180!

Our sector did a complete 180 this past week. After feeling pretty frustrated with the amount of people we were teaching my comp and I made a giant list of the incomplete families in our ward. And by doing so we made a huge list of people we needed to visit and start teaching and reactivating with the goal of trying to complete families. We have not finished the list yet but the results show every Sunday when we wait for people to come through the church doors...... and to summarize our results, I may have had a few tears fall this  past Sunday morning.

1) Hermana Humilde and su esposo came to church for the first time in 6 years! In 6 years! So much courage and change. And she said the closing prayer! :)

2) We found Hermana Nacy this past week. She had investigated the church over 6 months ago or so. We were following up on some references that we had asked for from a member of the church se llama Hermana Gladis. She is this sweet grandma who notices everything good about herself. That is the best way to sum her up kindly :) When we found Nacy she could not even talk to us without crying. She developed depression over the past years. Her husband died about 2 years ago and her kids who are grown do not visit her. She is lonely did not have the energy to make her bed or fold her clothes or get out of the bed on most days. And she does not leave her house. It was so hard to see her that way. I went over and sat on the arm rest of her chair and just hugged her as we listened to her cry. We sang to her and  shared what we could to help her heart feel better that day. The 2nd day we went over  she was in a pretty skirt with music on in her house and had her bag of all the books and pamphlets that she had once received from missionaries out and was studying. She said she felt 20 times better after our visit and that she prayed. She has such a strong testimony in who she is. A daughter of God. Hermana Gladis saw us heading that way and followed us. She walked in the door during our lesson and while Hermana Nacy continued to share about her life Hermana Gladis said, "You know what, when you get baptized all of this, well, just goes away, you will be good girl, wanna do that?" You can imagine the eyes of my comp and me but she accept a date for baptism, prayed for her answer and received it the Saturday night before church. And she was so stink-in happy in church! Showing off her shoes which matched her blouse. She is so excited to make friends in the church. Pray for Nacy and her baptism date on the 31st!

3) Se llama Johnathan! You all will get to hear about him next week! Another investigator in the church this past week!

The ward here calls me Hermana Barbie Doll....but that is not the worst part. They named another Elder Ken...annnnnd the member who started it  is an Elder in the quorum of the 70s. Que horrible.

The pictures are from a part member family. Her husband is in the military and she dressed us up in the get-up of Chile! Her daughter is the only member in their family, but rock solid. Ojala we will see that go somewhere.