All in the Tag: Week 40! "The Indigenous"

From 10/27/14

Hi everyone :)

This Monday I laughed. so. hard. (did you see that, dad? I can do it too :P) Hna Q and I have been having one funny experience after another! jaja. At one point I couldn`t breathe from laughing so hard.

Let me explain a little about the sector I`m in...It`s pretty much the centro. So it`s still very much city, but we also take a bus out to the campo (country) to work out there as well. My ward is indigenous. All the members [wear traditional clothing and] have trenzas (braids) downs their backs. Ahhhhh :) I love it here.

This will take a little getting used to as well, because we only teach the indigenous people. If we have a contact or reference to a family that is either Latina or doesn`t speak quichua, we have to pass it on to the Latino ward. So, pretty much, our sectors are meshed together and overlap. We teach the indigenous in these areas, and other missionaries teach Latinos in these areas.

My VERY FIRST DAY here, Hna Q was showing me around and introducing me to a few of the leaders (most of the main church leaders, including the stake president, live in our sector muahaha). And, though I was very mindful that both the men and the women have braided hair, I made the mistake that I promised I would never do.

"....and are the other two girls yours, too?" I asked as I spoke with one of the bishopric counselors at his door. "My sons names are..." :O AAAAAH, the horror! It`s just that.......you know.......their braids were so loooong...and pretty. And I only could see them from behind.

Not any more, but the first couple days here it was also a little on the challenging side to tell some people apart. It took a little getting used to, but now I`m good with seeing how different each one of them are. But at the beginning, it helped to recognize who the person was by his or her teeth. Yeah yeah. Not cool, Hna Fernelius, not cool. But! Each one has such unique teeth. And by the cracks, gaps, and gold fills, I could totally distinguish each one of them!! jaja Man, I sure love these people. They are such a handsome group! Sunday, seeing them all together and being there in the midst of them. I`m pretty sure I`m going to be one with them before I have to leave.

Something really interesting happened last week. We went to visit a young lady Hna Q knew from before, "O". But her cuñada came out and started explaining in very un-cute terms how she doesn`t like us going there to visit her sister-in-law and how she feels that we should never come back because we are just confusing O, and that people should only go to ONE religion, not several all the time because in doing so we are making a mockery of God. We listened, and listened. Finally, when the time felt right, I took a step closer, preparing to respond. I don`t know, but I like being reasonably close to the people I speak with. Somehow the spiritual connection is much greater. So, I stepped forward. It was noticeable, too, but I didn`t mind.

I feel such surety in all that we do as missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ. The doctrine we carry is pure and complete. And nothing that people say can waver that I know it`s true.

So, I began to ask questions. "Have you ever asked O why it is that she goes to different churches so frequently?" --change subject --I asked again. --She responded. "No." "You say that any church will do, and that O should stick to one. But, maybe she doesn`t intend to mock God. Maybe she`s just looking for a church that she feels has the truth." This lady, "S", began to soften.

I continued, "Because, S, we aren`t hear to cause dissention in your home, nor oblige O to join our church. What we do as missionaries is INVITE all people to listen, and ask God to know for themselves if what we share is true." She continue to listen, so I went on, "S, what we share is not what you expect. Because, we do not believe that this is `just another religion`. We believe that this is Christ`s church restored in it`s completeness once more to the earth. We believe in a living prophet, just like Christ himself was and has always called in ancient times, and that we have the same organization today, governed by God Himself."

My companion continued, opening the first pamphlet we typically share with all the people, "La Restoraciòn", and shared Joseph Smith`s First Vision. S kept silent. The Spirit was so strong. We were standing, outside, surrounding by chickens and dogs. But that didn`t matter. Every time we look an investigator in the eyes and share the First Vision with conviction, despite the cars and noise around us, without fail the Spirit testifies it is true.

My companion paused for a moment after sharing the First Vision, and then shared her testimony. Hna Q explained to S that she could know for herself as well, by praying to God and asking if it is true, and that He will answer. I wanted to share my testimony so bad as well, but before I could, S looked up at us and said quietly, "O is inside. Would like me to go call her?" And she left without another word to call O out.

We haven`t seen S since. But that experience was so impactful. From a completely hardened person whose only intention was to shut us out and keep us from ever coming back, arms folded, behavior cold....to a completely humbled person. The true doctrine of Christ does that to people. As disciples of Christ, our preparation is crucial. When we are prepared, not one thing can confound us. On the other hand, these small, basic, and simple things, when testified and by the power of the Spirit, will confound even the "wise".

