Soy Una Anciana

Hermana Ostler’s Update – August 4, 2014

News Clip. My shower only has two temperatures. Glacier cold and burning my face off hot. This in itself is a dangerous situation. This past week I was bathing myself when I felt the water go to the glacier cold temp. I of course leap out of the shower and patiently wait for the water to change to burning hot again. I have a lot of experience with this. But as the water turned to boiling again, I soar back in only to lose my balance and fall. 

I AM AN ELDERLY WOMAN. What type of 20 year old falls in the shower?? My companion heard the silent fall and could only hear me bawling my eyes out and laughing uncontrollably. The point of the story is that I am a candidate to live in an Old Folks Home. 

This week were the transfers. Which meant complete chaos, the toilet overflowing (WHY DOES THAT ALWAYS HAPPEN) and waking up at all hours of the morning to pick up and drop off sisters. And Hermana Luque is here again for more medical things. It makes me sad to see her so sick but I love to see her. 

Before the mission we sometimes think that we will always be in lessons, organizing baptisms, and converting thousands. And I think that some people live that. I congratulate them and at the same time ask them to understand that that is not my life right now. Going to appointments only to hear the parents yell from inside the house to their kids, “I’M NOT HERE!” The best is when the kids tell us with endearing frankness, “My mom says she’s not here.” or yell back “YES YOU ARE HERE MOM!” 

It also means walking all day, appointments falling through, climbing flights upon flights of stairs only to see all our pamphlets in the trash of an investigator. It also means contacting a lot of people who only want to fight or tell us we will burn in hell. It means feeling so frustrated that you want to cry. 

And then.... You see a miracle. Turning around to contact an elderly lady (Olga) who was leaving the hospital after saying goodbye to a beloved family member and testifying of the plan God has for us. It means being in the presence of a recently born baby (Baby Nathan) and crying because his spirit was so big for that little tiny body. It means sincere prayers, powerful fasts, stronger patience and a bigger ability to just laugh. I am not an Ammon at this time. I don’t have a single baptism in the works, but I am a disciple of Jesus Christ and I know that I am not wasting my time because I am trying. I am not a failure because in the scriptures it says if you bring one soul to the presence of God, how great will be your joy. If I have not accomplished anything in the mission, I know that at least I have become a person more worthy to raise the grand spirits that are waiting to come into this world. If I do not convert a single soul in Cusco, I will know that I have been personally converted and in doing so, have saved millions of souls that will come after me. 

And now I would like to talk of a tender mercy of the Lord. His name is Gustavo and he is 7 and he loves me. This week he basically made me fall in love with all his compliments. Just to let you know, I have never heard such compliments in my life from all the people I have dated! 

“I love to make you laugh. You have the most beautiful smile in the world.”

“I love you infinitely.”

“Never leave my house ever.” 

Oh Gustavo. Such a cute guy. He wants to be a missionary RIGHT NOW and loves dinosaurs. 

Life is good. Life is beautiful. And Life is worth it. Thanks for all the love and prayers from you all. May God bless you and may you not fall in the shower. 

Hermana Alex

We visited this family in Urubamba. The mom is thinking of getting baptized as a Jehovahs' Witness but has a lot of doubts. She did not want ANYTHING to do with us until we started talking about family history. We spent about an hour talking about our antepasados. Hermana Gonzalez shared some amazing stories about how her grandparents threw away everything to get an education.  I shared the story of my great grandpa who died on his mission because someone poisoned him. I talked about how at the end of the day, we may not share the same beliefs, but we must love anyway. Now she is willing to hear the missionaries and was super open. The spirit of Elias is such a real thing.