Things here in San Juan are heating up in every aspect! The weather and the awesome investigators we are working with. Plus we had a few miracles. Here are two in specific:
1) Gram and Harold sent money recently to help with any very needy people that I would come across here and wow was that so inspired. I was shocked in how perfect the timing was. Well, this area I am in is much more humble than San Rafael. We have been teaching a lot in the barrios or neighborhoods that are government built for those who cant pay rent. We call it the ¨projects¨. We have lots of places like this in our area. We have been teaching a family in this barrio, Familia Castro. The mom, Marta, has four sons (ages 13, 16, 17, 19) and her husband died while they were all young from cancer. Then they were forced to move from their nice home into this barrio to try to survive. Imagine raising four teenagers in a barrio like this full of gangs and drugs. The youngest is Luis who recently got baptized and we are working with the rest. They are good kids but all around them is evil. We knew they didn't have much but this week they had NOTHING. Marta leaves during the day to sell clothes on the street to make money because she still needs to be able to be at home some to keep track of the boys. Plus the law here is unless they are 18yrs old, kids cannot get jobs (unless illegal ones). Well, the boys got beat up by a neighborhood gang and she couldn't leave to work this week because she was taking care of her kids. When we went by Wednesday, they hadn't anything in 2 days but bread and crackers. She cried and asked why her perfect life with her family had to come to this, one trial after another. She said they were trying to read but couldn't feel the spirit because she was so financially stressed. Then came into my mind the money I received. She said she didn't want help but I could see the desperation in their eyes. I knew this was the reason Gram had sent the money.
We left with a scripture and I told her we would be back in 1hr. Hermana Wilde looked at me like I was crazy but followed my lead until we got outside and I told her my plan. We ran to the store and bought the essentials for them and we had the best feeling ever. Christ had to give the two thousand fish and bread when they wanted to learn but were hungry. I thought of that story in my mind and heard the words ¨feed my sheep¨. Christ told Peter that phrase three times so I know I should follow it just like he did. Sometimes we feed them spiritually, and in emergencies we feed them in other was. We took a taxi to the house to drop off the food. I wrote a quick note explaining that the money was inspired from my grandparents and was an answer to her prayers. We opened the door, dropped the bags on the floor and left running, not giving her a way to say no. All we heard as we were leaving was her crying saying thank you to our Heavenly Father and that we would follow whatever he wanted of her.
Sunday Marta came to church for the first time and they have seen a complete change in their circumstances after that night. The oldest son Nicolas found a job, they are trying to get out of the apartments, and she is preparing for baptism because she knows the Lord loves her and is taking care of her. I don´t know if this was a pivotal moment in her conversion, but I know her attitude and testimony will never be the same. She knows that the Lord loves us and although life is hard, if we keep our commitments/commandments and sacrifice then we will be blessed. I know they Lord uses us as instruments if we listen to the spirit, and it is the best feeling in the world.
2) We are working a TON with the members right now. We were writing down names from the ward directory that we didn't know and for some reason we stopped by the house of Familia Lopez. The mother came out and told us to come back in two days, and that she hadn't been to church in two years and her husband never got baptized. We went back on Saturday and she looked so happy to see us and we were surprised. She sat down and we started to get to know her. She said that the day we stopped by that she had prayed to God for help. She took that as a sign and was crying when she told us what was going on in her life. Her 25 year old son has been in jail for over 2 years. Some gang members accused him of robbing a young girl because he lived behind the house of the robbery. Because the jail system is corrupt and he didn't have ¨an in¨ in the gangs, he was thrown in jail with no evidence and no one to plead his case. It reminded me closely of one of my favorite movies ¨Count of Monte Cristo¨. I don't know how much of the story is correct but I know the police system here is extremely corrupt and this poor hermana was heartbroken because this week the trial finally begins. We wrote her son a note and she went to give it to him and she said he cried with joy.
She went to church with us for the first time in two years and we are beginning to teach her husband that says now he is ready to be baptized. I cannot believe how the Lord uses us (and we feel just like we are wandering some days) for such great purposes.
Well as you can see, the mission is filled with miracles. We are working hard to be worthy of them in every moment. No pictures this week, only story telling. Please pray for these two families and that we can continue doing the Lord´s will. I love you all very much and pray for you. The field really is white and ready to harvest, you just have to keep your eyes open and your hearts full of desire and the Lord will put them in your path.
Love,
Hna Thatcher
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