Monday, February 1, 2010

Heavenly Father Listens To and Helps Us

February 1, 2010

Dear Family,

Another week has now gone by. It’s been a tough one, but I have learned many things.

Dad, congrats on your success with the choir and good luck. That is so awesome. I’m proud of you and your persistent ways. I wish I could be there to hear it myself in person. Way freakin’ cool...

To answer the question about mail and packages... Every Tuesday, when I go to Durazno, I receive mail and packages. The mission home gives it to the zone leaders in their weekly meeting in Montevideo with the President. So I’ll receive them whenever… Thanks

I still haven’t received my crazy phone bill, but when I do, I will probably need to use the money that’s in my account. My companion and I do have plans to split it because there is a call to Peru on the bill also. I think it’s just easier to give the money to me through my account… thanks and I’ll let ya know.

This week was technically the last week of my second cambio and today marks the first real day of my third cambio. It was a pretty plain, dry boring week. Nothing really exciting happened, but we were able to secure a good date for a baptism from one of our investigators. We have plans to baptize a 26 year old woman named Patricia on the 13th of February. We have been teaching her now for only about two weeks. We found her in the old book of records or area book (carpeta de area). Yes, I have been starting to see miracles in this aspect.

This past week something else happened and I saw another kind of miracle. My companion and I had not been getting along very well. It was really over some of the most stupid things. Everything would be alright and then it seemed out of nowhere, he would get angry at me. And in return, I, being hard headed would fire back. It would just escalate. On Friday morning we had weekly planning. Everything was going great at first and we were on the same page. Then for what ever reason, I don’t really know if it was something I said or just something he didn’t agree with, but we started to fight. It really got bad and I was able to keep my patience and it didn’t get physical. He got up from his seat and yelled some stuff at me that I didn’t really understand. So I just replied. “No se” (I don’t know). Then he stormed out of the room, telling me that I was a stupid gringo. He went outside and started his washing clothes. I was pretty upset and just figured that it was a complete day ruiner and that this last five weeks in Sarandi were going to be horrible and a real challenge. I was really confused. I really felt alone. I had feelings of hopelessness and homesickness, which to be honest, I don’t get very often. Then, I did the only thing I knew I could do. I did the same thing that I teach to all of my investigators. I turned to my Father in Heaven for his counsel and asked for a miracle.

After about an hour of sitting in my house alone and reading, my companion came in with tears in his eyes and in very broken English he said “I’m sorry Elder Sluder, I love you, please forgive me”. It was a miracle, not because he won the fight or I won the fight, but because I know that when we turn to the Lord for help, he helps. We had a really good talk and he explained a lot of things to me and I now have a little better understanding of my companion. Since then we have set new goals. We have plans and are unified in our work. These past few days have really been great. Everything happens for a reason. This was definitely one of those cases. I’m so grateful that we have a Father in Heaven who listens to us and does help us. I thank you all for your prayers and support.
I love you all.

Your son, brother, and uncle

Elder John P. Sluder

Hey Jen, I got your email. Thanks, I’ll try to reply later and I’ll just write you by hand. It’s kind of easier that way. Sorry I haven’t written. I’ll try harder.

Your long lost brother,
John

2 comments:

  1. Wow! I'm so glad things are getting better for John with his companion! Not to mention what good practice this is for John for his future marriage - lol! I mailed John his (very late) Christmas package on January 12th and can't wait to hear when he finally gets it! It was a big box, so I am a little worried they might inspect it and it will take longer to get to him. Hope you get it soon John!

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  2. Jen I was thinking the same thing. It's is alot like marriage....

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