Hello everybody!
This week was a pretty great week I´d have to say!
Elder Real had changes and went to an area in Managua to finish his last 6 weeks of his mission. I am still here in La Concha and got my new companion named Elder Salguero. He is from Guatemala and has about 21 months here in the mission. He is super relaxed and laid back. So far we have got along really well! He´s played the guitar for about 3 years so we have had a good time playing the guitar together today for Pday haha. All the other Elders in the zone have told me that Elder Salguero is awesome so I´m really excited!
This week I learned A LOT. I had to take the initiative a lot this week, because Elder Salguero is new in the area and doesn´t know anybody. More than anything this week I´ve learned to trust in the spirit and not be afraid to open my mouth and talk! (D&C 84:85..."Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds coninually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.") All my life I´ve never been felt super comfortable talking in front of people or teaching...but this week was a huge step for me as I learned to get out of my shell and let the spirit guide all that I do! Even though my spanish is still not very good, I have felt the spirit working through me and making up for my weaknesses. As missionaries, it is only when we trust in the spirit, and not our own understanding that the spirit of the Lord can touch the hearts of those we teach. (Proverbs 3:5-6..."Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct thy paths.")
This week we saw a lot of progress in a few of our investigators! This upcoming Saturday we have a baptism for Manuel Galan. Manuel has a pretty incredible story, and there´s no doubt in my mind that the Lord had a part in what he has gone through. About 10 years ago Manuel was a heavy drinker and spent most of his time drinking with other members of the police station, neglecting his family, and chasing after girls that weren´t his wife. One day he stepped out of a taxi and was hit head on by a bus. The bus hit him hard and he broke almost all of his ribs on his right side, broke his right hip, leg, and cracked open his skull from his right eye to his ear. He spent months in the hospital and by a miracle lived through it. However, he lost most of his memory and was blind for a little while. As he was recovering his family pretty much wanted nothing to do with him. He told us that his wife still hadn´t forgiven him for the way he lived his previous life, so she would only feed him left over scraps of food. He told us that through all his days laying in bed he realized that he needed to change. One day he decided to pray and ask God for forgiveness. So using all the energy he had, he sat up in bed and began to pray aloud. He asked God for a second chance, saying that his heart was open and that if God would allow him to see and walk again that he would never drink again and that he would dedicate his life to God. A few days afterwards his sight slowly started to come back...and eventually he was able to walk again. Ever since then he started his own little fruit stand at a bus stop and hasn´t drank since. He walks and talks a little funny because of his accident. He tried to join a lot of churches but the people pretty much just ignored him, calling him crazy. Then one day the missionaries (Elder Real and one of his old companions) walked by his fruit stand and began a friendship with him. At first he didn´t really want to listen to us...probably because he didn´t want us to reject him like everyone else had! But a few weeks ago Elder Real and I were the first ones to start teaching him and ever since we started teaching him he has shown up to church. It has been amazing how fast he has progressed. He has a strong testimony and this Saturday should be incredible! I´m super excited.
I wish I could write more but I am about out of time so I´ve got to go! The church is true!
Love Elder Parrish
