Stress Test

Well, this week started out with me being stressed! Sometimes I'm not even sure how it happens, but it does. It's pretty frustrating, sometimes.

Part of that was because on Wednesday when we went out to run in the morning my knee hurt a bit, but I ignored it and kept going. Bad idea, because for the next two days it hurt a good bit more, and I was limping all over the place. The nurse told me to buy a brace, and it feels a lot better now, but we might have to go to Quito this week to check it out.

We actually had a pretty cool experience - on Friday, we went back to the house after buying the brace to put it on. I started praying (because I was going to fast that day) and remembered to pray for my knee. That morning I'd called the nurse and she'd proposed going to Quito for a medical appointment but I wanted to wait (who wants to lose a day in Quito). But as I prayed I suddenly felt, very, very, quietly, that we should go to Quito. I wasn't sure if it was an impression, so I called my companion over and we prayed about it together. We sat there for a second then both decided, yeah, we needed to do it. Well, it turned out the nurse couldn't get an appointment that day, so I'm not sure why we received that impression but we undeniably received it. Maybe just to make me think about it a bit more seriously?

Something else that might have stressed me out was setting goals for the month and presenting them to the zone, something we do at the end of every month. It stresses me out because we set the goals, but then I stress because I don't know if we'll achieve them, whether we received the goals through revelation, etc...we set the goals of 4 confirmations and 4 rescues (work with less-actives) and I was fretting all this week about how to get those 4 confirmations for December - because if we want people to get baptized, we need to start working NOW so they can come to church at the least three times.

That and people just seem to have been slamming the doors on us war more lately. We've been pretty good about being persistent, but it hasn't meant much. Once a lady opened the door and immediately began to say "no thanks" and close it again but I quickly got a verbal foot in the door: "Wait, but do you even know who we are?" And she said "no" as she closed it all the way. It was pretty frustrating. I even started to say "but then what are you closing the door for-" and she closed it. I just don't get it sometimes!

BUT. We could have a ton of blessings at the end of the week. First, our less-active Victor is all set up to be rescued next week. He's got everything ready and his interview with the Bishop planned. So that's great. Also, Elizabeth, the less-active I mentioned last week, came to church again! She left after the first hour and we don't know why, but it's awesome because she's doing great. Also, for the very first time I think in all of my time here an investigator came and stayed all three hours! There's a part-member family we're teaching and the husband, who's not a member, came for the first time this week. It's funny, because their fellowshippers did a better job of keeping him their all three hours than his own wife who's a member, but we'll keep working there!

And finally, we have an awesome family we're teaching, the Sanchez family. We found them contacting, which alone is a miracle, and not only that but they are super receptive! It's the mom and her two sons, age 23 and 15. It turns out the mom is a less-active member who got baptized by the missionaries when she was really little so she doesn't remember anything, but she really wants this for her kids. We had our second visit with them yesterday and read the Book of Mormon and everything! They kept saying, "we totally want you guys to keep visiting us!" and the best part was when I started to invite them to a date for the 26th, and before I could even officially ask "will you be prepared to be baptized-" the son who's 23 said "yeah! I want to be baptized." I was so happy. And I started explaining that they need to come to church, etc. and the sons looked at each other and said "yeah, let's go!"

They're just so stinking ready!

This all has to do with the scripture I found while reading D&C 123 this week, which is now one of my favorite scriptures. 

17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

If we're doing what we should be...we just have to wait! That's probably the hardest part for me, but I can at least be sure the blessings will come. :) Love you all!

They have these mini-mangoes here you suck on that are really tasty.

Our zone had a paint fight today. Pretty fun.

Celebrated Thanksgiving by finding some pineapple pie.