November 5, 2012

Hola familia, 

I am sure you have lots of questions! So let me just start talking about my week.

As I have said earlier my area is a little sketchy. We have some not so great places to say the least and because of this we have otras reglas for our safety. So Tuesday we were walking home from our last cita of the night. By the way, we had had an awesome day a new investigator that is great, and a menos activo. Both super great lessons. Anywho walking home from our last cita. We walk past and a group of jovencitos say hi. This is normal I say hi and keep walking. About 1 minute later a joven runs in front of us and just stops. Honestly my first reaction was, yeah okay we are walking home, what do you want. I thought he just wanted to talk. But no. He pulls out a gun and points it at my companions head saying pasen todo pasen todo. Meaning give me everything. About the same time there were 3 or 4 other jovencitos that came around behind me and same thing. Gun pointed at me. I just give them everything. Obviously I am always a smart alic because I have them my bag, and I had my book of mormon in my hand, so I say. do you want my book of mormon too? They said no. The thing that has the most value. But yeah. They run away like little girls and we are left standing with nothing expect my book o fmormon in hand. By the way these jovencitos were dumb, all dressed the same so if I ever see them again I will know, and one put on a mask after we had seen all their faces. Anywho, we werepretty shocked, our hearts pounding, and we just start walking back to our apartment but realize we dont have anything. Nothing means nothing keys, scriptures, camera, telephone, number of our president. numbers of anyone. of agendas, nothing nothing. except a BOM. So we turn around and start walking in the direction of the house we had just came from. WE walk up say we had just been robbed. She laughs and thinks we are kidding. We say it again. Again she doesnt believe us. and then she looks in my eyes and see that I am on the verge of crying when she says vengan and we hug. after we finally got a hold of president we waited for him to come. Apparently when hermana king heard she said GO GET THEM RIGHT NOW AND BRING THEM BACK HERE!!!  so we stayed the night at the mission house where we phoned home. Hermana King is the mother of the Hermanas. but really. We returned home the next day and have been trying to fix things.

All in all, the actual experience itself sucked. Terrible. I hope I never have a gun pointed to my head again, but the thing that is really shaken is my faith. This whole week everytime I prayed.... cried. No desires to do anything. I didnt know how. Its hard to be a missionary when you are terrified to walk outside the apartment or the sector or when you think every person wants to kill you. A member in a car stopped while we were walking and I freaked out. And wanted to cry. So yeah. But we have great leaders. President King and others, and I am learning. This is a test of my faith to see if I am really willing to put away my fear, my security and work for the Lord. This is a portion of what I wrote president today....

What an experience!! Yes still a little shaken up, my faith as well but I will be fine, and stronger because of it. In the Book of Mormon I have been reading about Alma and Amulek. I think this story was written for me right now for this experience. But Alma was kicked out of Ammoniah, they didnt want to listen, but wanted to kill them, or rob them. Alma leaves but returns prestamente when the Lord tell me to. And then he meets Amulek. Before Tuesday Hermana Grimaldi and I have been thinking of what area we should start in. We both had the impression that it should be ´the trunkies´and then we got robbed in this exact area. But like this story I believe that this is because there is work to be done here. Amulek can be relate to all those members that we can work with to further the work of the Lord in La Blanca. Nevertheless this is a test of faith to literally leave the concern of my safety and my life and return to do what the Lord wants. Its hard. It hurts. But I can feel my faith growing. I have been thinking about my question to Elder Bednar. How can we more effectively use the Atonement in our lives? I have been praying to learn this, and this is my answer, not the get robbed with a gun part but afterwards. The Lord isnt just telling me, but teaching me, letting me experience it for myself how to use the power of the atonement. I am grateful for the experience and the love that the Lord has for me to teach me this important lesson and help me increase my faith.  Like I said it is hard, it hurts and the only thing I can do now is put all my faith in God and show Him that He is more important than anything else, including my life, and then watch as He performs miracles and protects us. 

Anywho, thank you for all your prayers and concern. I love you all lots. And I am safe so dont worry. I know that this is the church of Jesus Christ that he is at the head of this church and that he lives. I know that the power of the atonement exists and is avaliable to all the come unto Christ. This week I saw a baptism of someone who was excommunicated from the church get baptized. What a sweeet precious spirit. It is a testimony that anything is possible, it doesnt matter all that matters is that you return to Christ. I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have to share this message with others and to be a representative of Jesus Christ. 

Hermana Iroz.

P.S does someone what to send me brown sugar. Here brown sugar is literally sugar that is brown.... yeah. Love you!