This week has been a super good one. This may be a shortish
letter because we just didn't do that much this week. We were mostly just
reading the Book of Mormon and I was dying. At first just one of my ears were
infected, but then the other one got infected also so I pretty much just walked
around deaf and in lots of pain for a few days. So I haven't finished the Book
of Mormon yet because sometimes I just had to sleep because I had a fever and
was just feeling unfortunate. But I am in 3 Nephi, so I am almost done. Hermana
Gonzalez isn't done yet, either.
But you know who is done? V! He started on Saturday and
finished reading it (for the second time, I might add) on Wednesday. He is like
the best investigator ever. And you know what else? He went to 4 out of the 5
sessions of conference! The only one he missed was Saturday morning. He was
late to all the sessions, but hey, he came and he listened! It was really good.
He liked all the sessions but his favorite was definitely Priesthood session.
He LOVED President Monson's talk. He kept saying how the other ones were good,
but none of them were as good as that talk. I have to watch that one.... He
hung out with the Elders during that one. They get along really well. And he
even stayed for the potluck between sessions on Sunday. So he got to meet a few
people and stuff. That was good.
But the thing that just breaks my heart is that on Saturday
morning we didn't think anyone that spoke Spanish was going to be able to come
to that session. But we tried to set it up in Spanish anyways because there was
a chance that A or V would show up. But it didn't work the way it had
at the other building, where we just plugged a TV into a wall with a special
cable and changed the channel. We only could get it in English on the TV. Then,
as the conference was starting, A showed up, which was so exciting because
it meant he was taking a step of faith that Heavenly Father would bless him that
he would be able to watch the session before C got off on her break,
which could have been anytime from 1-3:30 (the session was at 12 here). We were
so excited and so was he because he watched a bit of the last conference and
loved it, but us and the Elders tried and tried to get in Spanish and we
couldn't. And he doesn't speak enough English to get much out of watching it in
English, so he just had to go home. We were all about to cry, us and him. It
was SO sad! Then for the rest of the sessions we were able to find a member to
go get their laptop to stream it from the internet. But it was SO sad to have
to send him away, after he had shown so much faith and sacrificed to get
there! And it turns out that C didn't get on break until after the
session ended, so it would have been perfect. And he couldn't make it to any of
the other sessions because C was home and she doesn't let him to go to
church and it causes a lot of problems between them. He wants to get baptized
and do everything right and he has changed SO much to do it, but she doesn't
even care that it is making him a better person. Her friends are like,
"Wow, that is so cool that A doesn't drink anymore! It must be so
nice." And she is just like, "It doesn't matter. The only difference
is that we don't have a bunch of his dumb friends over anymore." And he's
really been working on his temper as well and he has come like miles from where
he was and she doesn't care about that, either. It just really bothers me how
controlling she is. Sorry.
We went over Saturday night to see if he could go to the Priesthood
session, but he couldn't. But we did talk to him and I really think he is
almost ready to choose. Prayers have really been helping him. We've been
praying for him as a district but it would help if you guys could continue to
pray for him, too. He is SO close.
And V didn't even watch it in Spanish. He liked it
better in English, although he still put the headphones around his neck and
pretended to wear them. But It was really good for him that he came. He is
receiving answers a little bit at a time. Some from reading the Book of Mormon
again, some more from Conference, a bunch from Priesthood session apparently,
and of course other times as well. He pretty much does everything like a
member. He comes to everything, he reads the scriptures more than most people
do, he came to almost every session of Conference, and he just is way cool. He
could get baptized whenever he wanted, he just wants to be more sure. Whenever
we ask him, he says "Not yet, not yet," and then says some joke or
something. But I think he will be baptized in the next month or two, for sure.
Hopefully ASAP.
And I LOVED conference! I thought it was good. I did enjoy
Elder Bednar's talk a lot, and I also loved Elder Hales' talk. I just feel like
every time he speaks it is so clear and it just helps me feel so close to
Christ. He is starting to be one of the favorites. I had never noticed his
talks much before, but when I listen to them I can just feel his conviction.
All the talks were good though! And I think it is way cool that people got to
speak in their native languages for their talks. Since I got on my mission I
had always wondered why they didn't let people do that, but I guess it would
have been hard with the technology and stuff. But I loved it, and so did V and Hermana Gonzalez (of course). I thought Pres. Uchtdorf's comment was funny,
about when people asked him if he would speak in German and he said, "No,
but it may sound like it!"
I will send more about the Book of Mormon read-a-thon next
week! But something I will say is that I have loved reading it fast like this!
Things that I never understood before (especially about the various people -
Zoramites, People of Zarahemla, Jaredites, Anti-Nephi-Lehies, etc.) have been a
lot clearer. Also, I notice more. Like for instance, I've always loved the
story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, but until this time I never understood how
culturally different they were from the Nephites. It is really cool how my
mission has helped me realize that. Before my mission I never really understood
how much of a difference culture makes in your life, whether they were born in
the USA or not, Hispanics are culturally different than Americans, and same
with all the other cultures I've met here. They were differences I never
noticed before (not just because I lived in Utah which is not very culturally
diverse, but partly). Mostly just from learning about one specific culture I
have noticed that there seem to be characteristics that they all have that I
thought were personal characteristics but actually come from their culture. It
was just one cool little insight I had while reading; just paying attention to
cultures a little bit more.
Well, I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week!
Thanks for the letters you've been sending me and all the excellent support you
have been giving me! I appreciate it so much and I will try to write back. If I
don't, don't hate me... It isn't because I don't love you. Have a wonderful
week!
Love,
Hermana Emily Pratt
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