Hi everyone!
After this email only 2 more! Yikes! Ok anyways, we are doing ok here in Muluá. Actually this week had a few big disappointments, because around Wednesday we were feeling good, we had put baptismal dates with 5 people, 2 families, but then Thursday and Friday everything fell apart and got canceled or postponed...so that’s not fun when you have 2 weeks left, because there is NO TIME to postpone the baptisms! Agh! But that’s how it goes. Me and hna. Argueta's motto is "We can’t do it all!" ha-ha, because we can only try our best. But anyways, some good things did happen this week, here’s what went down:
1. Permission for Abel! YAY! So we have been teaching this kid named Abel, he’s 17, for a few months now. He’s been going to church for about 4 months and has wanted to get baptized and everything, but his parents are super evangelicos and wouldn’t give him permission para nada. But he is such a great kid! He goes to church every Sunday, gets there on time, goes to the youth activities, and even went on the young men’s campout last week. He’s been praying and has even fasted so that his mom would give him permission. He really likes the church. The whole time I’ve been here we have been trying to figure out the best way to get permission from the mom...at first she wouldn’t really talk to us. But a few weeks ago we had a good chat with her about her son, the church, the youth programs, etc. to make her feel better about the campout. We came up with a pretty good plan, got Abel to write down his testimony on a piece of paper, and on Sunday went and had a nice experience with the mom and in the end she signed and gave him permission!!!!! Abel was SO HAPPY!!!! And so were we! He’s been going to church here since way before I got here, and he is finally going to be able to get baptized! We of course are hoping for this Saturday, we haven’t really gotten to talk to him about it yet, but I’m sure he'll want to. We are so excited for him, and I know he is so happy. I really think that he'll make a great missionary someday soon!
2. Familia Martinez -- Well I don’t know if yall remember familia Martinez. They are the family where we made grilled cheese and all that. Well we are still working with them, but it’s been really hard and discouraging. I don’t remember everything I’ve written about them, but basically the hno. Hermelindo is super awesome and wants to get baptized really badly, and his wife, Pati, is crazy and super stubborn and won’t budge! Agh! I’m not even going to explain what her deal is. Last Monday we had a super special experience with them when Presidente Maravilla, the mission president, invited them for a family home evening at the church. We thought that would surely do the trick! And it almost did because on Wednesday we set a baptismal date with them and we were so happy!!!!! I was overjoyed because they are such a special family for me. But then on Thursday everything fell apart again. We had brought the fixins to make hot dogs with them and celebrate a bit, but everything exploded and Pati said that she had decided to never get baptized ever and she is just crazy! Her husband was soooo sad :( because he had been so excited about getting baptized. He can’t get baptized without her because they aren’t married and have to get married first. And he doesn’t want to do it without her. AGH!!!! So we are kind of giving them a break. We will hopefully go this week, because I still have a little hope because I have to have hope, but it’s looking slim. Ahh ohh well, we seriously have done EVERYTHING with them, and if EVERYTHING isn’t enough, there is nothing else we could have done. But yea, that was a HUGE GIANT bummer for the week.
We are still excited about Abel’s baptism (hopefully). And we have another girl whose husband is a member who will probably get baptized on Saturday too. So we are working hard and I am really hopeful for these guys!
Other than that I’m feeling good! I’m getting super nervous about going home, but it’s exciting at the same time! I love being a missionary and am so grateful for the time that I’ve had here. I love the gospel and know that it’s true. I’ve been studying the Book of Mormon a lot because President asked us to start over and read it again. Even though I’ve read the first chapters like a thousand times, they are great! I’m learning so much in 1 Nefi! I know that the Book of Mormon is true. And therefore, I know that the church is true. I love the gospel and my family and all the blessings that the Lord has given me.
Have an awesome week! This week is thanksgiving, right? Everyone be thankful for AMERICA! It is the BEST. Thanks for everything!
