SO! I got whitewashed to San Pedro, right? That was scary. And so it was our first day in the sector, and I`m with my little greenie, hermana Galiza, and we had no idea where we were. We didn`t have any investigators either. There was literally nothing. Maybe two pages of futures to look up. The only thing we did have that could have led anywhere was a small sheet of paper with information written by the missionarys who had been in the sector before. The sunday before they left (our first day was a Tuesday), the missionarys didn`t have anyone to give them lunch. A memeber who is more or less active happened to come that day, and she brought her boyfriend, Leo. She offered in Relief Society to feed the missionarys, and so that evening they passed by and got to know Leo and Romina. That night before leaving for their new sectors, the hermanas wrote a brief sentance about the visit and his phone number. It was the only thing we had to work with.
Romina is the daughter of the famous Hermana Ingrid, who works in the mission home and makes the best taco soup I have ever eaten. She, a few years ago, got to know a man who had just recently been baptized into the church. He was hoping to go on a mission, but a few bad choices led to their eventual marriage, not so much for an abundance of love but more for a feeling of guilt, knowing that what they were doing was wrong. They were together for an unhappy 3 or 4 years before seperating, and from that moment, the sad but not entierly repentant Romina said she would never again get married unless it was in the temple. A few months later, she got to know Leo. They hit it off from the get go, and him, not being a member, who didn`t have the norms that we church members do, and Romina, while still married (but in the long and difficult process of divorcement in Chile) began to live together. A few more months passby, and Romina is constantly sharing her testimony with Leo, about temple marriage, about the importance it has to her, about how if she and Leo want to get married, the only place it can be done is within temple walls. So it`s a little backwards, but aren`t we all as imperfect humans a little like this sometimes? Elders passed by, and although Leo never had time, the pure love and concern they had for him, calling him and encouraging him impressed him immensley. But he never got around to receving an actual missionary discussion.
So that`s where we come in. Our FIRST DAY we called the number left on this little piece of paper, and it happend to be Leo. After getting lost for about an hour, we eventually found his house and learned a bit about their history. Right away I knew they were special. It just so happened that during this time they were planning on moving into Romina`s old house (they were living in an apartment Leo was renting with another unmarried couple). We, along with the help of the office elders (and their car) moved all their things across town. We got to know Romina really well while helping her clean and move everything else, and later she told me that our time together and help we offered was a key moment for her and Leo to trust us and know that we weren`t there to judge them. Just help them and serve and love them. SERVICE! IT WORKS! Leo still didn`t have much time, and my companion during our first cambio began to get really sick. The new house was far from where we lived, and Hermana Galiza a lot of the time couldn`t make the walk to go visit them when I made the apointments. But little miracles kept happening. One day I thought to myself, we CANNOT be in the house all day everyday! We have got to leave! So I forced poor little Hermana Galiza out of bed and we headed out into the field. Literally, not even 5 minutes after leaving the house, Leo and Romina passed by in their car and took us to their home. We taught him important basics, and he began to apply them in his life. And slowly, but surely, the differences began to be manifest.
After a lot of prayer and planning and fasting and hoping, we taught Leo the law of Chasity and asked what he was willing to do to recieve an answer to his prayers. Oh my gosh, it was just so many miracles, to many to explain, and Leo decided to go live with his parents in Lota. It was a HUGE sacrifice for him, not only because of the emberrasement of living with your parents again as a 28 year old, but also because he was a lot farther away from his job in Concepción. But he did it, and he did it because he loved Heavenly Father more than he loved Romina. They both do. He also began to listen to the audio version of the book of Mormon in his car during his daily commute. But they were still having trouble coming to church. LA FLOJERA! But little by little they changed their lives, and real change takes time and patience.
