So... my companion asked someone what's with the crazy amount of birds and supposedly that's just what happens this time of year. They're all screaming at each other over the cramped real estate on the power lines and roofs. I think I now know where Alfred Hitchcock got his inspiration... Either that or this is where Pixar got their "Birds" short from. Twang!
And I've had a few culinary adventures. I made some sweet potato fries, and some eggy cheesy almost scone like pastries.
And one of the members gave me all the ingredients for chocoflan (chocolate cake with flan on top). It turned out really good, even though it was my first try. Believe it or not, you pour in the flan mixture and the cake batter all in the same pan and it separates as you bake it!
And on a more serious note, Aricela got baptized yesterday! She's so ready and she seems like she's already been a member for the last few weeks. The rest of her family is next. :) She reads more than anyone else I've ever taught combined. She's currently in Alma 22. Just like the last baptism back in June, it felt weird/wrong when people would tell us "congratulations!" or saying it was "our baptism". I am perfectly happy and content giving the Lord all the credit, because it really is His. God works in mysterious ways through imperfect people. Even me. And thank goodness! Becuase if he didn't, things would be pure chaos and we wouldn't grow nearly as much. Enough said.
There have also been lots of miracles/mind blowing experiences this week. One thing that I don't think I'll ever forget is talking to (or more like listening to) Rene. He was a referral we got from a neighbor and it seemed like we were meant to find him, because he really needs the beautiful message that is the Gospel. He shared with us pretty much his entire life story. He's only 51 years old but has experienced more like 3 lifetimes of trouble and heartache. He had gone through so much, growing up in the southern California ghetto, having so many family problems, having 2 sons in jail for life for murder, being a police officer, his constant efforts to do good and support his family, and not seeing the fruit of his labors most of the time. Through all of that he has such a strong belief in God and knows that Christ has carried him through it all. It was so sad to see him cry and say things like "They say a family that prays together stays together. I have done that all my life and why isn't my family together?" and "I'm tired. I've been through enough and if God told me it was time for me to die, I'd say thank you. I'm just so tired." My heart was going out to him and I was crying too and would have given him a hug if I were allowed to. His sorrow for his sons and for all the other people he sees making terrible choices made me think of God and how He must feel about us when we don't choose Him. Afterwards I was reading Moses 7:26-44 and it has more depth and significance to me now, just seeing God's infinite compassion and how he feels about us, His children. He is so happy when we follow Him, and follow after the nature of happiness (Alma 41:10-11) and so sad when we make bad decisions.
Every now and then I think of reasons why I specifically am supposed to serve a mission in this specific place. I think one of them was so I could develop more compassion. Before the mission, I didn't really feel for people. I had/have a hard time expressing my excitement for people when they're excited/happy and was relatively apathetic when people make bad decisions. One one hand, life is easier that way, but on the other, it isn't as rewarding when you don't care/aren't invested. But now, I care more than ever.
Anyway, I know that this is God's work and that He's working on both me and those I serve. I know that God loves us so much and that everything He does is so we can come back to live with Him. I know that this gospel is made to help us fulfill our highest potential, and that it's all just so true. I'm not the type to cry when I bear my testimony but I am one to think about it as certainly and concretely as I can say "the world is round".
Love you all!
- Hermana Jarvis
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