Week 34: "Dengue"! I was sick!

I am a whole lot better than I was last week. It turns out I had symptoms of the Dengue Fever. I got checked out in a local check up place and they said I had got Dengue and gave me some acetaminophen for the pain and other symptoms and let me go. I probably recovered from the Dengue about Wednesday.  We weren’t able to work until then. I felt a lot better but my throat was all kinds of striped, I couldn't talk it hurt so bad. 

Thursday was a day that we worked all day like our regular schedule. We were able to see some major blessings. At the beginning of the week because we weren’t able to work we were suffering with our goals. I felt bad as Elder Navarro had to sit around the house as I suffered. I do feel that the time we had in the house helped us become better as a companionship. When we finally got to work and it was the longest streak we've had in days with more than ten investigators! Thursday to Saturday it was insane the people who wanted to hear us and wanted to hear more. The only problem and frustrating part is that they don't want to accept our invitations. So thats the only real struggle this week. 

We also had a pretty hardcore throw down with a pastor. We were in a lesson and this pastor walks in and says "yo pensaba los mormones estaban aqui" (I thought the Mormon’s were here). I knew what was about to go down, but my companion hasn’t experienced this yet, so he starts chatting the guy up. It was hilarious. The pastor had no idea what was going on, he just starts trying to prove our religion wrong right in front of our investigators! I was pretty ticked. The people here respect the pastors and listen to them as if it were God in front of them. So our investigators start paying more attention to the pastor, and this was frustrating. He was asking questions that only had yes or no answers like, "You believe Joseph Smith is your God?" obviously no, and then he starts spouting out lies that we pray to Joseph Smith, and it feels that the investigators are falling out of our hands. So I turned the table on him before he starts to go off again and I asked, "De donde obtenido su autoridad?" (where his authority was obtained), and he says from God obviously. I then gave a brief message on where priesthood authority needs to come from. Yes, it comes from God but by the laying on of hands. He started to say that the Spirit gives him authority. Well, it doesn’t say this in the bible. I read him Numbers 27:18 and 27 where it says that Moses gave Joshua authority by laying on of hands. The pastor was speechless, and we were able to gain back the attention of our investigators. This encounter didn't feel too great, but the pastor Martin started to listen to us and is now one of our new investigators. He like Simon, I think it is Simeon en español asked if we could give him this authority. We told him to repent and to come unto Christ and that he needs to seek for His church here on Earth. He said he would come meet us on Wednesday. I am actually really super surprised that he wants to meet again. 

Our investigator Benito, another old pastor for the Evangelical church now trusts us a lot more and has a testimony of the restored gospel. Benito just had a terrible stroke and now can’t walk or do anything. He can’t use most of the left side of his body. He wants to be healed and his faith is super strong that he can be healed. He wanted a blessing. We gave him a blessing that he little by little may be healed, it was what the Spirit directed. It was super powerful and I hope his faith stays strong so that God can work His miracles. 

On Sunday we found out the Stake is going to try and put a group in the Nueva so that the members don't have to go all the way down to the divino for church. The meeting of the group la Nueva Capital will start the 3rd of September. I'm super excited because I think we will have a bunch of people show up (or at least I hope). So this was my week, I hope you guys can have a good one this week.

I love you guys! 

Keep truckin’ 

Infected with the Dengue Fever

Elder Cleverley and Elder Candia arm wrestling
Elder Mena is on the floor (one of our zone leaders)

Elder Ruiz beating Elder Cleverley...  Cleverley had just finished with Candia

Elder Navarro takes on Candia with Cleverley and Canales looking on.

me: sick, watching the other Elders have fun

The Elders in my district played Futbol Silla (chair soccer)
In this picture: Elders Mena, Candia, Medrano, and Cleverley 

Elder Candia, Cleverley, Navarro, and Canales playing futbol silla

Cleverley, Candia, and Mena

I think Elder Canales and Mena have some pretty good futbol skills.

This is Elder Ruiz: He is playing the music for the game. lol!
I took this picture because my family has an Alligator toy like this at home.

This is our board with missionary training scriptures to help resolve concerns of other faiths

On Sunday we had Balaeda's with the familia Sanchez

People from la Nueva Capitale travel to Divino for church. (Divino is the area Elder Cleverley and Canales cover right now) They are going to test la Nueva by starting a group. A group is like a branch. They are going to see if they can put a branch or ward there permanently in the future. 

P-day plans: We are going to eat at some fast food restaurants with another companionship, probably Elder Ruiz, and Elder Candia.

Today we are also planning to buy and iron and some other things for the house.  Elder Navarro is OCD. It is kind of crazy. For now I am okay with it. I kind of feel bad for him because he will have other missionary companions who will be terrible at being clean and organized.  

Our area is really dusty, and the dust is really bugging him too. But hey- our house has never been cleaner! I am embracing as much as I can and trying to learn from him as well. I have gotten way cleaner. One thing that bugs me: He makes me clean the toilet! I'm just a little mad at him because, "he can't do it!" It's funny. He can't make every one of his companions clean the toilet. Hopefully one day he will be able to take a week here and there. But anyway, for now it is super clean. Go me!