Ch. 53 A Week of Laughs, Smiles, and Blessings

Chapter 53: A week of laughs, smiles, and blessings

I feel like this week could be summed up easily by an experience my companion and I had while knocking on doors. We were walking down the street, and it started pouring rain. Luckily, the building we were looking for was just a 10 second run, and the door was already open. Clearly set up to be a miracle, right? Well, as we came to find out, about 90% of the building was Muslim and there was a Muslim wedding going on the fourth floor, so through every hall was echoing very strange Muslim chanting music. Obviously a spiritual environment. Haha As we started our search we came across this Spaniard lady, who started to show some interest, but said she had to go and we could come back another day. Well, my companion invited her to church. I was standing slightly behind my companion as she was pointing in the direction of the church, and I got a big elbow right in the middle of my nose. And right where she hit it, it made my eyes water. So, as you can imagine, I am buckled over laughing (and it hurt too!) and the lady at the door has this horrified look on her face like my companion had just tried to kill me, and then she said, “Actually, I don´t have interest anymore.” and slammed the door. I tried to tell her I was ok.... We were laughing so hard we couldn´t even breath after. I think that is basically how I have learned to do the missionary work. You really just have to laugh it off and stay positive. I had this really great miracle to share this week...but it kind of ends like the elbow to the face. (Not to ruin the ending or anything.) We were praying so hard for an investigator that had real desires to learn and to come to church. We contacted this old Spanish man (while we are being completely honest, I thought nothing would come from it, I was just showing God I was willing to talk to anyone and everyone.) Well, he grabs my arm and says, “I am an atheist and want nothing to do with you!” and I just thought, “Well that´s rude! He could have just said no thank you!” and then he grabbed my arm again and said, “But my wife was looking for your church Sunday and couldn´t find it. I will give you her cell phone and our address and you can talk with her. Come by tomorrow at 5 and she will be home.” So, excitedly, we went over to meet our new investigator. We thought she was so golden! She had tried to kill her self for three years in a row, but then decided to turn her life around and follow God. She was raised Catholic, but she was looking for a church to give her hope. We introduced her to the church and the Book of Mormon and she loved it! She asked if we could meet her halfway between her house and the church, and she would walk with us there. So, we waited on Sunday, and she never came... So I called her and she said, “I read the Book of Mormon, and I want nothing to do with you Mormons.”

I was absolutely shocked. The Book of Mormon has never let me down!!

I honestly felt so bad that I had tears in my eyes as we entered the familiar church building without our investigator. I was praying so hard! What happened!! As I sat in the meeting, I kept praying. When it came time for the sacrament, I started thinking about it again. That´s when I realized something. Of course, every person who reads the Book of Mormon is not going to believe it. When Christ was on the earth, people were able to look into the eyes of the Son of God as he performed undeniable miracles, and they still rejected him and killed him. The Book of Mormon is wonderful, and all those who read it with an open heart wanting to know if it is true will know.

But I was still caught on how she could not believe it, so we passed by her house after church. Call me stubborn.

She opened the door and said, “Look here´s the thing, I don´t believe there is a second coming, so I can´t believe in your church.” Well, I thought that was pretty basic Christian doctrine. Apparently not. Anyway that helped me understand where she was coming from a little better.  Oh well. We did our part.

This week, however, was full of laughs and smiles and blessings. Alberta finally felt up to coming to church, not to mention in her long elegant African gown. So cool! So, I got the opportunity to translate for her. She said that every time she has ever gone to church, she´s never understood a word, so it warmed my heart as she wept the tears from her eyes as she finally got to understand a church meeting. I never thought I would be teaching so many different people from so many different cultures!! We also have been working with our recent converts, and they have now introduced us to their friends. What´s crazy is all of them are old investigators that never really progressed, but the one family came to church! Not only did they finally come to church, but they invited us over to have a family night this week and to eat Venezuelen arepas!! I am so excited. I love the mission work. Sometimes we don´t see the immediate success—a fact I have to keep reminding myself of-- but I know that we´re making a difference. Even if it means taking soup to sick ward members (which we did 3 times this week), singing for an elderly lady, or just walking up and down the streets talking to everyone, the Lord is watching over us missionaries here in Barcelona!!

Les Quiero,

Hermana Hopkins