This week has been another packed week. The biggest thing this week is that we have made amazing progress with Reuben. He is the esposo of one of our long term investigators, Rossy, and until Christmas he had been completely uninterested in our message. Well, after lots and lots and lots of prayer he decided to meet with us. This Sunday he came to church for the first time in his whole entire life. Crazy! If someone had told me the first time I met him that he would be sitting with us in Church this last Sunday I would have laughed at them. It's amazing the changes that can happen.
I thought I would regale you all with an amusing story from this past week. The other Hermanas in our apartment had to go into the mission office earlier last week to pick up some supplies. While they were there they heard the office Elders talking about this really cute new companionship. After eaves dropping a little more they heard them say it was that tall one and the Mexican one. That's right. Who's part of the most attractive companionship in the Arizona Phoenix Mission... Hermana Ayala and I have gotten quite a laugh at that one, and now we use it as our excuse when creeps follow us.
Also, these past two weeks have been pretty cold by Arizona standards. Hna Ayala and I got to tract in the rain not long after she got here, and I've actually had to wear a coat in the evenings. I guess I've been pretty spoiled, but I'm sure starting to get nervous about the summer.
Right now here in Aguila we're really working on building up our teaching pool. We have some long term investigators, but we are trying to get new ones, especially because we will be dropping one of our longer term investigators this week. As a quick definition for those who don't know, when we say we "dropped" an investigator, we mean that we aren't teaching them anymore because for one reason or another they are not progressing. I'm not looking forward to stopping with this particular investigator, she knows our message is true, and she's supposed to be baptized at the end of the month, but we've not had much of any contact with her for 2 weeks and she keeps standing us up. She was supposed to get baptized when I first came here and the same thing happened, a few weeks before the baptism she just disappeared. We talked with the Bishop on Sunday and he was really supportive, but I really don't look forward to talking to her and telling her that her actions say she isn't ready to be baptized.
Working with a native companion is helping my Spanish in ways I never expected. I blame eating all the Mexican cheese and salsa. I'm picking up interesting habits including pointing with my head (it's a bizarre thing Hispanics do, I don't know when I started, but it's gotten pretty noticeable in the last week) and saying Mande (the equivalent of what in Spanish/Mexican) whenever I miss what someone said. It's also cool serving with her because she is way up on the slang and so she is helping me know what people are saying. It's been super helpful. The most recent thing she taught me was a series of words that as you change one letter it goes from little girl (chamaca), to little boy (chamaco), and finally the devil (chamuco). I've not worked up the nerve to use any of those yet since I'm terrified of mixing them up.
Have a wonderful week everyone! Things are wonderful down here in Aguila, and I'm really enjoying the work. We're meeting some really amazing people, and missionary work is really the best thing ever!
Love you all!
Hermana Okeson
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