Gabinos

All week we have been desperately finding for "Gabino's" (prepared people ready to receive the gospel). After mucho fasting and praying, we had found a few potentials here and there, but it had been difficult to follow up with them and to discern whether or not they are truly prepared or interested in the gospel.

Out of the blue on Saturday,after 5 solid days of finding finding finding, a member called us and gave us the name of her coworker to visit. Her coworker, Maria, had been extremely overwhelmed with work and taking care of daughter who is extremely ill.

I've never seen a stranger more happy/relieved/excited to see us. It was a nice contrast against the usual bible-bash convos that come our way a lot.

And so we have begun to teach the lessons with her!

Also, another miracle happened on Sunday night. Just as a background note, we never go knocking on doors or walking around in the street without praying about it and consulting with the Lord first. For the past few months, before we go anywhere I kept seeing "Greentree Ave" in my mind, a street where a former investigator lives. We've gone by after the first time the street popped in my head (about 4 months ago) but the woman was still not interested and politely sent us away. It had been 4 months, and still I kept thinking about that street, not necessarily about that person. But we usually think of someone else to see or visit and I've always tried to shove that thought out of my head, thinking it's just my brain telling me to go there because I just don't know where else to go.

But this time, I was getting a little tired about thinking about that street and not doing anything about it. So I was like, "Hermana Macias, we are going to that street! It's time to get it out of my head." And so we drove and parked on good ol' Greentree.

Nothing, nothing, nothing. For about a good hour. We talked to everyone we see, no matter what language they speak, but hardly anyone was out, and no one was Hispanic. We walked to the very end, and decided to take a loop via another street back onto the main road. As we were walking, Hermana Macias, out of nowhere, pointing to a house and said, "Wanna knock on that house?" And I of course said, "yes!"

We knocked on the door and...Jorge Flores opened it! I don't know if you remember him, but Hermana Perez and I used to teach him in March. This is what I wrote about him on March 17th:

About a month ago, Hermana Perez and I were in the post office and I had to send a package off. A hispanic middle-aged man, with the biggest grin I have ever seen from a stranger, came up to us an started asking us about our church. He was so amazed that people so young were spreading the gospel and teaching about the word of God (we were trying to play it cool of course, he had NO idea how excited WE were because this NEVER happens and we were almost becoming as giddy as little school girls). We were so excited that we gave him our name, our church address, and invited him to church. We left the post office sooo happy. 

Then we realized something. We never got his name or his number or his address. We were too excited and too caught-off guard! The only way we would ever ever see that man again if he doesn't lose that tiny little card and if he gathers up the courage to call up two young girls who are complete strangers. Let's not forget that Salem is a big place.

After several face-palms and many deep sighs later, we prayed to our Heavenly Father that someday, by us or other missionaries, that that man would have another opportunity to hear the gospel. We prayed that our little mistake wouldn't be at the cost of his progression/salvation.

It has been a month since that time.There was a baptism in the ward last week and H. Perez and I volunteered to make cupcakes for the refreshments. We unfortunately (but fortunately, you see) miscalculated the amount of icing with cupcakes, and we had to make a dash to Walmart for more icing. 

Just as we parked in Walmart and got out of the car, we saw a man, ever so familiar, walk toward his car, which happen to be in the same parking-aisle we were in. We were about to pass by until he grinned and started waving!! We recognized him immediately and with dumb grins on our faces we said, "!Nunca nos llamo'!! "You never called us!!" And he said he was so sorry and that he had lost our card and was hoping to run into us at the post office again!! 

We got his name, Jorge Flores, and wrote down his number. We met up with him this week and had an hour and a half lesson. The Spirit was so strong as we answered all his questions and taught him about the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He is eager to meet with us again.

Since that entry, we fell out of contact, but here he was, standing at the door. We had no idea where he had lived before. He was so excited to see us!!! Apparently he had lost all his numbers when he got a new phone from work and had no way to contact us. The other funny part is, is that the building where the new Spanish ward meets is only 3 minutes from his house versus the 15 minutes it used to be. This is 3rd time that we found Jorge Flores completely and totally out of nowhere. Coincidence? I THINK NOT! I decided not to believe in those anymore.

Something I learned on my mission is that miracles are all around us! Just waiting to be discovered. It took me awhile, and the Spirit pretty much had to take me up by the collar and shake me around a little, but I finally acted on that prompting to go to Greentree ave. And thank goodness Hermana Macias didn't hesitate to listen to her prompting to knock on that house!

It takes a combination of faith, fasting, praying, listening to the spirit, and then acting, but we can find those unseen opportunities. We can see those miracles.

I know that God lives and that He is very aware of each and every one of us. There is a reason for everything; every trial we face, every person we meet, every simple thought that passes through our head. I love this gospel, and I love seeing how perfect the Lord's hand is in each of our lives.

Until next week!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Blanchard

PS Reunited with Hermana Perez and Hermana Cardon at a Zone training meeing! We went to Silver Falls!