Winter is Coming!!!
Just thought i'd let you all know the obvious, but to me it is a whole new world here in Louisiana as we get ready for the windy and chilly season! Last week was a struggle for Elder Page and I and it continuous to be a bit so far this week. We have had days where the wind picks up to 20 miles per hour! It wouldn't be too bad IF we didn't have to bike everywhere... But the work goes on!
We had 2 choices last week, to either look at it as struggling and unproductive OR joyful, challenging, prevailing with miracles.
To give you a small background of the week, we had about 8 families total that we visited that were home (usually around 20-25 in our area per week) and we biked about... 60-70 miles in total going back and forth to the ends of our area trying to see and find people. We even had a day where we just absolute NADA, which was the MOST windy night of all last week... So that was a little but big background of the week. So we could have looked at this and been negative about it.
But instead we looked at our miracles. Although we were struggling we throughout the week, we were still nonetheless seeking to be spiritually led. I mean, who else would you want to be guided by, right?. So by Thursday we were ready to just give up, throw in the towel to a bad week. But we decided to keep our heads up. After having all the appointments throughout the day fall, we finally got one with the Cubas family. Less active who love us coming and sharing spiritual lessons. Since they are not able to go to church. As we taught a Mormon message, throughout the lesson more and more people kept coming through the door. And we could have thought of it as people interrupting the lesson but instead Elder Page and I where like, "Great! more people to spread the word to!" Total of 5 people came in and a total of 10 people where there. And it was a beautiful spiritual lesson with a wonderful prayer. As we headed out biking a lady called out to us "Do you guys talk about Jesus!?", we were startled a bit as we yelled out yes and kept going Elder Page felt the impression to stop and talk to this lady who had called out to us. Brenda was her name and within 10 minutes we felt like we completely knew her. She was struggling and she said she believed in Jesus Christ but was slipping away really fast because of the many trials he has been continuously putting in her life. She has lost her job lost a lot of money and how she would be homeless if not for her sister, who she told us is nowhere near God. So she is in a dark place. She repeatedly told us that she was ready to take a pill and go to sleep (wanting to commit suicide). As Elder Page and I felt Love for her, we told her about the love of God. And how there were many people who relied on her and looked up to her and needed her. Her children and grandchildren. We gave her a book of Mormon and we talked to her for a very long time. Lifting her up to take those negative thoughts of her mind. That night, through the Love and guidance of our Heavenly Father, we were able to give her hope. Because the message in which we have, is a message of HOPE. And she was filled with joy as she knew that night that we were her friends and that there are people who do care about her. Hope!
On the next day, we had the same thing happen. All our appointments fell through during the day and also at night. After leaving a home which we were finally were able to enter, we were on our way towards home with a bit of extra time. I personally did not want to head home. So it my head i was praying and asking, "Heavenly Father, we have time i do not want to go home, i want to help someone right now. Who needs us?" and without fail a name popped into my mind that would not have crossed my mind because he was a former investigator who Elder Miles and I dropped 4 months ago because he did not want to answer his door, ever. So i told Elder Page, "STOP, we are going to Gimmel's!".He being confused a bit just turned around and followed me. As we went to his home we saw he had more cars so he obviously had visitors. I looked at my companion and said, he has company, should we still go in?... He looked back at me and said, "Well , we are here aren't we, worse that could happen is him say no and we leave". So we went and knocked, i do not know why i question an easy decision but i sure am glad i had Elder Page! It so happen that Gimmel was very stressed, worried and in need of help and prayer for his family. It was a HUGE deal to him. His family was on there way from honduras and he didn't know when or how or what was going to happen to them. He personally told us, "man you guys were guided by God tonight and no one else because i ready needed this. I need God in my life right now and you guys, God guided you here." And i did not deny him. As we thought him we comforted him and the spirit was there! He was ready to cry in thankfulness. But he didn't want to do in front of 2 guys. But he was grateful, and we were there to give him the Hope and Uplifting he needed. Beautiful experience for him and to me as i grow my conversion in being spiritually led.
Last Great news! LAst week we invited the Moreno Family (Mom, 3 kids) to be baptized and they all said yes and that they all wanted to get baptized! So elder Page and I are going to be working hard to prepare them to be baptized before the transfer is over! WE are super excited and are O SO GRATEFUL for the miracles that have come our way!
I am daily learning to be spiritually led, and having my mind and heart open to be able to listen to the spirit to guide me and teach me and help me in all that i do! I am also learning of the attitude of things and how to look at the positives to everything. Because blessings will come. And there is now weather, no WIND, no STORM or "bad" day that will put me down as i do the work of the Lord or in Anything in Life! And I invite you ALL to do the same! Be POSITIVE and be SPIRIT LED!
Wish you all and Amazing Week full of the Spirit!
Elder Caiña
