Hola fam

Hey family!

Life is good in Panama. Hearing about how cold it is over there makes me grateful to be here-I have to admit I haven't really missed snow or the cold at all... :)

I can't really remember what we've done this week because I'm still stuck thinking about yesterday. I don't have time to write you everything I want to, but yesterday afternoon we had one of the most powerful lessons I've experienced so far. It was with a joven named Jonathan we found sitting outside his house December 31. He's 24 years old, and when we first met him he was wearing dirty shorts, flip flops, and a shirt with cut-off sleeves. His hair was scruffy and longish, he had several bracelets with Bob Marley/marijuana leaves on them and alcohol bottles lined the shelf outside his house. He was friendly and we taught him about the Restoration. He asked a few questions and marked the scriptures we shared in his copy of the Bible. We didn't really know anything about him but we both felt that he was struggling with alcohol and wasn't happy. Then he talked to us about how he's been depressed, he doesn't know what to do and he's tormented by his thoughts. I shared with him the scriptures in Hel 5 where it talks about how the Lamanites prayed to have the cloud of darkness removed, and it was only their faith in Christ and their prayers that made it disappear.

We came back a week later and shared the Plan of Salvation, and he expressed the same sort of feelings. We went back to teach him again but haven-t been able to find him at home for two weeks until yesterday. He'd gone to another part of Panama to work but the job didn't work out so he came back. He didn't remember about the restoration so we taught it again and asked him if he'd prayed. He said he had but hadn't received an answer, so we explained more how to prayer, how God answers through the spirit, etc. I bore the strongest testimony I've ever shared and I don't even remember what I said, just that I knew absolutely without a doubt what I was saying was true and that God loves him so much more than he can even imagine. His mom was listening from the other room and suddenly came out and started talking about how he's lost his faith, about all the problems he has and everyhing he's doing wrong. You can tell she's just concerned and frustrated with his decisions, but I wanted her to go away because you could tell by his face and body language that she's said this to him hundreds of times and I could tell that he just shut off as soon as she started talking. When she finally chilled out 15-20 minutes later, my companion talked about how there are two ways to learn: by experience, when we choose wrong and are hurt by the consequences, or by obedience, when we see the blessings that come after. She said that he needed to have the desire to change, that he needed to open up his heart. Then he asked us almost desperately "But how to I open my heart??" We explained that praying and reading the Book of Mormon will help him to change and open up to God. He said that he would cut his chest open and take his heart out and hand it to God, just so God would believe him and answer. It seriously hurt me so much to see him like that, because I remember feeling that way and I remember how hard it was. Ahhh I don't have more time to explain but basically I felt and incredible amount of love for him, a pure love that I know came much more from Christ than from me. I saw how much he was hurting, I saw his potential, and most of all, I felt how much God loved him. When we ended the lesson, he prayed with such desperation, earnestness, and pain, asking for God to heal his soul and to help him change. Right before we left he was talking to us more about how he felt helpless, how he wants to do a 360 turn but doesn't know how. I told him to pray and ask God if he loves him and he said he will pray until God answers. Sorry I don-t have more time to explain, but basically it was the most powerful lesson I've ever been in.

I know Christ loves us and can heal any pain, and wound we have. I know through him is the only way we can be happy.

I love you guys!!

Love,

Hermana Dance

Luke 15:11-24Mosiah 7:19 (first part)1 Nefi 8:11-12. 14-15