This week was just crazy! Lots of ups and downs and stress and all that fun stuff. I guess it all started on Tuesday when we went out to eat at a Haitian's house. Yup, you guessed it, the food was super sketchy. They just started by serving up plain rice, so I was like "Oh, I love their rice and sauce dishes." But then they threw on a spoonful of this weird purple looking sauce, all crusty and chunky looking. I kid thee not, it smelled like old diapers. It didn't taste as bad as it smelled or looked (because it truly looked like death). That night though, I started feeling super weird. Then, all through Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, I was super light-headed, and my vision went all black a few times throughout the day. A little sketch, I must admit. Thought I was going to pass out multiple times, but it turned out alright. Last time I eat purple death on rice though:)
Lots of weird things happened this week investigator wise. Tatyana's mum has been hard to get a hold of, and I'm still not really sure what happened, but she's still giving Tatyana rides to church, which is good. Marie-Andre finally got her husband's permission to be baptized! But apparently he said not until she takes his last name, which will probably take until about January. And since transfers are next Wednesday, I might not even be here for it...Still though, she's totally getting baptized at some point!! Louis' still waiting on his further witness, and he's been acting super sketchy and trying to avoid us, so hopefully there's not anything bad going on there. But if you could keep Marie-Andre, Louis, and Tatyana in your prayers, that would be awesome:)
We've had many blessings this week, especially after our district training this Wednesday on Pride. We all were able to recognize the pride that we had, and developed ways to overcome that pride. For me and Elder Van Wagenen, a big thing that we've been working on is being more grateful for the blessings we receive throughout the day. We've been getting into a much better habit of saying prayers of gratitude after such blessings, and it's made a huge difference. After district training, we went out and started our harvest. We came across an amazing family who all accepted baptism. We were able to say a prayer of gratitude right after, and when we finished, we looked behind us and a man had walked up and was standing there with his arms folded, listening to our prayer. We left a blessing with him and got his information to pass by after he returns from his business trip this week. After that, we were walking to an appointment and a man riding his bike along suddenly stopped and told us that he used to be a member, but had stopped coming since the missionaries had stopped coming by! We were able to set up a return appointment with him too, and we were able to inform the Bishop of him so he could get home teachers for him! We said another prayer of thanks for this, then went to our appointment. We were informed at this appointment that Marie Andre, had received the permission and would be able to be baptized this coming week! Prayers of gratitude really do make a huge different. The Lord blesses us so much, and will bless us even more if we just humble ourselves and recognize His hands in the work!
The other big thing that I've learned this week is that miracles occur according to our faith and obedience. I read in Mormon 9:15-21 this morning, and it talks about how miracles happen if you fully believe that they will and ask God sincerely for them. We are in desperate need of a miracle to get a baptism this weekend! It will be mine and Elder Van Wagenen's last Sunday as a companionship, and he's been pretty sad because we haven't baptized anybody yet. I'm actually alright with it because I know that, even if we don't baptize somebody next week, we'll have gotten Marie Andre, Tatyana, and Louis on that path and they will all definitely be baptized at some point. I have no doubt there. Still, it's been a little hard this week since he's been a little sad and discouraged. I've been trying to build him up though, because we're going to need all the faith we can muster for our miracle this weekend:)
Just so you know, transfers are next Wednesday. They'll tell us who is transferring and who is staying next Monday morning, and then P-day will be on Tuesday so we can pack and all that fun stuff, so I won't be emailing until Tuesday. And we won't know where we're going if we are transferring until the actual Transfer meeting on Wednesday. Crazy stuff. I don't really know if I'll be staying or transferring, but it would be super hard to say goodbye to a lot of these investigators. I've made so many connections with so many of them, and I can honestly say that I genuinely love every one of them. I'll do what's asked of me though!
Also, we have our Christmas Conference this week, and they've been holding all the mail and packages for the last two weeks at the mission office because they're going to give them all to us there. So if I haven't responded to a letter, I will! I just have to get it first:) Love you all so much. have an amazing week! I love you, and Heavenly Father does too:)
LOVE, Eldè Skidmore
p.s. I'm not really supposed to take pictures a lot, but next week we'll probably take a bunch with the people because one of us will be transferring. So next week!!
