77. Deja que el Espíritu te enseñe

May 26 2010
On Thursday we started teaching "Pablo." After we contact/try to contact a HQ referral (people who call in asking for a book of Mormon or a DVD or something) we always tract around that house. We know that Heavenly Father, the Great Orchestrator, has put us in that neighborhood for some reason-- we just have to find out why! Pablo, in his early 40s, (very short) with a huge smile, and two little braided rat-tails in the back, was just hangin' out on his porch, so we started talking to him. As a missionary you have to learn how to judge which porch sitters are just there for kicks, and who really is interested in listening, but "Pablo" set a return appointment with us, and we gave him a pamphlet on the Restoration to read in the meantime.

When we showed up for our next appointment, "Pablo" had read the entire pamphlet, looked up mormon.org, started reading some of the Book of Mormon and was asking us questions about the Plan of Salvation! We couldn't believe it! His face had changed-- it was so hard and dark when we first saw him, but slowly, as we started meeting more and more with him, he started to grow lighter and lighter. Neither his wife nor daughter wanted to learn more, but he loved to read the pamphlets we gave him, and he was so excited to show us what he had found online all about the church. We invited him to come to church on Sunday, and then came by before church to remind him.

"Voy a tratar..."

"No!" (this is Hna. Gregersen's pet peeve) "There's no trying on this one, are you coming are aren't you?"

"Hm.... pues...." --I think Hna. G. and I were praying a mile a minute-- "Ok, I'll go change"

We said we'd meet him at church, and drove back to our building.

The hour for church came and we waited out on the street corner for him. It came, and like all good Latin meetings-- the hour to begin stretched a little late, and then a little later, but "Pablo" was not there. Hna. Gregersen and I had been praying and praying-- we hadn't got a single investigator to church yet, (other than "Loretta", but she's been practically a member for months now)

We waited until we felt we could not be any later-- and slipped in during the opening song.

I finally understood what so many missionaries had talked about--- the eternal HOPE each Sunday morning, as you wait for each of your investigators... and the disappointment as they each fall through... once again.

As we sang the Sacrament hymn, the phone buzzed in my lap. We didn't' know the number, but they texted us a few moments later. "Call me"

"Pablo?!

We looked at each other, cringed, and slipped out of our seats at the front, scurrying out the back doors... and there was "Pablo"! standing in the lobby in a slick black suit, purple shirt and purple tie. He had changed the ties on his rat-tails to all back -- he was nicer dressed then most of the congregation.

Hna. Gregersen and I could not stop beaming! He stayed for all three hours, and then for an extra hour to attend the baptism of a young boy in the ward. As I explained the boys confirmation to him, "Pablo" said, "I've never seen anything like that." then he paused, and touched his heart, "But it feel right, It feels true."

We have set a baptismal date for "Pablo"-- June 6th!