6.4.18: I Hope You Dance

Wow, life is so good!

Every Wednesday, we go and volunteer in the local residencia de viejitos (retirement home mas o menos [more or less]). There are so many old people here, it is insane. Also, I am convinced that I want to die young.  Being old looks miserable! But anyway, they always have us help them with different little activities, and this week they were listening to music and they wanted us to sing for them, jajaja. That was a hard pass. But if you can't sing, then obviously you can at least dance, right?...Um actually no...but they made us dance anyway, jajaja. 

There were like 50 old mujeres [women] and only like 3 or 4 little old hombres [men]. Of course, all the women were too broken to even walk, so my comp and I were naturally the next in line to dance with the old men to random Spanish songs of amor [love]. Probs not allowed as a missionary, but they are ancient so no pasa nada [nothing happened] (no worries). But the gem of it all, is that the last songs they played were some classics (in English) including Metallica and Aerosmith...jajaja.   Just picture the awkward American girls shuffling with the old ancianos[elderly men] in front of a room full of old women (who are basically almost blind and deaf) and to American music that they couldn't even understand...jajaja.  My life is just so good! I cannot handle how beautiful life is! I adore being a missionary--every day is just the most random combo of haps.

But overall, this week has been quite a ride. Unfortunately, we received the heartbreaking news that Gloria and her daughters decided not to be baptized, and all of a sudden do not even want to  keep meeting with us. We testified with all of our hearts and tried everything to get them back, but in the end, we just have to trust that God has a plan and a timing for them. I am confident that they will note the difference in their lives when they stop going to church and reading the scriptures.  And I am certain that they will want the Spirit back in their lives and will return even stronger than before. 

Ok, but the miracle of this week is a woman that we met with named Vanessa. She is from Spain, but has lived most of her life in Chile. She was contacted during Sant Jordi (a Catalan holiday where the men are supposed to give the women a flower, and the women give men a book...idk how it started...Google it.)  But anyway, it turns out that she met with the missionaries back in Chile and went to church with them all the time. She said that she has read almost the entire Book of Mormon! She also told us that she has a lot of interest in religion and has studied almost all of the different churches and she knows that there is something different about the Mormons. She accepted a baptismal date, but said that she only wants to do it if her husband will do it with her! She also has an adorable baby and we are so excited to meet with the whole family to bring them the message of the restoration! She is incredible!

Ok well, idk what is happening to me, but I wrote an email that is demasiado [too] long again...lo sientoooo [I'm sorry]. I just hope that you all know that I love and adore you. Stay GOLD <3

- maddy

Pics- just some random gemsssss...