You might have wondered why I chose to title this letter cien días? Well you may have forgotten that I was called to speak Spanish here in Tennessee. (It's ok if you did, sometimes I do too;) I went to Mexico to learn Spanish, and train to become a missionary for 6 weeks. It was there that I did some major stretching, growing, and was pushed to my breaking point and right past it and I found that I could overcome and that Christ was right there the entire time. I learned how to rely on Him. It's safe to say I learned so much more than Spanish during my time there. I knew leaving the CCM that even if I never spoke one word of Spanish during the rest of my mission I NEEDED to go and have that experience. I NEEDED to meet the people I did. Districto 6B was something else, I have such a testimony that your call report date is just as inspired as your call destination because it lines your paths up to cross with others' that the Lord needs you to influence and needs you to be influenced by. Again I learned so much more than Spanish while there. I know Mexico has been essential to my deepening conversion.
Ok so then fast forward to my Spanish experiences in the field out here in Tennessee. It was 3 months into my mission and I had been able to talk with and teach one Spanish guy. Not that my trainer and I didn't try to find them, we did. But there weren't many to be found. The next 3 months with my next comp we found what some fisherman call a "honey hole" a pond or bank where fish always are, ours was called the Piggly-Wiggly. Straight up not lying that is the name of the convenience store it is where a lot of local Spanish workers come to buy snacks and groceries after work. We would camp out outside on days when we were out there. I'll never forget the experience handing out my first Spanish Book of Mormon to a guy there. It was super broken Spanish but he was kind and gracious. I learned the reality of the scripture in 1 Corinthians 14:19 "I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, then ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." Our few words by the spirit were more important that 10,000 fluent and empty words. I learned that influence is more important than fluency and this was proven... We got his number but could only talk to him if he called us because it was a Mexico number and missionary phones don't do international calls. HOWEVER, months later when I was in a different area I heard from my former companion that she got news that that same man we had shared El Libro de Mormón with was in contact with missionaries and learning back home in Mexico! No effort is wasted.
I left that area, to go to a new one, this time with an English speaking companion. Bless her pea picking heart! I will NEVER forget the day we got a referral from the nearby elders for a woman who spoke Spanish. I remember I studied as if to teach the Restoration, yet when I began talking to her all in Spanish (my dear sweet companion supportive and by my side:) it was apparent the Lord needed me to share about the Plan of Salvation. So we stood on her porch in the blazing July sun and thick humidity slick with sheens of sweat pouring over our entire bodies and taught this woman about God's plan for her. And shared the Book of Mormon with her. Every time we went to revisit her she wasn't home. It was disappointing yes but I know that experience was needed, for her and us. It was hard it was hot it was uncomfortable. But a wise man once said "you grow in the FURNACE of affliction. NOT bathwater!" (Duff Yauney my trainer's dad).
Ok so then that brings me to the lovely area of Greeneville. Population um maybe like 5,632 people and I feel like I know them all! Haha! Not really because we continue to meet and find people and lately they have been, wait for it... SPANISH!!!!!!! Now this, this, is what I have been building up to, these experiences right here. They have been complete game changers. There are three.
1. Last week when we were car-less we went with a member to go try to contact a girl who hadn't been seen by missionaries for over 600 days. Well turns out she no longer lived there, BUT the man who did opened the door only spoke Spanihs, he took one look at us and said: No hablo ingles! Sorry pal that doesn't work for me! Immediately I nearly stuck my foot in the door as I said AHHHH bien, somos misioneras para la iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los ultimos dias... and boom out of no where standing in the freezing freezing cold in the pitch black dark the Spanish words flooded my mouth. I just let them flow, was it perfect? Uhhhh let me put it in Spanish for you... NO. But it was the gift of tongues, pure and simple, pure and powerful. We set up a return appt with this guy and were ecstatic at witnessing the Lord and the Spirit work. I'll never forget that experience. Unfortunately when we returned back to go see him, he wasn't there and hasn't been each time we have returned. BUT no matter what happens I know that we were meant to be there and I cannot deny the experience of the gift of tongues guiding my words. It was amazing. Again the power of few words spoken and guided by the Spirit is incredible.
