This week I have a story super special for you all! So, sometimes as missionaries we feel like if we aren’t seeing lots of baptisms, we are not being successful, but I’m starting to realize that that is not true. Here in Chile, there are many, many members of the Church, but about 70% are not active. That means that the missionaries work a lot with less active members. One day about 2 months ago, Hna. Garcia and I found a less active guy (about 23 yrs old) who wants to prepare to go on a mission! So we set up an appointment to visit him at his house. Buuuuuuuut when we got there, we found his very angry father, Helario Rojas, who also is a member. He completely chewed us out. We´ll just say he did not want to talk to us, but he told us that we could expect to see him at church. Whelp, after I got over the shock of a member almost yelling at me, I thought he just said that to save his pride. But he really showed up! More than a little grumpy… but he came!! We greeted him every Sunday, and went to his house to visit his sons, but he wanted nothing to do with us. Until two Sundays ago, something changed. This time when I found him after church to say hi he was smiling! We had a pleasant conversation until I asked about his wife (who I still have never met) He calmly showed his children away and told me that his wife is not living with them. Wow, I thought, that’s why he was so angry! He invited us to visit him later that day. I cannot tell you how different he was. The Gospel had brought hope back into his life! Although he is now alone with his 4 sons, he was smiling and laughing! He told us that his goal is to help his sons know what is right and have eternal families of their own. But that’s just the beginning! Hno Rojas helped the youth during a youth conference this past week, part of the activity was to hit the streets and share the gospel and give away Books of Mormon. This Sunday he gave his testimony and told us that 26 years ago, he opened that very same area as a missionary. He got to share the gospel with 2 of his sons in the very same place as he had in his youth. He said that the biggest miracles are not when the water parts, but when someone can feel the personal change inside.
I know that this gospel brings changes I feel so blessed to be part of that change. For me it does not matter if that change comes through learning about Christ for the first time or being reminded of things long forgotten. God know what we need when we need it!
I love you all!!!
Sed de Buen Animo!
Hna Fullmer
I know that this gospel brings changes I feel so blessed to be part of that change. For me it does not matter if that change comes through learning about Christ for the first time or being reminded of things long forgotten. God know what we need when we need it!
I love you all!!!
Sed de Buen Animo!
Hna Fullmer