it´s been a really good week, as has been the case lately. Tania is doing really well- she´s really studying the scriptures on her own, and Ricardo is reading the illustrated Book of Mormon by himself too. The members find ways to serve her- Nery, one very kind member, is teaching her 20 year old son to read (he has some form of autism). Tania is dreading my departure, as am I. A normal evening teaching to her family is this: Ricardo in the chair to my right, trying to show me where he´s read, fighting with Blanca to say the prayer, Minino the adolescent kitten purring in my lap, Luna the runt dog sitting on my foot, Kipper the babe-size dog standing beneath my chair, resting against my legs, Blanca painting my lips with lip gloss, or my polishing my nails, or trying to climb up me as if I were a tree (I remember being that little girl), and Tania with her sincere questions and earnest desires to do what´s right, scolding her kids for bothering me while I laugh and tell her not to worry, and remind her for the hundredth time that I have 24 nieces and nephews and love kids- then she patiently laughs too. Tell me how I can ever be the same after a mission.
We´ve started receiving more referrals from members- several have brought their friends to church and ask us afterward when we can come by and teach them. The area really is picking up and I´m so glad that I can leave it like this, although I´d rather not leave at all.
I honestly am not excited to stop being a missionary- I dread it. I love dedicating my time to the Lord and to the people around me, and being guided by the spirit so constantly. My one consolation as that I´ll soon be with the family again... and that I won´t have to ration out my peanut butter so carefully, I suppose :)
Please try mending my heart when I come home (perhaps with coonsie cat, mom and dad´s cooking, time with the nephews and siblings), because leaving Spain is going to break it without a doubt.
Thank you all for your love and support- just two more emails and I´ll be home!
Love, Hna. Johnson
No comments:
Post a Comment