Running In Rancagua: Love and Hard Work and Patience

Hey,

I just wanted to say that I love you guys. :) This week one of the coolest things happened since I entered into the mission and it is all because of love and hard work and patience. (And probably other Christlike attributes, but I like those 3). Our investigator Marcela de Jesus got baptized!! It was so amazing and she has grown SO much. Not going to lie when I say that this week was probably the hardest of my mission because we were not only fighting to program everything and get it all done, but there were unseen forces at work too. There was one point where Marcela did not want to get baptized and Satan almost won. However, it was the Lord´s will that she be baptized, and Marcela had the faith sufficient to fight through it all and enter into the Church of Jesus Christ.

It was almost like a movie to me, watching her struggle, trying to help her and praying a TON. It was super cool. Her son Sebastian baptized her, and he was baptized about a year ago. It was SO cute because he was amazingly happy to baptize her and he has been a ginormous help in answering her questions when we weren´t there. It was super cool too because her whole family came!! We invited her to invite as many people as she could to her baptism and her 2 sons who aren´t members came, along with her husband, also not a member, and a friend that lives close, also not a member!! Marcela asked me to talk and I focused on how Marcela gained a testimony about the gospel throught the Book of Mormon and how her meta now is the temple. She desperately wants to get there, especially to help all her ancestors get baptized too. I love her!! I really feel like her testimony is stronger than the testimony of a lot of members I have known in my life. She reads the scriptures everyday and applies them to her life right away. It is SO cool and she has taught me a lot, especially about enjoying the blessings of the gospel in her life. I can´t imagine how much the Lord has changed her, and it is all because of her love for Him, her hard work and our patience. We simply taught her what she needed to know, and she applied it to her life with the Lord´s help.

It is so cool to see the difference He has made in her life, and it reminds me of when Tanner got baptized too. Tanner change a TON and you could just see the light in his eyes and I just stand in awe that the Lord gave me TWO chances to witness the gospel work in the lives of people that I care about a TON. Also, I also sang for Marcela with Hna. Darrington (my new companion) and we sang If You Could Hie to Kolob, but with the Spanish lyrics, a capella. It was AWESOME, because the Spirit was so strong and I almost cried. Actually I did cry, but only a little tear. I just couldn´t stop smiling and wanting to hug everyone that was there!!

It was also super crazy because we started the service at 5 pm and at about 5;05, President Warne and Hermana Warne walked in and my heart just about stopped. Afterward they told us that they usually choose a random baptism to go to every week and it just happened to be Marcela´s this week. It made me super nervous, but at the same time super grateful to see them and to know that President is concerned with the welfare of the converts here and our welfare. It was definitely and amazing experience.

After the baptism, Marcela didn´t say anything. She just smiled and quietly got dressed and hugged me super tight. It is so cute because she is a tiny lady and I can just engulf her in my monkey arms and we just stayed like that for about 2 minutes in the bathroom. And I will never forget when she bore her testimony afterward. She just talked about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and how much they have helped her to change and to make the decision to join the true church. She also talked about the missionaries, us, as if we were angels sent from heaven. (And mom, she told me to thank you and Dad for letting me come here so that we could teach her, and that you two are angels also.) She is so sweet and so amazing and I don´t know if anything could make me happier than to help her to the temple.

So, now that you have read that super long email, I want you to ask yourself what you can do with what you have learned with this experience. The Lord changes people´s lives, especially with those that are humble and need the most changing. Go and find that one friend who you think would never accept the gospel, and share it with them!! You never know, you might see them change and get baptized, and then go on a mission ;D

I love you all, have an amazing week!!

Hermana McCubbins