Week 63: Being a Missionary is the Best Thing Ever!

Hey folks, familia, y cuates 

You guys are probably wondering why im writing so late. So ill tell you why. So today we went to Micos here in the city of valles. Its so cool! Its a bunch of waterfalls and rivers and stuff like that. Too bad we couldn't go swimming; but oh well. haha   I took pictures but i forgot to put my stupid camera cord in my backpack so i wont be able to send pictures this week...that will be next week.  I'll send a ton next week so be prepared. 

So monday and tuesday i was in Tampico getting legal in this pais again. So now im legal here in mexico. I went with an elder in my district, Elder Rawlins. He is really cool and one of my best friends in the mission. We talked all night monday until like 4 in the morning and woke up at 6:30 haha good thing that the best ride is 3 hours long back to my area. 

Wednesday we had the district meeting. Which i taught pretty darn good, im not going to lie. Thanks to the spirit. Before the meeting i told my district that they had to come to the meeting with atleast 3 contacts in the street, and we all did. wooohooo. Then i talked about that they really are people prepared in our areas. Like Preach my gospel says in chapter 10, have faith that the Lord will put you in the path of a person or will put a person in your path. 

Its so true and I fully believe that, that there really are people prepared for each missionary. We just have to have the faith, and faith is action, so we got to do everything in our propio (power).  Like i said last week, i have no idea where all my faith is coming from haha. So a goal that president jordan want us to have for new investigators for this week is 17 new investigators. That number is pretty up there. But 2 weeks ago i was praying about it, and if it really was possible for our areas. And i recieved an answer that ya it is possible. And that we are going to find those 17 new people. I also felt that this week we are going to see a miracle.  I don't know what or when but there is going to be a miracle this week, i can feel it. 

Speaking about miracles, there were 2 lessons this past week that were amazing. One was with this women named Ana Cristina. We found her by contacting her mom and then later going to her house and met Ana. She is really open to everything and understands everything that we have taught. So 2 weeks ago we gave her a book of mormon and told her to read it and she did. So last week we asked her what she learned and understood from 3 nephi 11 and she understood that Jesus gave authority to people so that they were able to baptized. Then she asked the golden question, She asked us if there is anybody on earth today that has this authority. Boom, i was taken away by that question. Ive never heard someone ask it here. BUt i told her yes and then i explained to her when jesus was here than he died and the apostles died and didnt give anyone the authority. Then i explained to her about Jose smith and his story in detail. And recited the first vision and the spirit was there so strong. 

Then i testified to her about the first vision and that it really happened and that through Jose smith the Lord restored that authority. Then my comp went on teaching about baptism. Then later we invited her to say a prayer right there in front of us to ask god if what we were teaching is true. I cant even explain to you guys how strong the spirit was there, it was like my whole body was burning with the spirit. The whole area where we were. The wind started to pick up and blow the trees back and forth. Im not even joking. It was the best feeling ever. 

She then told us that she feels like she was being backed up against the wall but that she will do it when we leave. So after a while we left and when we walked to the fence we looked back and she was staring at as strangely. Once we left i realized that she was looking at us like that because right then and there she realized that we are servants of the Lord. That we are sent by God and that she felt something different when we were there. What an amazing time to be a misionary. 

Another lesson. On Saturday we went to a new investigators house and there we met her cousin, who had listened to the missionaries when she was 16, that was 12 years ago. We taught about the Book of Mormon and read a little in it. Then she started telling us about her life and that it has been really hard for her. That when she was litle her parents treated her badly and that her dad beat her. So at the age of 15 she got married, hoping that everything would get better. No, just the opposite. 

Her husband would drink and drink and other bad things would happen. She told us all that and after i sat there for a few moments and felt impressed to talk and i started talking to her. I told her thanks for sharing those experiences with us. Bad things always happen to everyone but you know why god allows those things to happen? Because that's the only way that we can progress, to learn, to grow, and to become the person he wants us to become. Maybe those things happened to you so that you could have become a better mom for your kids. God loves you and Christ loves you and suffers with you. Then i testifyied of Gods love for her. The words that i spoke were not my words. As i was speaking i felt that my whole body was burning with the spirit. I wanted to cry because i felt the enormous love that God had for that women and for me. Another amazing experience. Being a missionary is the best thing ever. Definitely worth every sacrifice. 

I think that im finally realizing the power of my calling. I'm a representative of Christ himself.  What a huge but sacred opportunity. I'm loving it, but it's still hard. 

In 2 weeks a family in my area is going to get sealed and i get to go!!!  I'm super excited. It will be my first sealing I'll get to see.  

I love you all and have a good week! 

Love,

Elder McNamara