Angels In Hospitals

Hermana Ostler’s Update – November 3, 2014

On Tuesday Hermana Condie and I had our Pday. (¿Remember the lady part doctors?) We decided to go out to the countryside...again. Every time we go, I feel like a Great Dane that has finally escaped his cage and doesn’t know what to do with its limbs. Sniffing everything, barking at donkeys and sheep, peeing on all the plants, splashing in little streams, climbing up rocks....I mean, I didn’t do ALL of that. The point is that I was thrilled to be out of the city. We went to this cave that is called the Devil’s Balcony, it has a waterfall inside. And a TON of bouldering options. I stemmed right up the waterfall to the top, leaving Hermana Condie to ask, “On a scale of one to ten, how hard is it?” I responded “a four.” The last thing I saw was Hermana Condie attempting to stem and falling, Mufasah-like, arms out-stretched, mouth open, into the water. I have never laughed so hard. So great. (Side Note: The waterfall wasn’t that big, the water too deep, or dangerous in anyway. Although it looked like Mufasah falling to his death by wildebeests, there were no Mufasah consequences.) 

We were blessed to have Elder Waddel of the Area Presidency come to our Concilio of Mission Leaders this week. He asked us, “Why do you eat? Why do you sleep? Why do you shower? Why do you breathe? Why do you exist?” The questions were then followed up by this powerful statement, “You do all these things to preach the gospel and help these people make covenants though baptism and the temple. THAT is why you exist. That is why you live.” He then asked us what we were going to do now. Some said work hard harder, or find new people or work with members. Something told me to raise my hand and I said, “The first thing I am going to do is go home, get on my knees, and beg Heavenly Father to help me do what I came here to do.”

I so badly need God. I can do nothing without Him. In moments when I want to lose my patience, say something negative, or when I just want to rest, I pray for strength and He gives it to me. I came to the mission because I knew that God loved me, that He exists, and that He wants me to be happy. And in the mission I learned how to love HIM. Before, I felt his infinite understanding and compassion for me. Leaving, I know how I can love him back. How often we focus in on how much He loves us, and forget if we really love Him enough to follow Him, to keep His commandments, and humble ourselves to His will when we mess up. That is the purpose of life, learning to love God and change what we want for what He wants. 

This week we continued to see miracles. I worked with Hermana Guajardo one day. I love that woman. She is a recent convert who came on a mission from Mexico. I LOVE HER SO MUCH. We had the opportunity to visit a young woman who was baptized on Tuesday and was going to get confirmed on Sunday, and she fell in the law of chastity. What pain she had in her heart! Our lesson with her was so so heartbreakingly beautiful. The Atonement is real. I felt that as I testified to her that we can change, that we can repent. It hurts, but it works. 

Another miracle. There is an inactive family that has not come to church for years. I have been knocking on their door almost every day for more than 6 months. One day we passed by his house, we hadn’t knocked in a while, we had given up, we had other plans, but we felt that we needed to knock on that door. Just one more time. And Walter Hererra answered the door. He is an ex bishop and was such a strong member. He told us, “Thanks for coming sisters, please come in.” I think everyone could see my innards, my mouth was so big. We went in and taught about the sacrament and atonement. During the whole thing I had this nagging little feeling telling me to ask him to bear his testimony. How can I ask him? Maybe he doesn’t have one. Maybe that is why he hasn’t come to church and never answers the door. ASK HIM. I did. The spirit that filled that entire house is something I cannot describe fully. We were all in tears. As we left he told us, “Sisters, I am coming back to church. I am going to do it.´´ 

Rufina has a daughter that has been living in the hospital for months. She is 12 and has cysts in her lungs. She was recently operated and we went to see her in the hospital. We walked into the UGLIEST hospital, not counting the one from Puerto, ever. I was terrified. We accidently walked down to the basement, the morgue. I swear I saw blood on the walls. The lights were flickering and there were so many false exits. Haunted house on Halloween status.  We went up to the second floor and walk into a room filled with about 6 tiny children, all with cysts in the lungs. We taught the plan of salvation, played games, gave out toys and pictures of Christ. They were so beautiful. They hugged their Jesus pictures, hung them on the wall, and put their pamphlets under their pillows. They had the biggest sweetest souls I had ever felt. I cried as I left that ugly ugly place with such precious souls inside. As we drove home I pleaded in my heart to God to bless those little angels. The thought then came to my mind with such clarity and power. “They are MY angels. I know them. I know what they feel, I know what they need.”

We also found a new investigator Rosa. She is 19 and lovingly laminated the pamphlet we had given her. She cried as we told her the story of Joseph Smith and the First Vision. We are seeing miracles. People are being prepared to receive this message. 

I love being here. I love God’s children. I love laughing and water fights in the apartment and running to go eat quinoa with an old lady on the street corner. I love everything about this beautiful place. 

Nos vemos. 

Hermana Alex