The stomach issues are gone. I've been taking my vitamins, eating better, and finding more vegetables and fruits to eat. Sad thing is that apples are 70 pesos a kilo and I have no idea how much it is to buy a cucumber.
Elder Araujo
My new companion is very professional with the calling of a Missionary. He's got knowledge, scriptures, questions, and a desire to serve, which is amazing. He's a real role model.
It seems however that he's not too fond of the area, as he was just transferred from the area named Madero. It's a city full of rich folk, with walmart and everything. San Felipe on the other hand...
San Felipe
It's been by far one of the roughest weeks for me here in San Felipe. I'm not too good with making desicions, and I'm required to direct the area... which means I choose where to go and who to talk to. We've been looking for our investigators from the past few transfers and they're still recieving us which is nice, but we lack new people who are interested. I haven't been doing too bad, really. I've been following the Spirit as to where I should go, what I should do, and what I should say...
Except... nobody wants to talk to me.
We find new people to serve and teach by knocking on doors, talking to people in the street, offering as much service as humanely possible... But a lot of people are rejecting us and hiding. Perhaps it's because I'm an American or I don't speak spanish very well? I'm not sure.
Patience is key, and it's also something we're lacking.
I've noticed that neither of us happen to have very good patience. Something i'm going to try and develop with the next few weeks (whether I want to or not, really).
The strangest experience
While we don't exactly have any investigators who are keeping invitations we extend, we at least have people to meet with and firm goals. When our plans don't work out, it means that we have to buckle up and follow the Spirit as to where we need to go and what we need to do.
We arrived at a moment like this one fateful thursday (this past thursday), and with a deep breath I made a desicion that seemed more or less effective in the moment. I made the choice to visit a colonia that we had visited often with little success to see if one of our past investigators was interested in another lession.
Well, she wasn't. Broken hearted, we were about to return home when the impression came to me to see if another person we had talked to earlier was in their home... and along the way we encountered an older man working with his grandchild, picking up huge blocks of concrete and putting them into a wheelbarrow. We offered our service, but he declined it. Determined not to let this opportunity go to waste, I made my best effort to talk to the man, to figure out who he is and to hear his story...
Turns out he was the drunk pentacost who approached Elder Arellanes and I on the highway one day. He said he has a very bad alcohol problem that he wants to shake off, and while we didn't get an exact time to meet with him... I have a feeling we'll meet again. We left him a pamphlet about faith on the Lord and repentance, and I hope that we'll be able to have a lession with him.
All in all...
This week has been rough, stressful, and agitating. I woke up sunday feeling awful and empty, and it just so happened that I needed to cry a little. It seems that every step I take reminds me that I'm not perfect and have a lot of need to grow, to improve, to repent, and to change. It seems bleak but I'm confident that this is all for my benefit. I'd like to share this scripture with you that has helped me recently.
Alma 36:3
And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.
Put your trust in the Lord, and he will always be ready to extend a loving arm to you, to guide you onward. This is something that is becoming more and more powerful to me as I learn how to become a better servant of the Lord.Here's to a new week of challenges, adversity, and hoping that my monthly amount of money arrives so I can buy milk.
Love you all!
-Elder Bowlby
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