So the miracle that I witnessed wasn`t just one investigator attending church....it was FIVE!! I can`t tell you how excited I was to see FIVE people that we`ve been teaching there at church!! In my four months here in Pampa Grande, I have only had one investigator attend church! This week really was a miracle for me.
We have really worked hard to help a lot of people, and have struggled finding new people that really want to listen to us! However, in this last week, we found a great family! Marcos and Isabel are living super close to our apartment, and have two children. We knocked their door one day, and they are just super receptive! Marcos went to church for the first time in his entire life this Sunday and seemed to love it! The members were super welcoming, we didn`t even have to tell anyone to say hi to them, they just all went up and did it themselves!
It really was a great experience to see them there. They still need to get married before their baptism, but I have a really good feeling with this couple. They are just so sincere with us. Marcos will have to make changes in his life, but he`s already made a few. :) He cut off his beard, and cut his hair too, which made him much more presentable for church! Isabel still holds on to some of her beliefs, but I think the changes in Marcos are softening her outlook on the church. We`ll be working a lot with them over the next couple of weeks!
Other than that amazing miracle, this week has been super great for me. The zone leaders did a work visit with me, and we just had a ton of success! Elder Trowbridge, who`s from Texas, was with me. Haha, it`s kind of funny because I heard about him from his sister before the mission! We worked together at Pinnacle Security, and now he`s my ZL! Funny how small the world is. Anyway, we had a great time and I really felt the spirit working alongside him.
Here in Tumbes...we`re DYING of heat...I did not think I could sweat soo much! Thankfully, last year prepared me a bit for this, so I`m not overwhelmed by it, but my companion is always dripping sweat! Pobrecito, I bet he loses a lot of weight because he`s going to pass the whole summer here in Pampa Grande!
On top of all the heat, yesterday they cut the power and the water all day! Needless to say, church was interesting in a room that has two doors and NO windows! It was hot, stuffy, and very loud with all the little kids. With the five investigators, I was so excited that all that didn`t matter. However, it was very interesting. I`m pretty sure a lot of people weren`t able to bath either...
Anyway...I don`t know what else to write about! I just want to thank you all for your support. I know that your prayers have given me this great blessing. Five people that attend church...for me, that`s a lot. God has blessed me this week with hope, faith, and a renewed vision of what can be done. My circumstances really haven`t changed a ton. We`re still struggling to find people to teach and still having to work very hard. However, God has given me the faith and the strength to move on. I just hope to keep moving forward in HIs work!
Take care of yourselves! Don`t forget about your New Years Resolution! If you could all just put one more on that list....just to bring ONE person to Christ. It might be your neighbor, your family member, your dentist, etc. God puts people in your path. Are you recognizing them? Are you reaching out to help them in the moment that they need you? I know that if you put specific goals to find the one God is putting there, it will happen. You will see miracles, just like I`m seeing here from a very hot, sweaty, and beautiful land in Tumbes.
Love you all!!
Elder Schofield
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