This will be quick since I have lots of pictures to send home today. I have been avoiding doing that since each picture out here takes about 5 mins to load (cherish the pictures haha)
This week was one of the craziest buisest ones yet!
I am going to fit in a nap today or I know I willl just drop down dead soon!
I cant really remember what happened the whole week except that we were running around like headless chickens. We had a lot of success...but it was sure tireing. It an exhilerating way of course.
About my leg problem real quick...
I decided maybe what I was lacking was a little faith. So I decided to work harder and do some intense stretching in the morning (haha) and its totally fine. Last tuesday morning I woke up with no pain at all and I am able to run everywhere again. Its great! Just now I can apprecaite my health all over again! Also I went and met with a traumatologist and he looked at my x rays and said my back is just very curved. So walking puts a lot of pressure on it or something...I´m not sure exactly..it was all in spanish (my medical vocab isnt that awesome yet). But he said all I needed were a few sessions of physical therapy and I would be "happy as a clam" as grandpa would say. I dont know where I am going to find a physical therpaist in this little town but it sounds like the funnest thing ever! So...good news there!!
Saturday we had two baptisms which was....well fun isnt exactly the right word. Baptisms wouldnt be baptisms without some nice crises and intense stress.
We got to the church building to find it completely full of people. Mostly youth and some little kids. They had rap music blasting everywhere and kids just running and screaming in every direction. There was some stake youth activity or something. I dont know. All I know is that it was supposed to end at 6 because our baptism started at 6. But it didnt. Also every single person that was supposed to give a talk...or do something for the baptism just didnt show up. The families of the people who were getting baptized arrived in very bad moods and wanted the baptisms to start that instant (rap music in the background and all) or wanted to started a full heated debate with me about the bible....our lack of spanish abilities...the horribleness of America..and basically every other subject. One of our baptism personas didnt want to change into her white clothes....because she wanted to keep playing soccer outside!! Basically it was a mess. Somehow or other it all came through. (but if I look like a dragon in the picutres...you will know why).
What else...I gave a talk in church yesterday. It was a last min thing. I got to fill up 30 mins. I wasnt too excited about that. I started talking and just looked out into the audience to see a bunch of squinted eyes (signs no one was understanding anything). But as I continued talking and used more of the spirit more than my own mind...they started understanding better.
We have been having lots of problems with our little branch. With the members, the president...and basically everything. It has not been functioning as a branch should. The members really dont like us missionaries either. (there are 6 missionaries in the branch). Every week in relief society the president gets up and threatens to take away people temple reccomends if they dont start feeding the missionaries. Its extremely awkward.
Its also hard to bring people to church...because the members are unfriendly if not outright rude to the investigators. Its a huge problem. And we have really been trying hard to love and serve the members. To gain their confidence. To try and get them excited about missionary work. But I realized that what we really need is a huge bus to go and pick up EVERYONE for church in the morning. Becuase when it is raining...literally no one shows up. People dont pay tithing because they dont want a calling. There are so many problems. I cant even get started on them. And it has been really frusterating to try and work in this branch and work with these people..and to try and love and be patient with them too. Because honestly me and my companion have to have a destress time after church because we get so frusterated and angry about what happens every week. Okay..I´ve ranted way too much.
I was talking to my district leader last night about the problems we and the other missionaries were having here and he reminded me of something very important. He said..hermana this is the Lords work. And nothing is going to stop it. Of course we are going to have opposition from all sides...especially from the ones who are supposed to be helping us most. But they wont be able to stop or slow down the work either. So just keep working. Because progress will be made...even if it feels like we are only moving backwards.
Shall we not go forth in so great a cause?
And thats true.
Sorry this letter wasnt very inspiring or great. Better luck next week! haha
Also I received the saddest letter ever when I heard that Hermana Lees went home before I could even say goodbye to her! Then I realized I dont even have her home or email address! But if you happen to see her..take her in! Jacob you can even marry her!
Okay...thats all for this week.
Have a great one!
Hermana Orchard
