Hola!

How's it going?

So this week... Well yeah. It's been going. A bit slowly. But it's ok. We've had some really good lessons this week. We found three new people. There was one named M which was super cute, and then there were M and E, and they were kind of a miracle. They found them back in like October and had never been able to get in to have a lesson or anything again, but this last Saturday we finally had a lesson with them. We talked to them on like Thursday or Wednesday or something and we set an appointment for Saturday and unfortunately I was not feeling well at all that day, and I wasn't in the best mood; but we went to this appointment, even though we didn't have a member and we didn't think a woman lived there, and you need to have at least one other responsible adult woman with you when you go to a house with only men. So we thought we were just going to have to reschedule or whatever. But this woman named M answers and she looked like Chinese, almost, so we were super confused, but we spoke Spanish to her and she responded and we realized she was Hispanic, and she invited us in and told us E would be home soon. We sat down and assumed he would be a long time, because a lot of times we wait like half an hour for people and they never come, but he came home after just like a minute. And we thought they were super uninterested because they told us how they were Catholic and stuff back in Guatemala and they loved the Catholic church, and in the opening prayer they both made the sign of the cross on their chest and stuff. So we thought it would just be one of those like contentious, one time lessons. But they responded really well to our questions, even though they seemed a little like they were giving us the cold shoulder, and we were just getting to know them a bit and we taught the restoration and then when we asked them if they would be baptized they said yes! (when they know it's true.) But they seemed serious about it, not just the usual, "Yeah, if I ever get to that point maybe I guess I would." It was a pretty solid yes. And then, right before I said the closing prayer, M asked me to pray for her son from Guatemala that was going to travel here with her nephew.  And it was really touching and she really trusted us and just told us everything about it and really opened up and we were surprised because we thought they wouldn't want us to come back and stuff. But I prayed for their son and this time they didn't do the sign of the cross (Earlier they had noticed us not doing it and asked why and we explained), which is big. Then we set a return appointment (another surprise, we were expecting the usual, "Well, I work all the time and I never know when I have a free day, I'll call you if I ever have time...") and then, they asked if we wanted to have some pan dulce and arroz con leche! Which are just like Hispanic foods. But that is a sure sign that a Hispanic likes you, if they give you food. And this was the first time we had met them, which like never happens. Usually you have to have at least two or three lessons before they give you food. So we ate with them and got to know them more. They are super cute and way nice, it turns out they are just SUPER shy, but they actually really love us and we love them so much already and they have a lot of potential. They are very prepared.
And I was just thinking about if I had not had enough faith that there would be a woman there; or if I had just stayed home or whatever (because I really was feeling terrible, physically) who knows how long it would have been until we'd have been able to see them, or if we would have been able to at all. These people might have been kept from the Gospel and all its blessings because I was having a bad day. That would have been horrible!

So funny story. The other day we were at the gas station filling up our car and I was in the car and I hear this guy start talking to my companion and stuff and they were talking about the bike rack and he was asking her if she likes biking, and she was like, "No, not really. I don't even have a bike." And they chatted for a few more awkward minutes while the car filled up and then we went inside to use the bathroom, and he came in too and we asked him if he'd be interested in hearing more about the Gospel, and he said, "Well, sure, that sounds great!" So we went and got some English pamphlets from the car and wrote the English Elders phone number on it (little inspiration that we chose the Elders not the sisters). We went back in and gave him the pamphlet and he was chatting with us and totally flirting with Hermana Horton (she had no idea, she was just thinking, "Man, he's making this way too easy!" But I knew.) And she didn't suspect a thing until he was like, "You know, standing here talking to you I've realized you're my type of girl. You're tall, pretty, and not afraid to talk to people! We should go and get a bite to eat sometimes. I know this great place..."  and so on. For like 20 more minutes. This guy is probably like 55, and earlier in the conversation, he had said, "So you're what, like 20?" and she said yes, and so basically he's just robbing cradles. We talked to him a bit more because we could NOT escape. And when we were about to leave he was just like, "Oh do either of you have a pen? I want to write my number down so that we can keep in touch, so maybe after your mission we can go out and see what happens, you know?" Luckily neither of us had a pen, and then (another inspiration) the Elders called, so we escaped into the car.

Then later, after we went to go see Sister P (A less active, bed-ridden old lady that is HILARIOUS. I love visiting her. More on her another day) we were going to stop at Food Lion to find Hispanics and HE(the guy from the gas station) WAS THERE IN THE PARKING LOT. The Food Lion is in the same parking lot as the gas station is, and he was on the end spot, luckily facing his car, and we were driving looking for a spot to park and we saw him and we were like, "Oh shoot he's going to recognize the bike rack! Drive, drive drive!!!" and we escaped again. We don't know if he saw us or not, but it was super awkward. So yeah. Awkward creepers.

So this morning and yesterday I've been reading in Job, because I have to give a 30 minute training in District meeting on Wednesday (ugh) about diligence and consecration and he is a good example of consecration. Man, I admire him a lot. Also I've never read it before. I didn't know that Jesus basically gave Satan permission to destroy his life. But yeah, the first thing he does (after shaving his head and rending his mantle) is fall down and worship. Which is so cool. But I found this hilarious scripture later on that is super weird and doesn't even make sense in context. If I ever get called on randomly for a spiritual thought, this is what I'm doing. Here it is: "Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?" Job 6:6

Enjoy it.

Well, you guys are great! Love you lots! Have a great week!

Love, Hermana Emily Pratt