Looking, But Not Really Seeing

¡Buenas dias mis amigos! ¿Como fue la semana? I hope you all are doing well, this week was great! I made it through my 1^st transfer in the field! Wow! It was weird (and kind of sad) having people from our zone and our area get transferred to other areas. There are some incredible missionaries in our zone, and it has been fun getting to meet so many of the new missionaries this week! Everyone in my district thinks I will stay here until December, but we’ll see! I would LOVE that, because I love it here in Valencia! Except for the brutal August heat (haha), it is the best!

Last Tuesday we were able to go to the ZOO! It was so fun … I guess I had forgotten how much I loved animals until we actually got there! We had such a great time and it was fun to see some of the different animals they have here.

Hermana Reid and I saw a lot of miracles this week. The other day we had a super great day planned, but literally every single person cancelled on us. I will admit that it was disappointing, because some of our people didn’t want to meet with us for unknown reasons. I will say, though, that we have been so blessed to not have had a day like that until now. Towards the end of the day, we were just looking to stop by to see some other people, when a women with a bunch of her friends said to us (in English), "Are you from England?" We were caught off guard by this because it was in English and most of the time when people talk to us out of the blue, it is usually to say something funny or a negative comment. But for some reason we stopped and turned around to talk to her. We said that we were from the U.S., and she went on to say, "I know who you are; you are the missionaries and I LOVE your church! I have been there twice before! Could I go with you sometime? Here is my phone number and I live in that house right there!" Both of us were just in shock. She then looked and me and said "I´ve seen you before. I don´t know where, but you just look so familiar to me." That just touched my heart. This woman´s name is Amparo and she is from Peru. She is just the cutest! We met with her again yesterday and she wants to start coming to our church! She actually said she would like to be baptized! She wants to be baptized on the 30^th of Agosto! Please keep her in your prayers!

We are still teaching our amazing investigator, Matilde. She is just golden and so great. She has so much faith and wants to be baptized as well. She hasn’t been able to come to church though, because of some problems within her family. This past Friday we went to her house and we were planning on teaching her the importance of coming to church, and how much it will really help and bless her life and the lives of those in her family. We started our lesson, and then one of her middle-aged daughters, Toni, came into the living room. She started to tell Matilde something and insisted that they had to go somewhere. Matilde apologized and said she had to go with Toni, and went to grab her shoes. Toni was standing near us, leaning against the table. She was very quiet, and Hna. Reid asked her if she was okay. She said she was fine, but I knew that she wasn´t. The Spirit was so strong within me, and within seconds I ran over and gave her a huge hug. She immediately broke down. I hardly know her, so I didn’t know what to say and I didn’t know what was wrong, but in that moment she opened up and just needed someone to show her love.

Apparently it had something to do with someone in their family who was in trouble with the police. I don’t know what they are going through, but God does. We are merely the instruments by which He shows His love and concern for His children. I told Toni that her family would be in our prayers and that everything would be alright. Sometimes, we have to look past the surface of a situation to really SEE what is there. Sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zone and simply be there for someone. I challenge you this week to open your eyes a little wider and see the children of God through His eyes.  

Love you,

Hermana Vance