Growing and Changing

 Luke and his companion, Elder Reyes, were trying to charge their bus card, but their cards were not working.  They didn't have any cash with them and that seemed to be the only payment they were accepting while their system was down.  A sweet lady was behind them and saw their predicament and went and paid 500 pesos for them to charge their card!  How sweet!  They were so grateful and got the woman's number.  They are excited to follow up with her and pay her back but also share the message of the restored gospel with someone that blessed their life so much!  What a cool tender mercy.  I love when people are so good and kind.  Especially when one of my kids is the recipient! 

This week Luke felt the pressure of being a leader.  There always seems to be some kind of surprise situation to deal with and make a decision about.  This time the elders that are quite far away, like 9 hours by bus, called and were locked out of their apartment.  They wanted permission to get a motel room.  But Luke knew they wouldn't be able to get the money to them right away and it was getting late.  Since they are so far out there they couldn't just get to another missionaries apartment.  So Luke and his companion prayed about what to do.  Luke called them and asked them to send him a picture of the door.  They sent it and it looked pretty old.  Luke told them to just knock the door in!!!!!  ha ha ha!  But he told them when they did they had to video for him :)  They did it!!! ha ha ha.  Luke said they were able to fix it a day or two after.  Don't know what I would have done in that situation!?  Glad it worked out :)

Then another companionship called him because they had a man that knocked on their door and was raising money for his niece who was sick.  He said he was selling hamburgers that he would deliver on Wednesday but was collecting the money first.  The elders paid him!  Soon he kept calling them asking for money!  I don't think there is a niece and I don't think they're getting their burgers!  I think they got scammed!  And the guy knows where they live!  Don't exactly know how Luke is helping them solve this dilemma, but there is never a dull moment when you are a leader.  It is good preparation for parenthood :) 

This week Luke and Elder Reyes went to a new part of their area where they are starting a group (smaller than a branch).  This is about and hour and a half away from their apartment walking.  They got a ride from Juan.  They attended church there and met on the patio of someone's house with just a couple of people there.  Elder Reyes had to go to the bathroom right after the meeting so they went inside to use the restroom and when they came back out everyone had left!!!  Including their ride!  They called Juan and he said he had to leave to go to a meeting but to ask another brother there.  They found who Juan was referring to but he was on a motorcycle!  So they asked him how they could get home and he said "Oh ya just walk over there, turn left and keep walking for a long time!" Not exactly what they were needing :)  Finally they got a hold of the bishop and he came and picked them up :)  

Also they had a great weekend...their friend Danilo got baptized!!!  It's a good thing they checked the font a couple of days prior because it still had water in it from their last baptism! :) ha ha ha.  I guess the Elder's Quorum President said he would drain it and didn't.  Also the drain wasn't working.  There was even a frog carcass in there :) ha ha ha  And it wouldn't fill up!  Luke went out and had to climb the little water tower they have outside and somehow got it working.  Of course the hot water wouldn't work, but hey at least there wasn't dead frog gross water.  They might have been freezing their buns off, but it was still a great day!  Danilo is a 12 year old that was referred to them by Ramona!  He is the son of her maid who is member but inactive.  They were able to teach him in Ramona's home.  

They have been so busy, they have multiple people on date for baptism.  Their landlord Linfia is getting baptized next Saturday.  She took the discussion 20 years ago and has started to live a lot of the things the elders taught her.  She didn't get baptized back then because she was living with a man and not married.  Now she is single and ready to commit to baptism!  

Their friends Gustavo and Cristian are getting baptized on Sept. 25th!  This is Juan's son and his friend.  And then 2 grandkids of one of the members are getting baptized on Sept. 24th.  And then he told us that his friend Lino was getting baptized.  I was so confused because I hadn't heard of Lino before.  Luke laughed and said it was the man named Sanchez that he told us about that loved to learn to pray.  I guess they had been calling him Sanchez but his name is really Lino :) ha ha ha!  Oops.  But so exciting that he is progressing toward baptism too!  So a lot of great work going on.

I love to see how Luke is growing.  He absolutely loves his companion and I loved hearing all the things he is learning from him.  He said that Elder Reyes' parents were divorced when he was a baby and the missionaries came knocking on his door and his mom let them in and later joined the church.  He says everyday he is so grateful for those missionaries and wants to be a missionary to others like that. So he is constantly talking to everyone they come in contact with.   He has also changed the way that Luke thinks about missionary work and their investigators.  He said if they aren't progressing and keeping commitments then they won't when they are baptized and so we should move on.  He doesn't want to baptize them if they aren't going to stay active. 

Another thing Luke talked about is the way Elder Reyes prays.  Luke said he always kneels and then leans forward, propping his elbows up on the bed or chair.  But when Elder Reyes prays he kneels upright.  Luke started to follow his example and has felt a difference.  Elder Reyes says it makes him feel like he is more humble before God and more attentive to his prayers.  Also each morning Luke was hearing Elder Reyes saying something.  At first he thought he was talking in his sleep :)  But then he realized every morning Elder Reyes recites the missionary purpose :)  Luke loves how pure Elder Reyes' intentions are.  I love how each and every companion Luke has learned something from them.  What an amazing experience!

Luke reflected back on his first area and how he just wanted to be loved and accepted by all the members.  Now he feels like he doesn't have time to waste just hanging out at the member's house and he wants to make sure his investigators are converted to the gospel and not just the missionaries.   Man is he growing up to be such an amazing missionary!