This week was an unusual one that's for sure. Haha, there was a lot of just crazy things that happened. So, I'll do my best to describe the madness! haha
This week started out great and we got to help out some elders in our zone with an emergency exchange for the night. It was a great time to really trust in the Lord and the calling that he has given to us as leaders.
Our recent convert Bianca from Honduras had to go to court this week to see if she would get sent back to her country. (I don't know if i have told the story of her so I'll just summarize right quick.) She fled from the Honduras because of the wars and some gang was try to hunt her and her family, she basically hitch-hiked, walked and swam to America....crazy story and I respect her a lot. The ward has been helping her out like crazy and 2 members went with her to court to help her out. Many members prayed and fasted for her and in the end all is well! She has permission to stay here and try to get her life in order! We are super happy for her and her progression is the gospel! Everything is picking up for her!
Also...we found a whole family that we are teaching! It's awesome, I love to see families all come together and listen to the gospel. They all came to church this last week and LOVED it. We have some really good plans to keep them coming and soon to get baptized! I love my mission.
One night this week, we were out with a member. We just got done with some good lessons and then we were walking back to his house where our car was parked. Out of nowhere he asks, "Elders can you guys teach my neighbor?" ....We looked at him dumbfounded and said YES! So we went by right then and there! We get into the house and it was explained to us that Tony, his neighbor talked to missionaries a long time ago and has wanted to start talking to us again. As we started the lesson we ask if there is anyone else in the house that he would like to invite in and hear our message (Preach My Gospel! love it). Right then, this straight hood gangsta walks out of the bathroom. He looked like he was ready to bust my head off. haha, Tony looked at him and told him to come listen and hear us out. He comes and sits down, and man, this guy was the nicest guy you could ever meet. Just a pure heart that was taken to wrong places. He just got out of jail 2 weeks ago and was in there for...well...some good time. And he is doing everything he can to try to stay off the streets and change his lifestyle around. As we explained to him baptism, he loved the idea. He uttered to us that he has so much guilt but feels like he can never be forgiven, We told him he could be. and set a baptism date! He is Samoan so we passed him over to the Samoan elders. And he totally will progress. He said the closing prayer and I learned a lot from his prayer. Opening the prayer he cried and said "Father I ask that you forgive me of my sins I know of and the ones I don't know of, help me be better," soooo powerful! That night was awing.
Later on that night we were driving home and we saw some chamacos (punk teen kids) start a fire behind a liquor store...so naturally we stopped and....took pictures! haha, no jk..we and some others called the cops to stop it. But yeah...we totally took pics too. haha
This week as well, I went on exchanges with a DL down in Downtown LB...sickest area ever! so cool and populated. We were just biking right next to the ocean. Too cool! We have some great elders here in LBN.
At the end of the week we went to the trailer park to contact some of our INVs and invite them to church. As we were leaving, Elder Calle did one of the funniest but inspired contacts ever. We told ourselves that we would talk to everyone in that park and not let one person pass us. We started to leave near the end and started to talk..and I didn't even notice but we passed this old lady. We get about 10 feet away from her, Elder Calle just drops everything we were saying and RUNs back to her to contact her, yelling, "Hey I'm Mormon, I wanna talk to you!" haha it was so funny. But it was so awesome to see his love for the work. We start talking to her and it truly was inspired. She spoke to missionaries a long time ago and she had been to church multiple times. She used to feed the missionaries almost every week. But she is not a member....so we are going to figure out why! She was just a sweetheart and I loved talking with her. She is 93 years and still kickin' it good!
That night as we were driving home Elder Calle and I had an "antitrunky" moment we called it. Where we just saw how much we love our missions and how opportunities like the ones we have here will never happen again! It was such a bittersweet moment to have because we both go home soon...it's hard to accept it sometimes and it doesn't feel real. But we also realize that we have soooo much more time to work for the Lord. We have an extra push in our step now. And you can see the Lord has blessed. Like with that new family that came to church, or so many members coming out with us, or just every moment helping other elders! I love it too much!
I hope y'all have a great week!
Elder Schooff
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