Well, another week is over and another transfer has begun. Life is so good! I have an amazing new companion, Sister Jackson, from Washington state. She's brand spankin new from the MTC and is a hard worker. We had immediately made a connection and have many one too many things in common. haha. She's hilarious and we have enjoyed every moment with each other so far.
Our new area is in La Carlota 2nd Branch. Apparently about 8-10 years ago the stake had some ridiculously disobedient leaders who were then ex-communicted and then the stake became a district under the guidance of the mission leader. So now President Tobias is in the middle of training the area to become a stake again. Our branch is small, on average 60-65 members on Sundays. Our first night here after transfer morning we already had appointments set up with the other elders who we white washed. They weren't disobedient elders or anything, President just felt they needed the influence of the sisters in one of the branches in La Carlota. SO...here we are!
The members are so fun and kind. We have 3 investigators as of now, all from part member families, which we're pretty excited about. We're focusing on reactivation here, much like in Victorias. However, here, the members seem to be more excited to be involved with the work.
We are teaching a man, Brother Amador, who apparently told the elders that he knew the church was true but wanted to wait 2 years to be baptized to have time to effectively rid himself of all of his issues with the word of wisdom. Well, we decided to pay him a visit. As we walked in he immediately came in and said, "2 years! I told the elders 2 years! I've told all the other missionaries 2 years!!!" So I could tell his heart was definitely a little hard towards us. His wife, who is a wonderful active member, turned to me and whispered, "See...I told you.." to which I immediately walked over to him and introduced myself and asked if we could just visit with him for a moment. He went and put a shirt on and then came in to talk with us. The room was loud and there were kids running around, he was in the middle of cooking their dinner, and the neighbors tv was ridiculously loud....so I felt maybe we should just set another appointment with him, but the thought came to me, "If you don't share something now, you're never gonna get another appointment with him." So I asked him if we could come back on Tuesday and share with him. He said he wouldn't be available and that he wasn't going to listen to our teachings...blah blah blah....so I asked if we could just share with him right then since he was there...despite the distractions. So we did!
I said a silent prayer in my heart and then he asked me to offer the prayer before the lesson. The boy on the computer shut it off and left, the children left the house to play outside and the neighbors turned their television volume way down. As we started talking I was trying to figure out what his issue was that was keeping him from being baptized right now...so I went through the baptismal questions with him...to which he answered them beautifully and had a full understanding of the restoration..except he thought Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon..which we had to clear up. BUT...I asked him why, and he said it as honestly just because he smoked daily and drank coffee. He wanted to make sure he was fully prepared and repentant of his sins. So I felt I should share 2 Nephi 31:10...I explained about how we, as missionaries, were literal representatives of Jesus Christ and that it was as if Christ himself was asking him to follow Him into the waters of baptism.
The last few transfers I have been following the counsel of President Tobias to be bold, but with love. SO....I laid it on pretty thick. Or ....maybe that's not the best phrase...I made it perfectly clear...I basically told him, "Brother, by you knowing that the church is true and not being baptized, you are putting your salvation and happiness in jeopardy. Do you realize if you die tomorrow, you WILL NOT be with your family. It will not happen." He was really quiet for a moment. Then its like his heart was visibly began to soften. He didn't commit to baptism, but...he did commit to goals towards overcoming his addictions. So, we're meeting with him tomorrow to see how he's doing. I think he just didn't have any trust in us. He felt we were just interested in getting him thrown in the water, but in the lesson he felt we actually cared. We love him and were concerned for his family and his happiness. It was beautiful really and I wish I could do it justice by describing it right now.
We also visited a man who hadn't been the church for years and years and years. No one can remember the last time he went to church. We committed him to go, and scheduled for us to pick him up and walk with him to church. Well, we get there on Sunday and he's all excited and dressed and ready to go and before we even shouted that we were at his front gate he saw us and yelled to his wife that we were there. As I spoke with Elder Hamblin about it, he's one of the last elders in the area, he was so shocked that we were able to help him get there.
I'm pretty excited about this new area and the potential it has. Our correlation on Sunday was really good and we now have the beginnings of a ward mission plan.
This week I have training again with all of the leaders and trainers in Bacolod on Wednesday and Thursday with President Tobias. I'm excited for it. Life is really good! The gospel is true and I'm just loving every second of my life.
Some woman on Sunday asked me when I go home and I say, "Oh I still have awhile. I go home in March 2011!" Her response was, "Oh! That's so soon!" I thought my heart fell out of my chest....AH! Then today another elder was like, "Sister Stadler, after this transfer you have only 3 transfers left..that's weird." AGAY!!!! (..that means "ouch" in Ilonggo) I love every second of this work.
Mom, don't worry about my living conditions...I'm ridiculously spoiled right now. I left the mansion and entered into the celestial kingdom housing of the mission. We have the couple missionaries old house with an oven, air conditioning, and a heated shower. I've forgotten what it's like to not freeze when you're bathing. Everything here is blazing hot...except their water, which is always freezing cold. Yeah.....I don't even know. But...my time is up. I'm sure I'll have more to share later.
To the rest of you...share the gospel! I love you all! Until next week, God Speed!
All my love,
Sister Stadler