Well Thanksgiving was an experience I will never forget. We had 4 dinners in a period of 7 hours, the most time we had between a dinner apt was 1.5 hours. We had an amazing dinner/ lunch with Hermana Larson, who sent you the picture, and of course I am minding my manners mom. In the prayer for the food she started crying as she thanked us for being here and for making the sacrifice of being away from our families. She made a really good turkey, yams with brown sugar and oatmeal on top and a wonderful pecan pie. We even had honey butter from the Lion House, I would highly recommend it. Right before that we had a small lunch at Jacky Pauta's with her and her son Sergio and her friend that used to serve in the dreaded Salt Lake City North Mission. He was from Colombia but like a really small city in Colombia and man did he speak some strange Spanish. After he left I told Elder Bolivar that I had a hard time understanding what he was saying. Elder Bolivar told me that was understandable because he was speaking a ghetto version of Spanish that sounded kind of gangsterish. We also had dinner at the Hernandez families house and finished off at Wilfredo Ruiz's house, so we ate food from Ecuador, USA, Mexico and Venezuela what a trip around the world on a plate.
So transfers are coming up and well President called me and already told me what he intends to do. He called and said that he intends to move Elder Bolivar and I to a different district, which would break up our Spanish district and keep Elder Bolivar and I together another transfer so looks like Elder Bolivar and I are spending Christmas together. I am excited to stay together another transfer but that will make 5 transfers in this one area which is a lot. I served in West Jordan for 5 transfers and now 5 here. Now I can start making a list of the families I want to visit for Christmas. I was thinking if I have time I would like to visit the Lindemans.
After being filled with food all day Saturday, I found myself Sunday with out the slightest desire to eat. Saturday Elder Bolivar and I returned to the house at 9pm after a looong day. We were hungry so we ordered some pizza and right after I ordered it I was hit was a bad stomach ache and I knew I was in for a long night. I only was able to eat one slice of pizza, what a rip off. At 12 o'clock that night it hit me full force and I found myself in the bathroom for the next 4 hours with either a case of the stomach flu or I had eaten something that was stomach didn't like. The morning before I had weighed myself at 174lbs and on Sunday morning the scale read 166lbs. I had the wonderful experience of staying in all day (a missionaries worst nightmare). Lol all I ask is no more crackers! Crackers were the only thing my stomach could keep down all day. That night I received a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. I answered it and said hello, the woman on the other side said "Mi querido hijo como esta?" I was like what??? My mom doesn't speak Spanish and why would she be calling me. I asked who it was and she said "your mother". Lol I then understood, Hermana Espinoza (my mission mom) was calling. She said she was making me some jello and some other stuff to help me feel better. You can always count on Hermana Espinoza.
Last Sunday we went to a lesson with Hector and his family who we have been teaching. We were going to talk about going to church but before we started the lesson we were asking him some questions and he opened up and told us straight up that he had a bad experience at another church and was not going to go to any church for a long time. He told us that we could continue to stop by and teach but that he would not go to church anytime soon. In that moment we did something we had not planned to do... we dropped him. We told him that stopping by would not be a good use of our time or his if he was not going to progress. I bore testimony of the things we had taught him and told him they would bless his life. I told him if he ever needed anything to call us and that we would always be around when he decided it was time. As we left out the door he shook my hand and told me that I was a good guy and his house was always open to me if I ever needed anything. Walking out into the night it just felt so good. As I had born testimony to this man I could feel the words as they came out of my mouth. I loved Hector and as I focused on that love that I had for him and the love the Lord has for him the Spirit was able to direct my testimony and my words so they would touch his heart. That is what it is all about, teaching people not lessons. As we focus on teaching the person, teaching to their needs and not just teaching lessons or doctrine the Spirit will guide, the Spirit will teach, the Spirit will reveal to us the needs of those with whom we have stewardship. The Spirit can make even the simplest of doctrine penetrate the soul of the person as it eliminates the unnecessary information and creates a lesson that is exactly what the persons heart is longing to hear. Hector may not be ready now but the seed has been planted. I hope you all have a wonderful week and you plant the seeds where ever you may be.
Love,
Elder Jolly
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