March 30, 2015

Neither one of Domingo or Alejandra got baptized this week, because where Alejandra lives there was an assassination and all of this week the neighborhood is on lockdown. There are people walking around with machetes, and there is a hired gang with assault rifles that look and talk like the Pirates in "Captain Phillips" walking around that wont let the people leave. With Domingo, there were thieves in his neighborhood and he was robbed. His daughter also was recently found on the streets: a drug addict, who is pregnant. And so he was in Cartagena where the daughter is receiving medical attention. With my companion things were going well. But now our situation is identical to when Buzz Lightyear (me) came to Andy's (Elder Puchoc) room the first day. Elder Puchoc has been in Arjona for 6 months, and knows all the members. I came in, with new ideas, desires to work, and a personality that gets along with the ward well. Needless to say it was a rough week, and I, for the first time in about 5 months or so missed home. I love the work, and realized that the Savior felt more alone than I ever have when his own apostles abandoned and denied him, and all of the world (who he served all of his life) hated him. And yet he died even for them. "They know not what they do." This week was great in the lessons however! To start off we had an experience of success here in Arjona. We met up with a less active guy named Samir. When we walked into the house he had the TV in the doorway and was watching a pornographic video. We immediately turned our backs to the door and asked him to turn it off. He did, and we started up a lesson about the Law of Chastity. We didn't know it, but he is addicted, crazily addicted to Pornography. We talked about the commandment, and he understood. Afterwards we created a plan of Addiction Recovery. And after, I asked him to find all the videos in his house that had this garbage. He searched all of his house, and after 10 minutes had found about 50 DVDs worth of it. I told him, "As missionaries, we have not come to bother or frustrate the natural man...we have come to kill it." And we asked him to break the DVDs and throw it away. The spirit came back to the house as we broke Satan´s plan in that living room (with his permission). We met up with him 2 days later, and he said that he hasn't watched anymore and had an interview with the Bishop to prepare for a mission. :D Another experience we had was with an inactive woman that hasn't been responsive to the lessons. She just kinda sits there, and doesn't like to participate. And her understanding of the lessons is low despite our efforts. We decided to find more of her "necesidad". After a few minutes and questions, She revealed to us that her husband beat her and left her without notice. I knew that the "necesidad" extended farther than just that. After some more questions she started crying really hard and said "I don't know why I am still living. I don't do anything all day. My life doesn't have a purpose. And I am waiting to die." She is 45 years old. We taught a special lesson about the Atonement and the talk by Jeffery R Holland called "Totalmente Solo". She was crying hard the whole lesson, and said that she hadn't felt the spirit like that in about 5 years. It was a beautiful experience! I am glad that Lauren got asked to Prom! I regret that I never did, but its great that Lauren has that experience. And Sam is a good dude. Tell him that I approve of Laurens date ;). I'm also glad that everything went so well for Nick in the play! I remember some of his first ones, and they were powerful performances! I want him to continue doing it so that I can watch some plays from him when I get back! And congratulations to you Mom for the ASL test! I hope you can jump back into it very well! We will do Skype on Mother's day! I already have it planned to call you guys that day :). Hope everything goes well with the family this week! Read the scriptures as a family every night. It is what sets us apart from the world, because many other religions are not acquainted with their own doctrine. But not a Latter Day Saint. The work goes on! Love you all so much!