday. 

On our way from district meeting and to lunch, Hma. Walters felt like we should turn around, and talk to the woman we'd passed sitting by the sidewalk. She opened up quickly to us that she'd lost her son a year ago, and didn't feel like Jesus Christ could be there if he'd let a child die. We talked to her for a while, and are going to find her again. The family we had lunch with knows her, and told us a little more about her situation, and is willing to help us to meet with her and with other investigators.

We taught the daughter of another less active family (Kiara) and had a fun object lesson to teach about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The 6-yr old reminds me of Hava and Maia, and is super sweet!

We found a new investigator on our way from this lesson, a young mom with two children. (We also met her husband in our second lesson). She hasn't really ever prayed, but said the prayer in our lesson, and is reading the Book of Mormon. She asks really good questions that show that she's really learning and has a desire to learn more. 

I decided to be daring and read something out of the old testament. There's a reference to Ezek 33-34 somewhere in PMG, so I read those, and WOW!! They're so powerful, and beautiful about the love of God for people who've gone astray and how we have the responsibility to look for them, and how Jesus Christ is also the Shepherd who wants to gather his flock. 

We met with the woman who's blind again, and were just in time to help her walk to her friend's house. She was so much fun to be with, and said that we could call her to pass by again some other day. 

I've been talking to more and more people, and have decided that one of my mission goals is to be able to talk more easily about the gospel in contacting situations. I'd just gotten use to easy conversations with strangers in English, and now I'm learning how to do it in Spanish.

Yesterday we had our first lesson with a woman that we've talked to a couple of times, and who has met with the sister missionaries once before. She asked a lot of questions and has a desire to have a desire to believe. She told us she has a lot of doubts about religions and even apologized for her "Hard Heart" We shared scriptures from the Book of Mormon and explained about faith, and how it's something that grows gradually as we're developing it. 

Today I studied how the Book of Mormon answers questions of the soul, and decided to write down a question I had, and look for the answer tomorrow. But I didn't even have to wait, because in companionship study, Hma. Walters shared a scripture that answered the question. 

The Book of Mormon is true scripture, and it's a way that Heavenly Father answers our prayers. 

I love you all and wish you a happy week filled with the Spirit!

Sister Tova S Biesinger

Argentina Buenos Aires South Mission