Week 56 (Rancagua, Zona Tupahue 1 [Villa el Sol] w/ Hna Rojas)

Mi querida familia,

Villa el Sol is doing well. This week we had a BUNCH of lessons with less actives, which was good! I really enjoy working with less actives. Recently we have put a bigger focus on reading the Book of Mormon with all our people, less actives, recent converts, and investigators, so that they can gain, regain, and/or strengthen their testimonies. It has been great watching them learning on their OWN from the Book of Mormon and seeing their interest spark and grow as they read it more diligently. I hope you all are reading and STUDYING the Book of Mormon regularly and, like Nephi, LIKENING it to yourself. The BoM is AWESOME and it will help you find answers/guidance for whatever trials or needs you have day by day.  Try it! :)

This week we also did a lot of exhorting to keep the commandments and "preaching repentance" to some less actives and recent converts who are wandering right now, trying to do the best we can and follow the Spirit´s guide to find the balance between "dando palo" (a Chilean phrase for reprimanding) and also teaching of the great love the Savior has for each one of them, and that just for that reason He is always inviting or commanding us to repent and come unto Him.  It´s amazing to me having the opportunity to feel even the smallest part of the great love that the Lord has for each one of us and beginning to understand why He is so strong worded in the scriptures, when he talks through his prophets to call His people to repentance; understanding that it´s just because He LOVES us so much and wants us to learn and understand what we MUST do to be able to return to His presence.  It´s also amazing seeing the effect that these words in the scriptures can have on people.

This week we weren't able to see the Ramos family because when we went to their house (with a member couple that was accompanying us), only the wife was there, her husband got called to work so she was alone and had to attend the botillería that they run as a family. The cool thing was that turns out that the family we had planned to bring (and that was with us) actually knew her and her husband from before because their kids were in the same grade growing up. They are an awesome family and so willing and eager to help us work with Ramos´s.  In their family they have 3 kids, their oldest is a girl, middle boy, and youngest girl.  Their oldest 2 went on missions, one is now married (in the temple) and waiting for their baby to be born. The youngest of their kids is named Melissa, she is one of the less actives we have been working with, she is 16 and has a baby that´s a little less than a year and a half old.  With all the people we have to work with, I think she´s the one that I´ve been worrying/thinking about most, sometimes a lay awake thinking about what to do with her and as a consequence I had a dream with her and her family in it three nights in a row this week! It was kind of ridiculous hahaha.  She is a tough one, not because she´s not willing to listen to us, just because she doesn´t take much interest.  She gets distracted easily, doesn't have a testimony and therefore, doesn´t understand the importance of the gospel in her life.  So we have been trying to think of what we can do to help hook her in and get her interested enough to start ACTING and working for her own testimony. 

A little example of how she is (Mom this will remind you a lot of teaching seminary with some of your students)

We are reading Alma 36 when Alma the younger is telling about his conversion experience to his son Helaman, and at one point he expresses that when he was unconscious for three days he has no control or power to move his limbs, etc. and Melissa stops reading and looks up at me all surprised and asks, "Does that mean he couldnt go to the bathroom???!" It was one of those shaking- my-head-laughing-with-my-face-in-my-hands moment, like "I cant believe that even occurred to you!" 

Love you lots and lots! TAKE CARE. Give lots of snuggles to my puppy for me ;)

Hna Davis