After District Meeting, we went and grabbed some A&W cause we had no food with us and no food at our apartment, except for rice and BBQ sauce. We were sitting there, eating, and this lady, clearly from off the streets, comes over to us. She asked us if we were students and UBCO. I told her we weren't, but that we were the missionaries on campus and that we help others come closer to Christ. She made space for herself where I was sitting on the bench and started talking to us. She started telling us what we believe, or more correctly, what the world says we believe, and I told her that it actually wasn't true! I told her that we believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that it is through him that we can be cleansed and made holy and perfect to be able to live with our loving Heavenly Father again.
She was surprised and was more engaged. She started telling us that she had made a mistake and how it made her feel. I got to whip out my trusty Law of Chastity pamphlet, and pretty much taught her the lesson right there. Promised blessings and all. It felt good! Especially since it was an answer to prayers. Not necessarily to teach the Law of Chastity to her, but to be able to help someone.
And then you wouldn't believe what happens next. She starts saying thanks and was getting so excited. It was all happening in slow motion. I knew it was coming. Terror struck my body. Fight or flight? Fight would normally be my response, but I am a representative of Jesus Christ. Flight sounded good, but again, I was a representative of Jesus Christ, pinned in a booth. Man. So I just sit. And waited for it. My whole body was screaming move!!! But I just sat there in anguish for what was coming. And boom. I felt so sick. I've got a tough stomach, but this one just kept getting to me. It took all I had not to freak out. She just planted a kiss. Right on my left cheek. OH MY GOSH. I thought I would die. Heavens!
But all is well. I just calmly got up once she left, walked into the washroom, and washed my face. I can't believe she kissed me. What the heck? I mean, I get it. But still. I think Heavenly Father was just joking around with me a bit. He knew it would make me squirm. When we were leaving, she started smoking in the other booth. In A&W. Another lesson for another day.
And don't worry. For dinner we got to eat the rice and BBQ sauce.
We have been really focusing on finding by the Spirit. We recently did away with QGCs as part of our Key Indicators and part of hitting the Standards of Excellence because it was effecting how we viewed and executed the work. We have seen so many miracles the past few weeks as we have really focused on what the Spirit is telling us, how to recognize the promptings, how to know we are doing the right thing at the right time, etc. It's fun! It's a lot of concentrated work.
We planned Wednesday night for Thursday. Come Thursday night, we were following our plans that we felt were so inspired Wednesday night. And we went to each place and we tried to do what the Lord wanted us to do, but nothing seemed to really be happening. People didn't really want to talk to us, and we were starting to get a little confused on what we should do. But each time we went to our next plan, we felt like it was right. We took a minute to talk about it. We decided to each read something from the Book of Mormon to help us out a little. I prayed, asking Heavenly Father to help me find something that would help me know what to do, and hopefully opened to Ether 15. I kind of laughed in my head a little, and started reading. What did He want me to learn from this? I'll take anything! I got through the end of 15. Coriantumr killed Shiz. Alright. Cool. Then I started reading Moroni. I loved that Moroni said, "wherefore, I wander withersoever I can for the safety of mine own soul".
Moroni was commanded to leave to be safe and to preserve the plates, but he did not receive directions for exactly where to go or what to do. He was left to do that on his own. I know he didn't do it all on his own, but he wasn't "commanded in all things". That gave me a lot more confidence it what we had planned. We are commanded to do something, and we may wander a little in the meantime, but as long as we are ready and willing to do what the Lord needs us to be, and we are out trying to see why we need to be where we are, then that is what I have to do. And I finished off with the Sacrament prayers. I love that we have the promise to always have the Spirit to be with us!
So we hopped out of our car after praying, and walked into Walmart. Yes, again. We were walking around and we run into this guy from Mexico! Now that it's starting to warm up, all the orchards are bringing in help from Mexico. His name was Moises. We had a good conversation, I got his number, and we invited him to church. And he came! Moises came to church!! And he said he would come next week!
We went on Exchanges with the West Bank Sisters, Sister Wright and Sister Huszti. I was with Sister Huszti in our area and we saw so many fun little miracles. We were going on campus before meeting with Stacy, and we met this girl, Joy*, who said she lives next to President Burt! We talked to President, and he told us that they were really good friends with Joy* and her parents and that they have been working with them for a while. We haven't been able to set anything up so far, but hopefully soon.
Sister Huszti and I were able to find a lot of joy in the work. I loved being able to spend time with her.
For park-your-car Saturday, we borrowed bikes from so x-YSA members (they got married). We rode our bikes all around town. And we stopped and talked to everyone on the way. They were so much more interested when two girls on bikes in skirts stopped to talk to them. We met some really cool people.
My favorite part, besides the great exercise, was when we were near the mall. I saw this group of men and they looked Mexican. We rode over and I started talking to them. Sure enough, they just arrived the day before and were here to work on some Orchards. There was a school bus-full of Mexicanos! And I talked to them about the gospel, church, the whole deal. They didn't have a phone, but said they would call if they had time to meet up. Even if they don't, at least we were able to have a good conversation about Jesus Christ. But I loved it. And I'm happy to announce that they asked me if I was from Mexico. Soy mexicana de corazon!
We got to teach a potential, Doug*. He is from mainland China and doesn't have much of a background about God or Christianity, but he has seen the example of one of his friends and loved how confident she was because of her belief in God. We taught the Restoration and it was a really good lesson, if I do say so myself. He texted us yesterday and said he was grateful for what he has learned, but right now he isn't interested in joining a religion. One day. Every knee will bow, every tongue confess.
Well, that was a long one. I got to play the organ again yesterday in church... Also, I ran into a lot of other cool latinos. We might as well open a seasonal Spanish branch here.
No pictures this week. It's not working. And I keep forgetting to tell you, but Aimee was baptized a couple weeks ago!!
Los amo para siempre! Paz y bendiciones!
Hermana Lewis
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