}

Monday, April 27, 2015

Flying by in Happiness

April 27, 2015

Well this week just FLEW by.  And let’s be honest, the MISSION is just FLYING and FLYING and FLYING by too.  

Speaking of flying, this week we were in a member’s home.  You know, the classic home constructed from blocks of cement plastered together and a tin roof that exaggerates sound when it rains.  I don’t know if you have all had the opportunity to be in a cement home, but I have entered into MANY and they keep all the heat IN!  So many of the homes here have a fancy design with holes above the doors and windows, along with air space between the walls of the house and the roof in order to help the air circulate throughout the house. 

Well, so when we entered Hna Johanna´s home this week, she began to immediately complain about 4 pigeons that always enter through the holes of the house and poop on the beds.  How lovely.  She had put blankets, newspaper, t-shirts, basically whatever she could find to BLOCK the holes and prevent the birds from getting in.  BUT they still found their way into her house. 

During our lesson, we had a little commercial break to try and shew the pigeons out of the house.  As you all know, I am not tall and my companion is even shorter, so we used the brooms and some giant pvc pipes that Johanna had in her home to try and whack the pigeons out the door.  Problem was, we didn’t know that they were HER pigeons!  Turns out that these birds have a happy little home in the backyard, but when it is dark outside they like to come in because there is light.  My compi and I thought they were just some old wild pigeons flying around getting into people’s homes.  We truly were trying to WHACK them out of the house.  HAHA  

I guess that I accidently “guided” one of the birds pretty hard because afterwards it fell straight to the ground and behind the fridge.  I screamed, “NO! LO MATÉ!!!”  (Oh no! I KILLED IT!!!)  I really honestly thought I did.  But then Johanna ran to the fridge and was able to grab the pigeon and put it in a cage where it appeared to come back to life.  I am not sure how we got the others to finally fly out, but I am sure it was a sight to see 3 short little ladies running around the house in circles with brooms and pipes.  Johanna said that she will never forget the experience we had.  HAHAHA and neither will I!  I have no clue why, but I seem to always have animal stories.  Maybe one day I will be a farmer - with a BIG pig, chickens that cross the road, and I’ll be able to give pigeon herding lessons.  ;) 

Familia Romero were confirmed this Sunday during Sacrament Meeting and they were proudly wearing their Spanish CTR rings (thanks mom or dad, whoever’s idea it was!).  Their coming week is FULLY scheduled for FHE with the members of the ward.  Also, Andreina has an assignment now that every Sunday she will assign the opening prayer and music for the Relief Society class and write it up on the board.  She is thrilled.  Jairon has also been given an assignment to be in charge of counting the asistence [attendance] of the members of the Elderes Quorum and I believe that he will also lead the music before they separate into the different classes.  

We haven’t heard anything from Mabel in over a week, but we have hope that she will come back soon! 

This week, most of our efforts focused on strengthening the members here and asking for REFERENCES!!  This coming week, we have plans to contact the families who have been referred to us.  It will be a week FULL of FHE!!!  WOOT! WOOT!  I am even teaching a family how to make pancakes tomorrow. ;)  TOO bad it won’t be the same as the famous Bartholomew sourdough pancakes and waffles. 

GREAT NEWS!!! MI HIJITA [Hermana Vilchez] is here in Quevedo with me!!!  So of the Hermanas that I am in charge of, 2 of them had transfers last week and one went home for health reasons.  When I called on Tuesday to see who the new Hermanas were, I said..."Hola Hermana, I’m Hermana Bartholomew, who is this?..."  All I heard was a GASP and she said..."HI MOM!"  I freaked my freak and almost cried from happiness.  Even though we aren’t companions I still have the chance to see her every other week!  WAHOO! :)  We saw each other today at SHOPPING (that’s what they call the tiny little mall here) and we hugged and laughed and hugged some more.  She is just the greatest and I love her! 

What did I learn this week?  I learned that I love being happy.  Being sad sucks.   But “how can we know the way” to happiness?  Elder Jeffrey Holland spoke of the eternally applicable answer Jesus gave to this question when he said, “I am the way, the truth and the life…and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do...if ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.”  

What an absolutely breathtaking promise from almighty God!  He is saying live my way, live my truth, live my life.  Live in this manner that I am showing you and teaching you and whatsoever you ask will be given you.  Whatsoever you seek you will find…INCLUDING HAPPINESS.  The blessings of happiness “may come soon, or later and others may not come until heaven, BUT IT WILL COME.  We are all here on the QUEST to find happiness.”  Adam fell that men might be, and MEN ARE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE JOY!  

We are here to have JOY!  It’s true, isn’t it?  Then what else really matters?  If we FOLLOW Christ, he PROMISES us that happiness!  “The only way to truly be happy is to LIVE the gospel of Jesus Christ!” - that was once said to me by my dear old dad! 

Happiness.
Be it. 
Look for it.
PRAY FOR IT.

Have a HAPPY week!  
Con mucho AMOR, 
Hermana Bartholomew  


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