How's it going Greene Family? Sounds like everyone's doing well. I really enjoyed the packages this week. I actually got the ornaments first and so I was a little confused but the tree came too! I'll send pics when I can. Also the CDs came and I love em, I'm very grateful for a Dad with good musical taste. Just so you know mom, Elder Ocasio's last transfer is coming up, he goes home in January/February. The next time I'll write you I'll know whether or not we're both staying here another transfer! Crazy. By the way, I had cow tongue this week, it was actually really good! But I think the woman who cooked it, Sister Guzman, could cook dirt and it would taste good.
Well this week was full of miracles! Well pretty much every week is, but this week I felt extra blessed. The mission was looked at by the mission department last week and that brought a lot of changes. We now teach and invite differently, some rules are different even (like we can listen to music that isn't MoTab or classical again!) But the added training we received is really helping everyone.
So the biggest change was our mindset to stop "hoping" that people will change or do something, but to "help" them do it. So it was more in depth than that but we taught a woman named Cristina this week. We taught the Restoration and the Spirit was real strong. We asked her to be baptized and she said yes. Then came asking her to say the prayer at the end. She looked at us and said she had never led a prayer, or said one out loud at least. It took a good 10 minutes of testifying, and honestly I can't remember what we said (that's the Spirit), and she finally said a prayer out loud for the first time in her life! It was so sweet! So that was a big testimony to me that we need to help people pray, not just ask and hope they will.
The second huge miracle happened last night actually. There is a pretty inactive Mexican family in one of our wards called the Mancilla family. They haven't been to church in a couple years for sure. We have gone over there and shared testimonies and messages but they never really do anything, won't read or come to church. Then yesterday we had a lesson fall so almost on a spur of a moment we dropped by. They let us in and we started talking (they are hilarious and I really like being around them) but then it was time to get serious so I opened my scriptures to 2 Nephi 31:13-16 that talks about enduring to the end. (I know it was the Spirit from here on out.) We got more bold, I asked them if they felt like they were enduring to the end and they knew they weren't. Their doubts started to really come out, which were that they didn't really know if God existed anymore. It was emotional but the Spirit was so strong when me and Elder Ocasio testified. It was the most I've ever felt like an "instrument" on my mission so far. We finally got them to accept reading the Book of Mormon again and to start praying to know if it's true. I left the house so drained! But it was a great step in the progression of the Mancilla family.
Well I wish I could talk more, those weren't the only miracles! It sure is hard sometimes, but I really feel like I'm growing every week of my mission! I can't believe how fast it goes (my trainer goes home next week!) Anyways, I love you all, Merry Christmas (I'll say that a couple times)!
-Elder Greene
Ps. I invited a 95 year old guy named John to get baptized while on an exchange! It was sweet!
PPS. I'll keep you posted for what time Skype will be on Christmas, is there a time that would be best? Like 3 o clock?
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