One morning we went running with our dear friend Jean Franco around a park and somehow along the way 10 euros fell out of his pocket. We searched like crazy right after he realized it but we couldn´t find it so finally we decided to say a prayer. We continued looking for awhile but no luck. So we decided to run home the way we came and on the way back he saw his money lying on the ground! 20 minutes later! And so many people had run by and had magically not seen it! He was so happy and I will NEVER forget the prayer of gratitude he offered to Heavenly Father immediately after. It was a beautiful moment and strengthened my testimony that God can and will give us opportunities to strengthen our faith, we just have to be willing to be humble and submit ourselves to His will. 10 euros may not be that much, but for our investigator it meant a lot and Heavenly Father knew that. And I know He saw this as an opportunity to teach Jean Franco about the power of prayer and to strengthen Hermana Swenson and my testimony. We as missionaries are SO imperfect but Heavenly Father is incredible and can work through our weaknesses and give us experiences like these every day!
And then just last night, it was late but we said had some time, so we decided to stop by this reference we had gotten from the Church Office. We knocked and this sweet Colombian lady quickly ushered us in, showered us with food, and then called her niece in Colombia. Apparently her neice and her family had been baptized four years ago and asked the niece asked the aunt (the woman we were visiting) if she would like it if the missionaries visited her. So thats how we got her information! And I even got to talk to this cute niece over the phone a little bit and thank her for sending us to her aunt. We´re going back to visit Tuesday and I can already tell that this sweet lady is so prepared. She kept telling us "I´m so glad you came! You came late (we may have showed up around 10 PM whoops) but I´m so glad you came and I can´t wait to study with you two!" Haha love it. What loved one can you send the missionaries too, no matter if there in a different state, country, or continent?
And last but not least, I just want to tell you how much I LOVE saying kneeling prayers at the end of lessons. We´re teaching two huge Romanian families and I will always have the image engrained in my memory of 15 people all kneeling down in a crowded room with us to say a prayer of gratitude to Heavenly Father that He has lead us together to lean on and learn from each other. From babies to teenagers to adults--very religious or never having said a prayer in their life--it doesnt matter. i love it. it´s beautiful and I can feel Heavenly Father´s love emanating from heaven every time we do it. So quick shout out to my parents, thank you for guiding us in kneeling family prayers every night. Even though we complained about it always and took forever to make it into your room haha I just want you to know I treausre these memories too. And because of your example,I am now teaching this wonderful habit to families here in Spain.
So thats my week! We´re working so hard--we find so many people every day, every week, and we teach so many lessons. I´ve never felt so blessed in my mission and I feel like I´m finally figuring out how to do this whole mission thing. But yet, no one came to church again this week. Saturday night we made plans to pick up 10 friends on the way and about 5 or 6 told us they would come on their own. But everything fell apart the next morning and in church, we jumped excitedly every time the door opened in the chapel but alas, nada. And oddly, I´m okay with it. People have their agency and Hermana Swenson and I are going to study Ch.11 of Preach My Gospel to improve our commitmnet-making this week. And even though sometimes we don´t see the fruits of our labors, I know we´re making a difference. Poco a poco. If there´s one thing i´ve learned on my mission its that my time is not The Lord´s time. Everything doesn´t have to happen when I want it to happen or the way i want it to happen. We´re just going to get back up, brush ourselves off, and keep working as hard as we can. I could finish my mission here without one person coming to church and I would still love it. This work is amazing, incredible, and beautiful. And as long as I´m working hard and doing my Father´s will, I´m happy.
LOVE YOU ALL! ANIMO! AMAR LA VIDA!
Hurrah for Israel!
Love and besitos all around (unless you´re a guy--then its handshake-itos),
Hermana Morrow
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