It has been quite the interesting week this week. Tuesday we had exchanges. Hermana Hafen went up to Sarasota and Hermana Rodriquez came down to be with Hermana Binks and I. It was the funniest day I have ever experienced. Ha ha things that I've only heard could happen that I didn't think would happen to me. Well we had some great plans for that day. We were super excited and we were on bikes.... YES!! Well we get on our bikes and start out the day. Let me first just say Hermana Rodriguez is a native speaker. She is originally from Peru but came here when she was little and lives in Fort Lauderdale. So she knows Florida heat. She said it was soooo hot. Her feet were burning through her shoes. It was probably the hottest day I have ever experienced and the humidity was super high as well. So super fun bike day, ha ha. We went to Miguel's house. He is 16 and so fantastic. He is a star investigator. He asks amazing questions and he is just awesome. We went to see him and he has been keeping his commitments which makes us soooo happy and he told us that he knows that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. AHHHH!!!! YAY!!! We talked to him about 3 Nephi 11 when Christ comes and visits the people in the ancient Americas. He said he couldn't even fathom it happening so hopefully this week we are going to watch The Testaments with him. And also later today we see him and we are going to set a baptismal date with him... we are soooo stoked!! After that we went to go see some recent converts. Two cute cuban girls. They are actually Hermana Rodriguez's recent converts because she used to be here in Bradenton. So she was super excited. So we bike over there and we start getting close to her house and we see this little dog. But we weren't too scared because it was tiny and he wasn't doing anything but barking. But then these other 2 dogs, one of them being Toby who is an evil dog. He has attacked me once before. He totally jumped on my a month earlier with teeth and everything but I shoved him off and ran straight into the car where I was safe but this time he comes running at us and we are on bikes. Well he is super close to us. I am freaking out bad!! And honestly I am not thinking about staying with my companions. I go one way and Hna. Rodriguez goes another and so the dogs don't know which way to go but go towards Hermana Binks. She is biking as fast as she can and she goes the same way as hermana Rodriguez. I eventually when the coast is clear go towards my comps. And I find out then that Toby bit Hermana Binks's leg. Not bleeding though so thats good. Only because she kicked him, probably hard. ha ha man it was soooo scary ha ha. It was a good laugh afterwards. Anyway we continue tracting which nothing is going the way we planned not having any lessons but for some reason I just thought it was funny. I am actually surprised I wasn't discouraged ha ha. Anyway we eventually look at our phone and we had a missed called from Angel, who is one of the cuban girls. We go toward her house again hoping she saw what happened and put that dumb Toby inside. We go over there and we are being super super cautious. Hermana Binks decides to stay 2 blocks away. We could still see her so it was fine. Hermana Rodriguez decides to go in and I can't leave her to do it alone so I go with her. We thought the coast was clear but Toby was hiding behind a car and totally jumped out at us. I immediately turn and book it and I am just screaming so scared Toby is going to eat me. While hermana Rodriguez turns around and hits a bumper of a car and then rides her bike into a ditch and I didn't think she would make it out. We thought she was a gonner cause toby was coming quick. But she had a huge bike and she just pounded out of there. And she is just screaming so bad. And I am screaming too. It was soooo crazy. We finally get away from the dog and then had to go search for our comp Hna Binks. She was like 5 blocks away not wanting anything to do with that dump dog. Ha ha ha it was quite the adventure. :) Then later that night we had an appointment with a less active that we had made the previous week. His name is Fransisco. We had called him and he told us to come and to be on time and he sounded way excited. We had no idea what to expect especially with the way our day was going. So we are on our way to his house and I just remembered I had forgotten his address at the apartment so we call him and he is so adamant about us being there and he gives us his address. But we had to call him again because he gave us the wrong address. So we finally make it to his house. We knock on the door and I am not feeling super great about it but we had Hna. Rodriguez and that made me feel a little better and it is such a blessing we did. This lady let us in and led us to a room. It was an open room but had chairs lining the walls. We though "oh fiesta?" but it was quite the opposite. We try to start with a prayer and they say oh no we can't do that right now we are about to start bible study(church). And then this group of people walk in and we are thinking oh crap. I had no idea what to do. Hna Rodriguez is trying to get us out of there. She is just saying sorry we can't stay we have an appointment. And they literally blocked the door and said no you need to stay. And some guy said you should stay, maybe i'll go to your church one day if you just stay today. Anyway somehow we get out of there and get on our bikes and just get the heck out of there. Can you believe it???? This member of the church totally apostasized and started his own church in his own home. My mind was totally and completely blown!!! I still can't believe it. Yep so that was our day ha ha funniest craziest day!! I had such a blast. Oh and I forgot it also poured on us that day. SOOO FUNN!!! :)
Wednesday went much better lessons wise. We had Family Home Evening with Magali and Isabel at a members house. We talked about faith and did a trust fall with the kids. It was soooo good and the spirit was sooo strong. It was the BEST!!! I loved having that with them. I love them so much, incredible!!!