So Hermana Galiza had to go home, and my new companion came into the sector, and now we were able to visit them with more consistancy than ever. Leo one day was driving, saw us in the street, pulled over and showed us a suprise. That day he went to Concepción and bought an engagement ring. They were going to go visit Romina´s brother in Utah, and Leo was going to propose to her in Temple Square. So off they went, and we lost direct contact for about a month because their phones couldn´t call, and we had to focus on other people for a while. When they got back, ANOTHER miracle happened. They, by strict order of Romina´s brother (bishop in a spanish ward) went to church every single week! They got back Saturday night and although tired and with wet clothes not yet dry from the washing machine came to church Sunday morning. It was my last week in San Pedro. That night we went to visit them, and a there was a visible difference in Leo. He was happier. He felt the spirit. He was more eager to learn. We watched the video of the restauration with them and he told us he KNEW that it was true. But even after all the miracles, and the experiences, Leo still felt he needed more time to reach a decision to be baptized. We left that night a little bit downtrod. They left to another part of Chile kind of far away, and while away I got the transfer to Arauco. The saddest part of all of it was not saying goodbye. We didn`t even call them. I just felt too emberassed that we hadn`t been in better contact, and I am not a phone person. So I left. =(
MY FIRST DAY IN ARAUCO. My companion and I had just bought groceries, and took the long walk home to our out-of-the-way apartment to store them before leaving for another apointment. When we got there, my companion, for the life of her, could NOT open the door. We stood outside for 15 minutes, both of us trying our best to get that door open, but to no avail. So in the end we put our groceries in the sink we have out back and left to keep walking. Now, I`ve heard stories like this before. Miracles always follow a "mysterious" locked door that`s usually open and so forth, and I think I was especially spiritually sensitive that day. I knew the lord needed us to have a certain timing for something. So we`re walking down an open road, when I hear to my right, "BOWLING!!!!" I look around, and the freaking caras of Leo and Romina are grinning at me from the windows of their car. I literally burst into tears and rushed to hug Romina (can`t hug Leo =( ). They did not have any sort of plans that day to visit Arauco, but decided on the spot to start looking for prospective marriage sites. They got lost, turned down a wrong road, and ran into us. It was incredible. So we talked for a bit, I told them I was so sorry, we snapped photos, and then Romina told me about how Leo has been searching so much for infomation about the church, but has never really taken the time to ask God what the truth is. It was one of the most powerful spirits I have ever felt, sitting in their car and bearing my testimony to Leo. I told them about being inactive, and about the need of the spirit. The world has so may voices that if we`re not careful they can block out the quiet voice of the spirit. Leo was silent, and we left to go to our apointment. I was more than anything greatful to be able to say goodbye to them. I thought that might have been the end of the story.
One crazy day later, with no time to explain why, we were sitting in the car of our branch president, late to get home to our house and frustrated. The phone of the other hermanas goes off, and Hermana Bazaes anwers. "Hermana Bowling?" we hear. Uhh. Crap. This is not allowed! People from other sectors shouldn`t call us. So I`m feeling really nervous, and sheepishly answer "hey". It`s Romina and Leo, obviously, and the first thing they ask me is "why do you think we called you?". I drew a blank. "To tell me you love me?" "No. Well yeah, but not just that." "Uhh... okay?" Then Leo spoke. "Hermana Bowling? You were the first person I wanted to call. Don`t cry okay? I`ve been thinking, and I can`t deny any more what I know is true. I want to get baptized. As soon as possible." OH MY GOSH WHAT THE CRAP I JUST STARTED CRYING LIKE A MANIAC! Its a joy that`s indescribable. And more than ever I`m learning that we as missionarys don`t do ANYTHING to help them make these important decisions. Its ALL by the spirit. So this Saturday I`m going to get to see Leo make the most important deciion of his life. I knew this was going to happen! And I`m so greatful to be a part of such an incredible process for one of God`s most beloved children. Leo is incredible. So I`ll let you all know happens next Monday after his baptizm. There`s a lot more to tell but I`m already way over time. Until next week! Chou!
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