Hello Friends and Family!
Well this week has been the
best week we have had here in Coihueco. We have a total of 12 people
that accepted a baptismal date and 11 news. We also had the most lessons
this week.
Monday, we had a family night with a family of a
returned missionary that has kind of fallen off the wagon for awhile. He
has asked us to help him and his wife and his little daughter get to
church and later to the temple. We are helping them prepare to go to the
temple. There is only one couple here in Coihueco that is endowed. It
is really sad. We are trying to get that number to two.
This last week we had a stake conference and our
mission pres came. He and his wife spoke. We also heard from Elder
Alliuad or something like that. He´s a member of the 70 from Argentina.
He had a great talk and basically dropped the hammer on people that
leave the church because someone ¨offends¨ them. He said that no one can
offend us. We decide to let them offend us. He had a great talk.
After the conference I guess president talked to our
Zone leaders about the zone. He told our ZL´s that he was really happy
and content with the work we were getting done here. He said it´s the
best numbers he´s seen in coihueco. My zone leader and I were talking
and wondering why he put two of the crappiest elders in one of the
smaller cities? Then it made sense... Worthless elders+branch that is
dead=no damage done. The elder is now in his house and we are fixing
what he ruined. I guess my Zone leader was in a sector the same
missionary had been in and he said the attendance tanked! It is really
sad how one dumb elder can do so much damage. But the good news is...
President is happy with whats happening here.
I´m still feeling a little alone. Even though we are
having success I´m finding it really hard to have fun and to be happy.
My comp is really starting to bring me down. I don´t know what I did but
this last week he just hasn't talked to me. I try to talk to him to
find out whats going on and he´s just completely closed. We get home and
plan and then he goes directly to bed. Today we had a Zone activity and we missed it because he wouldn´t get out of bed. The Zone, along with
the other zone and some members bought a pig, killed it, cooked it and
then ate it. While it was being cooked they played soccer. I have been
stuck in the house for the last 3 weeks of P-day because he doesn't want
to leave the house. He told me we were basically sinning because we
were murdering the ¨innocent¨ pig. It was really weird. I was really
excited to eat a pig and play soccer and he goes all little girl on me.
I´m finding it extremely hard to find common ground with him and i´m
getting sick of missing out on stuff because he doesn´t want to do it.
Tuesday night we already had 5 lessons and 2 less
active. We were on a ball. We were rolling in and out of lessons like
crazy. We had 30 minutes left in the day and it was 9:30. We didn´t have
anything else to do but contacts. We contact a few houses and then we
contact a house that the house is set back kind of far from the fence. A
guy walked out and asked what we wanted in a really snappy voice. We
told him our names and said we were from the church. He then asked why
we were out preaching at this hour of night and said that people are
busy, as he is turning to walk inside. I don´t know what happened but
before I could think it came out of my mouth. It could have been for the
good and it could have been for the bad... ¨And what could you be
possibly doing right now to be so busy? Watching TV?¨ He turns back
around and walks to the gate. He then starts yelling at me ¨Blah blah
blah No I´m with my family!¨ It came so quick to my mind I didn´t even
have to think...¨Great, we love to teach families. We would love to come
in and teach your family right now! We know out message is more
important than anything you could be doing with your family!¨ He yelled
some more, I said thanks, and walked away. He yelled something more as
we were walking away but I couldn´t hear him. I was kind of stunned
after all of that happened. I kind of feel bad for going off on the guy
but I´m so sick of getting treated like crap just because we are
missionaries. I realized that Christ would have probably handled it a
little more calmly but then again, like dad said,Christ was humble and
calm but he wasn´t a wuss with people and let them walk all over him. He
corrected them in a firm but kind and loving way. I´m so sick of
getting stepped on like a floor mat just because we are missionaries.
People have no respect for us when they see the name tags. People don´t
even say hi to us in the streets. I ¨forgot¨ my name tag one day while
using a sweater and in the street and I kid you not about 15 people more
than normal said Hello. I don´t understand it. We offer to help, we are
nice, we say hello to everyone and they still treat us like garbage. Ok,
I´m done with the complaining.
I did get two more packages this last week. I got the
back pack, sunflower seeds, socks and other stuff. Thanks for the
confetti! It was everywhere. I opened one of the packages at a members
house before lunch and the confetti went everywhere. Surprisingly she
was really happy to see it. She said a handful of the confetti here cost
about $5. I told her she could have it all. We emptied out everything
into a bowl. She and her kids were really happy!
Only one problem... I asked for a smaller backpack. The other backpack is just as big maybe even bigger.
We
got into a lesson the other day and taught some crazy old lady that is
part of some Evangelical church. She told us that there never was an
Apostasy and the church continued through the spirit. And that if we
talk about the bible or of Christ we are prophets. So i guess me and my
comp are prophets. This lady was completely nuts. Honestly... I don´t
like teaching older people. Sounds kind of harsh but i´m sure most of
them have had their chances to listen to us and the missionaries. Most
of the older people here are completely lost or completely out of it. It
is really sad but most of them have no idea what we are talking about
when we teach them. My comps always get mad because we never try and
¨teach¨ them. You can usually tell in the contact if they are crazy or
not. I usually give them a pass along and say thanks. The other day we
had a lady kiss the picture of Christ we gave here like 5 times and try
to tell us a story of her cat or something strange like that.
Friday and Saturday we had 2 activities. Friday we
played baby soccer in the basketball court behind the church and
Saturday we had a movie night. We actually had quite a few people there.
We had a less active lady yell and me and my comp because here kid
didn´t get home on time... Don´t know why it was our fault the kid
didn´t listen. He´s 12... He knows when he´s supposed to be home. This
was the same lady that said she was going to help us on Sunday for the
conference... What she said to us went in one ear and out the other. As
you can probably tell I haven´t had the most patience this week.
The other day we were talking to an investigator
outside of her house and her neighbors came walking out and were sitting
just inside their gate. Next thing I know I hear whistles and ¨Esta
Bueno, Mira este russio Que Bonito¨ I look up and the mom and two
daughters were out sitting there looking at me. Our Investigator tells
them we can´t date, tells them to shut up and go inside. It was
hilarious. They of course didn´t listen but I thought it was funny and
really gross.
We have talked to the parents of Daniela, and they are
really excited for the baptism. (it is so cool that we were the first
elders to get into the house and talk to the parents and then get her
with a baptism date) She is completely stoked. She already made
invitations. It is weird to think that she is a year younger than
Baileigh. She seems so much older than Baileigh. The kids down here grow
up a lot quicker than they do in the states. It was really weird to
think she´s a year younger than Baileigh. Pray for her and her family.
The dad is really excited he wants to do a BBQ after her baptism and
play soccer. Good thing its on a P-day, it might be a full party!
Well I´ve got another cambio here with my comp. Hoping
we will be able to find some common ground and have some success. Well
not much else. I love you guys and miss you tons.
Elder Torgersen
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