2. Each time we go to visit this other Spanish guy missionaries met with in the past we never know what to expect. He hadn't been seen in hundreds of days when we first went to see him, when we went to visit him we went wiht the intent of dropping him from our teaching pool if he didn't answer. We went, left a card, hit the drop button on our digital teaching records and went to try another person when 10 minutes later a text came in from the guy saying he saw our card and wanted to meet with us that next week! Yay!!! Since that time he has continued to surprise us, we teach a good mix of Spanglish because He is pretty much fluent in both Spanish and English. But the Spirit is present the most when we speak in Spanish, I truly believe that people are supposed to hear the gospel in their native tongue, it is how it rings true to them, and feels familiar, he connects more to our message when it is delivered in Spanish. "For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ." -D&C 90:11
3. Ohhhh my goodness. Another experience I will never forget. We received a referral from the Elders hear for a man that only spoke Spanish. We went to visit him and he wasn't there the first two times, the last time we were going to drop him from our records, when the door actually opened and a woman answered. She did not know the man but when we began sharing our message she listened intently and invited us back. She only speaks Spanish. I studied my tail off in preparation for our appointment. We had tried to get a member of the ward to come with us that is originally from Mexico but she was unable to make it. That means I like Paul "was alone in weakness and fear and in much trembling, and my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power," 1 Corinthians 2:3-4. Somehow however traveling to that lesson I felt a sense of peace. When we knocked on the door no one answered, I was disappointed. But as I pulled out my stickie notes to attempt to leave her a note... a car pulled up, and there she was! Just getting back from picking her two daughters up from school, she invited us right in! We said a prayer and I with the Spirit and Sister Beare praying silently for me the entire way shared with her the message of the Restoration. Not going to lie, when I asked her questions there were parts of her responses that I did not understand, I guarantee you that there were many things that she did not understand when I would speak. BUT I know that the Spirit was there, I know that He made my broken spanish and few words more than what I could. He carried them into her heart. I invited her to be baptized and she said she would study more first. But she invited us back again. We left her with a Book of Mormon and wow, again I will never EVER forget that. I have come to realize that even though I may not go home fluent, and my experiences might be far and few between with Spanish, the ones that I have had have been pretty remarkable. I am so grateful. If I never was called Spanish and never went to Mexico, I simply would never have these experiences. And I am so grateful that I do have them.
It's been a good 448 days, y'all. At times I've been pushed to and past my breaking point, stretched to my limit and then more, and yes beat and belted by the Bible and sweet and dedicated Southerners. And shaking in my boots before Spanish people that are always so kind but make me feel so vulnerable not bein able to communicate they way I would like to. But I would not trade it for the world. Every pain and hardship really is worth it, even though sometimes it is grueling and horrid in the middle it does get better and it really does administer to our growth. I am so grateful for the growth I have experienced and lessons I have learned. And I know that many more are coming.
So who knows what awaits me in the next 100 days? Hopefully more Spanish opportunities! I know I have at least until the end of the month here in Greeneville. Beyond that I have absolutely NO idea if I will stay or go. It's certain that Sister Beare will be leaving because she will be leaving for home. Back to California.To hug her parents and enjoy her pool. Haha, yes we have daily conversations about these types of things. Yes I am still standing strong and not falling into the "trunk funk" (I despise the word trunky. To me it just sounds gross, I would use it to describe someone who has a large rear end, not a homesick/lifestylesick missionary) Yeah so not my favorite word. But back to what I was staying, she is for sure leaving, which means I will either stay ANOTHER transfer, totaling 7 and 1/2 months in G-Ville, OR I will also leave which means that two new missionaries will come in and try to pick up where we left off. I can honestly say I don't know how I feel about either situation...
Either way, for these next 100 days I have added a letter the lyrics to a familiar hymn. "I'll Go Where You Want me to Go Dear Lord"
To say.
I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord,
Over mountains or plains, or seas.
I'll s(t)ay where you want me to s(t)ay dear Lord.
I'LL BE WHAT YOU WANT ME TO BE.
No matter where I go, or where I stay I know He has a plan for me. For the people I am surrounded by and for those I have yet to meet. I am grateful for His love and mercy and His enabling power. I have felt more strength and qualification for trial these past few weeks than ever in my life. I know He is helping me be what He wants me to be, and I know He is helping you be what He wants you to be. And He really and truly does carry us even when... no especially when... we don't feel like He is. "Those times are when I carried you..." isn't just a line from a poem (Footprints) no, it's real life.
And I am so very grateful. Estoy muy agradecido.
Love y'all! Los amo a todos!
Have a great week! Tienen un gran semana!
Love, Con Amor,
Hermana Hall
TANG!!! The cure all!
BLESS YOUR PEA PICKIN HEART
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