I love being a missionary. Teaching really is an art. This week I thought a little about that: how every day, various times a day, we are to go out two by two. Oftentimes we know little to nothing about our companion and have so little time together. Yet, millions of missionaries of the church, every day, must work in unity to find people to teach. When found, we must ask inspired questions to find the person`s "iceberg", or doubt. We keep asking questions, in a very tactful way, until we feel that doubt has been found, then, simultaneously, we begin to teach the doctrine.

It`s interesting. Because, all we have between us in the companionship is eye contact and the Spirit. Somehow, we must know how to get where we need to go without ever taking a pause and discussing it over. And all the while through the contact or lesson, we are continually "ping-ponging" (switching back and forth between companionship of who speaks), and teaching the doctrine in a progressive manner. I don`t know....as I reflected on that a little last week when I first was with Hna Q, and everything seemed to carry on as if we`d been together forever... thought about the art of teaching, and having the spirit as missionaries. :)

Side-note: yesterday I asked Hna Q how my Spanish accent is. My goal is to sound completely Latina by the time I finish my mission. She gave me an 8!!! Woohoo. She speaks HEAVY Argentinian, though. So my double "l"`s and even "y"`s are being influenced. Aaaah!

"Well, I love it here. We`ve had some great experiences. For example, one day we had lunch at the RS President`s house, and she mentioned to us (so reverently) that her son was preparing to go on a mission, but needed some extra animos. His name is 'A'. Apparently, A had a dream before the cambios that a tall American elder was going to come to the ward, and that this elder would say something that he needed to hear. That elder is Elder F. Hna Q and I are the only other ones that know....not even Elder F knows jeje. But, it was a very spiritual moment, hearing the way these indigenous members speak of sacred things with such reverence. But anyway, Hna Q and I wanted to get to know A and took out a cita to visit him.

We met him briefly outside his house one night. I came prepared with a PME (Predicad Mi Evangelio) that I had bought at the offices just 2 or so weeks before the cambios. Hna L needed something from the distribution center and, although I didn`t need to buy anything, the thought came to mind to buy a PME...just in case. With no one in particular in mind. I gave this Predicad to A, explaining what it is and the value of it as a missionary. He looked at and held it with such awe and gratitude. I explained to him my experience in purchasing it...with no particular purpose in mind at the time. But that, now, I understand that it was for him.

When we offered if there was anything we could do for him, he explained to me and Hna Q that we had 'already done a lot' and that he had been praying for the strength to prepare to go on a mission then BAM, out of no where we showed up. It was such a special experience for us all. The Lord truly does know every person and every prayer...and sometimes begins answering them even before we ask. Like He began answering A`s prayer through an impression He gave me to buy PME before the cambios.

As I mentioned like week, the Lord always confirms to me that the cambios are inspired. Another example is that, Hna Q had a dream the night before cambios that she would be receiving "an American with short hair" jajaja. That would be me :).

We are doing well. We laugh a LOT and work hard. We both got a little sick this week...her with her back and me with a fever. But it was very brief :) This sector needs a lot of work. The carpeta has been in disarray for months now ,`:0 So it feels very much like we are starting completely from scratch. We are getting to know the sector, the members, and searching for new investigators. Hna Q hasn`t had a chance to get to know much of these things for herself quite yet. We have a lot of work ahead of us. But I feel a connection with the people here"

Love you all! Hope you are doing well!

Have a great week!!!! HAPPPPPYYY HALLLOWEEEEEEENNNN!!!! :P

I`ve eaten so much chocolate lately....... ;) thanks dad. It fills not just my belly, but my souuuuuuuuul.

Hasta later,

Hna Fernelius

We were reallllllly tired one night and got a little goofy. We took turns drawing one picture....and it turned into this. Hna Q topped it off by writing "How are you", but how they would pronounce it in Argentinian :) jajaja

Mountains in this picture are pretty. But I also wanted to show you this so you could get a taste of the sector. There are so many markets outside, it`s ridiculous....every where you turn!. :) It`s great. Wish I were rich....jaja

A plaza not too far outside our home. The lights change colors. Reminds me of home in Vegas :) There are concerts in this area with LOTS of people Friday and Saturday nights. VEGASSSSS