Love,
Hna Gilland
After this email only 2 more! Yikes! Ok anyways, we are doing ok here in Muluá. Actually this week had a few big disappointments, because around Wednesday we were feeling good, we had put baptismal dates with 5 people, 2 families, but then Thursday and Friday everything fell apart and got canceled or postponed...so that’s not fun when you have 2 weeks left, because there is NO TIME to postpone the baptisms! Agh! But that’s how it goes. Me and hna. Argueta's motto is "We can’t do it all!" ha-ha, because we can only try our best. But anyways, some good things did happen this week, here’s what went down:
1. Permission for Abel! YAY! So we have been teaching this kid named Abel, he’s 17, for a few months now. He’s been going to church for about 4 months and has wanted to get baptized and everything, but his parents are super evangelicos and wouldn’t give him permission para nada. But he is such a great kid! He goes to church every Sunday, gets there on time, goes to the youth activities, and even went on the young men’s campout last week. He’s been praying and has even fasted so that his mom would give him permission. He really likes the church. The whole time I’ve been here we have been trying to figure out the best way to get permission from the mom...at first she wouldn’t really talk to us. But a few weeks ago we had a good chat with her about her son, the church, the youth programs, etc. to make her feel better about the campout. We came up with a pretty good plan, got Abel to write down his testimony on a piece of paper, and on Sunday went and had a nice experience with the mom and in the end she signed and gave him permission!!!!! Abel was SO HAPPY!!!! And so were we! He’s been going to church here since way before I got here, and he is finally going to be able to get baptized! We of course are hoping for this Saturday, we haven’t really gotten to talk to him about it yet, but I’m sure he'll want to. We are so excited for him, and I know he is so happy. I really think that he'll make a great missionary someday soon!
2. Familia Martinez -- Well I don’t know if yall remember familia Martinez. They are the family where we made grilled cheese and all that. Well we are still working with them, but it’s been really hard and discouraging. I don’t remember everything I’ve written about them, but basically the hno. Hermelindo is super awesome and wants to get baptized really badly, and his wife, Pati, is crazy and super stubborn and won’t budge! Agh! I’m not even going to explain what her deal is. Last Monday we had a super special experience with them when Presidente Maravilla, the mission president, invited them for a family home evening at the church. We thought that would surely do the trick! And it almost did because on Wednesday we set a baptismal date with them and we were so happy!!!!! I was overjoyed because they are such a special family for me. But then on Thursday everything fell apart again. We had brought the fixins to make hot dogs with them and celebrate a bit, but everything exploded and Pati said that she had decided to never get baptized ever and she is just crazy! Her husband was soooo sad :( because he had been so excited about getting baptized. He can’t get baptized without her because they aren’t married and have to get married first. And he doesn’t want to do it without her. AGH!!!! So we are kind of giving them a break. We will hopefully go this week, because I still have a little hope because I have to have hope, but it’s looking slim. Ahh ohh well, we seriously have done EVERYTHING with them, and if EVERYTHING isn’t enough, there is nothing else we could have done. But yea, that was a HUGE GIANT bummer for the week.
We are still excited about Abel’s baptism (hopefully). And we have another girl whose husband is a member who will probably get baptized on Saturday too. So we are working hard and I am really hopeful for these guys!
Other than that I’m feeling good! I’m getting super nervous about going home, but it’s exciting at the same time! I love being a missionary and am so grateful for the time that I’ve had here. I love the gospel and know that it’s true. I’ve been studying the Book of Mormon a lot because President asked us to start over and read it again. Even though I’ve read the first chapters like a thousand times, they are great! I’m learning so much in 1 Nefi! I know that the Book of Mormon is true. And therefore, I know that the church is true. I love the gospel and my family and all the blessings that the Lord has given me.
Have an awesome week! This week is thanksgiving, right? Everyone be thankful for AMERICA! It is the BEST. Thanks for everything!
Love,
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