Dear Family and Friends,
This week was probably the fastest of my entire mission. I can’t believe how fast it went by. This whole transfer is just cruising by. I can’t believe it’s almost August!
My Bike Hates Me
First off.. not sure if I told y’all this. Man, I swear my bike hates me haha. So we finally got it running alright when all of a sudden we are riding pretty fast to get to an appointment and the pedal straight up falls off! The sudden drop hurt pretty bad, as you can probably imagine…. I don’t know why but my bike is always messing up!
So we sent it to the shop to get fixed and I get this “backup bike” that supposedly just got out of the shop but once I start climbing on it I realize some of the teeth in the gears are missing and the chain just cranks and slips every time I pedal. The good news is, I got my bike back on Monday and so far it is working normally.
Eight-Month Mark!
Last Monday was my eight-month mark. I didn’t even realize it. One third of my mission is gone already! I can’t believe how fast time flies here.
The beginning of the week was slowed down by some heavy rain. It’s been dumping here the past couple weeks. Luckily, later on in the week it cleared up but the problem with that is after it rains, it’s just so hot and humid and all of the bugs come out.
Polo Martinez
We’ve still been seeing Polo Martinez. He’s really nice and he is studying a lot on his own but I think that with us teaching him and his Jehovah’s Witness brother teaching him he might be getting a little bit confused. He told us he would come to church with us and give us a ride there this Sunday (we have to find a ride every week, it’s pretty interesting) but he canceled on us because at the JW church they were having some special conference that interested him. But he said next Sunday “si Dios quiere” (if God wants.) I hate when people use that phrase!
Janet Chinchilla
Ok so here’s some really good news. We have been teaching an investigator named Janet Chinchilla this whole transfer. I honestly thought we would drop her pretty soon because all she does is ask us for a job and to help her find her one. We told her that we are here to help her spiritually. She said she would come to church but only to ask around if anyone has work. Well she came last week, and she really liked it. She has been reading the Book of Mormon and meeting a lot of the members.
On Thursday, when we saw her, she told us she felt good at church. Really good. And while she reads too! She told us that she got a job offer, but it would keep her from coming to church on Sunday and she would be too busy to meet with us. So she turned it down! She said, “I don’t know why, I just felt like God has something better for me, and I think this is a part of it.” How sweet is that?! Then, she popped the dream question to any missionary. She asked if she could be baptized!!!
We set a date for the 11th of August! She is really excited about it! Next time we went over, we reviewed authority and the restoration, because it’s always good to double check that investigators understand that before they want to be baptized. She said, “Let me tell you. I’ve been baptized twice in my life. But I know that on August 11th, I will have my first baptism. I know that it is true, and that it will change my life.”
She came to a ward party on Saturday and again to church yesterday where they announced her baptism in sacrament meeting. She knows many of the members, they are helping her with food, a job, anything they can .. and she is involved in all the classes. It’s seriously a 180 degree turn from where we were with her two weeks ago. She was reading and listening to us but not really feeling anything. Now, she has a baptismal date and the whole ward loves her!
Hour of Power
Later on Thursday, we had our Hour of Power. We had a miracle! We found someone who was a member but has been inactive for almost 20 years! He was really nice and we talked for a bit, he said we could come over whenever. So now we have a new less active to work with! Remember to pray for us as
we knock doors together as a mission every Thursday at 6:00 pm Texas time!
Crazy Dog
On our way back home Thursday night.. you remember that crazy dog we took a video of that chases us as we come into and leave Port Houston? It was dark and we couldn’t see very well and as we passed the street it lives on it just jumped out of the bushes at me! I kicked it right in the face as it jumped out. It was such an adrenaline rush! That thing wants to kill! Then, I started taking off and it went after elder Erickson. It bit him in the ankle pretty hard and then he just pounded it in the face a couple times really hard! And that dog was still going in for more! It’s pretty savage haha
Well that’s all the highlights of the week so far I think. We heard a lot about that shooting out in Colorado that happened.. that’s wild. Just shows you how much the world needs the gospel now more than it ever has before. I love you all and can’t wait to see y’all again, but I won’t lie. I love it out here.
Love,
Elder Viitanen
