The Mission is Sort of Like a Roller Coaster

Ups and downs, and sometimes I feel like I want to throw up, but over all it´s really fun and I´m super happy to be here.

That ¨throw up¨reference doesn´t mean I´m sick. No worries!

But I can see why people say that the mission is the hardest thing they ever did. I have a lot more respect for all those who have served missions. And especially for those who did so cheerfully and full of the Spirit, like Nephi or Ammon or Joseph Smith, or Christ. I want to be like them.

We have a lot of investigators, and a lot of families (yay!!), but this week a lot of appointments fell through (boo). However, that meant we had a lot of service opportunities! One was with a man named Manuel who was all red from effort of repairing the road (moving dirt from the side to the road with a shovel). I asked if he wanted a rest and took his shovel and began to move the dirt from the road to the side, not understanding exactly what I was doing, just knowing I wanted to help. We laughed as I realized I was un-doing his work, and quickly I began to move the dirt from the side to the road. Hermana Rosales gave him a quick description of our message, and I helped maybe .0003%. But that´s okay! We got a good laugh out of it, made a new friend, and hopefully he´ll be there when we pass by again (we just left a note in the first attempt). Sometimes I feel very weak, but I know that who the Lord calls, He qualifies. As long as I´m trying my best and repenting daily, I know the Lord can make something amazing out of me. But to have the patience and to keep trying all the time! Let´s just say, I´m grateful for your prayers and support. I need them.

I didn´t really know I was a little homesick until last night, when we had the opportunity to watch the 1st presidency Christmas fireside (did you see it?) with all the members of the branch and an investigating family (yay!), Eugenia, Odilma, Eugenia (jr), and their little brother whose name I can´t pronounce. The program was translated of course into Spanish, but all the hymns from MoTab were in English. When I heard the Orchestra start ¨For Unto Us a Child is Born¨ I just felt so...healed. That is part of what Christmas means to me. And snow and the lights on temple square!

Anyway, don´t worry. I know this tiny bout of homesickness will pass and may return again but each time I rely on the Lord and remember that I´m here to do His will, I´m happy and able to carry on. This work really is incredible.

This week we had a lesson with that family I mentioned (Eugenia) and we asked them to follow the Savior and be baptized. Odilma (12) and Eugenia (10) had the desire, but their parents refused, saying they were too young for such a decision. Throughout the whole lesson I had the Spirit with me strong, although I was a little afraid to open my mouth. Their father, Pablo was going on and on in almost a battle of words with Hermana Rosales, and I just sat there listening, trying to understand everything, trying to listen to the spirit and be prepared to interject if He prompted. Finally I just felt almost like a voice in my mind (¨It´s okay, you can do it, I am with you!¨) and I read Moroni 10, vs. 4 and 5 and told Pablo that we could talk all night, but the only way that he could really know is to pray with real intent. We all knelt and prayed together. This family has so much potential! They are so poor, they rarely have clean water and the children are always dirty. But they are so humble. The girls are reading the Book of Mormon and the mother, Eugenia came to church and the fireside. Anyhow, keep them in your prayers. We know that the Lord wants them to have the blessing of the gospel in their lives as a family, and we´re just praying to know how to best proceed.

I love you all! Thank you for your emails of encouragement. Thank you for your prayers. It´s been a tough week, but also a wonderful one. And a fast one! I know my time is limited and I need to enjoy every minute, the good and the bad, the easy and the hard.

I love you! Alma 53, vs. 10. Ammon was amazing missionary, but he always gave the credit where it belongs.

Hermana Francis