Fourth of July, Weekly Planning, and Wonderful dinnner with Tony and Lacy

 Viernes, 4 de julio, 2008, día 23, 11:57pm

1st real whole day out in the field. This morning for personal study I made goals for the next two years mostly reading and understanding español. It was an awesome DAY!

Today was weekly planning. So we spent this two hours planning the things that we had to do.

Then we went out into the field. Here are some of what we did:

• Went to the Villalobos but supposedly they moved
• walked to contact a referral, bumped into people:
• an old man that has lived here since 1963, doesn't believe that prayer is a two-way communication, shared James 1:5 about asking with faith, gave us some neighborly references
• bumped into a girl named Jennifer who I think is from Newton originally. She spoke English and was watching her kids and nephew named Junior with the biggest smile that a little cholo baby boy can have. She is a single mom going to get married after school has started
• Talked to a man from Mexico that was building a fence with either his son or grandson. He was willing to talk to us until we brought out a Book of Mormon. He just closed his heart at the sight. I tried to testify but he just didn't want to hear about it.
• We went to Tony and Lacy's para cenar
• It was a very rare experience and I'm sure that I'll have more. They were just an interesting bunch of people. A total of like 9-12 people not including los hijos
• Lacy is a cool lady. She cooked us chicken that was marinated in lemon juice, garlic salt, and melted butter in the oven for two hours.
• Lacy has gone back to smoking when she is stressed/ scared. She talked about some tornadoes that she experienced when she was freaked out. I shared how I felt when Earthquakes hit, how dad called me and made me feel better and how that is like God; he is always there to answer our prayers. It was good except she was getting interrupted. Has a friend named Snow.
• The atmosphere was just a terrible one for anything. Distractions were the TV and Computer playing music videos.
• We started talking with Antonio's mom. She was telling us how people BELIEVE GOD, but they do not fear him like Daniel the King. She spoke Spanish, and I just felt prompted to share Joseph Smith's story, and how the churches were believing in God, but not FEARING Him. And I shared the 1st half of the Restorations section/not lesson in Spanish. I was so glad I did, although she shared two stories bien larga.
• While we were talking to Maria Banderas, a friend of Lacy's arrived and she spoke English but has a husband that speaks Spanish. Elder MCLAWS told her about the book of Mormon, and asked me to tell her about it and I did the best to build up Christ coming and I think she wanted to read it. And I told her to let her Husband read it in Spanish
• Bumped into Mexican family with one who believed we cannot have prophets today
• met Jorge and Bethany and two that want to get married.

YAY MARSHALLTOWN!!!