Jan 22, 2015

Well as of two days ago we have been on our mission one year. We entered the MTC January 20th of 2014. We have just six months to go and it feels like the time is slipping away too fast and this wonderful experience will end before we know it. 

Sunday was pretty typical with church, our Sunday School class, visiting, and the pancake night for investigators. We didn't have too many there but sometimes that is nice because it gives us a more of a chance to talk one on one and get to know people better.

The elders have had two miracles in a row. A man walked into the church building one Saturday night off the street and the elders happen to be there in the foyer and he told them he has been searching for God and he agreed to have a lesson right then. The next day he came to church and they have been teaching him regularly since then. Then the next week ,on Sunday night, another gentleman walked in off the street and the elders happened to be the ones to talk to him. Now he is having the lessons and has been to a few of our activities but so far hasn't attended church. Both events are certainly unusual and not at all the norm.

There is this lady of a different religion here in Vigo that is committed to setting the missionaries straight about the false church they belong to. She has been leaving letters, since we've been here, and  for quite a while before that, in front of the church doors, that talk about how the church is wrong and we're misguided and her church is right. I have actually never read one of the letters but they show up every so often. One day a lady came into the church when all six of us missionaries were there and she asked for a Doctrine and Covenants saying she had read the Book of Mormon and now wanted to read the Doctrine and Covenants. We were unable to give her one but she agreed to meet for a lesson with the elders. Well it turns out she is the Crazy lady that leaves the letters and the meeting was pretty much her just dissing the church. Then the next day she came to the church and the sisters were there giving a lesson and she just came in and sat down and wouldn't let up about how wrong the church was. She actually got a little hostile and insulting so the sisters had to firmly tell her she needed to leave. The sisters said they saw her on the street the other day and she waved and was friendly and told them they were good people but wrong. I guess the world is full of interesting people.

Monday started with making chicken soup and applesauce for two of our JAS that are sick and delivering that to them. They are brother and sister and their parents are in Peru for a month. There grandmother and grandfather live nearby so they aren't completely abandoned. After that we took the young missionaries to our favorite restaurant, Foster's Hollywood, for lunch then the sisters came home with us so I could alter some skirts for sister Bennett and they did all their e-mailing while they were here. I also did some mending for Elder McFarland who only had one pair of pants that wasn't ripped out in various places. I was able to borrow the Relief Society sewing machine or I couldn't have altered the skirts and the pants would have been a nightmare to repair.

We have a new district leader and one new missionary in our zone as of this past transfer. We were affected very little by the transfers. The next one I think there will be a change or two here in Vigo but you never know.

We went with the sisters to visit Mavick, a member of our branch from Angola that is very ill with kidney failure. We took him some soup and had a nice chat with him. We spent the last half hour of our visit just singing hymns with him which was such a sweet experience for all of us. He is a good man and I know he has a place in the Celestial Kingdom waiting for him. He is always at the train station to say goodbye whenever any Vigo missionary leaves for a new assignment or for home. He loves the missionaries.

We had the JAS olympics for our activity Tuesday night. We talked about the word of wisdom and listened to an excerpt from a conference talk about the importance of physical fitness as it relate to spiritual well being. Then we had several "olympic events" and awards for gold, silver, and bronze for each event. The kids had a riot and we loved watching their enthusiastic participation. We then had fruit skewers and apple oatmeal muffins for refreshments. It was a great evening. 

Today we caught up on laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping. Once I get this e-mail sent I will consider it a good day. I hope all of you are well and happy. You are in our prayers and we love you.

Mom and Dad