Dear Family,
This week has been pretty good actually. We have had some pretty amazing experiences that I won’t forget for the rest of my life, and things are happening that we just step back and say…wow…completely guided by the spirit. Well, last week I kind of liked doing it by day because it helps me keep everything organized, but I ran out of time…so this week I will go faster and try it by day again.
So, last Monday we went and had a tour of the Visitors Center to help our zone learn how to use it better, then we played basketball with Elder W. and some other Zone Leaders which was way fun. I think I have moved up a skill level in basketball. I have gone from 2 out of 10 to at least 3…4 might be pushing it haha its just not my sport but I enjoy playing when I can.
Tuesday was good. Two things happened Tuesday that are noteworthy. One, for dinner we had rice and beans and tortillas and chicken…and sliced habanera for dinner. Yes the habanera that is hot enough to launch a rocket haha. Me, Elder K. and the member were eating and sweating and our eyes were crying as well as our noses and it was a scorcher! Raw habanera is bad news haha.
That night we also had a lesson with Brother U…I think I told you about him-just moved into a members house after marrying their daughter and he is way good, really good desire. Well Tuesday I had one of the most spiritual lessons of my mission as we taught him about the Plan of Salvation and the Atonement.
It was a really guided lesson-completely actually by the spirit, and he just really let us use the fundamentals that we have been learning since last September and the strongest spirit came as we asked him an inspired question that he sat and thought about for what felt like an eternity…probably 1 minute and then after he responded we responded with doctrine and testimony and just let it sit…quiet to the untrained ear, but the spirit was roaring, the room felt like it was burning, and my mind was so clear and calmed and my chest was about to burst…the spirit was so thick it just hit us all like a wall and he couldn’t deny it.
He will get baptized soon, I am sure of it. Also Tuesday we had MLT and it was another good chance to hear from President about leadership and follow up on the mission goal and how it is progressing. I have really come to enjoy those meetings, despite the length. 3 hours seems to go by like nothing and I am left wanting more and more.
Wednesday was one of those days that must follow the Tuesday we had, kind of dull-lots of planning for our training and doing apartment checks, and interviews with district leaders, etc…
Thursday was fantastic! We did a training in Marina Zone-the Sister zone- on the last of the fundamentals on how to begin teaching and we did some really fun object lesson type thingy’s. One of which involved me inviting someone to come to the front who wanted a cupcake. They came up, I extended the cupcake and as they went to take it…wham! I smashed it with my other hand, crumbs and frosting going everywhere. Needless to say they didn’t want it anymore. Then, Elder K. grabbed another cupcake, put a candle in it, lit the candle, put it on a plate and offered it to someone else. Moral of the story-it’s the same cake, but if you don’t serve it up right, nobody wants it.
Another, while I was talking and explaining, Elder K. went and changed into basketball shorts with his suit coat and came out again without saying a word and everyone was really distracted as we tried to go through the rest of the 5 minute section we were in. This taught the point that its like us and baptism. People know if we don’t talk about baptism something is out of the ordinary, and it can become a distraction. They know why we are there; it is like an elephant in the room that must be addressed. Also, he was in basketball shorts because its more comfy…sometimes we like to be comfortable and not invite people to change by being baptized. Fun stuff.
I really enjoy training now. At first it kind of intimidated me because I never thought I would know what to say or how to teach people, but I have come to love thinking of things like that and trying to make different points different ways and studying up on stuff like that. The Lord is really helping me with it too.
After that, we went to Panda Express with Elder W., G., and G. who were taking a break from transfers and we walk into the mall and this guy comes up to us and asks if we have eaten and we say no and he says perfect, I need some extra blessings, tell me where your eating and its on me. I resisted the urge to point out that it would get kind of messy if we put all that food on him, but he kindly bought us all food. This has got to be the only time in my life when random people will just offer to spend money on me, especially free food. How cool is that! Haha we were all pretty stoked at the gesture.
Friday was pretty good. Highlight from Friday comes from a lesson with Brother U. too. So we go back to teach him the rest of the plan of salvation, and his newborn baby is going nuts…he said she had been screaming for 7 hours non stop and that everyone in the house had a headache, but he would try to listen and pay attention during our lesson if he could even hear us.
So, we start, and then his father in law walks in with the screaming child, looks at us and says, looking at me, “Elder, this child of God is upset and needs a blessing, and I feel like you should give it.” He said her name, then proceeded to hold out the screaming child in front of me and bowed his head. Talk about pressure! It was hard enough to remember her extra long name, let alone try to bless her while flailing about, but I bowed my head and gave her a short blessing…what are you supposed to tell a two month old!? As I ended the blessing with the words “I say unto you be still and sleep”…she continued to wail. But, as her grandpa took her in his arms and walked away with a thank you, she stopped crying and fell right asleep. Found out the next day she only woke up twice to laugh and eat the rest of the day. The power of the priesthood is real and I am so grateful for the chance I have to have it.
Well times up, nothing much happened over the weekend. Love you guys so much. Peace be the Journey :)
Love,
Elder Molinaro
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