Chapter 39: God Loves His Missionaries

As many of you already know from my photo shoot, I got a few days off this week. I thought it was slightly strange that the ward members that were with me wanted to take so many photos, and then one of the sisters that stayed with me told me, “Oh hold up this book that your mom made you, it will make her cry!” And that is when I realized, to my complete horror, that they had been posting those photos on Facebook. So, sorry that many of you had to witness me sick on the couch for the weekend. But, let´s start at the beginning of the week. My luck of last week seemed to have seeped over into this week as well. We were just not getting anywhere! However, then Wednesday came and we met with Ana. I have been really nervous about the next few lessons with her, because she was ready for the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity—the scariest lessons. Ok, maybe I shouldn´t say that...but, in my mind, they are. I wasn´t too worried about the Law of Chastity since she´s married, has a family, etc. However, judging by the wine bottle display she has in her living room, I was slightly worried for the Word of Wisdom. I knew that her scheduled baptism was only a week and a half away, and if she had any problems with the Word of Wisdom, then it would make it really difficult. So I was actually really nervous when we started the lesson. However, we asked her about her Book of Mormon reading, and she replied, “Well, I didn´t really have the opportunity to read as much as I would have liked....” then she pulled out her Book of Mormon, opened it, and there was the first 10 chapters of Nephi marked, highlighted, with little notes in the margins. I knew that the next two parts of the lesson would be fine. You know if your investigators are reading the Book of Mormon sincerely, and wanting to know, that there is no way they won´t be converted. (So the issue really is as missionaries is to help them gain that desire to read). Law of Chastity was a breeze, and then came the Word of Wisdom. Gulp. After reviewing a little bit about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, we had her read in a little pamphlet we have what exactly is the Word of Wisdom. She looked down at the pamphlet, looked back up at me, looked down, looked up at the member that was with us, looked down....(holding my breath the whole time), and she looks up again and says, “Well, that seems simple enough, ok.” What?. That´s it?? It was almost too easy...she continued, “I don´t really like tea or coffee, never been on drugs, smoking is disgusting, and I only drink on Holidays....so...yep.” YES! I could barely hold in my excitement. So we are still on for her baptism this Saturday. Baptism weeks are always so crazy. The Elders also had a wonderful baptism Saturday that she was able to attend and know how it will be for hers. (Fun fact: 80% of investigators who attend baptisms, whether they have received the lessons or not, will be baptized!) So that was definitely the highlight of my week. As I said last week, I have been fighting the Spanish flu...Ok, so really just a bad cough. Well, Wednesday night I was seeing little improvement, and Thursday was even a little worse. So, Friday morning, I was finally convinced to call the mission nurse. Our conversation went something like this, “Hi Hermana Clark, it´s Hermana Hopkins *cough cough*.” She shortly replied, “Hermana Hopkins you sound absolutely awful.” Thank you, that´s always something you want to hear. “Well Hermana Clark, I sound worse than I feel. Really I don´t feel that sick, I am just wondering what I should take to get rid of the cough.” She then sent me on a wild goose chase for this medicine to get from a farmacia, on a holiday, thank you, all across town and demanded that I stay in piso for the next 3 days. I was totally bummed!! I only got permission to leave for the Elder’s baptism they were having and Church. I hated the idea of staying inside, especially when I didn´t really feel all that sick. I almost went out anyway, but decided to be obedient. Instead, I decided we were going to enlist the young womens and the young adults to help us out for three days so that my companion could go out and work, and the members could stay with me. It was actually kind of a fun idea. They got to be missionaries for the day, or a babysitter of a missionary. So, I was debating how much I should actually put that they did for me in my letter thinking you would all think I am a spoiled, lazy missionary, but I feel like these people deserve the shoutout. So, Friday, Melanie stayed with me and wrote me a cute letter and she taught me Spanish for about 6 hours. The next day, a member came up to me at the baptism and was trying to ask if I could come to her house instead of her coming to ours. I am pretty good at Spanish, but I couldn´t quite figure out why she wanted me to go there. However, I got permission to go there if someone drove me there. So a different ward member overheard and volunteered to come pick me up. So Rita (Tamara on Facebook) stayed with me until the ward member came to pick me up. She brought me my favorite candies and a green candied apple. When I got to the members house (Her name is Marta) she led me back to a room...and told me to get on this strange, almost hospital-like looking bed. I thought that it was the weirdest bed I had ever seen. Haha But I layed down, and then she pushed a button, and oh! It was a massage bed. Not just a masssage chair, a massage bed. So, yes. I got a two hour massage in the house of this member. She was concerned about my cough, so she got this thing that heats up that you put on our neck and chest. It felt wonderful. She just sat and told me stories of when she was in Ecuador, her concerns, how she wants to be a better missionary for her friends, etc. It was like talking with my mom again. It was really sweet. She also gave me a recipe book so I could make some Christmas goodies. When I told her I would have to make her something to repay her, she said, “Oh no! This is my opportunity to serve the Lord by caring for one of his chosen missioanries here; you don´t realize how special you are to us.” I almost got teary-eyed.  Then the other member came and picked me and Rita back up to go back and wait in our piso for the rest of the night. When I got there, Melanie and her sister had made me chicken noodle soup, and Rita had picked up some Spanish bread during my massage. Haha I felt slightly guilty when my cute companion staggered in the door, absolutely exhausted. However, I think God wanted me to stay in, because there is something I learned. God doesn´t leave his missionaries comfortless. I was being taken care of while I was sick by the wonderful members, and my companion was blessed with so many miracles. She found so many new investigators (including 2 families), and taught more lessons than we usually teach as an entire district in two days. It was an absolute miracle. Plus, she has only been in the field for a week. I was so proud of her! I was one proud trainer, let me tell you. Then Sunday came around, and an investigator came to church and said that he had been watching his friend grow in the church, and wanted to change like he had. We had a lesson with him after church, and he said he wanted to be baptized. We were so blessed this week. Really, I was praying that if I did stay inside and take a break that we would still be able to find those people who are ready. I couldn´t physically go out and work, so God put them in my path for me. It was so great. As a sad note though, Fernando´s wife called and said we weren´t allowed to bother him this month of Christmas. I was really disappointed, but I guess they have their agency. But, I wasn´t about to let that dampen my mood. J I was so excited about our new investigator Miguel. He is from Peru, and we will work with him more this week, but he is so golden! Also, after church, my edible gifts from the members didn´t cease. In fact, I was brought an entire meal including more chicken noodle soup, a chicken and rice dish, and my personal favorite, chocolate chip bread pudding with pineapple sauce. Then later in the day when Rita came to watch me again, she brought me some dinner. I should get sick more often perhaps...haha J We had Zone Conference yesterday, and I officially got the ok to go back to work, and I am really excited to work with these new investigators!! I just have felt so blessed this week. I know that Heavenly Father loves His missionaries.

Les quiero!!

Hermana Hopkins