Saturday was amazing also!! We had our ward mission leader and his wife text us and ask if they could come to our lesson with Amelia and of course we said absolutely. It is so crucial for members to be present at lessons. The lesson went great and we asked her if when she knew these things if she would be baptized she said she didn't know. And the members really explained the significance of baptism. It was so perfect!!! Hopefully next time she'll agree for sure!! Then we had a lesson with a less active, don't worry they were normal no starting his own church, ha ha. Then we biked as fast as we could home because we were going to get picked up by some members to go to the RAYS GAME!!!! It was mormon night and pretty much our whole mission was going to be there. And some missionaries were singing and opening the game. It was the funnest thing EVER!!!! I am pretty sure there were a few elders who paid attention to the game but it was just like social night. It was soooooo much fun!!! I paid attention sometimes especially when 9pm hit cause that was my normal super tired time and almost time to go to bed time. But that night we got to stay out till 11. It was CRAZY!! But it was a blast and I took lots of pics that I will be sending. FUN NIGHT!!!
Now for Sunday! Which is our normal miracles day!! I love Sundays so much because we always find and meet the best people and just awesome things happen on this day. So we are waiting for sacrament meeting to start and we are hoping and praying Magali and Isabel walk in. But the meeting starts and they weren't there yet. We were super sad... but then the back door opens and in they walk. It was the best feeling in the whole world. And they stayed for all 3 meetings.... ahhhh!!! Best sunday!! I love them so much and we are seeing them again tonight and we are going to ask them to pray and fast with us to set a baptismal date with them. We are super stoked!
Later that day we are on bikes and we are tracting, looking for new investigators.. still. We go down this street that we had previous investigators on and I was like huh? Well Hermana hafen was totally being guided by the spirit. We went to this house that we had parked at previously and he got mad because we were in his parking spot. Anyway we went and knocked on his door and we met his wife, Delia, and then he came out. His name is Pedro. Oh my gosh we said a prayer with them to bring more of the Saviors peace and blessing into their home and ahhhh it was INCREDIBLE!!! They are golden. We are so excited and we set a return appointment with them for tomorrow. They are totally gong to progress. Then we set an appointment with someone we have been trying to get in contact with for weeks, Adian. And then we thought we were done with this teenager named Mike but Hermana Binks was prompted to go see him and it went great. And it was just a full night of miracles!! I can't tell you how much I love sunday!!
Well everyone sorry this is so long but so much happened this week that I had to share!! I love being a missionary. I know without a single doubt that this is the true gospel of Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and it contains all the answers we need. We must turn to it and to God for answers. Because they cannot lie to us. The spirit will testify of truth. That is his job. Keep pressing forward with faith and always remember to smile. You never know how it will affect someone else. Be an example of the Believers. :D
Thank you all so much for everything. I love you sooo much!!!
All My Love, Hermana Daines
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