Sister Ashlyn Don Perry: Week 20 : Pouring Beers Out (Sept 1)

Ay Mi Madre what a crazy week.

So on tuesday we were walking to a cita with a less active lady and we say Carlos (our progressing investigator) driving his little scooter. He saw us and stopped and the first words out of his mouth were "Yo bebi." --- "I drank." Ugh my heart sank. He was progressing soooo well. Just a few days before he told us that he was only 5% from being Mormon. I was soooo sad. He was really drunk too. We asked him what happened and he just said he was sad so he decided to drink. As we kept talking to him and expressing how dissappointed we were in him, he didn't even seem to care. He just kept laughing and joking. I was getting to mad and he didn't even seem like he actually knew what was going on. He had a beer in his and was slowy drinking it and it was making so mad, so I took the beer from his hand and I poured it in the street. It didn't even seem to faze him. He told us he wanted another beer but we told him "heck NO" so finally he told us he would go home. We finally left because we had to get to a cita. I wanted to cry so bad as we were standing there with him. It broke my heart to see him that way and see how much progress he lost. So we went to the next cita and my head was still a little jumbled. As we were walking to the next cita, who do we see? Yup, Carlos. At the Bar. With another big beer. I was sooooo mad. We chewed him out pretty good and then went and told his mother. She had no idea where he was but when we told her, she said "don't you even worry, I will tell him. Oh you'll see, don't even worry." Haha I love his Mom. Later in the week we went to talk him he felt soooo bad. He looked like a little puppy who just ripped up the couch. He knew he was in trouble with us. As we talked about what happened, he told us that he was getting his hair cut and he heard a voice in his head that said "Go home and read the Book of Mormon." He brushed it off but then heard it again "Go home and read the Book or Mormon." Somehow among those thoughts he decided to go drink. He ended up getting really sick the next day and ended up in the Hospital.... Secretly Hermana Hernandez and I were praying that he would feel really bad and be really sick... haha it worked ;P We helped him realize that those voices were the spirit. It was sad that he relapsed, but I think it was necessary for him to really gain a testimony.

So that same day that we found Carlos drinking in the streets (it was quite an eventful day), we were visiting our other really awesome investigator, Karubi, and her mom comes out in a towel (keep in mind that Karubi, her friends, and her brothers were all there, and the front door was wide open). Hermana Hernandez jokingly said, "you need to put some clothes on while the missionaries are here." So her mom said "What are you afraid to see this?" and rips off her towel flashing all of us!!! Oh my gosh... Everyone was laughing, except me and Hermana Hermandez who screemed. I dont think we will be visiting her mother again any time soon...

Today was an eventful day. We got up at 5 and went on a "45 minute walk" to some waterfalls. Our district President took us and it was really cool. Except for the fact that we didn't get back until 3:30 pm. And it was much more that just a "walk". We crossed the same river probably 30 times no joke, scaled the side of the mountain that was covered in foliage (I have no idea if that is spelled right..). But we did seem some amazing things. The waterfalls were unbelieveable and everything is sooo green. SO Green. I love the DR soooo much. I can't even express. Presidente Brito got us a little lost and I got eaten by bugs. But it was worth it.

Crazy week, as always, but awesome. My first temple trip tomorrow!! SO EXCITED!!

Love you all!! The Church is true. There is nothing like a mission.

Love, Hermana Perry