Rough week

Welllll not going to lie. This last week was a bit of a bummer for us, for several reasons. But, we are still trying our hardest to find some people and get some progress done here in Santo Tome. Honestly, this email is not going to be too long this week. Sorry, but there’s only so much that you can write about, but we just didn’t have too much happen for us this week. 

So, I say that this week was kind of tough for us because on Tuesday morning, we went to see our amazing investigadora, Magdalena, and to have a lesson with her and talk more about what she had been reading and all that good stuff. When we got there, she came out and said pretty directly "Sorry guys, but I have some bad news. I won’t ever be able to go to your church and you guys also won’t be able to continue coming here to teach me..." So we just started talking to understand what was going on and if there was anything we could do to help her and figure out what was happening. She told us that her husband and mom and other family members had all started to talk to her about not coming to our church and how if she continued then it would make a lot of problems in between all of them. So that was the part that made the week the hardest I think. She seemed to be progressing so well. She did say that she knows where the church is, and if at any moment she needs anything or becomes able to take the lessons, that she would try to contact us. We are just happy for the time that we did have with her.

This week we also had divisions with the other Elders in the District. Elder Carter and I were together in my area and it went alright. We visited the Antonia and Mario family that we taught a few weeks ago. With them, we basically just sat down and talked to them, chatting. We didn’t get to share too much with them because Antonia´s sister was also there, so we were mostly just sitting and listening, but we also got to know her and talk to her a little about what we do. Later in the week, with Elder Moore, we were able to pass by for them again, and this time share a little about the Book of Mormon and how we can come to have more blessings and peace in our lives by reading it. The visit went really well and we are hopefully going to be able to call them real investigadores this week if they can read a little bit of the Book of Mormon before we go by again.

Also, that same afternoon that we had divisiones, there was a super big, crazy storm that passed through Santo Tome. It was pretty nuts with tons of rain and a load of lightning, so we weren’t able to leave that night. Pretty nuts. There was only one brutal day of heat this week.  It was cool enough we could even wear a sweater one day.  Most days have been rainy.

And also, this week, we have met and come across a man in the streets a few times. His name is Jonathan, not the same Jonathan from Las Vegas. This Jonathan was dating a lady that we were trying to visit and start teaching, but now they have broken up and Jonathan has moved out. We figured that he had gone to live with someone else, but after seeing him in the streets a few times this week, we stopped to talk to him and learned that he is actually living in the streets now and is without work too! Super nuts. So we trying contacting a few members to try and get some help for the guy, but none of them where picking up. So we basically had to wish him luck and hopefully get to see him again. So today, we were walking to the church to write and have lunch, and we see him again! Just as we say hi to him, Elder Moore pulls out a huge coke bottle filled with water and a little bit of food in a bag and hand it to him. I didn’t even know that he had that stuff! He is awesome. It was great though. We are hoping to be able to help him a little more and then try to introduce him to the gospel also. He is honestly a pretty good guy, he just has a bunch of crazy stuff happening to him. Sometimes those kind of circumstances in your life help you accept the gospel a little more because we are more humble. 

Spiritual thought this week: Read your scriptures, say your prayers and be kind.  To everyone. When we are doing the right things, Heavenly Father can bless us. I know this is true.

Thank you all and I love you!

Chau!

Elder Haley

Noelia took a picture of the drawing I did one night at dinner. Masterpiece.

Dinner with Penno's

Divisions and dinner again at Penno's.  Noelia sends these pictures to my mom on Facebook.

Jose's birthday was Tuesday.  We bought him two gifts, one being a car.  His is broken right now so it was the best we could do for him.  ha 

It was cool enough one day this week that we could actually wear a sweater!

Elder Moore made AMAZING pizza

One of the little girls from the ward after the baptism

A family that was baptized

Ping Pong after the baptism

My beloved Guarana

Hermana Ferreyra had us take this picture after church on Sunday.  It was pouring rain.  The family is so awesome.  They are so funny and the children are entertaining.

A close up of yours truly