What a great final week I had in the Largo Spanish Branch. I was able to see almost everyone I have worked with and grown to love over these last eleven months. There were quite a few hard goodbyes, with the worst one coming tonight (Elizabeth and Jose, my family). I'm not looking forward to it. However, it has been a real blessing to see the love that each person has for me, when I have and will continue to love them with my whole soul. What a blessing I have received by being here and being a part of this wonderful place. Here's a picture of Elizabeth with me:
I have been asked by many of them if I can just move back here when I am done with my mission. As much as I hate Florida (climate-wise), I'm tempted! I have felt more at home and more like the true me than I have in any other time or place in my life. The only thing that makes everything ok right now, is the sure knowledge that the branch will be ok. They may even be better off with a new sister missionary.
As far as transfers go, I can finally say I am being transferred. I will be serving in Naples, Florida, the furthest south and the farthest from here that I could possibly be! I am very excited because that is where Hna Dollahite started her mission. Hna Gallegos, who was my trainer for two weeks, laughed and said it looked like the two of us were serving the same mission. I said, yep! Only backwards! I know the Lord will take care of me wherever I go. I know that I will have a challenge, but also an adventure waiting for me in Naples. I fully expect the miracles to continue there. I now know where I will continue to develop into the missionary, and person, that I need to be.
My last week here ended with a baptism! Elbis was finally able to enter the waters of baptism. Elbis has a story all his own, which I feel like I should probably tell you all since now he is baptized! So here it goes, the long and amazing story of Elbis:
When I got to this area last March, the sisters had just found a less-active sister in some apartments and were trying to get her records transferred to the Largo Branch. When we arrived they still hadn't been able to do it, so we worked with the Branch leadership to find her records. Marcela is from Mexico and has been a member since she was 16. When she married Elbis he told her that he had no interest in her church, but that she could do what she wanted. That was about 16 years ago. Several sets of missionaries have tried to teach Elbis, but none with any degree of success. We have visited Marcela close to once a week since last April, trying to get her to come back to church and bring her husband and six (now seven) year-old son with her. In all that time she only came twice. However, we refused to give up; there was just something about that family.
Last October we were really excited because we shared a message about families and asked Elbis if we could teach him about his wife's religion. He agreed. The first lesson we had with him actually ended up being the night of the one and only exchange Hermana Dollahite and I ever did with members, so I was not at the lesson. I do know, from what I heard, that it was awful, a complete train-wreck, and came close to blows a couple times! (That might be an exaggeration by our member; she has a tendency to do that!) Suffice it to say, it did not go well, and he did not have an interest in hearing more.
Weeks went by and we continued to visit Marcela. Since I wasn’t there, I just pretended that nothing happened and continued to say hello to Elbis and talk with him occasionally. Incredibly, the Spirit had been working on him all that time, because he came to church for the first time in his life (to our church, he was a strong Catholic as a youth) on Hermana Dollahite's last Sunday at the beginning of December. He said he liked it, but still wasn't too interested. He and his whole family came to our Branch Christmas party, and he loved the feeling of family and love that he felt among the members. One night, about a week after the party (late December now) we got to talking about the life of Christ and the history of the Bible. At that point I was thanking the high heavens that I had paid attention in seminary and was currently reading Jesus the Christ! He loved the parallelisms I was able to draw between the life of Christ spiritually and historically, and even listened as I made further connections with the Book of Mormon. He came to church again.
That brings us to January. One Monday night we went to visit them and after about five minutes of chatting (a requirement in the Hispanic culture) he asked us what the topic of study was for that night. I was floored. He had never ASKED us to teach him before, just listened occasionally if we did. We taught him the Plan of Salvation, and he made the beautiful and powerful connection between the love Adam and Eve had for us and our responsibilities today. He said right then that he knew the Catholic Church taught that incorrectly, and that what we had just taught him was true. It was an incredible lesson, mostly because it wasn't a lesson at all, simply a conversation between good friends.
Then on Thursday the same week we stopped by again. Our casual conversation brought up the Word of Wisdom, a topic I had personally been dreading, knowing that he drank quite often. Again, the spirit guided as we started once again in the Bible. We helped him to see the connection between the body and the temple, as explained in Corinthians. We helped him to see that his body was not his own, and that we don't have the right to just do whatever we want with it. We then went to the Doctrine and Covenants to read of the marvelous blessings that come when we are obedient to this wonderful commandment. Again he was deeply moved. He started flipping through the pamphlet and asked us to look up every reference that was in there, mainly in the Bible. After the third or fourth one he said quietly, "It just gets clearer and clearer with each one." We agreed, and said that the word of God is never hidden, but we do have to be willing to seek it. He was very quiet and simply sat there watching his young son doing his homework quietly across the table from him. He said, "What if he follows my example?" He was very solemn. We assured him that he was not at all at fault for not living this commandment up to this point, that he didn't know, and how could he? The spirit invited him to live the word of wisdom and he accepted.
The following Sunday as we were sitting in sacrament listening to the different members share their testimony of the Savior he leaned over to me and asked if he was allowed to go up there too. I told him of course he was allowed to, while feeling exceptionally nervous (I had NEVER seen an investigator bear testimony before!). After one or two more people he stood up and made his way to the podium. He started by introducing himself and telling everyone about his history with the church. He then said how grateful he was for us teaching him the word of wisdom. He apologized to the member who had gone on that first lesson for his behavior. He told everyone that even though he had only been to church three times, he knew it was a special place, and that he felt something very special each time.
It was amazing! 9 1/2 months later! This man was a completely different person. Fast forward to yesterday. The weeks in between that pivotal week in January were filled with more spiritual growing and learning experiences. He was able to completely give up his drinking and make all the commitments necessary to be prepared for baptism. His wife Marcela had been praying for that day for over sixteen years, and it finally happened. I truly can't describe the feeling that came over me as I sat next to her as she watched her husband join her in the kingdom. It was incredible. Not only that, but I was able to so clearly see Elbis walking into that same font in one year wearing the same white jumper to baptize his seven year-old son Ramis. Who knows? Maybe I was supposed to stay here this long for him. We have a really good understanding of each other, and we respect that we both have strong opinions. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to work with this incredible family. I know without a doubt that in early March of 2013 Elbis will be baptizing his son. I can see it.
How lucky I am to be a missionary. This is the best work in the world. I feel so grateful for each and every day I have been given here. I occasionally wish I were an Elder, just so I could tack on an extra six months to this most incredible time of my life. I hope each of you seek out opportunities to serve others and to serve God. The peace and happiness you will feel cannot be compared to anything else.
I love you all!
Hermana Levanger
PS Did I mention that we had 69 people in Sacrament yesterday? (If you count the baby girl that is going to be born in about three months who was there with her mom (obviously) then we hit 70! I want to count her.) Either way, another record smashed for the Largo Spanish Branch!!!
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