Teaching with the spirit and losing English

From Elder Andrushka dated November 19, 2007

Dear Mommy, Daddy

Well its going really well my Spanish is just coming along. I have come to a point I can translate so, so English EFY songs for other elders. I am so blessed. Every day I get more and more blessings from my Father in Heaven. I have learned so much about the love my Father in Heaven has for me. I realized that on your mission you have bad times and once in awhile you just find that person that is ready to partake of the gospel. That's the times you live out here for.

We have been working with just the person like that. His name is Jose Gonzales. He has 63 years. We first talked to him and he said, "I am Catholic". He nicely invited us in and let us teach him. We taught him about the gospel of Jesus Christ and he really felt the spirit. We asked him to pray about it. The next appointment we came back and you can tell he got a answer to his question. He was really nice and wanted to know more. We taught him about the restoration and he felt ok about it but not strong. He asked us about the Word of Wisdom. He has been drinking coffee but not much. We didn't even ask him to stop and he told us he will not drink more.

The next appt. we watched the Jesus Christ video and then the Joseph Smith the next appt. The lesson that really felt the spirit was the plan of salvation. You could just feel the Spirit open his eyes and hope come in his life. You could just feel that the spirit was teaching and not me or my companion. The lesson went well and at the end we were leaving he said "I learned so much today". We told him to ponder about it all and if he had questions we would love to answer. Those are the days that you live out here for. To feel that spirit, to help a Son of God and see his eyes opened and realize the purpose of this life.

He has been to church twice he can't see the hymns really good but we are teaching him to sing. He can't read the hymns so he just trys to follow us in church. The next time we came back we visited with him and his family. They are starting to be more receptive. They invited us for Christmas dinner. We are hoping to teach the whole family little by little. But the rest of the family is Baptist so its much harder. My companion started and asked him a question. It was do you think its possible to rob God? He said "You are talking about tithing. Yes I want to start paying". The next time to church he had on a white shirt and nice dress pants. People here are not asked to wear nice clothes. They dont have much. He is a golden investigator. I hope all goes well. He has a bap. date Nov.24, 2007. I am truly grateful to be a missionary. I feal his love so much. Being a missionary is not easy but investigatores like him remind you why you are working so hard.

I was asked to bear my testimony in English the other day and I was having the hardest time remembering the words. My comp will tell me a word in Spanish and Ii cant remember it in English sometimes.

We have another golden investigator Elga and her son Victor. Her story is a little much longer so I will write the short version of it. She was a catholic studying to be a teacher, not sure what they are called. But she had a dream in witch she was told to follow her son Victor, he is about 10 right now. He has been going to the Mormon Church every week. He loves it. He has many friends there. He has a testimony and wants to be baptized. We have taught her all the lessons and working with her doubts. But she has many being her whole family is Catholic and her friends and studying in school to be catholic. She understands all. She knows more than the members. We have taught about temples, prophets, watched videos about mucho things. This week we decided to give it all. She doesn't want Vvictor to get baptized without her. The biggest prob she doesn't have a testimony of Joseph Smith. We asked her to pray about it she says, "I feel good and I feel joy". She wants a better reply. So we taught her faith grows if we give it a chance. After helping her understand there is one church and because Joseph Smith was called by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, this is the only church here on earth that has the keys to act in the name of Jesus Christ. She is 38 years old and she knows alot. She is ready to be baptized the only prob she has the members dont really talk to her much so we will see what we can do about that.

Everything is well in Nicaragua. I have had many wonderful experiences. My stomach really hurts right now but thats ok. Thats life down here. I feel so blessed to be on my mission. Ifeel so blessed about my family and the opportunity I have had to learn so much. The opportunity to be on my mission right now bearing witness of Jesus Christ. Having the Holy Ghost speak through me. I love every second of it. The time is flying. This week I will have 3 months on my mission. THe time really is flying.

Mom do you know the email for BJ? I would love to write him an email 'cause letters don't really work or they take 6 weeks or more.

I am truly sorry of my English. It's going to get a lot worse. My thoughts are slowly switching to Spanish. I hope all is well at home. I would love to hear more from my loved ones. I love you all so so much! Don't you miss me?

Querido Elder Pearce