Please tell Paul Im so proud of that cutie going to his first day of 7th grade! Wow watch out Junior High, here comes the adorable Paul Terry!
Well, I dont know if youve ever heard this before, but what doesnt kill you makes you stronger! Guess what? The two lady missionary sisters in Juncal, Argentina are pretty dang strong. We are working every angle we can think to work. We did find a beautiful girl named Erica who is 13 years old who is asking, ready and wanting to be baptized. She comes from a very difficult situation where both of her parents are alcoholics. Her first time at church she felt somthing she had never felt in her life. She wanted us to explain to her what it was. It was one of the most beautiful moments Ive had in Argentina explaining to her that she has a father in Heaven who loves her and wants her to have an amazing life. She teared up at a concept she had never considered before. Her poor parents are dealing with so much, and have such deep addiction issues, I think it never occured to her that God is loving and watchful and can be a parent in her life that will meet her needs on a whole new level. A week later she attended a baptism with us. She leaned over to me and said "Hermana Terry, can I be baptized today?' I told her no not today but we have her scheduled for September. I hope it will work out. Her brother is sixteen and he is starting to show alot of interest. The parents are not interested at all, so I hope we can keep an open good understanding with them so that they will be supportive of the whole process if this is what the kids end up both wanting to do. Erika and her brother have a hard time sleeping at night because the parents have drug and drinking parties and they cant sleep. Erika told me she has started praying and talking to God during these nights, and thinks someone is listening to her. I immediately thought of the story you sent me at Christmas. Love you forever. I told her about a mother that kept an eye on her son all the time. At night she always snuck into his room to hug and snuggle him because she loved her son so much. Even when the son was a father the mother still found him and snuggled him. That made Erika laugh. Im going to give her the book you sent me mom. She doesnt read english but I am going to write the spanish words in. I told her that is like her Heavenly Father. At nights she cant sleep, or the drinking and drugs in her house get bad, he comes to her and holds her. I told her I think he sent her to Church, so she could find him and have a relationship with him. And when she is an old woman he will come to her and snuggle her at night, because she is his daughter and he loves her so much he cant stay away. Its a new concept for a child that has suffered neglect and abuse. I told her these words and she started to cry
I feel a little discouraged fam. I wish I was having more success. People have really been nice to me for most of my mission, but some are pretty rude in Juncal. I try not to take it personally, but it wears you down sometimes. I do just wanna tell you about the goodness in Argentina because there is alot. The more people I talk to.. the more I am amazed. Gods children are so amazing. If you listen everyone has a unique relationship and way of relating to God. I can learn so much here. This one guy told us that he feels like God looks more on the positive than on the negative. He thinks at the end of our lives he pulls out the book of life and judges us by all of the amazing things weve done. He thinks we will be the ones that are so surprised that our loving father has kept a record of how amazing we are and how much he loves us, where I think so many worry the only record he keeps is whats wrong with us and all of our mistakes. These people teach me more than I teach them. I think this man knows who God is and he was put him in my path so I could think some new ideas and see someone who is at peace inside of themselves. I wrote in my journal that you told me that song called Grace has a line that says " GRACE sees the good in EVERYTHING". Its so true. I feel like sometimes as mere humans there are people that obsess about their faults but Gods way and the way he wants us to be is to see GOODNESS IN EVERYTHING!
So things are slower than I wish they were, but we are working harder than we ever have. I will trust in the Lord with all my heart, I will not lean upon my own understanding, in all my ways I will follow him, and he will direct all my paths. Im thankful to be here family. Time is flying. I want to come home bloodied and blistered and exhausted knowing I gave everything I had to this beautiful country of wonderful people. I miss you but Im grateful for every day I have in Argentina. Its where I am supposed to be. Carry on Carry on Carry on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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