Single Latin Men and harvesting

Monday, February 27, 2012

Dearest Family and/or Friends,

Oh the things that happen to missionaries! Seriously, though. We do so many things everyday that I can't remember all of the awesome little details that really make a difference at the moment, but also so many things that I wouldn't think would ever happen to us. I'll explain.

People have very different reactions when they see us. This week, we've had people that know exactly who we are say hi to us or slam the door in our face or run away. We also have people that have no idea who we are that say hi to us or slam the door in our face or run away. We had people cry before we say a prayer with them, after we say a prayer with them, or simply give us blank stares the entire time. We had several people this week ask us for our number (Sister Sobkowicz actually got asked out to dinner by a random guy we blessed!) or, as is very very far too common with single Latin men, say generally inappropriate things or listen to us for the wrong reasons.

Not to say that ALL single-latin-men are inappropriate, just most of them. :)

Actually, we are teaching some great SLM that are sincerely interested in coming closer to Christ. Top on my list of cool people right now is Cesar. He wrote a letter to President Monson this week explaining why he wants to get baptized (turns out his parole is for not paying a driving related incident). It was so sweet! And then to hear his testimony of the Book of Mormon last night in our lesson was amazing! He just wants to be baptized and can't, and his parents can and won't. It is more than a little frustrating. Especially since we know that his dad is still meeting with the Testigos.

Next on my list of awesome, not creepy SLM is Diego: Here's what I told President:

"We have some great investigators we are currently working with and they have really been making progress. But just when they are ready to commit to baptism and set a date, Satan comes in and distracts them, especially from coming to church. We did have some success this week in getting people to church. On Friday we were following up on a referral from the English Elders and were knocking on a door of a Spanish lady when her neighbor came outside. We said hello and he recognized us as missionaries. He explained that he had met with the Sisters before but they had stopped coming and he had lost his Book of Mormon. We gave him a new one, marked a scripture for him, and set up an appointment to teach him the next day. We were able to leave a blessing with him, teach him about baptism, commit him (with the help of a calendar and a lot of reassurance) to a date - March 11! We helped him understand the importance of coming to church and he committed to come. He even got there before us and stayed for all 3 hours. He said he really enjoyed it and I am excited to continue teaching him. We feel so blessed to be able to help him find the church again and take further steps to preparing for baptism!

What I didn't mention was that in the middle of our lesson (which we had in a courtyard while sitting on a bench made of a 2x4 in the wind) a drunk SLM came over and interrupted our lesson by telling us how happy he was to see us (we've never seen him before) and that we were doing great things. We tried our best to avoid him giving us a hug or touching our hair by giving him a pass-along, but he was too drunk to really comprehend anything. Luckily we got him to keep on walking so we could finish our lesson.

Other creepy SLM include: Jonathan and his friend (both 18 yr olds) who wanted to give us their numbers and said "you're beautiful" as we were walking away, Eddie who is more lame than creepy since he still hasn't come to church since his baptism, and Pedro when he is drunk (saddest day ever: when you find your recent converts drunk and you have to take away their keys) :(

Harvesting was quite the experience this week.

Other than the usual unreceptive people, we also met an awesome girl who let us leave a prayer with her and then gave us ice cream! We met a mom and her son who were very interested in coming to church (but didn't), at least he walked us back to our car because it was dark! We met a woman who is going through drug rehab and wouldn't let us in at first but then cried when we blessed her and her family who are going through really hard times with the father (that 10-yr-old boy was very well versed in his bible!).

Best of all was harvesting on Sunday, but first, Saturday:

We had a zone fast that we started on Friday (after eating at Sweet Tomatoes with a member -what are the odds?) and were going to end on Saturday with Rosa. But she wasn't there when we got there. Hungry and not knowing what to do, we talked to her neighbors who seemed to be having a party. They had just come back from blessing their baby and were cooking up a storm. Unbidden, they fed us a huge plate of rice and beans, 3 kinds of grilled meet and Mexican tortillas! It was miracle food sent by God! We were so grateful!

The next day, Sunday, we came back to bless them and they were too busy for us - as usual. So we knocked on the doors down the street. The first one was this tall old man (like 75 or 80) who responded to our introduction as Representatives of Christ with "that's interesting, did you know that's not his real name?" He then proceeded to explain how "Jesus" means son of Zeus and how there was more than one Jesus. One was a 12th level avatar and the other was a 9th level avatar. He also mentioned something about scriptures written on Holographic tablets 200 billion years ago, and us poor humans only living in 3 dimensions when there are really 15.

Then the next house was a Guy who told us straight up that he was cooking drugs. We gave him a good talking to.

Then we met a woman who said she was Gay and vegan and that it would not be okay if "missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ prayed with me."

Fun times.

Also, it got up to 92 degrees this week according to our car. Then when it was 72, I was cold. I'm becoming accustomed to Florida!!

Now I have to go. Everyone should read Elder Christofferson's talk on Repentance from the last conference before next week. There will be a quiz.

Have a wonderful week! I Love this work! You should, too!

Love, Hermana Anna Sheffield