June 4, 2012

So....

This area is a little harder than the last one. There are a lot of perks- laundry shop around the corner from our house, the only burger king AND dairy queen in the entire mission, and easier transportation (I have been taking advantage of all of these ;) Inspite of all these perks, I have cried a few times after lessons we have had this week. One in particular was really hard.

We had been teaching an investigator who was pregnant and has a 2 year old. Her husband and mother in law who lives with them are not active members and the husband is gone for most of the week working in another city. They all live in a little shack that is probably 10x8 feet with a little cooking area offset. So The new baby was born last week and we started teaching again this week. It was raining pretty hard when we got there. We went in and started teaching. As my companion was talking to them I just looked at this precious new baby laying on the little bamboo bed the whole family shared, that we were all sitting on, and then I looked around at all the cans and bowls sitting on the dirt catching the rain that was coming in from the holes that had rusted through the sheet metal roof. It was so sad, but the people are so so so humble and happy. We are so incredibly lucky to have all the things we have. This sweet sister has been reading the book of mormon and says it helps her. We found out she can't get baptized for another 2 years. It is really expensive to get a divorce, like impossible for this family and she has been married before. The church has a policy here that if you live together for five years you can be considered "married" and get baptized, cut cannot hold a temple recommend until you clear up the first marriage. So sad. I know that the gospel will help these people and we are trying to just help them feel the spirit.

Please remember when you are walking around your house that has a floor and lights and running water how blessed we all are for the things we have and that we have our families.

I love you all so so so much and miss you all like crazy.

Love,

Sister Morton